EPS not an easy task

Actually selecting an EPS squad, a full 32 man squad is quite tricky. I was suprised when I had a go. Normally most fans would be able to get 80-90% of a squad selection right on guess work. Also do you remember after Johnson resigned.. Rob Andrew saying that the RFU knew most of the squad? Im sure he said something like that. Well I think I disagree; I think you can add a prop, hooker and 2nd or back row to make a 32 EPS and im struggling and I have alrerady added some contentious names.


Foden, brown, armitage
Ashton, sharples, banahan, wade
tuilagi, Barritt, farrell
flood, hodgeson
youngs, care, simpson
easter, waldrom
wood, croft, robshaw,
lawes, attwood, deacon
cole, corbisiero, stevens, PDJ
hartely, webber

on the fringes
cueto
turner-hall
burns
dickson
narraway
palmer
wilson
marler

It is tricky. From your list I don't thin we need 3 fullbacks as most likely only one will make the matchday squad, so I'd leave Armitage out. May is raw but would be an excellent bench option if Lancaster is feeling brave, otherwise I think Monye or Cueto will come in. Wade is currently still learning - I think he's not ready for the EPS and should go to the Saxons instead. This makes room for Trinder in the centres. Twelvetrees replaces Farrell.

FHs and SHs I agree with, with Burns the next FH in line.

8 is a real dilemma. I might gamble on Morgan and Guest or Phillips (depending on how we want to balance the backrow). If we are going to play Croft and Robshaw I want us to select Morgan or Phillips for ballast.

I don't see the point of continuing with Deacon and would bring in Garvey, Parling or Robson instead. However, I reckon Palmer may reappear. Lawes can play 6 if necessary which allows us initially to only have 3 flankers.

4 props is enough to start with. I don't think Stevens should be there, and Corbs seems to have hit a dip in form at an unfortunate time. I think Wood has earnt a chance ahead of Stevens, and if Mullan is in form I'd bring him in for Corbisero. As a third hooker it's probably Gray, but George might be worth a look. So:

Foden, Brown,
Ashton, Sharples, Banahan, Monye
Tuilagi, Barritt, Twelvetrees, Trinder
Flood, Hodgson, Burns
Youngs, Care, Simpson
Morgan, Guest
Wood, Croft, Robshaw,
Lawes, Attwood, Garvey, Palmer
Cole, Mullan, Wood, PDJ
Hartley, Gray, Webber

And out of this:

Foden, Ashton, Tuilagi, Twelvetrees, Monye, Flood, Youngs, Wood, Hartley, Cole, Attwood, Lawes, Croft, Robshaw (Capt), Morgan

Given Tuilagi's injury I wouldn't be surprised if Trinder got a start at the beginning of the tournament.

I think these are exciting times for English rugby, as the coches can't help but make a selection which leaves us feeling more positive than in the WC.

...until they lose to Scotland ;-)

Corbisero
Cole
Stevens
Mullan
Marler
Hartley
Gray
Webber
Lawes
Robson
Garvey
Attwood
Wood
Croft
Wallace
Robshaw
Waldrom/Dowson/Guest
Easter

Youngs
Care
Simpson
Flood
Hodgson
Burns/JTH/Farrell/Twelvetrees (33 EPS aren't unusual, maybe 2 from here)
Barritt
Tuilagi
Trinder
Ashton
Sharples
May
Foden
Brown



The news I've read on recent injuries is that Deacon is almost certainly out for a while (with Parling back in training), but that Tuilagi & Lawes should only be a few weeks.

davem

monye is more likely to get in than wade.

i still think farrell is more likely to be in ahead of burns, as a centre or 10

the centres are really tricky beyond tuilagi and barritt

no.8 is also a tricky position

proping options are all good but i think stevens and corbs will be retained.

quite a few people suggesting garvey, he doesnt look remotely ready for an international call up to me... with lawes already in the 2nd row what are the chances of garvey being selected? zero i would think, so no point in him being there.

sorry to labour the point but if lawes and garvey were selected together that would be the least experienced 2nd row in the 6nations by a country mile!
personally i would like to see palmer retained but im not sure what effect his playing in france will have on his selection.

garvey to the saxons.

Dont forget...Deacon is definately out.....and Lawes has an injury over him....and whilst Mallinder has said he should be available...will he be match fit?
We will be starting with a brand new second row....

Same goes for Tuilagi...

With injuries to Lawes & Tuilagi, who would almost certainly remain in the EPS and should be fit for at least part of the tournament, an enlarged 34 man EPS can be selected with cover for them.

The papers are saying that Lancaster has indicated he won't be selecting over 30s, so although that wouldn't necessarily be my choice, I'm going to see what my squad would look like without those players.

Cole, Corbisero, Mullan, Stevens, Marler
Hartley, Gray, Webber/Paice
Lawes, Robson, Attwood, Garvey, Parling if he's back in time, Slater if not
Wood, Croft, Robshaw, Wallace
Guest, Waldrom

Youngs, Simpson, Dickson
Flood, Burns, Farrell
Barritt, Tuilagi, Trinder, Twelvetrees
Ashton, Sharples, May
Foden, Brown

After watching Lancaster's press conference it looks like Care is definitely out and Ben Morgan in.

Brown should be in ahead of Armatage, Barrit, Trinder, centres dont think Tualagi will be fit enough.

Robson should get a chance in the second row along with Palmer.(IF Lawes is not going to fit enough.

Does any one think that Dickson (saints scrum half) should get a chance.

Carpe Diem wrote:After watching Lancaster's press conference it looks like Care is definitely out and Ben Morgan in.

Yeah not sure how Morgan will go at 9 though .

Brown has to be in the squad surely, if not as 1st choice then surely 2nd only to Foden. From what I have seen of him he looks on fire at moment.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Carpe Diem wrote:After watching Lancaster's press conference it looks like Care is definitely out and Ben Morgan in.

Yeah not sure how Morgan will go at 9 though .

Brown has to be in the squad surely, if not as 1st choice then surely 2nd only to Foden. From what I have seen of him he looks on fire at moment.

As soon as i wrote that i knew i was in for it!

Lawes and Tuilagi will be in the EPS as they will be available for muchg of the tournament. If the over 30s are ruled out, that means no Hodgson or Palmer either.

So for me:

Foden,Brown
Ashton, May, Wade, Sharples
Tuilagi, Trinder, Barritt, Farrell
Flood, Burns
Youngs, Simpson, Dickson

Narraway, Robshaw, Wood, Croft, Saull
Attwood, Lawes, Robson, Parling
Hartley, Gray, Webber
Corbisiero, Wood, Cole, Doran-Jones, Mullan

I don't think it was that over 30s were ruled out, I just think it was that a selection of players over 30 were likely to be dropped (Easter, Cueto and Tindall, I believe).

I would pick:

Corbisiero, Cole, Wood, Doran-Jones
Hartley, Gray, Paice
Lawes, Palmer, Attwood, Parling (Garvey drafted into the squad to cover Lawes' injury at the start of the tournament)
Wood, Robshaw, Croft, Saull
Waldrom, Morgan

Youngs, Dickson, Simpson
Flood, Farrell, Burns
Barritt, Tuilagi, Trinder (Turner-Hall drafted into the squad to cover Tuilagi's injury at the start of the tournament)
Ashton, Simpson-Daniel, Banahan, Sharples
Foden, Brown

Something like:
Corbs, Hartley (C), Cole, Lawes (Attwood), Palmer, Wood, Robshaw, Waldrom.
Youngs, Flood, Banahan, Barritt, Tuilagi (Trinder), Ashton, Foden.
Gray, Doran-Jones, Croft, Morgan, Simpson/Dickson (toss a coin - probably Dickson on form), Farrell, Simpson-Daniel
as my 22.