Will Greenwood picks the players who can lead England to rugby redemption...

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Full-back
Ben Foden ( age 26 / caps 22)
Mike Brown (26 / 3)
Happy with these two options. Brown the out-and-out in form full back at the moment; brave, solid, quick, and his power in the tackle is great. Foden is still England’s best counter attacking full back.
Foden should get the first crack against Scotland. Brown must start the first Twickenham game. This rivalry must get going.

Wings
Chris Ashton (24 / 18)
Christian Wade (20 / 0)
Charlie Sharples (22 / 0)
Chris Ashton is still the man we have to back, even if his post-World Cup form has looked off its best. If the team attacks and creates chances he is very much England’s best predoator, which is what wingers should be. And for that very reason Christian Wade of Wasps should get a trot in this squad.
He’s as close to a Shane Williams, Max Evans or Vincent Clerc as England have – a small, steppy flier. Charlie Sharples of Gloucester is an out-and-out flying machine, and physical.
One of those guys who if we are not careful might be labeled as having missed his chance even though he has only just started voting. Nagging feeling I have made a mistake leaving David Strettle out.

Outside centrs
Manu Tuilagi ( 20 / 7) Jonathan Joseph (20 / 0)
Manu Tuilagi is an outstanding physical specimen. His try in Dublin during the World Cup warm up game and the five-pointer in the Heineken Cup versus Clermont showed he can skin a cat two very different ways – he has an outside break and can run through traffic.
His defence is much more organised and he has the ability to hurt with a big tackle. England could build an attacking game around this man. Jonathan Joseph is a wild-card from London Irish.
Even if he is injured at the moment I still see him as a genuine England outside-centre, especially as it would let Tuilagi move to the No 12 position. Joseph has to be in the England camp. George Lowe and Henry Trinder are unlucky and if Joseph aggravates his knock then Lowe will be his replacement.

Inside centre
Brad Barritt ( 25 / 0)
Jordan Turner-Hall (23 / 0)
Both powerhouses, great carriers, incredible defenders. For the first slot against Scotland I would pick the one who shows more of a passing game and the temperament to look for space as well as contact in high intensity training.
At the moment, Barritt just shades it. Saracens say they can’t live without him and won the domestic championship last year. I have had my doubts but cannot doubt he deserves his opportunity. Turner-Hall fills identikit role for Quins.
Fly-half /Centre
Owen Farrell (20 / 0)
One man on his own here. Would be happy for Owen Farrell to start a game at centre with Hodgson at No 10. However if he has to play 10, I would like to see him come on from the bench the first time. Another of the new talents who has to get game time. Nerveless goal-kicking, feisty, excellent short kicking game. Time to test him.

Fly-half
Toby Flood ( 26 / 46)
Charlie Hodgson (31 / 36)
Two lads who have lived in Wilkinson’s shadow for a long time. Charlie Hodgson is still the best passer of a ball in the country and would suit a side who are willing to go out and play. Question marks over his goal-kicking will persist but not his defence, where there has been a huge improvement. Toby Flood, possibly out for the first game of the Six Nations against Scotland, performed and grabbed the shirt last year, but form and then selection went against him.

Scrum-half
Ben Youngs (22 / 17)
Ben Spencer (19 / 0)
Ben Youngs and Danny Care had made it the least contentious position out there. Then Care’s off-field indiscretion threw the door open. I was looking forward to two quality players turning their scrap for the shirt into a re-run of the “Bracken and Dawson Show”. Hugely competitive, massive long-term rivalry but pushing each other to higher and higher levels. But right now behavior patterns are more important and Care is gone.
England must pick Ben Spencer at Saracens. He looks more like Dimitri Yachvilli and Morgan Parra, players I rave about, than anyone else we have had. He’s jumped ahead of Joe Simpson, who we didn’t see in the World Cup warm-up games and now get his chance as third choice with Care’s scrapes with the law.

Loosehead Prop
Alex Corbisiero (23 / 10)
Joe Marler (21 / 0)Joe Simpson (23 / 1)
A position that Jason Leonard filled for 13 years now needs a man to come in, make it his own and win 40 caps ahead of the next World Cup.
There are three players in the mix at present: Alex Corbisero, Joe Marler and Nick Wood. Corbisero has had a run and has the potential. Marler has exploded on to the scene and must get game time in the Six Nations. Wood, the oldest, has never had a sniff, cruelly.
All three can carry and handle. Wood is a better scrummager right now than Marler, but the Quin demands to be in the mix. Wood should get a run on the summer tour to South Africa. A Wood v Marler selection epitomises the here and now v 2015 debate. And I have changed my mind seven times.

Hooker
Dylan Hartley (25 / 34)
Jamie George (21 / 0)
Joe Gray (23 / 0)
Dylan Hartley will start, has time on his side, and can add real quality. He needs to tighten up his discipline without taking away the edge. Control is key and he needs to be a leader and understand his responsibility. So, who’s next in line? Not an easy one and here is my first gamble: Saracens’ Jamie George.
An outstanding young prospect who is big, quick and carries. However, now that Sarries have John Smit as Schalk Brit’s deputy, George will get very limited game time. So he may be third choice at his club, but I still think he is quality.
Another player who has impressed me has been Joe Gray of Harlequins.
He is the best thrower in the Premiership and runs superb support lines. He needs to find himself in a Test match scrum to determine his potential.


Tighthead prop
Dan Cole (24 / 23)
Matt Stevens (29 / 39)
Dan Cole, the Leicester man, has the class and the age to lock England out for a long time yet. I think Matt Stevens still gets the second berth here. He is very useful to have on the bench if England decide to try an uncapped player in one of the games as he covers both sides of the scrum. Will Harden of Gloucester will get his chance further down the line.

Second rows
Courtney Lawes (22 / 13)
Matt Garvey (24 / 0)
George Robson (26 / 0)
Steve Borthwick (32 / 57)
You need an enforcer in the second row and I have picked two. Courtney Lawes has to start and is the first second row on the list. He is a real tough guy and can only get better.
The second enforcer is Matt Garvey of London Irish. Uncapped but a big unit who carries and hits in the style of Brad Thorn and Bakkies Botha. Unluckily for Mauritz Botha, who I rate highly, Garvey has caught my eye.
You also need a line-out specialist. George Robson is, simply put, one of those guys we have to find out about. Most will say he is not big enough to mix it at top level, but his levels of consistency in the league and in Europe means England have to find out whether he is or not. The second man is Steve Borthwick who was kicked from pillar to post as England captain.
That has been written about. What gets forgotten is that he is a lineout and re-start guru extraordinaire. I don’t want him handling the ball very often but he can teach a huge amount to Robson, and if England are going to be blooding a new back line then it is vital that the lineout is sown up.

Openside flanker
Chris Robshaw (25 / 1)
Luke Wallace (21 / 0)
Huge opportunity here, and for me the first name on team sheet, not least as a potential captain, is Chris Robshaw. He has been capped against Argentina but in a summer period.
This is the big time for the first time for him. His lung capacity is off the scale, a dog on the floor and leader by example. He has worked hard on his handling and is one of the new breed of player: untarnished, hard as nails. His back up was tough. I like Gibson of Irish, Saull of Saracens and Seymour of Sale.
But I will go for a kid again with Luke Wallace of Quins. An outstanding prospect and worth a punt at highest level.

Blindside flanker
Tom Croft (26 / 31)
Tom Wood (25 / 9)
Two quality players who England know are good and can compete at the highest level. Both are athletic, both great in line-outs; Tom Wood better in contact, Tom Croft better out in open spaces. Lancaster can vary the game according to who he picks. Tom Johnson of Exeter is very unlucky not be in my squad.

Number 8
Nick Easter (33 / 47)
Ben Morgan (22 / 0)
The best English No 8 by a street is Nick Easter. Brilliant since returning from World Cup. Angles, hands, toughness and in back to back games against Toulouse he was exceptional, even in the loss. Provides stability at the base and loves an open game if England can find their rhythm.
Ben Morgan of Scarlets reminds me of David Lyons, Australian guru, clever footballer at 22 Wales tried to poach him but it was about time England won one tug of war.
Phil Dowson is the unluckiest man on planet. Narraway close again. Have to mention Thomas Waldrom, whom I regularly make man of the match, but Easter gets old stager vote and Morgan is the man for 12 months time.

I disagree with that to a degree....i think there are definately places for grizzled old veterans.....particularly in the pack..

Its ridiculous IMO. I saw Rugby World suggest that England not select any back who is over 25 years old and no player in the team be 30.

What will that get you. There isn't a single team in world rugby who achieves success like that.

The All Blacks don't bring up 13 upcapped players for the Trinations when they lost out in 2007. England already have a very young team and there are some uncapped guys that they should look to.

However I am willing to be that a bunch of kids getting hockied will achive nothing.

Early 30's is still the best age for a seasoned front rower.

red_stag wrote:Its ridiculous IMO. I saw Rugby World suggest that England not select any back who is over 25 years old and no player in the team be 30.

That is rediculous. But the reality is that a players physical peak is from 24-30, depending on the position, therefore the sooner they get exposed to the top level then the better they are ultimately likely to be. It also takes time for units to form on the pitch.

A team of fifteen 34 year olds is every bit as likely to get hockied as a team of fifteen 20 year olds and all the best teams have a good mix of youth and experience. The difference is the latter team will get better whereas the former will get worse.

Don't confuse age with experience though.

Rodders, Im certainly not calling for a team of 34 year olds. Englands best team is full of young talent.

However IMO right now you acheive nothing with bringing in 13 uncapped players into such a young team. Englands best squad will have some uncapped players and some very young players. It will also have much more chance of winning that what Greenwood has picked.

The only reason i would look to youth in Englands current situation is that the older players arent performing as good as the youngsters....

However had the likes of Thompson been available he would have been my choice at Hooker..for his experience and bullish playing style...and the fact Hartley isnt impressing me at all (i think he needs a good summer off to recharge)

This is why i would also go for Hodgson at FH...with the young pretender like Burns (who has made the 10 spot his own at Glos) on the benchgetting some game time.

GeordieFalcon wrote:The only reason i would look to youth in Englands current situation is that the older players arent performing as good as the youngsters....
However had the likes of Thompson been available he would have been my choice at Hooker..for his experience and bullish playing style...and the fact Hartley isnt impressing me at all (i think he needs a good summer off to recharge)

This is why i would also go for Hodgson at FH...with the young pretender like Burns (who has made the 10 spot his own at Glos) on the benchgetting some game time.

In that case well and good. Then I think it is important that it be said they are the best player. Nothing worse than a young player on top of his game getting picked off the back of excellent performances and the media and fans just happy that a young guy got in. It makes it seem like his age was only deciding factor.

red_stag wrote:Rodders, Im certainly not calling for a team of 34 year olds. Englands best team is full of young talent.

No, I know and I agree. I wouldn't call for a team of 22 years olds either. Its about getting a balance and having leadership and experience throughout the side too. However age does matter from the point of view of athletic performance and rugby is a massively physical sport and there is no escaping that. The faster the game becomes the younger you will see players retire.

I agree totally Stag.....

roddersm wrote:

red_stag wrote:Rodders, Im certainly not calling for a team of 34 year olds. Englands best team is full of young talent.

No, I know and I agree. I wouldn't call for a team of 22 years olds either.

However some people would.