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England World Cup Squad

Don't Skip Leg Day said:
It's not all players either. Look at players like Lawes and curry (can't think of any others right now) but they always perform at that level.

It seems it's the core of the squad, or the undroppables (from Eddie's era) that are the ones constantly not performing. Im
blaming the sarries and tigers players lol.

I'd be interested (when I have more time) to look at who the key forward performers were for each prem team and then look at if they were picked or not.

A quick and maybe lazy example of this could be collier. A cornerstone of the Quins pack meaning their backs could function from a solid base. I'll have to think more about this and maybe look back to who performed and who coasted or maybe ram off the he'd work of others.
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And yet in the prem they are still some of the stand out players....
 
Apparently nations have until the 28th to submit their squads and Sir Clive thinks Borthwick should rip up the squad and start again.
 
"England should rip up their World Cup squad and start again. World Rugby rules permit a coach to take out players and bring new ones in up until August 28. Steve Borthwick should do exactly that.

It would be harsh to tell players who were expecting to go that they are no longer travelling to France. But as a head coach, you must make tough calls. And let's be fair, the players haven't set the world alight in the two games with Wales and defeat by Ireland. The message should be clear: 'Sorry, but you've had your chance.'"

If England bring in a host of new players for this weekend and it doesn't work, then they haven't lost anything," he added. "They can still revert to the current crop and double down. Given his ban, Vunipola should not go to the World Cup.

"He is the only out-and-out No 8 in the squad and England can't face Argentina with a non-specialist there. Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam could do a job, but when a better No 8 is available you have to play him. I'd take out Vunipola and bring in Zach Mercer.

Vunipola is not the player of four years ago. Mercer would bring some much-needed pace to the team. Vunipola can rejoin the squad if there are injuries in France, which is almost a given

"I'd keep Farrell involved but for Fiji I'd bring in close to a whole new back line and tell them they're playing for a World Cup spot.
 
Geordiefalcon said:
I think this goes back to the Prem is not currently a good breeding ground for internationals....its not a testing environment...and we need to re-establish it as being so.
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I do largely agree with this.

All our players (ish) play in the Prem. Our clubs are getting nowhere in Europe, so why should we expect to develop a good national team from that base? In the last 3 seasons the finalists have been exclusively French and Irish and it's no coincidence where their national teams stand.

That said I 100% don't believe that Jones post 20 or Borthwick at all have been close to getting the best out of the available players - which is the only sensible measure for a coach.
 
Welsh Exile said:
"England should rip up their World Cup squad and start again. World Rugby rules permit a coach to take out players and bring new ones in up until August 28. Steve Borthwick should do exactly that.

It would be harsh to tell players who were expecting to go that they are no longer travelling to France. But as a head coach, you must make tough calls. And let's be fair, the players haven't set the world alight in the two games with Wales and defeat by Ireland. The message should be clear: 'Sorry, but you've had your chance.'"

If England bring in a host of new players for this weekend and it doesn't work, then they haven't lost anything," he added. "They can still revert to the current crop and double down. Given his ban, Vunipola should not go to the World Cup.

Utter nonsense! Imagine wheeling in the panel on Thursday morning, and telling them that you're bringing in a new team to play Saturday. Then, when that inevitably goes to **** on Saturday, you ring the original team and tell them to pack their bags for France? I'm not saying that the panel are in a good place atm, but that would destroy any morale and trust between management & players. I think SCW needs to add a lot more ice to whatever he drinks while writing this nonsense.
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Yeah, losing a 14/15 and an 11/13/15 and calling up two wingers who cover nowhere else is weird,

I get calling up May considering the gameplan (though I have questions over his form), but Murley or Freeman should really be ahead of Joe C - I'd have taken Slade with Marchant going to wing over Joe C as well
 
So the Times boys going with Watson definitely out. Daly and Arundell expected back........England just confirmed Watson is out.
 
SB confirmed Martin (along with Curry) is injured atm too - guess that explains Jonny Hill still being in camp
 
Poor old Borthwick not sure he could ever handle having Mitchell and Freeman in the team. Picking players who run with the ball and play for a club with no real set piece dominance would be turn him purple.
 
Is it me or have we essentially got a mix of out of form, banned and injury-affected players making up the core of the squad?

It's unbelievable.

The way the back 3 is going we might be forced to see Smith at 15!

I'm still irked that Mercer and Murley aren't in the mix even now.
 

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