England World Cup Squad

[Geordie]

What about something like

1. Genge
2. Dan
3. Cole
4.Chessum
5. Martin
6. Ludlam
7. Willis
8. Vunipola

9. Youngs
10. Smith
11. Daly
12. Farrell
13. Lawrence
14. Arundell
15. Malins

 

[Geordie]

Think I'd disagree pretty strongly with resting too many of our starting players for Chile. We have a rest week after this game and we don't want our players to have had 2 weeks of no game time before playing Samoa; think they could give us a shock if we go in disjointed and having softened up a bit.

When it comes to rest/rotation I'm always a fan of changing one player per 'unit' (front row, second row, back row, half backs, centres, back three). So something like:
1. Genge
2. Dan (George rested)
3. Sinckler
4. Martin (Itoje rested)
5. Chessum
6. Willis (Lawes rested)
7. Earl
8. Ludlam
9. Mitchell
10. Smith (Ford rested, although I'd also be on board with starting both Mitchell and Ford to form some much needed continuity/familiarity)
11. Daly
12. Lawrence (Tuilagi rested)
13. Marchant
14. May
15. Arundell

16. Walker
17. Rodd
18. Stuart
19. Ribbans
20. Vunipola
21. Care
22. Farrell
23. Malins

Despite the team ive just posted i actually agree with you.

I think SB will be so focused on building familiarity, better decision making for his first team etc etc etc...he'll not want to change too much.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

10. Smith
12. Farrell

I think we've seen enough of that to know it just completely doesn't work - not saying it'd lose us the game or anything but it's a waste of game time

It's a tough one because this game should have Smith at 10 written all over it, but Farrell needs the game time having not played for a month

It's why I'm very tempted to throw Smith in to start at 15, it's obviously a position the coaches are interested in him playing as he's come off the bench there three times now - just make sure we've another 15 in the side (which we will considering at least two of Daly/Malins/Arundell are likely to feature in the 23) in case he does a Monye

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Think I'd disagree pretty strongly with resting too many of our starting players for Chile. We have a rest week after this game and we don't want our players to have had 2 weeks of no game time before playing Samoa; think they could give us a shock if we go in disjointed and having softened up a bit.

When it comes to rest/rotation I'm always a fan of changing one player per 'unit' (front row, second row, back row, half backs, centres, back three). So something like:
1. Genge
2. Dan (George rested)
3. Sinckler
4. Martin (Itoje rested)
5. Chessum
6. Willis (Lawes rested)
7. Earl
8. Ludlam
9. Mitchell
10. Smith (Ford rested, although I'd also be on board with starting both Mitchell and Ford to form some much needed continuity/familiarity)
11. Daly
12. Lawrence (Tuilagi rested)
13. Marchant
14. May
15. Arundell

16. Walker
17. Rodd
18. Stuart
19. Ribbans
20. Vunipola
21. Care
22. Farrell
23. Malins

Get your logic, but for me the risk of being marginally undercooked is more than outweighed by the risk of tournament ending / limiting injuries or suspensions in an inconsequential game and the need to get game time into more peripheral squad members who might just be called on later on.

There was a 2 week gap between Fiji and Arg which didn't seem to do us too much harm.

 

[Geordie]

I think we've seen enough of that to know it just completely doesn't work - not saying it'd lose us the game or anything but it's a waste of game time

It's a tough one because this game should have Smith at 10 written all over it, but Farrell needs the game time having not played for a month

It's why I'm very tempted to throw Smith in to start at 15, it's obviously a position the coaches are interested in him playing as he's come off the bench there three times now - just make sure we've another 15 in the side (which we will considering at least two of Daly/Malins/Arundell are likely to feature in the 23) in case he does a Monye

You maybe right. Id like to just see a game under SB's reign with his tactics and instructions.

Personally i dont think SB will change much...he'll be looking to keep building the momentum...improving the efficiency, decision making etc...so possibly changes as PSDT has suggested above.

Smith at 15 is an interesting one....whats he like under the high ball?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Smith at 15 is an interesting one....whats he like under the high ball?

No-one knows as Borthwick only thought of the idea in the pub a couple of weeks ago.

But he's fairly small and has barely played in that position, so when I do the math….

 

[Wendigo7]

Telegraph speculating all 3 fly half's will start.

10, 12 and 15.

 

[Geordie]

No-one knows as Borthwick only thought of the idea in the pub a couple of weeks ago.

But he's fairly small and has barely played in that position, so when I do the math….

i just ask because thats one of the arguemnents that Radwan was not included....so seems double standards...

 

[Geordie]

Telegraph speculating all 3 fly half's will start.

10, 12 and 15.

Interesting....

 

[Smurfy]

Whenever I see comments about how boring or ugly the 2003 team was, it sounds like someone who's judging by the media reports, not memories of the matches.

Yes, we tightened up at the RWC itself, out of necessity, but that team was far from boring.

In fairness,Marler was 13 at the time so he would be basing it on media perception rather than memory and analysis of the 4 years leading up to it.

I was at the GS decider in Dublin in 2003, and the English were anything but conservative and boring. Ireland threw everything at them in the first half and England absorbed it all before cutting a good Irish side to shreds. I think that was when they actually peaked, and they weren't quite at it at the RWC, but they were good enough not to need to be, whereas this current English side with this coaching set up isn't close to being good enough.

 

[Half Pint]

Just as an aside, every time I see "Arundell" written, I keep thinking it's where Queen Elsa lives.
(I have daughters, I didn't *choose* to watch Frozen 100 times, honest!)

 

[Scotty]

'England not ruling out playing Farrell, Ford and Smith together'

Rugby World Cup: England not ruling out playing Owen Farrell, George Ford and Marcus Smith together says Richard Wigglesworth

England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth isn't ruling out the prospect of playmakers Owen Farrell, George Ford and Marcus Smith featuring together.

www.skysports.com

Hmmmmm

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

England and a desperation to play players out of position... Genuinely why it is so hard to just pick players where they should be?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Interesting....

That's one word for it.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

"We're not making any plays"
"Well it's obviously not our gameplan that's the issue, throw another playmaker in, that'll sort it"

 

[Lé Ddanno]

"We're not making any plays"
"Well it's obviously not our gameplan that's the issue, throw another playmaker in, that'll sort it"

Reminds me a lot of your 'MOARRR LOCKS!!' comment at the last WC

 

[West Country Wail]

Just want to see this complete passenger given a go. Plenty of other wingers sat at home.

 

[IT157]

Whenever I see comments about how boring or ugly the 2003 team was, it sounds like someone who's judging by the media reports, not memories of the matches.

Yes, we tightened up at the RWC itself, out of necessity, but that team was far from boring.

In fairness,Marler was 13 at the time so he would be basing it on media perception rather than memory and analysis of the 4 years leading up to it.

That weirded me out for some reason. I'm several years older than him, but for some reason, I think he's older than me!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

One of the only limited options Ford had at ten was a Manu at 12. If you take that away then Ford who previously had one option will now have none. It's not a FH problem!!! Surely the coaches can see that.

As for Smith at FB, that's stupid. Smith plays well when he comes on in broken field running rugby. I'm not sure Englands gameplan suits smith at FB for the full 80 and if we really wanted some proper running rugby, why not pick smith at his natural position.

Very odd.

On another note, I can't wait until the england mafia are all gone from the squad. Probably a lot more to it than meets the eye but Farrell and Youngs etc who seemed un droppable but constantly played poorly need to go.

 

[Jashay]

Is it really three playmakers if one of them is Faz?

I get that England might want to try a more attacking fullback option, but why choose a fly half for the job when you have Henry Arundell right there! He was even listed as a Fullback in the England Squad announcement! I can only assume he's still injured?