Umm … there are 12 uncapped players in the 23 and 8 in the Starting XV. It may be against Tier 2 opposition, but this is a test match, not an A game.
Agreed, we've got all of 2 players who are regular starters; 1 who could be called a regular bencher, and 1 other who's a semi-regular bencher.
You'd be hard pressed to find a less experienced international team.
You could argue that Slade and Underhill are wasted caps, as we already know everything we need to about them - but you need a leadership group of some description; players who are comfortable at international level and won't get caught like a rabbit in the headlights, and allow others to play around them. Usually, you're looking for that in the spine of the team - from the spine of this team there's not one single capped international.
Out of 23 players, 21 of them could be classed as "unknown quantities" at test level.
ETA: Of course, that doesn't mean I'm necessarily happy with the selection; but criticism based on having too much experience is just... weird.
ETA2:
Back in March, my suggested team for USA & Canada was:
IMO it should be about development of the fringe, getting game-time into fringe squad members, and running the rule over players who might break through in time for the RWC.
But keeping an eye on it always being preferable to bring new players in alongside the established where possible, there absolutely needs to be players who know the patterns and requirements.
1. Genge
2. LCD
3. Stuart
4. Ewels
5. Hill
6. Willis
7. Underhill
8. Dombrandt
9. Spencer/Robson
10. Ford
11. Cokanasiga
12. Devoto
13. Slade
14. Odogwu
15. Malins
Significantly more experienced than this (and I still don't understand how Jonny Hill made the Lions squad - I can only think the "conspiracy" theory about Gatland wanted firmly established dirt trackers who wouldn't challenge the test team is actually accurate).
Out of interest, my bench was swapping around between:
Obano, West
Dunn, Barbeary
Heyes, Street
Martin, Ribbans
Earl, Hill
Randall, Mitchell
Simmonds, POC
Thorley, Steward, DeGlanville
