What GG said about Flood. Plus if Barritt or Tuilagi goes down and Flood is on the bench, you can stick Flood at 12 if you don't want to disrupt the 9-10 axis (which I generally prefer not doing). That is not an option with Hodgson.
I'm quite worried about this to be honest. I don't think I saw the level of improvement I wanted from England attacking when going through the phases and I think we need to improve a little more to crack Ireland by methods other than monster runners at their centres at times when not babysat by the back-row. We looked deadly on the counter, but we don't turnover much ball and Ireland's kicks are almost always accompanied by Irish chasers. It's not like the up and under is really on against them either - if it is, we need Croft shadowing the chaser; chaser floors the man, Croft rucks over. Or someone else similarly fast and large (Lawes would have been ideal, Tuilagi's a good call).
On the plus side, our defence looks fairly strong ourselves, there is definitley change to be had out of running Tuilagi/Morgan at D'Arcy/Earls - and change to be had out of the fact that Earls will be flying up to stop Tuilagi at root as often as possible, I'd like to build a strike move out of an inside ball from Tuilagi to Foden out wide, that could really take them to the cleaners. Their line out can be targeted as well, which could suit Farrell well. So... bring it on.
Just quick question. Why do England people say drop Andy Farrell? He's done a good job at Saracens and seems to be doing a fine job with England and players seem to like him and react to him.
One he's contracted to Sarries. I don't want to share, and I doubt Sarries do either. Two, I don't want people to start making nepotism arguments in the press. And three and possibly most crucially, Farrell or Wayne Smith isn't really a difficult choice for me.
