NZ Maori Vs England

[Teh Mite]

Six stay on to face Maori

Six members of the England team that beat Australia have been included in the squad to play the New Zealand Maori in Napier on Wednesday. Try-scorers Ben Youngs and Chris Ashton will both remain on tour along with lock Courtney Lawes plus props Tim Payne and Dan Cole.
There are concerns over the fitness of Olly Barkley, why has injured a hamstring, but England have plenty of cover in the form of Brad Barritt, Dominic Waldouck and even Shane Geraghty.
England manager Martin Johnson will name the team on Tuesday, when the team captain is also set to be announced.

England's 28-man squad for WednesdayForwards: S Armitage (London Irish), D Attwood (Gloucester), D Cole (Leicester), G Chuter (Leicester), P Doran-Jones (Gloucester) Phil Dowson (Northampton,) D Flatman (Bath), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Mears (Bath), G Parling (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), C Robshaw (Harlequins), D Ward-Smith (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps).
Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), C Ashton (Northampton), O Barkley (Bath), B Barritt (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins), B Foden (Northampton), S Geraghty (Northampton), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Sale Sharks), D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), B Youngs (Leicester).
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_6214595,00.html

I'd Imagine

1. Flatman
2. Mears
3. Doran-Jones
4. Parling
5. Attwood
6. Dowson/Robshaw
7. Armitage
8. Haskell
9. Wigglesworth
10. Geraghty
11. Strettle
12. Waldouck
13. Tait
14. Ashton
15. Armitage

16. Chuter
17. Cole/Payne
18. Ward-Smith
19. Dowson/Robshaw
20. Care
21. Hodgson
22. Foden

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wait...Tim Payne staying on, but Golding sent home?
Madness, hopefully he won't start over Flatman, because that'd be criminal

 

[mohamed_ali12]

Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), C Ashton (Northampton), O Barkley (Bath), B Barritt (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins), B Foden (Northampton), S Geraghty (Northampton), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Sale Sharks), D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), B Youngs (Leicester)Would hope the team would be:

1. Flatman
2. Mears
3. Doran-Jones
4. Ward-Smith
5. Attwood
6. Robshaw
7. Armitage
8. Dowson
9. Wigglesworth
10. Geraghty
11. Ashton
12. Barkley
13. Waldouck
14. Strettle
15. Armitage

16. Webber
17. Cole
18. Lawes
19. Haskell
20. Youngs
21. Hodgson
22. Tait

No doubt it will be a tough match, let's hope they don't take their eye off the ball.

 

[Peat]

Paul Hodgson not kept but Wigglesworth is? Madness.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wigglesworth played better than Hodgson in the midweek tests so far

I'd go the exact same team, Ali

 

[Peat]

Wigglesworth played better than Hodgson in the midweek tests so far

I'd go the exact same team, Ali

Really? I cannot agree with that in any shape or form. I feel things have livened up far more with Hodgson on.

Also, there's no point bringing Barritt over if we're not going to give him a trot and no point starting Barkley if he's not properly fit.

 

[Darwin]

Will be interesting to see how the Maori players go after playing on Friday. I'd expect there will be a few changes to the Maori team. I don't think they can afford to play both Messem and Bourke again in the loose trio as they are too similar players. Despite the fact I think Bourke is probably playing better than Messem (who is giving away a lot of stupid penalties), I don't think they can afford to drop Messem, as he is the captain. Messem should move to number 8, and they should either pick another lock and move Hoeata back to 6 (which would add some size to the pack), or play Lowe at 6. The only change I would make in the backs would be to bring Willison back in for Sweeney.

I'd pick something along the lines of:
1. Murray
2. Flynn
3. Afeaki
4. Triggs
5. Graham (I would even be tempted to bring back Ross for this match)
6. Hoeata
7. Latimer
8. Messem
9. Smith
10. Brett
11. Gear
12. MacAlister
13. Willison
14. Maitland
15. Robinson

16. Coles
17. Newlands
18. Lowe
19. Bourke
20. Tipuna
21. Sweeney
22. Taylor

 

[Darwin]

Maori side officially named: (http://sportal.co.nz/rugby-union-news-display/two-changes-for-maori-93505)


1.Clint Newland
2.Corey Flynn
3.Ben Afeaki
4.Hayden Triggs
5.Jarrad Hoeta
6.Karl Lowe
7.Tanerau Latimer
8.Liam Messam (captain)
9.Aaron Smith
10.Stephen Brett
11.Hosea Gear
12.Luke McAlister
13.Dwayne Sweeney
14.Sean Maitland
15.Robbie Robinson.


16.Dane Coles
17.Bronson Murray
18.Isaac Ross
19.Colin Bourke
20.Ruki Tipuna
21.Willie Ripia
22.Jackson Willison.


So only two changes to the starting lineup. Bourke is dropped back to the bench (as I suggested) with Lowe coming into the starting lineup, while Newlands replaces Murray. I know Ranger will be happy to see Newlands starting ahead of Murray, however I do worry a bit about having both Afeaki and Newlands starting as both seem to struggle to play 80 mins. Newlands noticeably faded after about 50 mins all season for the Highlanders, while Afeaki faded badly at the end against Ireland - with both starting, one will have to play 80 mins.

 

[Prestwick]

Hang on, hang on, hang on.

Dan Cole & Dane Coles?

That sounds like someone's just cloned Dan Cole and put a NZM jersey on him!

I think my team would be:

1. Flatman
2. Mears
3. Doran-Jones
4. Ward-Smith
5. Attwood
6. Robshaw
7. Armitage
8. Dowson
9. Wigglesworth
10. Geraghty
11. Ashton
12. Barritt
13. Waldouck
14. Strettle
15. Armitage

16. Webber
17. Cole
18. Lawes
19. Haskell
20. Youngs
21. Barkley
22. Tait

I've never had any faith in Hodgson and never will do. You'd have to pay me about £500 to get me to take him on tour. That kind of team would be great and I think if you're gonna drag someone thousands of miles from the United States (i.e. Barritt called from Saxons duty) you may as well play him. He's on form and could work well with Waldouck and Geraghty.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

England team:

England: Delon Armitage (London Irish);
David Strettle (Harlequins),
Mathew Tait (Sale),
Brad Barritt (Saracens),
Chris Ashton (Northampton);
Charlie Hodgson (Sale),
Danny Care (Harlequins);
David Flatman (Bath),
George Chuter (Leicester),
Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester),
David Attwood (Gloucester),
Geoff Parling (Leicester),
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain),
Steffon Armitage (London Irish),
Phil Dowson (Northampton).
Replacements:
Rob Webber (Wasps),
Dan Cole (Leicester),
Dan Ward-Smith (Wasps),
James Haskell (Stade Francais),
Ben Youngs (Leicester),
Shane Geragthy (Northampton),
Ben Foden (Northampton).



Not a bad team at all imo, glad to see Barritt and Dowson getting starts

 

[Teh Mite]

A pity Armitage hasn't been given to the local cannibals though.

On the plus side, the midfield looks a thousand times better then the test team. Shame Allen had to spend the summer in Denver though, him instead of Tait would have been sweet.

 

[Conal]

tim payne isnt there are my eyes deceiving me??? or has johnson had a stroke and isnt thinking like he usaly does praise jesus you england fans!!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Probably resting him and hand feeding him grapes all the way through the match or something

 

[Daylightfire]

I reckon it's a pretty strong team,, Hopefully the guys who played on Sat as well as tomorrow won't be too knackered.

 

[Peat]

I love that back-row.

 

[MunsterMan]

Are there any English 12's who are actually English?

Still a decent team, with a strong bench. Let's see what the Maori offer up. Maori +3 I reckon.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Olly Barkley, though he's nursing a hamstring injury,
He's the only English 12 touring atm
I'm hoping Athony Allen will get "promoted" from the Saxons to the full squad in the AIs/6N in time for the world cup

 

[Duckdee]

As long as he doesn't continually try to throw huge passes. I didn't see much Churchill Cup, but I saw Allen try three 20m+ passes, one worked.

 

[Teh Mite]

Johnson wants a winning finish

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_6221014,00.html

Martin Johnson insists England are determined to finish the five-match tour Down Under on a high when they face the New Zealand Maori on Wednesday.

The match, billed as the unofficial third Test of the tour, sees a much-changed England take on the Maoris on the back of their 21-20 victory over Australia.

And despite seeing a number of the squad head home after the final Test, Johnson insists the 28-man party that has headed to Napier is there to win.

"We are not here to make up the numbers. We are here to win," said Johnson.

"The bulk of this team have played well against the Australian Barbarians. They came back from points down in Perth and improved markedly for the second game and won that.

"This is their Test match."

Johnson has included Brad Barritt and Phil Dowson in the starting XV for the match - with the duo getting their chance after joining the tour late.

The England team manager admitted it was a good chance for the pair - as well as the rest of the side - to stake claims for places in the elite squad for the forthcoming season.

"This was a great chance to get them in," said Johnson.

"When you are picking a squad there are always some players who are unlucky to miss out who could have come easily. This is an opportunity for those guys to play.

"You are always disappointed to get injuries but this has worked out for us in some regards in that we get to look at them at the highest level.

"When we got Brad we thought, 'Let's not bring him all this way to sit on the bench'. It was the same for Phil. We wanted to give him a start.

"They are good guys and were unlucky to miss out, frankly. They are bright enough to know they get a good chance tomorrow."

Johnson had been due to start Mathew Tait on the wing for the clash, however an injury to Dominic Waldouck means the Sale man now partners Barritt in the centres instead.

With Matt Banahan suspended and Ugo Monye injured, Chris Ashton is forced into action four days after scoring against the Wallabies.

Fellow Test stars Dan Cole, Ben Youngs and Ben Foden are on the bench, while Danny Care, George Chuter and Delon Armitage, replacements in Sydney, all start.

Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw also returns to the line-up having skippered the side in their opening game against the Australian Barbarians.

 

[Peat]

Are there any English 12's who are actually English?

Still a decent team, with a strong bench. Let's see what the Maori offer up. Maori +3 I reckon.

Olly Barkley, Allen and Waldouck both play 12 and 13, Jordan Turner-Hall are all completely English and probably all of them are better than Hape too.