England v New Zealand

[ranger]

Compared to the 16st5 of Richie McCaw it is!....oh wait

He has got a few inches on McCaw though, and other players of similar size are a tad heavier, but I wouldn't say he's lightweight, really. He's fast and can hit very hard if the mood takes him. Also makes lifting him in the lineout easier (would you rather lift just over a stone extra of rocky elsom?)

Croft doesn't match up to Elsom at this stage in his career, thats the moral of the story

 

[durbutter]

16'5 is a lightweight?

I think he means that he doesnt carry, tackle and hit rucks like Ferris or Leamy would.

Donno if thats true or not, dont watch enough of the premiership to know.

 

[Teh Mite]

I was more celebrating the fact that if 16.5 is lightweight, that means I'm no longer a fat knacker at 15! :lol:

 

[Duckdee]

Johnny's broken, again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not sure how I feel about that.
Hodgson has been crap since he's been back from injury. Hopefully it's just how he's been told to play for Sale (kicking away everything that comes his way)
He played well for England over the summer, so hopefully he'll continue that form.


Scanning that article though, Martin Johnson appears to have grown a brain!!!
He's called up Joe Marler (!), Tom Wood, Dan Ward-Smith(!!!NOT BORTHWICK!!!), and Brad Barritt
I know Marler won't get a start against NZ (him and Cole together would be immense) but hopefully he'll get some game time at some point over the AIs

I wonder how likely these players are to feature in the squad, being called up as replacements

I'd love to see:

Marler
Thompson
Cole
Lawes
Palmer
Croft
Moody (only because he's captain)
Dan Ward-Smith
Youngs
Flood
Ashton
Barritt
Tindall
Cueto
Foden

Hartley
Doran-Jones
Attwood
Wood
Care
Hodgson
Armitage

 

[Daylightfire]

I actually hope that Marler doesn't get to much game time,, Maybe used as a replacement in a couple of the AIs,,

I don't want him to be over-exposed as he is only 20 with only a handful of Prem starts.

 

[mohamed_ali12]

Compared to the 16st5 of Richie McCaw it is!....oh wait

He has got a few inches on McCaw though, and other players of similar size are a tad heavier, but I wouldn't say he's lightweight, really. He's fast and can hit very hard if the mood takes him. Also makes lifting him in the lineout easier (would you rather lift just over a stone extra of rocky elsom?)

I think i read that a couple of years ago he was the second fastest player in the Tigers squad, behind Varndell (so I guess that would probably make him the fastest now); and in terms of hitting hard he nearly broke Olly Barkley in half at WR last season.

Marler
Thompson
Cole
Lawes
Palmer
Croft
Moody (only because he's captain)
Dan Ward-Smith
Youngs
Flood
Ashton
Barritt
Tindall
Cueto
Foden

Hartley
Doran-Jones
Attwood
Wood
Care
Hodgson
Armitage

Ward-Smith over Easter?

I see Easter as one of the most important players in the England team personally. Every time he's not there we seem to lack some leadership and 'umph'

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I really rate Ward-Smith, however i think he'll likely be on the bench as a Lock substitute, with Easter starting.
I don't dislike Easter, he does have a lot of power and has glue-hands when in the lineout and catching kickoffs, but he's sooooo slow, and is better suited to the stick-it-up-you-jumper style of play than the more expansive game (that i hope) England will be playing

 

[profitius]

16'5 is a lightweight?

The same way Devon Toner is. Toner is 19st but he's 6'11.

 

[gingergenius]

can anyone explain to me why the BBC is telling me Tom Wood of Northampton is being added to the squad? How did he jump ahead of others in the queue when all he's done is give away penalties?

 

[Teh Mite]

That's Callum Clark you're thinking of.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I like Tom Wood,
He's impressed me in the little I've seen him play for Saints this season, and played well when at Worcester

Also, can't hurt to have an actual openside in the squad!

 

[Dizzy]

Hey have the Northern competitions been played under the new law interpretations?.. I think this may be an advantage the Southern teams have during these AI's.. I mean, they proved to be magnificient for the All Blacks and if England struggles with them we may see a huge thrashing. The first game against Aus was near record breaking...

 

[eot345]

i got to agree with nick on this topsy ojo (and indeed the london irish back 3 in general) has been playing well this season

 

[Sm00thice]

Personally I can't wait to see Scott Higginbotham finally get a run at test level! Tall rangy player with plenty of pace, mongrel and excellent ball skills.

 

[lynam1104]

Yes we have been playing under the interpretations they were introduced at the end of the Six nations.

 

[nickdnz]

Personally I can't wait to see Scott Higginbotham finally get a run at test level! Tall rangy player with plenty of pace, mongrel and excellent ball skills.

Thanks for that input, however I think that it will be a long shot that Scott Higginbotham will start for New Zealand, or England.

 

[eot345]

Croft is a bit lightweight. A good athlete though.

16' 5 is not light weight McCaw himself is 16'7. expecially when you think there are capped flankers out there like armitage who who are barely 16

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Armitage is only 16st?!
Suppose he is fairly short though

 

[eot345]

yer steffon is only 5,9