If you could Take 2 Players from Other Countries...

Everyone's national team has a weak link. There's often brilliant players in a different country's team you'd want so here's the rules:

You may take 2 players from any country other than your own. You may then replace 2 of your own country's likely 1st XV with the players you have selected. You may not use other players from your own country e.g replacing Toby Faletau with Gareth Delve (if you're Welsh) because you think he's better. Maybe Bakkies and Victor will make your scrum better. Perhaps you think that Dan Carter and Morgan Parra will help your squad.

Who do you want?

Here's mine: I'm English, and I think the 2 problem positions we have are as follows:

Inside centre. It's been a nightmare position for England since Will Greenwood retired. We've tried Flutey, Hape, Flood, Noon, Barkley, Tindall, Abbott, and Farrell amongst others, none of whom have worked particularly well. We need someone who's tough, has vision, can defend and will run all day will good offload skills. Therefore I request that we import Ma'a Nonu into our starting lineup.

No.8. I like Nick Easter, I really do. He has good hands and a good rugby brain. But he's missing "something". He is not dynamic in any way and I think a great 8 will transform our game. In that case my call goes to Italy's Sergio Parisse. The man is by far their best player, a complete talisman and an utter beast of player.

My starting line-up is as follows:

Foden, Ashton, Tuilagi, Nonu, Cueto, Wilkinson, Youngs, Sheridan, Hartley, Cole, Palmer, Lawes, Croft, Moody, Parisse. I think this may work rather well.

Thoughts?

personally i would bring in matfield to the welsh squad to sure up the lineout- then wales need either a quality centre or fullback- so would bring in either smith, nonu or Beale aswell

Carter and Beale

Carter and Nonu

For England I would bring in McCaw. I'd also agree on bringing an inside centre in, but I'd play Tuilagi at 13 so I'm not sure Nonu would be the best partner to bring in. That said his distribution is actually very good so maybe him.

tomathy wrote:For England I would bring in McCaw. I'd also agree on bringing an inside centre in, but I'd play Tuilagi at 13 so I'm not sure Nonu would be the best partner to bring in. That said his distribution is actually very good so maybe him.

I agree. I feel we need a proper fetcher. If it was for this world cup I’d take McCaw, but for the future I’d go the younger Pocock or maybe even Warburton (I can foresee him being a real pain in the ass for years to come).

Jaysus wrote:

tomathy wrote:For England I would bring in McCaw. I'd also agree on bringing an inside centre in, but I'd play Tuilagi at 13 so I'm not sure Nonu would be the best partner to bring in. That said his distribution is actually very good so maybe him.

I agree. I feel we need a proper fetcher. If it was for this world cup I’d take McCaw, but for the future I’d go the younger Pocock or maybe even Warburton (I can foresee him being a real pain in the ass for years to come).

it is unfortunately starting to look that way. same goes for heaslip.

Carter, that way we'd know who is our best fly-half.

And we could do with a good number 8, I'd take either of Parrise, Heaslip or Harinordoquy.

Anybody else think the best number 8's definitely come from the Northern Hemisphere?

I don't know about definitely Nottins. There are some good 8s on both sides-as well as those three you've got Read, Alberts, can't remember if Higginbotham is an 8, Spies (even though he is overrated), Kankowski etc. Either way they make for some great matchups next month.

I don't think Read is as good as any of the three I named. SA only have one out and out 8 and you're right he is a tad overrated.

I would be tempted to go for SOB and Heaslip just so we could put out a backrow of SOB, Warburton, Heaslip.

But, really we have depth in the Backrow, so I would go for,

Victor Matfield - We need depth in the second row and Matfield would fix the lineout and add power in the scrum.

Dan Carter - I would really like to see,

10. Carter
12. Hook
13. Roberts

With Hook and Carter interchanging.

However, if Hook played 10, I would bring in Conrad Smith to play outside Roberts.

I think Read was the best 8 in the world last year and a principal reason the ABs only lost one test.

The two players I would bring into the ABs are Fourie du Preez and Bismarck du Plessis. While I think Mealamu is right up there in terms of being world class, Bismarck is the best, and I don't actually regard any of our 9s as world class anyway.

disneychilly wrote: can't remember if Higginbotham is an 8

He's better at 6.

1. Abubongo bongobongo (Congo)
2. Clickclick Boogaclickclick (Botswana)

Both excellent players.

Ironically i think we (England ) do have a crackin 12....alas Johno hasnt picked him - Anthony Allen.

Put him in there with Tuilagi, and that'll be a nice partnership if you ask me.

For me the problem is the break down.
So ill take Pocock at 7, and the mobile powerhouse that is Bismark du Plessis...

carter and matfield for wales, but how one of the posters could consider hook interchanging with carter is beyond me, hook is a versatile player with a smattering of skills in a number of positions, not a strong contender in any if there's a better player on offer. hook would be my insurance player.

gavstar wrote:carter and matfield for wales, but how one of the posters could consider hook interchanging with carter is beyond me, hook is a versatile player with a smattering of skills in a number of positions, not a strong contender in any if there's a better player on offer. hook would be my insurance player.

I was talking about Hook and Carter interchanging during a game with Hook at 12, so they can mix up the game. If Carter was welsh he would definetly be the starting 10

I suppose if I had to select between Carter and Steyn, I could possibly squeeze Carter in.

wales606 wrote:

gavstar wrote:carter and matfield for wales, but how one of the posters could consider hook interchanging with carter is beyond me, hook is a versatile player with a smattering of skills in a number of positions, not a strong contender in any if there's a better player on offer. hook would be my insurance player.

I was talking about Hook and Carter interchanging during a game with Hook at 12, so they can mix up the game. If Carter was welsh he would definetly be the starting 10

If Carter was Welsh i would have a man crush

Wales are pretty decent all over the field, but I'd like a decent replacement hooker, and possibly an extra lock.

wales606 wrote:I would be tempted to go for SOB and Heaslip just so we could put out a backrow of SOB, Warburton, Heaslip.

SOB is overrated a good player but honestly would prefer lydiate- he is a hell of a six- does the dirty work and him and warbs work so well together

Conrad Smith and Harrinordiquy,please.