Wales v England

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

EPS replacements: Tom Wood, Skivington, Phil Dowson, and Abendanon called up. Fairly positive. Perhaps we could have done better than abendanon, but its not a bad decision by any means

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Alex Goode is out injured atm (according to the callups for the Saxons anyhow) so Abendanon is the natural choice

My team, from that, would be (though Johnson won't pick this: )

Sheridan
Hartley
Cole
Skivington
Palmer
Dowson
Wood
Easter
Youngs
Flood
Cueto
Flutey
Tindall
Ashton
Foden

Thompson
Wilson
Shaw
Haskell
Simpson
Hodgson
Abendanon

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Great team, i'd be more than happy to see that put out.

It's just positive to see Johnson rewarding form as well as rep.

He's been criticised alot before for reluctantly and belatedly bringing in exciting young players. But I guess you can't just make that sort of decision lightly(unless your name is marc lievremont), there's always a danger that bringing in players too early will be damaging to their long-term progression. But to his credit, he's made alot of changes to the squad he inherited and it's looking good moving towards the world cup.

I'd say there are positive squads put out for Wales, Ireland and England this year. Very good.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm shocked/happy to see Skivington in there,
Really really expected to see Borthwick recalled,
Skivington has been on good form for Tigers, so it's good to see that rewarded, as you said.
I still expect Shaw/Palmer + Deacon on the bench to be our locks, but would love to be proven wrong :lol:

 

[Sixesandsevens]

I think we are likely to see (If Fouries out) 6 Haskell, 7 Wood and 8 Easter. But if Fourie is fit I reckon Wood will start at 6 and Haskell will ride pine. I would rather see Haskell, Wood, Easter than Wood, Fourie, Easter though, and I hope Dowson gets some game time from the bench, though I am not convinced he will at all.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think we are likely to see (If Fouries out) 6 Haskell, 7 Wood and 8 Easter. But if Fourie is fit I reckon Wood will start at 6 and Haskell will ride pine. I would rather see Haskell, Wood, Easter than Wood, Fourie, Easter though, and I hope Dowson gets some game time from the bench, though I am not convinced he will at all.

I don't think Wood will play 6, if anything he'll be bench to Haskell at 6 - I think Wood is a 7 only, so wouldn't make sense to play him out of position when you've got Dowson and Haskell who are both 6/8s

I expect to see:
6. Haskell
7. Fourie
21. Dowson

or
6. Haskell
7. Wood
19. Dowson

Hopefully Worsley won't get any game time - nothing against him, strong tackler, and used to be a good flanker, but these days he's surplus to requirements and doesn't fit the England game plan (he doesn't have the carrying game of Easter/Haskell/Dowson/Croft)

 

[DorceOutSide]

Only if your name is Ben Kay!

or danny cipriani

 

[DorceOutSide]

do you think england will have a strong front row this year ????

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sheridan - Decent, good around the park, but only good scrummaging against weaker (physically) props - uses his strength to smash through front rows, but is shown up by any skilled Props
Hartley - Scrappy and a good hooker - lineout could use a bit of work, though is definitely getting stronger
Dan Cole - Now that Adam Jones is injured best tighthead in the tournament

 

[DorceOutSide]

the secound row the front row and the backline is good but i can't see anything in the back
row compared to france ireland and wales

 

[TRF_Olyy]

We'll see = I think a backrow of Dowson, Wood, Easter would be tip-top.
Both flanks from Saints, and Saints beat Dragons (Lydiate), Blues (Warburton) and Wasps (Powell) so they'll know what they're up against
The centres are where our weakness lies

 

[DorceOutSide]

cant wait to see that little turncoat tindall get smashed by earls o'driscoll or fitzgerald !!!!!!!!!!!

but i still think wood,easter and dowson wouldnt last vs o' brian , heaslip and ferris !!!!!!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

O'Driscoll maybe,
But Earls/Fitz? Really?

Also: Turncoat?
Noun
turncoat (plural turncoats)
A traitor; one who turns against a previous affiliation or allegiance.

How is he a turncoat in anyway?

 

[BigJoe78]

do you think england will have a strong front row this year ????

potentially yes but..... Hartley is a great player but he still pops up out of the scrum too early and too often for my liking.
Sheridan is an absolute beast and can dominate the scrum but i think he needs more in the way of technique sometimes rather than brute strength.
Dan Cole i cant fault and David wilson cracking player but needs more game time.

 

[Sixesandsevens]

Havng lost Moody and Croft I think Johnson will be more worried about accomadting Wood at all as he is a good line out option, thats why I said I thought he woild pick him over Haskell at 6 if Fourie is fit, as Johnno seems to be a Fourie fan. I'm sure Iv seen Wood play 6 a number of times anyway.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It's a good point, he was cracking in the lineout on the weekend

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

cant wait to see that little turncoat tindall get smashed by earls o'driscoll or fitzgerald !!!!!!!!!!!

but i still think wood,easter and dowson wouldnt last vs o' brian , heaslip and ferris !!!!!!!

Noones denying that the irish backrow is good, but I think people underestimate some of the 6's and 7's emerging in england because all people tend to see on the international scene are worsely haskell, easter, fourie etc.

I do rate the irish backrow, but i think an english one involving wood, dowson, easter etc, would more than hold its own.

Also, I very much doubt Tindall will get smashed by earls, fitzgerald, and o driscoll, all by milling around the 14st mark...
more likely to be the aformentioned getting smashed by hape(even if thats all he does) and roberts.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

and sixesandsevens I think your right about wood and i hope johnson agrees too. he would bring all the right things.

 

[Teh Mite]

Tindall is a turncoat, eh? Who's he switched allegiances with then?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tindall is a turncoat, eh? Who's he switched allegiances with then?

I think he used to be a Roundhead, and now he's a Cavalier (just without the hair...) - Bloody royalists!