should Bannahan be starting at 13?

[veux]

lol. From what I can see of the England selection Johno is trying to build a team with a solid midfield and flair at 9,11,14,15. Allen seems so good for Leicester because they have their solidity in their back 3 - Murphey, Tulagi and Hamilton. So they have their flair in 9,10,12,13. Arguably Auz's backline problem is they're all flair apart from Giteau - they don't have much solidity or composure. If they had Horne or Mortlock in they would have done better against England. Northampton is one of the best teams in the premiership and tbh their 12 and 13 rarely do anything amazing, but they're very solid and enable the players around them to score tries. Seems like a winning formula, so England should stick to it.

Therefore, if Banahan does the job, makes a couple of line breaks and defends well he's done his job. He hasn't been bought into the 1st 15 to be the next Fourie or Smith, he's been brought in to not cock up, to make a physical impact and to complement Hape's offloading game.

 

[eot345]

what veux said

 

[eot345]

Because he wasn't 'just' a bulldozer. He can also break the line and give an offload, as well as picking some great lines off Jauzion. And he's a great finisher.
Yes he's a centre in the same vein as Banahan, but the difference is Bastaraud does it well.

if you dont think bannahan cant break the line then you must not have seen him play resently

 

[Teh Mite]

I've seen Banahan do sod all (except get sin binned) many times.

 

[cyRil]

I've seen Banahan do sod all (except get sin binned) many times.

Mite sees what he wants to see

 

[gingergenius]

if you don't think matt giteau's got flair then i'm gonna take everything else you say with a pinch of salt. Before cooper came on the scene, giteau was the most creative and inventive 10 in the world, and an absolute treat to watch.

And by your logic about Northampton... Australia, NZ, South Africa; the French/ Irish/ Welsh grand slammers of recent years - none of them have filled both 12 and 13 with lumps.

I don't want someone brought into my national team, which has more resources than any other country, simply 'not to cock up'. I want them to bring something to the party. Which as I said before, could be brought by Allen, Waldouck, Tindall or Armitage (from the eps) at 13 but not ******* Banahan.

 

[Teh Mite]

Unfair on Jon Clarke to call him a crash ball centre, he's still got one of the best sidesteps in the business about and is a regular linebreaker & offloader... If it hadn't been for that fat prick Jamie Noon snapping his ankle, he'd still have good pace and would have been a regular international for years by now. He must doing something right to keep Joe Ansbro on the bench.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

I really really hope Banahan plays 13 against Ireland in the 6 nations. That's all I'm saying

 

[munstermuffin]

GG at the moment Giteau is poor. He WAS excellent but form has desserted him.

 

[cyRil]

I think Giteau is the most overrated player in the world, and you call all ******* quote me too!!!

 

[King_D'Arcy]

I think Giteau is the most overrated player in the world, and you call all ******* quote me too!!!

.

 

[gingergenius]

GG at the moment Giteau is poor. He WAS excellent but form has desserted him.

very much agree he hasn't had a standout international match in 2010 from what i've seen. However, that doesn't stop him being a flair player and doesn't write off the last 5 years where he's consisently made tries for himself and his teammates at the highest level.

 

[munstermuffin]

Not saying he a bad player just his form is poor at moment

 

[eot345]

if you don't think matt giteau's got flair then i'm gonna take everything else you say with a pinch of salt. Before cooper came on the scene, giteau was the most creative and inventive 10 in the world, and an absolute treat to watch.

And by your logic about Northampton... Australia, NZ, South Africa; the French/ Irish/ Welsh grand slammers of recent years - none of them have filled both 12 and 13 with lumps.

I don't want someone brought into my national team, which has more resources than any other country, simply 'not to cock up'. I want them to bring something to the party. Which as I said before, could be brought by Allen, Waldouck, Tindall or Armitage (from the eps) at 13 but not ******* Banahan.

im sorry but an amazing 13 just doesnt exist in england at the moment

Tindall=old, slow and on shite form at the moment
Waldouck=quite creative and a decnt player but injured
allen= not quite as good as waldouck
armitage= A fullback and is not very impressive at the mo despite having regained a little of his former form

 

[cyRil]

The less time Waldouck is given to develop and improve on the international stage, the better for everyone else.

 

[gingergenius]

im sorry but an amazing 13 just doesnt exist in england at the moment

Tindall=old, slow and on shite form at the moment
Waldouck=quite creative and a decnt player but injured
allen= not quite as good as waldouck
armitage= A fullback and is not very impressive at the mo despite having regained a little of his former form

wot Cyril said.

Anyway, Waldouck is a natural 12 and should have been there instead of Hape way before he got injured.

As for the others, I'm not saying Tindall isn't old and past his bst, I'm not saying Allen is the best thing since sliced bread and I'm not saying Armitage should be England's 13 either. In fact, if everyone was fit and we had to play SA tomorrow, the only change I'd make to last week's side is Waldouck in for Hape.

However, Tindall gives experience, and while being known as a bosher he can play with his brain too. Allen we know about; Armitage is a good footballer. So while there's no amazing candidate, they all fill the requirement of a centre playing outside of a very poor man's SBW... Banahan doesn't.

 

[Peat]

No.

I did start writing a whole bunch of reasons why, but basically no.

 

[eot345]

wot Cyril said.

Anyway, Waldouck is a natural 12 and should have been there instead of Hape way before he got injured.

As for the others, I'm not saying Tindall isn't old and past his bst, I'm not saying Allen is the best thing since sliced bread and I'm not saying Armitage should be England's 13 either. In fact, if everyone was fit and we had to play SA tomorrow, the only change I'd make to last week's side is Waldouck in for Hape.

However, Tindall gives experience, and while being known as a bosher he can play with his brain too. Allen we know about; Armitage is a good footballer. So while there's no amazing candidate, they all fill the requirement of a centre playing outside of a very poor man's SBW... Banahan doesn't.

I utterly agree that waldouck should start over hape at 12.... for me it's a close thing between Tindall/bannahan/Simpson-daniel


ooo how i wish james hook was english!!

 

[eot345]

and Ojo i deffinatly rate Ojo highly

 

[iWin]

I really don't think any of your 13 options make much sense.
Tindall maybe, but not on current form. Banahan, as I've said before, does not seem like a good option to me but we'll find out tomorrow.
Simpson-Daniel, while an excellent winger, is not the sort of player to be at 13 internationally, especially not outside Waldouck as that would give us an incredibly light centre pair.
And Ojo? At 13? Really? If you're serious, then same argument as for JSD.

Wouldn't Allen or Clarke be a better option outside Waldouck? Or even Armitage TBH (although i rate Tindall above Armitage)?