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Waiting List
1. pullthestrings
2. Bathite

FFS

http://www.rfu.com/News/2012/January/NewsArticles/300112_armitage.aspx

I didn't see the game mate, but heard it was closer than the scoreline suggested.

That could well be the last straw for Armitage with England. It's like he's hit the self destruct button.

Difficult to comment too much without knowing the full facts, but he has got to realise that he is going to be a target for abuse when he's out because of his reputation, so not sure why he would put himself into that situation.

What a tool.

That's his last bridge burned I think. Shame

All the papers are reporting that Robshaw is England captain

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/9048145/Six-Nations-2012-Chris-Robshaw-expected-to-be-named-captain-as-RFU-offer-1.8-million-Grand-Slam-bonus.html

Dissapointed with that. Especially if its a long term appointment.

Let him get some experience first. Give it to someone with more experience.

Hartley should have got it really. It's only a one game appointment anyway, I expect Wood will be given it for the next game

I don't think he was first choice. Pretty sure that Lancaster wanted Wood, but with him being injured has looked to someone with some captaincy experience.

we knocked on twice when over the line, both should of been tries really. First one was Homer, second one was Yarde.

Although Sisi played well, our backrow struggled, Thorpe and Roche are so poor. Low did OK for his first game back but we were outdone in that department.

Low is not a 6 really though is he. He's similar to Gaskell in stature, so would need to play in the second row with a big lump to be most effective.

I'm hoping for the Quins away game in a couple of weeks we will have Trev and Gibson back. Tagi should be fine by then.
Think Bowden got injured again though which is bad news. And Shingler went off injured.

Bowden tweeted about being back in the moonboot on Saturday night, so that doesn't look great.

If Shingles is also ruled out we are fecked at 10 really as Jarvis is a poor player. How did Homer go there, I heard he finished up there after Bowden went off?

Did OK, hard to tell in a short period. Problem is if he plays at 10, who goes to 15? We need Hewat back! loved him at 10 thought he played brilliant there.

I'm trying to find out about Bowden as there are reports he is close to signing for Tigers, but I dont think that is true.

apparently yesterday Hendrie Fourie was brought off after 30 mins as a pre meditated plan as part of his recovery.

Interesting plan that. I saw he;d be brought off and thought he'd been crocked again.

I hope he gets back on good form as would be beneficial for me. Although with the form Steffon is in I am ok for opensides.

Seems Irish are quite confident of keeping Bowden, but he has gone for a scan on an injury. Hope its nothing serious as we are f ucked without him.

Robshaw Captain for the first two games.

Is that how long Wood is expected to be out for? or are they just giving him two shots to show his credentials?

Wood
Out for 2 games so it is temporary. Ackford reckons England will come 5th and I dont disagree.

A backline containing hodgson and Barritt is so underwhelming and lacking in class.

Same as the Backrow which could include dowson and robshaw.

I still think rather than picking these
Players who will never be international standard we could have been bold.

Agree Mat

selections like Dowson, Waldrom, Hodgson take us no further forward and it's not like they are world class here and now.

I'd have rather seen us be bold, give the kids their head and go down all guns blazing this 6 Nations, but in the knowledge that the young players would learn from it and get better going forward.

Would you have thrown Farrell in as starting no10 then Mat, Pete? I'm not sure who else they could have got with Flood out injured. Flood will be back soon too.

Also guess Barritt is there to have some familiarity in the backline with his club colleagues - he'll be out as soon as Tuilagi is back - but if you went with something like Farrell and Trinder then we could be in trouble and battered off the park, which might not help a players development.

A backline that brings in Flood and Tuilagi suddenly makes the team a lot better, though wouldnt say there is much difference between Flood and Hodgson - think both are some way off international class.

So much pressure will be on Farrell's shoulders this weekend - as with the backline that looks likely his kicking game is going to be our main attack.

I would definitely add barrit to that list pete. He will get capped this 6n but is no long term solution.

Robshaw deserves a start although I think he is a club player who will not step up.

I would have probably played farrell 12and maybe trinder 13. Could have gone farrell 10 but then you have no 12.

All I know is that we need to build to the next wc and this side will not be playing in it.

I am
Off to the Italy game and am
Worried about it.

Robshaw & Barritt deserve their chance as they've been consistent performers the AP.

You were saying Wallace shouldn't be in Saxons as he hasn't played enough AP games yet don't want consistent AP performers involved in the full squad?!?!

The only player that looked anywhere near Int class in the Saxons was Garvey so I fail to see how different the England squad could look.

Barritt may not succeed but he might. Hape was a joke selection when he was put forward but in my eyes performed well when used right.

How can you have 30+ caps and not be Int class?!?!?!

You say Tim Payne is not international class yet he has nearer 50 caps and has never let
England down like
Hodgson has

Tim Payne has 22 caps, hardly near 50. He's not involved with England currently is he?

It was more a point at Chris saying Flood was hardly International class than Hodgson tbh. Stupid comment to make about somebody with 46 caps and has lead us to a 6N win in the last year

Not really a stupid comment Pooly - think people are allowed their own oppinions. I don't think Flood is a top class international.

You said he was some way off International class not off "top class Int". He obviously is Int class as he has nearly 50 caps and is our first choice 10.

Do you think before you type or have you got typing tourettes?!?!

We lack a top class fly half.
But I think only Ireland have a genuine 'world class' (on current form anyway) fly half.
Flood and Priestland are good but not great players.
Trinh-Duc can be excellent but for me isnt world class or much better than Flood or Priestland.

Apparently George Ford is considering an offer from Sale. Rejected 80k a year last year to join us last year.

Promise of first team rugby is apparently tempting for him, as well as being from the North.

Completely agree Nick, we have no real world class players. You play the best you have and stop whinging that we don't have better

We have spoken to Ford too.
Think he needs a move away as he wont be first choice for a while with Flood there.

Priestland could easily become world class. To me he looks better than Sexton did when he first played on an international level. Sexton has kept on improving though ever since his debut.

Agree priest land looks
Excellent and a star of the future

Be interesting to see how Priestland goes this 6 Nations, whether he has almost like 'second season syndrome' after bursting onto the scene so spectacularly in the world cup.

Rugby paper says that Toulon are also trying to sign Guy armitage as he only has 3 months on his contract.

Are Toulon running out of English players to sign? Thought there was a rulecoming in over in France where 'x' amount of players in a squad had to be French?

That rumour has been circulating on the Irish fans forum for a while now Steve. plenty think that he will go as he's not signed a new contract with us yet.

To be honest, he doesn't look to me as if he will be anywhere near as good a player as Steffon or Delon, or so wouldn't be too bothered if he does go.

agree Pete

I read so many rumours about Irish in the rugby times/paper then get told they are just 'rumours' with no truth behind them whatsoever

Pete/Nick who would you most like to see at Irish next season? Think the Skivington signing was very good.

We have been linked with

Gopperth
Ford
Cipriani
Kingi
Lawson

I would like Gopperth think he would give us better control. Ford would be good for the future. Cipriani I would take but don't think that will happen.
Any scrum half I would take. We need one who is dangerous around the fringes as it could give our backs a bit more extra space.

I am very happy with the Skiv signing, great partner for Garvey.

I would like to see Lahiff become more of a regular. Shingler has played better at 12 than Hape and think he could be a very good player for us.
Keeping Tagicakibau fit would be like a new signing.

Backrow needs work, we need an openside to play with Gibson and Hala'ufia.

Chris

This is a list of players who at present are contracted for next season (although nick may have more up to date information)

Prop: Corbisiero, Lahiff, Ion, Halavatau
Hooker: Paice
Second Row: Evans, Garvey, Skivington, Low
Back Row: Gibson, Gray, Hala'Ufia, Thorpe, Sisi, Pritchard, Clarke
Scrum Half: Allinson, Samson
Fly Half:
Centre: Shingler, Hape, Joseph, Ansbro
Wing: Tagicakibau, Ojo, Yarde, Watson
Full Back: Homer

We desperately need a tighthead and an openside.

1. Corbisiero
2. Paice
3. Monster tighthead
4. Garvey
5. Skivington

would be a more than competitive front 5. I would also like to see Treviranus and Danaher to re sign as I don't trust Hala'ufia to not pick up more bans. If 'Big Trev' does stay, he could solve the issue of a ball carrier and turnover man in one and I would be happy with a back row of 6. Danaher 7. Treviranus 8. Gibson.

Kingi would be a good signing at 9 as he's a tidy player and covers 10 and 15. We do need a 10 though, as I am convinced that Bowden will be off. Personally of the players that we seem to be in for, Ford, Gopperth and Cipriani, that would be the order I would take them in.

15. Homer
14. Ojo
13. Joseph
12. Shingler
11. Tagicakibau
10. Ford
9. Kingi

1. Corbisiero
2. Paice
3. Some big ass Georgian
4. Garvey
5. Skivington
6. Danaher
7. Treviranus
8. Gibson

is for me a top half of the table side.

If we find a 10 who can kick, then I would have Homer as a bench player as he doesnt offer enough in open play.

backrow I would go Danaher, Trev, Hoff
But you are probably assuming Hoff will be banned for the majority of the season which is quite probable

You then have Hape/Ansbro/Yarde/Allinson/Homer on the bench as backs which is decent

I think that's nonsense nick to be honest. His attacking game has come on bundles this year. He is strong runner ball in hand, but at times appears to be playing to a limited gameplan as directed by the coaching staff.

In the backline that I've put there I can see him really shining, and with him kicking you also free someone like Ford up to just play without the pressure of having to be the goalkicker.

Homer debate........interesting

thats fair enough pete, I know you are not alone in thinking that he is a good all round player, I have seen flashes of it, but just not enough consistency. maybe that will come in time. he never seems to run the ball back like someone like foden, armitage, goode, morgan does.

From what I gather at Sale we will have a side something like this next season. We've been promised another forward of Richie Gray's standard and as well as others.

1. Eiffion Lewis Roberts (still unconfirmed)
2. Joe Ward
3. Henry Thomas
4. Frazer McKenzie
5. Richie Gray
6. James Gaskell
7. Hendrie Fourie
8. Richie Vernon
9. Dwayne Peel (Signs a new contract soon I hope)
10. Insert Star name (I'd take George Ford with Macleod as back up if we got quality in centres)
11. Mark Cueto
12. Sam Tuitopou
13. Jonny Leota
14. Tom Brady
15. Rob Miller

With the right sort of new additions (particularly in the front row, hoping for at least two good signings there) then we could be competitive.

I get the impression at times that there are two reasons why he doesn't run the ball back...

1. Gameplan. it seems as if the coaches are telling him to play territory

2. Confidence. I think this comes from a lack of consistency of selection around him. Can't remember us sending the same backline out 2 games in a row, which has to affect confidence and cohesion, and the net result is more kicking for territory.


It's not that he can't run the ball, as you have said you've seen it in flashes, he just needs to do it more often, which I think will only come with consistency of selection and confidence.