England v Italy

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danny @ Feb 2 2009, 05:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Great news for England fans as James Simpson-Daniel is called up as a replacement for Monye who has a back injury.Will this finally be the time he shines for England. I think if he has a run of games he will show he is well worthy of a Lions tour place.[/b]

great. I keep saying I don't think Monye's up to it at this level. JSD needs to have a go now so at least next time he gets injured we'll know whether he is actually any good in an England shirt.

I can envisage Cueto getting the nod on the wing though, so JSD to come on as a supersub hopefully.

Incidentally my England wings prioritised (relying on form and fitness): Sackey - JSD - Strettle - Cueto - Banahan - Ojo - Monye - Varndell

with hopefully Miles Benjamin and Noah Cato to add in there at some point in the future.

Also, f*** Andy Goode. And f*** Toby Flood too. We can't blame his **** performances on inexperience any more. He's gone the way of Barkley - tricking everyone into thinking he's still young and learning because he has a baby face. He's been the England setup for over 2 years now and hasn't really done anything.

So based on Johnson's revised squad, here's who I'd pick:

1. Sheridan
2. Hartley
3. Vickery
4. Borthwick ©
5. Kennedy
6. Croft
7. Armitage
8. Easter
9. Care
10. Geraghty
11. Simpson-Daniel
12. Flutey
13. Tait
14. Sackey
15. Armitage

16. Mears
17. White
18. Narraway
19. Haskell
20. Foden
21. Flood
22. Cueto

However, I think Johnson will pick Mears instead of Hartley, Flood instead of Geraghty, Cueto instead of JSD and Tindall instead of Tait.

TBH so long as they play with the same attitude they had in the autumn, it doesn't matter too much who they pick. There's no one to put in the forwards who will add the bit of grit that a good international pack needs. This is why we are really missing Corry and also Shaw's form. Although all my best instincts say no, Worsley might at least provide something approaching what we need. I do believe that the forwards were the biggest problem (especially slowing down our play, not carrying with any bite etc.). We always used to be able to pick Jamie Noon or some other tosser and still grind out wins against 6N opposition. I'd prefer us to start someone more exciting but tbh the rubbish midfield is a secondary problem atm.

 

[Stillknox]

Actually Goode is probably the best FH in Top14 with Brock James, ahead of the likes of Hernandez, Carter, Beauxis or Michalak... they're not in great shape since the beginning of the season. (except maybe Beauxis, but he's playing at fullback most of the time)

Still a strange choice, a player of his age with a poor international experience can't be seen as a solution for the future.

 

[danit]

gotta be realistic here

game is played at Twick and England need to show they'r back in the 6N elite

talent and experience gap in the halves is embarassing (even with the understimated Flood) as Canavosio is just a stopgap and Marcato a mere (almost 26 yrs old) omen

backs: Sackey - JSD - Strettle - Flutey - Armitage - Tait -Cueto - Banahan - Ojo - Monye - Varndell will play v just 3 italian players of international level (Canale, Masi, Mi. Bergamasco) as none of the other italian backs could reasonably afford to play such a game

the two packs will show a huge dogfight as usual but that won't be enough to be really competitive for the Azzurri

England by 22


p.s.: happy to watch the match in glorious HD on BBC HD... :bravo:

 

[An Tarbh]

England: 15 Delon Armitage (London Irish), 14. Paul Sackey (Wasps), 13. Mike Tindall (Gloucester), 12. Riki Flutey (Wasps), 11. Mark Cueto (Sale), 10. Andy Goode (Brive), 9. Danny Care (Harlequins), 1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale), 2. Lee Mears (Bath), 3. Phil Vickery (Wasps), 4. Steve Borthwick (Saracens, captain), 5. Nick Kennedy (London Irish), 6. James Haskell (Wasps), 7. Steffon Armitage (London Irish), 8. Nick Easter (Harlequins)

Replacements
16. Dylan Hartley (Northampton), 17. Julian White (Leicester), 18. Tom Croft (Leicester), 19. Joe Worsley (Wasps), 20. Ben Foden (Northampton), 21. Shane Geraghty (London Irish), 22. Mathew Tait (Sale)

 

[Bullitt]

Well, that team sucks.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Feb 3 2009, 11:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well, that team sucks.[/b]

what team would you have then?

 

[Hall]

At the very least, he's picked the right openside flanker and fullback.

Unfortunately the team includes; Sackey, Tindall, Flutey, Goode and Borthwick.

********.

 

[danny]

Sinbad and Croft should be starters. Goode instead of Gereghty is just ridiculous. Borthwick`s there because our options are so poor ie, Croft is cover for 2nd row.Mears has proven he is not international class. Otherwise the team is what you would have to pick pretty much.

 

[Prestwick]

Thank god for MIIIISSTTAAAAAAAAA KEEEENEEEEDDYYYYY!!

Here is some of what I've written on the blog:

Now, this is an interesting squad and not just because of the shock re-introduction of Andy Goode. We're seeing an evolution in how England want the bench to work for example. During the Autumn Internationals, England were somewhat hamstrung by the 5-2 split between forwards and backs while their opponents found a far better balance. When legs got tired, all three Southern Hemisphere nations could ease their bench onto the field with the minimum of fuss. With an unbalanced bench, England found it high drama and paid the price as a result.

Having three highly talented backs on the bench to put to sea in times of choppy weather I think is a good idea. Fresh legs and ideas can turn games, even at the gasp as we have seen both last season and during this one. Not only that but all three can play in multiple positions with Foden having a canny ability to be superb at scrum-half, full back, possibly centre and who knows? Probably at fly-half if push came to shove as well.

Moving onto the squad, note the precense of Steve Borthwick and Nick Kennedy. Both of these players I feel have sustained unfair stick in the last few months and the kind of bizarre whispering campaign being perpetrated by the Rugby media against Nick Kennedy is nothing short of flabbergasping. The guy has shown that he can hack it in the physical side of Rugby and he can, nay, will win you good lineout ball. If I pitted Victor Matfield against a professional basketball player, any NBA fan would have his cash on the basketball player and guess what Kennedy used to do? The decision to omit him against South Africa meant disaster and Johnson I feel knows that now.

Speaking of the pack, a hearty congratulations to Steffon Armitage. The burly open-side for London Irish has managed to sneak into the squad in much the same way as his brother Delon for the Autumn Internationals. The guy is hot on form and my thoughts would be for him to clean up England's mess at the break down. If England can reduce their attrition rate in penalties and free kicks by even fifteen percent then that would help them enormously and would probably get them a Grand Slam in the process. Making sure that England can regurgitate quick ball for Care and silly things like bundling in from the sides or killing the ball will be paramount but then again we always say that and nobody listens.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Hahahahaha, that's a Balshaw short of being one of the least intimidating backlines I've ever seen for England.

If they were playing in Italy I'd be tempted to call an Italian win.

Saved by Armitage (the Fullback one), Care and a strong back row I'd say. And I'm sure if you're really in the shitter Gerhaty will come to the rescue.

Having read the words of Prestwick I've noticed that many of the backs on your bench are probably better than what's starting.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danny @ Feb 3 2009, 11:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Borthwick`s there because our options are so poor ie, Croft is cover for 2nd row.[/b]

For these second row problems, it's about time the juniors started progressing through the ranks; e.g. Lawes up to the Saxons, Blaze to the full team. We apparently have a problem that all the second rows are inexperienced or not good enough; There's only one way to solve the experience problem.

The old fungus like Borthwick can then be weeded out.

 

[An Tarbh]

Here's one Mite will love, Danny Care has turned his ankle in training so Harry Ellis has been called up to the squad. Still not confirmed whether Care will miss out but that's a blow for England if he does, good chance for Foden though

 

[Bullitt]

 

[feicarsinn]

 

[danit]

24 men squad

props
Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)
Carlos NIETO (Gloucester RFC, 31 caps)
Salvatore PERUGINI (Stade Toulousain, 55 caps)
Ignacio ROUYET (Viadana, 2 caps)

hookers
Carlo FESTUCCIA (Racing Metro Paris, 45 caps)
Fabio ONGARO (Saracens, 59 caps)

locks
Marco BORTOLAMI (Gloucester RFC, 70 caps)
Santiago DELLAPE’ (Toulon RC, 52 caps)
Tommaso REATO (Rovigo, 6 caps)

backrow
Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 65 caps)
Jean Francois MONTAURIOL (Venezia, uncapped)
Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 57 caps)
Josh SOLE (Viadana, 33 caps)
Alessandro ZANNI (Calvisano, 26 caps)

scrumhalf
Giulio TONIOLATTI (Capitolina Roma, 1 cap)

flyhalf
Andrea MARCATO (Treviso, 12 caps)

backs
Andrea BACCHETTI (Rovigo, uncapped, wing)
Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 56 caps, centre/wing)
Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont Auvergne, 42 caps, centre)
Gonzalo GARCIA (Calvisano, 5 caps, centre)
Andrea MASI (Biarritz Olympique, 44 caps, centre/fullback)
Luke MCLEAN (Calvisano, 3 caps, fullback)
Matteo PRATICHETTI (Calvisano, 12 caps, centre/wing)
Kaine ROBERTSON (Viadana, 35 caps, wing)


so Canavosio is not fit yet, starter sh should be Toniolatti (if NM will not give in with his audacious, and hopeless, experiments... <_< )

drops of Rubini, Quartaroli, Pavan, Pavanello (in for Del Fava, injured) were expected, what is more disapponting is Favaro out for Montauriol in, as I rate the youngster much better and with much more potential than the former toulousaine

glad Bacchetti is in, i hope he will show his skills

 

[frntline]

i thought it was a great idea to bring Goode in i always thought he was great with Leicester and always deserved to be in the squad when Jonny got hurt.

 

[Fa'atau82]

Well, stranger things happen in test rugby. Mauro Bergamasco is playing scrum-half for Italy.. he normally plays backrow.

 

[danit]

Italy XV

15 Masi
14 Robertson
13 Canale
12 Garcia
11 Bergamasco Mi.
10 Marcato
9 Bergamasco Ma. :rahh: :nono7py:
8 Parisse
7 Zanni
6 Sole
5 Bortolami
4 Dellapé
3 Castrogiovanni
2 Ongaro
1 Perugini

16 Festuccia
17 Nieto
18 Reato
19 Montauriol
20 Toniolatti
21 Mc Lean
22 Pratichetti

so, if someone was wondering how an italian side could import soccer "catenaccio" into rugby union, that's it (by a southafrican coach... <_< )

England by 32

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danit @ Feb 4 2009, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Italy XV

15 Masi
14 Robertson
13 Canale
12 Garcia
11 Bergamasco Mi.
10 Marcato
9 Bergamasco Ma. :rahh: :nono7py:
8 Parisse
7 Zanni
6 Sole
5 Bortolami
4 Dellapé
3 Castrogiovanni
2 Ongaro
1 Perugini

so, if someone was wondering how an italian side could import soccer "catenaccio" into rugby union, that's it (by a southafrican coach... <_< )[/b]

so it's not a joke then, hey Danit any news on when Canavosio will be available?

 

[Sir Speedy]

If that Italian backline gels, then England will have a torrid time. I wonder how many teams would kill to have Parisse, Castro and Bortolami in their packs...