England 22 Announced

http://www.rfu.com/News/2012/February/NewsArticles/210212_players_retained.aspx

Joe Marler and Charlie Sharples don't appear on either list, which I assume means they're reserves, although I could have sworn Lancaster said Sharples was out of contention with a knock.


Players retained by England

Forwards (12)

Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Ben Morgan (Scarlets)
Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Matt Stevens (Saracens)
Rob Webber (London Wasps)

Backs (10)

Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
David Strettle (Saracens)
Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Returning to their clubs

Chris Brooker (Harlequins)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints)
Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)

Bugger.

so no Palmer is the only real surprise

so... no back 3 cover.

Nope - it was reported earlier that all three of Lawes, Flood and Tuilagi are expected to be on the bench, so I did think we'd be short there. Tuilagi can play wing I guess, but I don't think Strettle or anyone can really play full back.

Hmm... I fear this is a massive mistake

I think England should have chosen two out of Flood, Hodgson and Farrell. Surprised they've gone for all three, whilst Mike Brown must felt hard done by... He's been in such outstanding form, whilst Foden had a nightmare against Italy...

ah well, i'm guessing Parling will start at second row and run the lineout, that is a decent shout!

Seriously we've covered FH 4 times, IC four times, OC 3 times (ish) but wings 4 at a stretch and fullback once. If one of the back 3 gets injured I will cry. Lucky the Welsh wingers aren't big

Hasn't Strettle played FB for Harlequins in the past? But yeah, some back three cover would have been nice.

Looks like Botha, Parling and Croft will be given the role of targeting the Welsh lineout. It's a strong lineout combination from England, and Parling probably deserves a start, which it looks like he'll get.

What's wrong with Tuilagi, why isn't he here?

Don't worry I missed him, he is there.

He is but we are worried he won't start.

so will youngs start?

So what is the best backline combination there.

9. Youngs
10. Farrel, but I suppose they will go for hodgson
11. Ashton
12. Tuilagi
13. Barrit
14. Foden
15.?

Well if Youngs starts and Tuilagi doesn't then SL clearly knows something we don't.

Youngs
Flood
Ashton
Baritt
Tuilagi
Strettle
Foden

for me, but I suspect they won't throw Youngs or Tuilagi on at the start, so it'll be same as first two games with maybe Dickson in for Youngs.

Nah, the best there is:

9. Dickson
10. Flood
11. Strettle
12. Barritt
13. Tuilagi
14. Ashton
15.Foden

well, I really do hope you guys fire on the weekend, I would really like to see a good english performance.

You are long overdue.

https://twitter.com/#!/5LiveRugby/status/171589325253902338

ChequeredJersey

Who are the four fly halves and three inside centres? I wouldn't count Barritt as a 10 or Tuilagi as a 12.

I thought I read somewhere on here that flood had a bad game on the weekend?

saw the highlights- flood wasnt great. manu looked sharp to me mind- hope he starts

He wasn't great, but all of England's best play in the last two years has been with him at 10, and they may be planning to send him and Manu on at the same time.

So does that mean Farrel will just stay on the bench, surely they aren't going to start without Hodgson?

I thought Flood was alright but it might've been because he actually ran with the ball and tried to be creative. It doesn't mean he'll be terrible or brilliant on Saturday, but still the best option for me.

Tuilagi was back to his best though. Simply must start; it ain't about rewarding loyalty or putting your mate's son in the team.

Lancaster looks to have bottled the big decision there, no back three cover on the bench is a sin and it's essentially down to accomodating Hodgson, Farrell AND Flood.

I can't find any justification for having them all there other than Lancaster not having big enough stones to leave one of them out, well nobody ever said it was easy at the top... but why make it more difficult for yourself?

By that 22, he has to start:

(Youngs/Dickson)

Hodgson

Farrell

Barrit

The logic being that there's little point reataining all three of them in the 22 unless they are all starting. Hmmph

Good point, PJ. And one that upsets me.

I really do think you need barrit and tuilagi in the midfield as a combination. England need to play with ball in hand. They must retain possession, but recycle the ball quicker than usual, no use to retain possession if they aren't going to build momentum and rythm.

If they can do that, and exploit a Welsh line out that has shown weaknesses so far, they can stay out of their half where they would like to be.

Retention, retention. That will be the key. One good thing about england is they have been the international team that has kicked least out of hand last year, so they need to keep that focus as tactical kicking gone wrong will cost them.

thomh wrote:https://twitter.com/#!/5LiveRugby/status/171589325253902338

ChequeredJersey

Who are the four fly halves and three inside centres? I wouldn't count Barritt as a 10 or Tuilagi as a 12.

Not ideally but more than Tuilagi in the back 3 or either of Ashton or Strettle at fullback. Tuilagi has played at 12. Barritt was a starting 10 in South Africa for awhile.

EnglishReign wrote:Good point, PJ. And one that upsets me.

Me too, either Farrell or Hodgson had to go from the 22, if you can't make difficult decisions like that, you're making the job more difficult than it already is.

Basically our only 13 in the entire EPS is going to have to come on at wing. I can't see anybody else covering that slot and the Welsh outbacks are big boys and I can see an injury.

biltongbek wrote:I really do think you need barrit and tuilagi in the midfield as a combination. England need to play with ball in hand. They must retain possession, but recycle the ball quicker than usual, no use to retain possession if they aren't going to build momentum and rythm.

If they can do that, and exploit a Welsh line out that has shown weaknesses so far, they can stay out of their half where they would like to be.

Retention, retention. That will be the key. One good thing about england is they have been the international team that has kicked least out of hand last year, so they need to keep that focus as tactical kicking gone wrong will cost them.

Absolutely Biltong, Dickson, Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi for me, I think Flood would benefit more than Hoidgson from the quicker ball Dickson produces, and Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi is a midfield that has a threat in attack and probably, more importantly with the current Wales team, a decent amount of defensive steel about it.

But what do we know?

Why is an injury at wing so much more likely than one at centre?

North, Cuthbert? Chewbacca?

Thing is, Sharples isn't injured he got sent home after a dead leg in training. He wrote on twitter that he'll be fit to face Quins on Saturday, which is good for Gloucester, but why didn't Lancaster retain? He can do a job at fullback as well.

Having said all that, he sent Brown home too. Maybe he just doesn't like other skinheads stealing his thunder?

PJHolybloke wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I really do think you need barrit and tuilagi in the midfield as a combination. England need to play with ball in hand. They must retain possession, but recycle the ball quicker than usual, no use to retain possession if they aren't going to build momentum and rythm.

If they can do that, and exploit a Welsh line out that has shown weaknesses so far, they can stay out of their half where they would like to be.

Retention, retention. That will be the key. One good thing about england is they have been the international team that has kicked least out of hand last year, so they need to keep that focus as tactical kicking gone wrong will cost them.

Absolutely Biltong, Dickson, Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi for me, I think Flood would benefit more than Hoidgson from the quicker ball Dickson produces, and Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi is a midfield that has a threat in attack and probably, more importantly with the current Wales team, a decent amount of defensive steel about it.

But what do we know?

Unfortunately I don't have any stats to back up my opinions here but the Foden and Ashton has more pace than the Irish in the same positions, so where Ireland failed to successfully attack out wide, england can with tuilagi running hard and Barrit with the odd little gap and offload, they should be able to create some space for foden and Ashton.

Anyway, like you say, what do we know.

EnglishReign wrote:Thing is, Sharples isn't injured he got sent home after a dead leg in training. He wrote on twitter that he'll be fit to face Quins on Saturday, which is good for Gloucester, but why didn't Lancaster retain? He can do a job at fullback as well.

Having said all that, he sent Brown home too. Maybe he just doesn't like other skinheads stealing his thunder?

Lancaster said that him taking that knock meant he wouldn't be able to push on in training, which seems reasonable given how inexperienced he is at this level. You don't want someone making their first six nations appearance when they've barely been able to train that week.

thomh wrote:

EnglishReign wrote:Thing is, Sharples isn't injured he got sent home after a dead leg in training. He wrote on twitter that he'll be fit to face Quins on Saturday, which is good for Gloucester, but why didn't Lancaster retain? He can do a job at fullback as well.

Having said all that, he sent Brown home too. Maybe he just doesn't like other skinheads stealing his thunder?

Lancaster said that him taking that knock meant he wouldn't be able to push on in training, which seems reasonable given how inexperienced he is at this level. You don't want someone making their first six nations appearance when they've barely been able to train that week.

He might as well, it's just a bunch of club players he's playing. No great step up. Easy, in fact. Quins will be tougher

biltongbek wrote:

PJHolybloke wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I really do think you need barrit and tuilagi in the midfield as a combination. England need to play with ball in hand. They must retain possession, but recycle the ball quicker than usual, no use to retain possession if they aren't going to build momentum and rythm.

If they can do that, and exploit a Welsh line out that has shown weaknesses so far, they can stay out of their half where they would like to be.

Retention, retention. That will be the key. One good thing about england is they have been the international team that has kicked least out of hand last year, so they need to keep that focus as tactical kicking gone wrong will cost them.

Absolutely Biltong, Dickson, Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi for me, I think Flood would benefit more than Hoidgson from the quicker ball Dickson produces, and Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi is a midfield that has a threat in attack and probably, more importantly with the current Wales team, a decent amount of defensive steel about it.

But what do we know?

Unfortunately I don't have any stats to back up my opinions here but the Foden and Ashton has more pace than the Irish in the same positions, so where Ireland failed to successfully attack out wide, england can with tuilagi running hard and Barrit with the odd little gap and offload, they should be able to create some space for foden and Ashton.

Anyway, like you say, what do we know.

Well at least without the stats your opinion has an inherent validity to it, if you'd have backed it up with stats - it would have been worthless.

PJHolybloke wrote:

biltongbek wrote:

PJHolybloke wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I really do think you need barrit and tuilagi in the midfield as a combination. England need to play with ball in hand. They must retain possession, but recycle the ball quicker than usual, no use to retain possession if they aren't going to build momentum and rythm.

If they can do that, and exploit a Welsh line out that has shown weaknesses so far, they can stay out of their half where they would like to be.

Retention, retention. That will be the key. One good thing about england is they have been the international team that has kicked least out of hand last year, so they need to keep that focus as tactical kicking gone wrong will cost them.

Absolutely Biltong, Dickson, Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi for me, I think Flood would benefit more than Hoidgson from the quicker ball Dickson produces, and Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi is a midfield that has a threat in attack and probably, more importantly with the current Wales team, a decent amount of defensive steel about it.

But what do we know?

Unfortunately I don't have any stats to back up my opinions here but the Foden and Ashton has more pace than the Irish in the same positions, so where Ireland failed to successfully attack out wide, england can with tuilagi running hard and Barrit with the odd little gap and offload, they should be able to create some space for foden and Ashton.

Anyway, like you say, what do we know.

Well at least without the stats your opinion has an inherent validity to it, if you'd have backed it up with stats - it would have been worthless.

Never really thought about it that way. Usually the stats can invalidate my opinions, then I have to formulate new ones. This is a revelation, without supporting stats, I can write any nonsense I want here, even make as if I actually knew something about rugby, no matter whether correct or not. cool.

Man, I have never felt so free. The shackles that held me back all these years have been broken.

I am a bit disapointed that Mike brown as been sent back to his club, would of liked to as cover for Foden, although Foden does seem not to get injured alot.

biltongbek wrote:

PJHolybloke wrote:

biltongbek wrote:

PJHolybloke wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I really do think you need barrit and tuilagi in the midfield as a combination. England need to play with ball in hand. They must retain possession, but recycle the ball quicker than usual, no use to retain possession if they aren't going to build momentum and rythm.

If they can do that, and exploit a Welsh line out that has shown weaknesses so far, they can stay out of their half where they would like to be.

Retention, retention. That will be the key. One good thing about england is they have been the international team that has kicked least out of hand last year, so they need to keep that focus as tactical kicking gone wrong will cost them.

Absolutely Biltong, Dickson, Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi for me, I think Flood would benefit more than Hoidgson from the quicker ball Dickson produces, and Flood, Barritt, Tuilagi is a midfield that has a threat in attack and probably, more importantly with the current Wales team, a decent amount of defensive steel about it.

But what do we know?

Unfortunately I don't have any stats to back up my opinions here but the Foden and Ashton has more pace than the Irish in the same positions, so where Ireland failed to successfully attack out wide, england can with tuilagi running hard and Barrit with the odd little gap and offload, they should be able to create some space for foden and Ashton.

Anyway, like you say, what do we know.

Well at least without the stats your opinion has an inherent validity to it, if you'd have backed it up with stats - it would have been worthless.

Never really thought about it that way. Usually the stats can invalidate my opinions, then I have to formulate new ones. This is a revelation, without supporting stats, I can write any nonsense I want here, even make as if I actually knew something about rugby, no matter whether correct or not. cool.

Man, I have never felt so free. The shackles that held me back all these years have been broken.

Go Biltong! Feel the emancipation, the world is your lobster now.... or something like that.

thomh wrote:Why is an injury at wing so much more likely than one at centre?

Sods Law. We can cover an injury at centre so it'll be on the wing. Sorry, I'm not going to be too logical, that 22 has really depressed me

Oyster PJ, Oyster.

That's the budgie - Oyster!!

Anyhoo, what are you going to do with your freedom, now you don't have a lobster?

I am going to the local portuguese restaurant and have myself a dozen oysters with some tabasco sauce, a dash of lemon and some balck pepper.


Then, just because it isn't so easy to break old habits, I'll devour a lobster for good measure.

ermm - i heard quality food is abit cheap over there - lucky boy

I went to a Nandos for the first time on Sunday, I had no idea about the Saffer/Portuguese tie in. But I did find out what a Nandosecond was, the time elapsed between biting into a "very hot" chicken and realising there's no word for "fecking" in Portuguese..... "very" just doesn't cover it I'm afraid.

Yeah food is becoming expensive over here but still relatively cheap compared to europe.

you can go to your local butcher and buy 1kg of prime quality beef, let's say a rump as it has more flavour than a fillet for roughly 8-10 pounds.

On tuesday's our local Portuguese restaurant will offer you.

1kg of prawns (queen) for 8 pounds and oyster for the low price of 50 pence each.

biltongbek wrote:Yeah food is becoming expensive over here but still relatively cheap compared to europe.

you can go to your local butcher and buy 1kg of prime quality beef, let's say a rump as it has more flavour than a fillet for roughly 8-10 pounds.

On tuesday's our local Portuguese restaurant will offer you.

1kg of prawns (queen) for 8 pounds and oyster for the low price of 50 pence each.

wow- thats good, but whats it like for average earners (in real terms)

not a massive rump fan myself- Rib eye is the way forward for me!