Johnson names England Squad

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Oct 29 2009, 02:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Is Mike Catt still playing??[/b]

Not for England,
I seem to remember at the end of last season him saying he'll be half-playing/half-coaching irish this year, so he may turn up for them at some point

 

[Prestwick]

Yes but only sparingly as a player-coach for London Irish. He ruled himself out of any international rugby after the 2007 RWC.

As for the debate over fly half, I think it is very blatantly clear that its Wilko who is going to be at 10. I didn't say he deserves to be at ten but thats just how its going to be. I mean, you've got lots of tens out there: Lamb, (Andy) Goode, Cipriani, Flood, Wilkinson, Myler, Gerahty and even guys like Alex Goode or Billy Twelvetrees or whatever his name is for Leicester. Theres lots of choice out there right now but I think that Johnno would have been better opting for a Wilko, Geraghty, Lamb line up as at least two out of those three can play at center as well.

Thats why I think the whole Care - Wilkinson - Geraghty - Hipkiss axis has legs. Finally we'll have a great balance of brains and brawn that Wilko needs outside of him to stop him from panicking al la Wales during Six Nations 2008.

What is genuinely exciting is the idea of having at more dynamic talent in the pack with guys like Lawes and Croft in there. Not sure about Moody though but then again I never am...

 

[stormmaster1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Oct 29 2009, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Ah see Cipriani has the problem of being a dickish prima donna which naturally makes a forward like Johnson hate him. To be honest a little while away from the limelight could do Cips the world of good. He could very easily fall into the Henson trap which, even from an Irish poin of view, would be a shame. A man with undoubted talent.[/b]

I don't think the prima-donna attitude is too much of an issue to be honest (he used to take holidays with Austin Healey). cips is hard working and committed. i suspect his tackling may have something more to do with it. Similarly with Lamb.

 

[g6mcg]

My guess at the team (not what i think is best for England, or for me, but who i think Johnson will pick)

1. Payne
2. Hartley
3. Bell (Not sure here)
4. Deacon
5. Borthwick
6. Croft
7. Moody
8. Worsley
9. Care
10. Wilkinson
11. Banahan
12. Geraghty
13. Tindall (injury permitting)
14. Monye
15. Cueto

Having a go at the bench:

16. Thompson
17. Barnes (No idea)
18. Kay
19. Crane
20. Hodgson
21. Hipkiss (as there are 2 10's on the pitch already. Possibly Goode though)
22. Tait

Now I wait and see how close I am

 

[g6mcg]

Actually:

19. Haskell

How could I have forgotten Johnson's love child?

 

[mohamed_ali12]

Blaze doubtful - Kennedy drafted in

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8335133.stm

good choice Mr. Johnson

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (g6mcg @ Oct 31 2009, 05:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Actually:

19. Haskell

How could I have forgotten Johnson's love child?[/b]

:huh:

 

[mohamed_ali12]

Incidentally, my first choice 22 would be:

01. Wilson
02. Hartley
03. Bell
04. Lawes
05. Borthwick
06. Croft
07. Armitage
08. Haskell
09. Hodgson
10. Wilkinson
11. Banahan
12. Geraghty
13. Hipkiss
14. Cueto
15. Monye

16. Payne
17. Thompson
18. Kennedy
19. Worsley
20. Care
21. Tait
22. Foden

 

[Olyy]

I think Ali12s hit the nail on the head, i'd be surprised if it was much different to that team,
Monye will most probably be FB, as he's played there for quins a few times this season, and did well.

 

[Gavin]

I wouldn't mind seeing this XV starting for England:

1. Payne
2. Hartley
3. Bell
4. Kennedy
5. Shaw
6. Croft
7. Armitage
8. Haskell
9. Hodgson
10. Wilkinson
11. Banahan
12. Geraghty
13. Hipkiss
14. Monye
15. Foden

 

[Bullitt]

Monye has only been a fullback because he's been shoe-horned in through necessity - Is Olly Morgan injured now? God only knows what he needs to do to get a chance. Ugo's a winger through and through.

Cueto should be ahead of Bananaman.

And if Haskell is picked, it's certain that England will spend 1/8th of the match with only 14 men.

 

[Olyy]

He may not be a fullback by trader, but he did well enough there, and we're going to need as much pace as possible, and his defence isn't too shabby, then again, Cuetos isn't either, so it's really a moot point really, as both will probably be on the pitch
Suppose we'll see on saturday/whenever the XV is announced

 

[mohamed_ali12]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gavin @ Nov 2 2009, 11:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I wouldn't mind seeing this XV starting for England:

1. Payne
2. Hartley
3. Bell
4. Kennedy
   
   [*]Shaw
5. Croft
6. Armitage
7. Haskell
8. Hodgson
9. Wilkinson
10. Banahan
11. Geraghty
12. Hipkiss
13. Monye
14. Foden

Shaw is not in the EPS squad - injured for Australia + theres no chance that Borthwick will be left out.[/b]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Nov 2 2009, 12:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Monye has only been a fullback because he's been shoe-horned in through necessity - Is Olly Morgan injured now? God only knows what he needs to do to get a chance. Ugo's a winger through and through.

Cueto should be ahead of Bananaman.

And if Haskell is picked, it's certain that England will spend 1/8th of the match with only 14 men.[/b]

I don't think Morgan is in the squad either but i could be wrong.

Am I the only one who <strike>thinks</strike> knows Payne is ****?

 

[g6mcg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ali12 @ Nov 2 2009, 05:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I don't think Morgan is in the squad either but i could be wrong.[/b]

Morgan's injured too - this injury crisis is as close to joy as I'm going to get this year with international rugby :\

 

[Prestwick]

Naw, we all think he's crap!

Surely there must be other options than Monye at FB like Tait or even Cueto?! Still though, I wouldn't complain at a

9 Care
10 Wilko
11 Banahan
12 Geraghty
13 Hipkiss
14 Cueto
15 Monye

Backline.

Actually, guys, just had a brainwave. Lets opt for a "Bergamasco" and put Lewis Moody in at nine! :lol:

EDIT: On a more serious note, hand forced by injury or no, with this squad Martin Johnson is officially a better selector than Andy Robinson between 2004-2006...

FURTHER EDIT: Then again we could have hid 60 england player names underneath random shot glasses of Georgian Vodka and asked Hero of TRF, Lekso, to drink 33 random shots and he would STILL have picked a better squad than Andy Robinson ever would...

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Nov 2 2009, 09:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Naw, we all think he's crap!

Surely there must be other options than Monye at FB like Tait or even Cueto?! Still though, I wouldn't complain at a

9 Care
10 Wilko
11 Banahan
12 Geraghty
13 Hipkiss
14 Cueto
15 Monye

Backline.

Actually, guys, just had a brainwave. Lets opt for a "Bergamasco" and put Lewis Moody in at nine! :lol:

EDIT: On a more serious note, hand forced by injury or no, with this squad Martin Johnson is officially a better selector than Andy Robinson between 2004-2006...

FURTHER EDIT: Then again we could have hid 60 england player names underneath random shot glasses of Georgian Vodka and asked Hero of TRF, Lekso, to drink 33 random shots and he would STILL have picked a better squad than Andy Robinson ever would...[/b]

I'd have Cueto at 15 and Strettle + Monye as wings. Otherwise bang on. Foden certainly cannot be trusted at fullback.

I'm worried about a lot of things missing:

1. No props of (proven) international standard. Very concerned about our scrum.
2. Shaw's absence means we'll have no enforcers in the pack. Lawes is, but he's also 20.
3. Yet another new centre combination. Just after Flutey seemed to have settled in.
4. Cueto/ Monye may be safe options at fullback, but neither will offer Armitage's fantastic kicking and aerial game.

On the plus side:

1. Hopefully Hartley can add mongrel to the pack and establish himself long term.
2. Hopefully Lawes can be blooded, then establish himself long term, then become the world's biggest hard man.
3. I think Crane will have to get a run at 8 which is good news.
4. We have a lot of good options at 9 and on the wing.
5. Wilkinson is fit and on form.

Australia are there to be beaten. So are we. But really, we bloody ought to beat them.

Argentina cannot be underestimated, but on our own patch they should go too.

New Zealand. We won't win this one. However, if we get 2 good results in the previous weeks, added to the fact this NZ team is nothing special atm... who knows? f*** it, we'll still lose.

 

[mohamed_ali12]

From BBC:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

England's 22-man squad to play Australia at Twickenham on Saturday:

Forwards: D Bell (Bath), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath).

Backs: M Banahan (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), A Erinle (Biarritz), S Geraghty (Northampton), A Goode (Brive), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Toulon).[/b]

I expect to see:

01. T Payne
02. D Hartley
03. D Wilson
04. L Deacon
05. S Borthwick (capt)
06. T Croft
07. L Moody
08. J Crane

09. D Care
10. J Wilkinson
11. M Banahan
12. S Geraghty
13. D Hipkiss
14. M Cueto
15. U Monye

16. D Bell
17. S Thompson
18. C Lawes
19. J Haskell
20. P Hodgson
21. A Goode
22. A Erinle

Looks good enough, strong and fimiliar backrow - all leicester boys. Slighty worried about Payne in the front row, he was domilished at Bath by David Barnes. Deacon is not a good enough player in the second row for England and would prefer to have seen Kay but oh well, Lawes should get a good run out. Care and Hodgson is a tight one for me but over the summer Johnson seemed to have Care as his first choice when Ellis was away so i'm sure he'll stick with him. Wilkinson seems inevitable as does Geraghty and Hipkiss in the midfield - I'm certain they won't start with Erinle - which is only a good thing. Banahan, Cueto and Monye is a awesome attacking back three and Hipkiss can help out both Geraghty and Banahan defensively.

Think we've got a real chance boys, and players like Bell, Lawes, Haskell, Payne, Banahan and Hipkiss have the chance to become central in the England setup rather than just fringe players.

 

[MunsterMan]

Surely if you were going to play Banahan, Cueto and Monye you'd play Cueto at 15? Has Monye played much at fullback? He seems an out an out winger to me. I know Foden is far from solid but I'd have him at Fullback ahead of Monye/Cueto personally.

 

[Bullitt]

Funny that, being as he is actually a fullback instead of a wing being shoehorned into fullback...

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Nov 3 2009, 07:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Funny that, being as he is actually a fullback instead of a wing being shoehorned into fullback...[/b]

Successful international fullbacks of 2009:

Lee Byrne. Rob Kearney. Delon Armitage. Mils Muliaina. Frans Steyn.

Things they have in common:

* Good under the high ball & positioning
* Good kicking games
* Good defence
* Attacking flair

Things Foden offers:

* Attacking flair.

Things Monye offers:

* Good defence
* Attacking flair

Things Cueto offers:

* Good under the high ball & positioning
* Good defence

I think I know who I'd rather not have.