England's Argetine Adventure

[Aristodemus]

Goode is out?!!

Can I get a Hallelujah...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I can't see anyone - bar Tomkins fans - being upset by any of this.

Completely agree on Burrell being better than Tomkins, he's also improving pretty significantly.
The only question is, where is he going to play: 12 or 13?
Has he played OC for Saints?

Other than JJ we don't have any outside centers.

Burrell has played 13 for Leeds and Sale - the presence of Pisi has kept him at 12 for Saints (though I think that is his preferred position).

 

[Patchey]

I can't see anyone - bar Tomkins fans - being upset by any of this.

Completely agree on Burrell being better than Tomkins, he's also improving pretty significantly.
The only question is, where is he going to play: 12 or 13?
Has he played OC for Saints?

Other than JJ we don't have any outside centers.

Matthew Tait also. Like Daly he's been converted into a 15 at seems to have that position assured at Tigers now Murphey has left.

Doesn't Matt Banahan play 13 at Bath these days? (I jest)

 

[London_Italian]

Any idea whose going to be playing for the South American XV yet?

 

[Crapspray]

Bugger, I missed the best news in a while.

Still nonplussed as to why Daly isn't included. I don't know if it was the Leinster game that wrote him off. Either that or his commitment to the Barbarians. Both seem fairly flimsy excuses. Tait is another player it would have been nice to see. If only to get an idea of his role within a wider squad, given Tuilagi's grip on the 13 shirt.

I would say in Tomkins' defence, as devil's advocate, that he might have shown a lot more outside of the Saracens structure. I wouldn't have been holding my breath, though.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'm willing to give Tomkins the benefit of the doubt, but his main asset is his offloading.
The trouble is that his offloads are pretty poor for the most part, he just makes absolutely loads of them.
Compare the accuracy and flight of his, with those of two other ex-league serial offloaders; Folau and SBW.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm willing to give Tomkins the benefit of the doubt, but his main asset is his offloading.
The trouble is that his offloads are pretty poor for the most part, he just makes absolutely loads of them.
Compare the accuracy and flight of his, with those of two other ex-league serial offloaders; Folau and SBW.

A bjillion rep to this post!
It's like banahan: sky sports jizz everywhere because he does 300 offloads a game, when only 3 of them are any good.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2

 

[psychic duck]

I don't see Tomkins as anywhere near international level. To be honest I'm not that impressed with him when I've seen him. Anthony Allen is better. Tomkins just gets in these squads due the club he plays for and RL reputation.

 

[j'nuh]

Wish it was Sam Tomkins to have converted to union. Super League isn't big enough for him. Salary cap per player is about half that of the Premiership, he's won both the Super League and the Challenge Cup and the international scene in league is too small to be worth staying for. I reckon he'll be going to union or the NRL after the league world cup. Hoping that a top Premiership outfit put a good bid forward.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wish it was Sam Tomkins to have converted to union. Super League isn't big enough for him. Salary cap per player is about half that of the Premiership, he's won both the Super League and the Challenge Cup and the international scene in league is too small to be worth staying for. I reckon he'll be going to union or the NRL after the league world cup. Hoping that a top Premiership outfit put a good bid forward.

I think he'll go to Sarries, which is why they're sucking up to his brother so much.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think he'll go to Sarries, which is why they're sucking up to his brother so much.

I concur, they've been playing the long-game...

I've read quite a few people saying he's far more likely to go to the NRL than union though.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Hopefully Foden can bring the form he showed today on tour, he was on fire. Ditto Lawes.

Clark is presumably out of the tour, not sure who is gonna replace him. I guess it depends on what Lancaster wanted him to do.
If he wants a straight up blindside or a 6-cum-lock. Kruis?

Also just seen this:

Kvesic is one of three uncapped players in the starting line-up, along with wings Christian Wade and Marlon Yarde. There are six more on the bench, including Bath's rugby league convert Kyle Eastmond, who will be used as a full-back if he is brought on.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugb...chance-to-prove-he-can-outflank-Chris-Robshaw

 

[McTallshort]

if we need a full back in Goode's absence then whats wrong with Tait?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Goode wasn't brought as a FB, he was the back up 10.

 

[Peat]

Still. If they're looking to use Eastmond as a full-back, is he ahead of Tait? Or Arscott? Has Eastmond even played there?

This is somewhat incredible imo - we have three full-backs around the squad already, two incredibly talent prospects in the position at age grade, and about 2-4 guys depending on how you view it clamouring to get into the squad. Yet a guy who rarely plays there is asked to do it. What a waste.

What's more, every worry I have over Eastmond's size defensively at 12 is doubled at full-back. The Garryown is far too obvious in these circs.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I don't necessarily believe that Lancaster has said he's being used as a FB. He did ages ago, and I think that's what the Express are basing that statement on.
I posted it because it doesn't make sense.

I'm guessing Lancaster expects to keep Wade on, bring Yarde off for May at around 60 mins. And Eastmond as a replacement center.
And only bring May on at FB if Brown is injured.

 

[j'nuh]

I wish Sam Burgess would convert to union, could make an awesome 4 or maybe 8...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Is Ed Slater no longer on the tour?
Not in team photo, and Myall is, even though he was only supposed to play against the Barbarians...
Maybe Myall is there as a replacement for Clarke, and Slater is turning up late for whatever reason?

EDIT: <iframe style="width: 1px; height: 1px; border: medium none; position: absolute;" allowtransparency="true" class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" id="twitter-widget-0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

.@kearnanmyall has been added to England squad, replacing Calum Clark (ankle injury). Ed Slater also won't tour (tricep injury) #rugby
â€" Official RFU (@Official_RFU) May 28, 2013​

<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><iframe style="display: none;" allowtransparency="true" id="rufous-sandbox" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

 

[j'nuh]

^ Detective here.

Someone should start a clock for how long Clark's been in the EPS without a cap. One-and-a-half years and counting (first ban, then injury, and if Lancaster wants an openside, Clark's going to have to get ahead of Robshaw, Wood and Croft to get a starting place)...

 

[Superalexmarket]

Santiago Phelan confirmed the Argentine squad for matches against England and Georgia.

1- Belisario Agulla (Libre)
2- Gabriel Ascárate (Carcassonne - F.F.R)
3- Martín Bustos Moyano (Bayonne - F.F.R)
4- Maximiliano Bustos (Montpellier - F.F.R)
5- Felipe Contepomi (Libre)
6- Tomás De la Vega (CUBA - URBA)
7- Julio Farías Cabello (Libre)
8- Mariano Galarza (Universitario de La Plata- URBA)
9- Martín García Veiga (Buenos Aires C&CR - URBA)
10- Francisco Gómez Kodela (Biarritz Olympique - F.F.R)
11- Mauricio Guidone (La Plata RC - URBA)
12- Pablo Henn (Brive - F.F.R)
13- Martín Landajo (CASI - URBA)
14- Tomás Leonardi (Southern Kings - SARU)
15- Esteban Lozada (Agen - F.F.R)
16- Benjamín Macome (Tucumán R.C. - Tucumán)
17- Manuel Montero (Pucará - URBA)
18- Matías Orlando (Huirapuca - Tucumán)
19- Guillermo Roan (Cavalieri Prato - F.I.R)
20- Gonzalo Tiesi (Libre)
21- Benjamín Urdapilleta (Oyonnax - F.F.R)
22- Tomás Vallejos (Libre)
23- Nicolás Vergallo (Southern Kings - SARU)