England Squad

[Hall]

So with Martin Johnson set to name his squad for the six nations today, does anyone have any predictions/hopes for what it will look like?

 

[Hall]

I have but I few hopes.

Out: Steve Borthwick, Paul Sackey, Riki Flutey, Jamie Noon.

As long as some competent players replace them I don't mind who.

 

[getofmeland]

The Squad has been announced.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

England manager Martin Johnson has called the uncapped Northampton full-back or scrum-half Ben Foden into his elite squad for the 2009 Six Nations.

Gloucester full-back Olly Morgan is also included, while the experienced Mike Tindall and Mark Cueto return.

Lewis Moody, back after a long-term ankle injury, is also in the squad.

Olly Barkley, Jordan Crane, Michael Lipman and the injured James Simpson-Daniel, Dan Hipkiss and Peter Richards, are among those that drop out.

They are all included in the second-string Saxons squad, which also includes veteran Leicester tight-head prop Julian White, and Northampton's fly-half Stephen Myler, a convert from rugby league.

Lock Tom Palmer, who will miss the entire Six Nations, and flanker Tom Rees, who will miss at least three games, are both included, but further players will be summoned as cover.[/b]

Revised England elite player squad (32):

Forwards: Tim Payne (Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale), Matt Stevens (Bath), Phil Vickery (Wasps), George Chuter (Leicester), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Lee Mears (Bath), Steve Borthwick (Saracens), Nick Kennedy (London Irish), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Simon Shaw (Wasps), Tom Croft (Leicester), James Haskell (Wasps), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Tom Rees (Wasps), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Luke Narraway (Gloucester).

Backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Olly Morgan (Gloucester), Mathew Tait (Sale), Mark Cueto (Sale), Paul Sackey (Wasps), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Mike Tindall (Gloucester), Riki Flutey (Wasps), Shane Geraghty (London Irish), Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Toby Flood (Leicester), Danny Care (Harlequins), Harry Ellis (Leicester), Ben Foden (Northampton).

 

[Hall]

I'm glad Cueto and Foden are there.

The burning question; why no Steffon Armitage?

 

[Hall]

Anyway, out of this squad the XV I'd like to see:

15. Ben Foden
14. Delon Armitage
13. Matthew Tait
12. Toby Flood
11. Mark Cueto
10. Shane Geraghty
9. Danny Care

1. Andrew Sheridan
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Matt Stevens
4. Simon Shaw
5. Nick Kennedy
6. Tom Croft
7. Lewis Moody (in the absence of Tom Rees)
8. Nick Easter

 

[cyRil]

I would also like to see that team... At the Mill on the 14th of February for a grilling

My question is, if Tom Palmer is out for the entire tournament and Tom Rees is missing at least 3 games, why the hell are they in the squad???!!!

 

[Cymro]

Hmmm, I presume Steffon Armitage will get called up?

 

[Hall]

Hopefully.

 

[ollybarkley]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Jan 14 2009, 05:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hopefully.[/b]

Two main problems with the squad... Barkley out, Noon In?

Further proof that Noon holds some sort of blackmail evidence against Johno or Andrews.

 

[Hall]

Noon was already in, he should have been thrown out.

I wonder what this evidence is?

 

[SaintsFan_Schweinsteiger_Webby]

My team:

1. Sheridan
2. Hartley
3. Stevens
4. Kennedy
5. Croft
6. Narraway
7. Rees
8. Easter ©
9. Care
10. Geraghty
11. Cueto
12. Flutey
13. Armitage
14. Monye
15. Foden


Actual team (probably):

1. Sherian
2. Mears
3. Vickery
4. Borthwick ©
5. Kennedy
6. Haskell
7. Moody
8. Easter
9. Care
10. Cipriani
11. Sackey
12. Flutey
13. Tindall
14. Monye
15. Armitage


Ho hum.

 

[cyRil]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SaintsFan_Schweinsteiger_Webby @ Jan 14 2009, 01:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

My team:

1. Sheridan
2. Hartley
3. Stevens
4. Kennedy
5. Croft
6. Narraway
7. Rees
8. Easter ©
9. Care
10. Geraghty
11. Cueto
12. Flutey
13. Armitage
14. Monye
15. Foden[/b]

That team would lose to Italy.

 

[Cymro]

Foden has been selected at Scrum Half one presumes!

 

[Hall]

Probably there because he can cover both.

I think Danny Care should start at scrum half but Foden should be given a chance at full back with Armitage replacing Sackey on the wing.

 

[Bullitt]

Oh dear... Noon, Tindall, Moody, Flutey... Oh dear...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyRil of Ospreylia @ Jan 14 2009, 12:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SaintsFan_Schweinsteiger_Webby @ Jan 14 2009, 01:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My team:

1. Sheridan
2. Hartley
3. Stevens
4. Kennedy
5. Croft
6. Narraway
7. Rees
8. Easter ©
9. Care
10. Geraghty
11. Cueto
12. Flutey
13. Armitage
14. Monye
15. Foden[/b]

That team would lose to Italy.
[/b][/quote]

Being dumb is neither big nor clever.

 

[[email protected]]

People are forgetting that because Johnson can only make 5 changes directly and can use injury retirement we will see lipman in the 32 to replace rees and another 2nd row? No idea who that will be but i think he might start Lipman, although Moody is so much better if he can keep his body in one piece!

 

[Sir Speedy]

Isn't Olly Morgan injured?
Cueto back in is a plus.
Steffen Armitage being ignored is just plain criminal. England are going to be humiliated this 6N.

 

[gingergenius]

Not that I had high hopes, but :cryy:

Where did our biggest problems lie? Second row. We need to find a nutter in the mould of Johnson, Botha, Williams... and the same 4 2nd rows have been picked. Since Palmer is crap and Shaw is a pensioner, we have 2 selectable 2nd rows, both excellent lineout forwards but neither is an 'enforcer'.

Personally I rate England's depth in the back row... but still. Rees is injured, which makes Moody a shoe-in at 7 given that he's the only fit openside in the squad. Which is crap considering how he's not really a proper openside; and Lipman and Armitage are both better than him and deserve their place.

Noon is still in the squad; Tindall is recalled. Which means one of them will play at 13 and we'll have a fly-half playing at 12. Which is what we've had for the last few years, and is what hasn't worked. The only player who might break this up is Tait, but since no one seems to ever pick him anyway it's not likely.

Hopefully Cueto will go on the wing, since I don't think Monye's up to it and Sackey's off form. Be interesting to see which of them Johnson stays with. Though I don't see our wingers strinking fear into the hearts of the enemy unless Sackey miraculously regains last season's form.

Shame also to see no place for Jon Clarke in the Saxons.

 

[Hall]

We might as well not even bother with wingers, we can't seem to find two decent centres.

 

[danny]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Jan 14 2009, 04:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Isn't Olly Morgan injured?
Cueto back in is a plus.
Steffen Armitage being ignored is just plain criminal. England are going to be humiliated this 6N.[/b]

Morgan dislocated his finger on Sunday but should be available for this Sunday against Cardiff. From a Gloucester point of view I am sad to see Sinbad excluded. He is due to return this week and would give Englands attack some real spark if they could have stuck ith him, certainly better than Cueto.