EOYT: England v Australia, 17/11/2012

[TRF_Olyy]

Twickenham, London (17-11-2012, 14:30 GMT)

Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Mathieu Raynal (France)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

England matchday 23:

Forwards:
Dan Cole (Leicester), Tom Johnson (Exeter), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Tom Palmer (Wasps), David Paice (London Irish), Geoff Parling (Leicester), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton), Tom Youngs (Leicester)
Backs:
Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester), Alex Goode (Saracens), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester), Ben Youngs (Leicester)


Starting XV will be named on Thursday, but I imagine it'll be the same as vs Fiji, but with Ashton in on the wing.
Just read that Tuilagi hasn't been able to train this week, which is worrying. He's expected to be fit, but not ideal - especially as Joseph is only just back from injury (though I'd bring Joseph straight in to start if Tuilagi is ruled out).
Disappointed that Morgan isn't there/Waldrom retains his shirt - don't think he's done enough to do so.

 

[Big Ewis]

Surely a tight game...whatever the outcome, ultimately.
We'll better understand a lot of things through this test.

Australia come off a tie against the invincible AB's and break their streak, but then lose huge in France. What do they do in Twick ?
England is pretty much established now. This same squad has gone through the 6N, successfully. Went to SA and managed one tie. But I'm not sure too many ppl really could assess England's current status out of their 50-pt performance against Fiji. What does that mean, really, that match ?...

A big test for both sides. Should be lots of fun.
I don't see this looking like the last 35 – 18 back two yrs ago...

 

[Phlegm & Poise]

To be honest, I'd be very disappointed if we don't win.

Biff them up front, get them on the back foot, convert opportunities.

 

[Zed]

I don't see this looking like the last 35 â€" 18 back two yrs ago...

I see it going exactly the same way as two years ago. I guess we'll really know after the first scrum. If we get smashed in the scrums, then it will most likely be a shellacking. If we can hold our own in the set pieces then it may be a bit closer, but I still expect to lose. The only way we can win is if England decide to play really poorly.

 

[SelimNiai]

Have you guys seen/read what Digby Iaone said about Chris Ashton and Mike Catts rebuttal. Who knew Mike Cart owned a sense of humour

 

[mstar]

i can see a game with the same pattern as fiji. Except England will not find it easy to go pass the gain-line/throw the ball around exploting space.


I hope Launchbury plays as it be a good test for him, as lets face it palmer seems a little off-par recently. Depends how "Adventurous" Lancaster is. BUt for me after 2 days in the squand and send Botha packing home, i say he sees him starting soon and not sub.


Still not convinced with Waldrom. THe aussie pack will defenately target him as he is a real weak link in the side and he doesn't have much internation experience. I can see Deans coming up with a plan to target him a lot.


in the future....
I hope Lawes comes through this weekend and ready for selection against the SA physical forwards.
He must start soon we miss a "enforcer" type of player in the forwards.


Against SA/ALl Blacks i think Lancaster will pick his strogest side and no more putting new players in starting side. So i can see Lancasters plan is to have his strongest side against the all blacks with:


Corby
Morgan
Lawes
Hartly

 

[Big Ewis]

I see it going exactly the same way as two years ago. I guess we'll really know after the first scrum. If we get smashed in the scrums, then it will most likely be a shellacking. If we can hold our own in the set pieces then it may be a bit closer, but I still expect to lose. The only way we can win is if England decide to play really poorly.

well yeah but what test match was it when England was destroying the aussie scrum but STILL lost the game amply...
yeah got it: 2010, Perth. Two penalty tries and a good no. of penalty kicks for England, and they lose 27-17.

England has always thrived off the scrum, but we'll see how the backs work. Australia may take advantage of their SH attacking culture against England, convert some kicks and resist somewhat in the scrum and take this.

 

[Draggs]

I had to laugh at Ioane's comments on Scrum, considering they were right next to a picture of him standing with his shirt off looking like a pillock.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think Flood's were better:

 

[Draggs]

Fair play, that's excellent.
It's not as gay as we can get with Fairhurst and Smith, though.

I've not updated my Wales XV handsomeness list for quite a while.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Good team - I'm backing Wales for this by about 12. But seeing some of these changes just makes me wonder why Howley didn't do this a week ago and spare himself the blushes. (some guys were injured, I know)

 

[j'nuh]

I still cannot work out how Waldrom got in ahead of Morgan. Form, skill, youth, incumbency are all on Morgan's side.

Good team - I'm backing Wales for this by about 12. But seeing some of these changes just makes me wonder why Howley didn't do this a week ago and spare himself the blushes. (some guys were injured, I know)

It would be a famous result if Wales won in a game between England and Australia!

 

[Saintjay]

Flood also said something like "Yeah Chris is from Wigan the home of all super models". Class.

 

[Teh Mite]

It would be a famous result if Wales won in a game between England and Australia!

The only time the English don't win versus Australia is when wearing Wales shirts. *cough*

 

[Zed]

well yeah but what test match was it when England was destroying the aussie scrum but STILL lost the game amply...
yeah got it: 2010, Perth. Two penalty tries and a good no. of penalty kicks for England, and they lose 27-17.

England has always thrived off the scrum, but we'll see how the backs work. Australia may take advantage of their SH attacking culture against England, convert some kicks and resist somewhat in the scrum and take this.

Yes I saw that game live. England should have won by 15 - 20 points, they were terrible. If we can hold in the scrum, get a few penalties early on, who know.

 

[Big Ewis]

^ Well Australia ought to rebound. Two losses in a row - to NH teams - would be quite a slippery slope. Esp. with the rivalry betw. England and Australia.
And England will do everything they can to prove their worth to the world, and at home, they've got some momentum right now.

I'm not even sure who's playing for Australia though...same squad ?

 

[McTallshort]

]I still cannot work out how Waldrom got in ahead of Morgan. Form, skill, youth, incumbency are all on Morgan's side.
[/B]

It would be a famous result if Wales won in a game between England and Australia!

I know what you mean but something has happened that has put Morgan out of favour, its a shame because he has the potential to be a great No8 where as Waldrom is just a good club level No8.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

What excites me most is seeing the back-row talent we have in that 23 - For me, bring in Morgan for Waldrom ideally and then you have 5 very talented and versatile guys in Chris Robshaw, Tom Wood, Joe Launchbury (even though he's technically a substitute at lock) Tom Johnson, and whoever you play at 8. There's so much to work with there. Only very recently I felt that we almost had too many options i nthe back-row and it was confusing things, but with Haskell underwhelming, Croft injured, and Armitage not picked for being in France, I just feel like it's a no-brainer really and we're very lucky with what we've got.

I do thinkit's a strong Australia team - Hooper is quality which will soften the loss of Pocock. The front row loooks good as does the midfield. Could be a very close game. I really think we should target Phipps who I do feel is a weaker link in that team.

 

[j'nuh]

It might not be significant, but I wish Sharples was on the right wing and Ashton on the left. Sharples' game is mostly played hugging the wing, where he can really use his pace, so give him the familiar wing he works with imo.