iWin
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So Martin Johnson will be announcing this tomorrow, and I haven't seen anything on this so I thought I'd start a bit of speculation.
There's going to be a 44 man squad, which is pretty much 3 for every position, so here's my thoughts.
Please bear in mind I have no idea who is injured and not right now, so I'm assuming fitness:
Props
Cole, Wilson, Golding, Sheridan, Mercey, Payne
As a back 3 player, this probably is going to be a very bad call, and I don't know who plays tight and loosehead, but all these have seemed fairly good in the past and more recently in some cases. Haven't seen Sheridan in ages, but lack of alternatives and decent form in the past has made me choose him, same with Payne, but without the previous performances. Really can't see much depth here without exposing a load of new people to internationals, which is not worth doing this close to the world cup. Golding and Mercey have enough inexperience for me not to want more. God knows who'd start. I certainly don't
Hookers
Hartley, Thompson, ***terell
Ok, I've really got no idea what the response will be. Hartley is probably the best bet in the long run but he hasn't been fantastic in previous internationals. Thompson has been pretty good when he came on, and has looked very good at Brive, so doesn't deserve dropping in my mind. ***terell is still a great player to me, and I'd have him in instead of Mears or Paice or whoever else. Hartley to start with Thompson on the bench.
Locks
Lawes, Kennedy, Shaw, Palmer, Skivington, Borthwick
Yeah. I didn't think I'd pick Palmer either, but he was pretty good when he came on at the end of the six nations, so I don't think he warrant's being dropped. Not a starter, but if he can build on that last performance, I'd be most happy to change my opinion of him. Lawes and Kennedy should have been starters for a while, so no problems there. Shaw to add weight and experience. Skivington has been decent, and is probably there above any alternatives. Borthwick there because the chances of him not making it are laughable as MJ seems to love him so much.
Backrow
Croft, Robshaw, Dowson, Easter, Haskell, Armitage, Rees, Saull
Everyone in this list bar Haskell has looked impressive in the GP, and Haskell hasn't been bad for Stade or England. Dowson and Saull are there with even less experience than Robshaw, but all have performed decently and better to find out whether they're up to it now than in 6 months. Would possibly swap Saull for Moody, but whatever. Starters should be Croft, Haskell, Armitage, with Robshaw warming the bench.
Scrumhalves
Care, Hodgson, Youngs
No need for change in these three. Simpson hasn't done enough to usurp any of them, and there's decent competition for the starting spot to keep them on their toes. Would love to see Youngs get a bit of gametime, but it's only likely to happen if one of the others messes up.
Flyhalves
Flood, Myler, Lamb
Flood has performed well enough, although by no means perfectly. Myler and Lamb have both been pretty good at club level, but are mostly there because Geraghty fails to impress me, and I'd rather have Duncan Bell than Jonny Wilkinson.
Flood to start, with Myler on the bench.
Inside Centre
Barkley, Allen, Tindall
Barkley has been firing at Bath, and he has the experience to be very good as well. Apparently he comes up with tactical stuff off the pitch too, so a good option to me. Allen has also been looking very strong at Leicester, but I think Tindall is needed so we can have a monster as a centre option. Tindall is also an option at 13 of course. Barkley to start.
Outside Centre
Tait, Clarke, Hipkiss
Tait is very good when on form, and definitely in as a pacey option out wide, although he could leave the centres a bit light without someone heavy near him. Clarke has been great for Saints, and Hipkiss is probably a solid option as well, but there aren't that many options at centre that leave me entirely happy. Clarke to start, reverting to Barkley-Hipkiss if that doesn't work.
Wings
Ashton, Monye, Cueto, Ojo, Strettle, Banahan
Ashton and Cueto ended the six nations on a high, and so would get the nod to start. Monye is good for straight line speed and has shown patches of good form during his England career. Ojo and Strettle are there because I like them. No other reason, I just do. Banahan is there because 6th best in the country is probably where he's at
Fullback
Foden, Armitage, Brown
Foden is the natural choice. He's pretty much the best England have to offer in the back 3 at the moment. Armitage held that ***le not so long ago, so he should definitely get the chance to show that again, but only after Foden's done with the 15 shirt. Mike Brown is another player I really like. It may be my quins glasses affecting my vision, but I think he's another good option, and I'd have him ahead of Goode or Morgan
There's going to be a 44 man squad, which is pretty much 3 for every position, so here's my thoughts.
Please bear in mind I have no idea who is injured and not right now, so I'm assuming fitness:
Props
Cole, Wilson, Golding, Sheridan, Mercey, Payne
As a back 3 player, this probably is going to be a very bad call, and I don't know who plays tight and loosehead, but all these have seemed fairly good in the past and more recently in some cases. Haven't seen Sheridan in ages, but lack of alternatives and decent form in the past has made me choose him, same with Payne, but without the previous performances. Really can't see much depth here without exposing a load of new people to internationals, which is not worth doing this close to the world cup. Golding and Mercey have enough inexperience for me not to want more. God knows who'd start. I certainly don't
Hookers
Hartley, Thompson, ***terell
Ok, I've really got no idea what the response will be. Hartley is probably the best bet in the long run but he hasn't been fantastic in previous internationals. Thompson has been pretty good when he came on, and has looked very good at Brive, so doesn't deserve dropping in my mind. ***terell is still a great player to me, and I'd have him in instead of Mears or Paice or whoever else. Hartley to start with Thompson on the bench.
Locks
Lawes, Kennedy, Shaw, Palmer, Skivington, Borthwick
Yeah. I didn't think I'd pick Palmer either, but he was pretty good when he came on at the end of the six nations, so I don't think he warrant's being dropped. Not a starter, but if he can build on that last performance, I'd be most happy to change my opinion of him. Lawes and Kennedy should have been starters for a while, so no problems there. Shaw to add weight and experience. Skivington has been decent, and is probably there above any alternatives. Borthwick there because the chances of him not making it are laughable as MJ seems to love him so much.
Backrow
Croft, Robshaw, Dowson, Easter, Haskell, Armitage, Rees, Saull
Everyone in this list bar Haskell has looked impressive in the GP, and Haskell hasn't been bad for Stade or England. Dowson and Saull are there with even less experience than Robshaw, but all have performed decently and better to find out whether they're up to it now than in 6 months. Would possibly swap Saull for Moody, but whatever. Starters should be Croft, Haskell, Armitage, with Robshaw warming the bench.
Scrumhalves
Care, Hodgson, Youngs
No need for change in these three. Simpson hasn't done enough to usurp any of them, and there's decent competition for the starting spot to keep them on their toes. Would love to see Youngs get a bit of gametime, but it's only likely to happen if one of the others messes up.
Flyhalves
Flood, Myler, Lamb
Flood has performed well enough, although by no means perfectly. Myler and Lamb have both been pretty good at club level, but are mostly there because Geraghty fails to impress me, and I'd rather have Duncan Bell than Jonny Wilkinson.
Flood to start, with Myler on the bench.
Inside Centre
Barkley, Allen, Tindall
Barkley has been firing at Bath, and he has the experience to be very good as well. Apparently he comes up with tactical stuff off the pitch too, so a good option to me. Allen has also been looking very strong at Leicester, but I think Tindall is needed so we can have a monster as a centre option. Tindall is also an option at 13 of course. Barkley to start.
Outside Centre
Tait, Clarke, Hipkiss
Tait is very good when on form, and definitely in as a pacey option out wide, although he could leave the centres a bit light without someone heavy near him. Clarke has been great for Saints, and Hipkiss is probably a solid option as well, but there aren't that many options at centre that leave me entirely happy. Clarke to start, reverting to Barkley-Hipkiss if that doesn't work.
Wings
Ashton, Monye, Cueto, Ojo, Strettle, Banahan
Ashton and Cueto ended the six nations on a high, and so would get the nod to start. Monye is good for straight line speed and has shown patches of good form during his England career. Ojo and Strettle are there because I like them. No other reason, I just do. Banahan is there because 6th best in the country is probably where he's at
Fullback
Foden, Armitage, Brown
Foden is the natural choice. He's pretty much the best England have to offer in the back 3 at the moment. Armitage held that ***le not so long ago, so he should definitely get the chance to show that again, but only after Foden's done with the 15 shirt. Mike Brown is another player I really like. It may be my quins glasses affecting my vision, but I think he's another good option, and I'd have him ahead of Goode or Morgan
