England midweek team

George Robson will captain England in Wednesday’s match against the South Africa Southern Barbarians in Kimberley. The game kicks off at 2.00pm BST and is live on Sky Sports HD.

In a double for Aviva Premiership club Harlequins, Robson will follow Chris Robshaw in leading a team out in the second tour match at GWK Park.

The starting line-up is completely changed from the one for the 1st Test in Durban and England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “Every one of the 22 is desperate to play. They have trained superbly and their attitude while waiting for their chance has been first class. There is a lot of competition for places across the board and Wednesday gives these players a chance to lay down a marker and for the whole squad to build some momentum towards Saturday’s Test.

“George (Robson) has had a tremendous season for Harlequins, has made a great contribution to this tour already, both in training and as part of the leadership group, and I know he will captain the team well.

“Only Ugo Monye and Alex Corbisiero will not have had any game time by the end of Wednesday but there are still three games to go and their opportunity will come.”

Nick Abendanon, who joined the England camp this morning to replace the injured Mike Brown, took a full part in training and will be on the replacements' bench.

15 Alex Goode (Saracens)
14 David Strettle (Saracens)
13 Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers)
12 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
11 Christian Wade (London Wasps)
10 Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins)
1 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
2 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
3 Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints)
4 Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
5 George Robson (capt, Harlequins)
6 James Haskell (Otago Highlanders)
7 Carl Fearns (Bath Rugby)
8 Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)

Replacements
16 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
17 Rupert Harden (Gloucester Rugby)
18 Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
19 Jamie Gibson (London Irish)
20 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
21 George Lowe (Harlequins)
22 Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)

http://rfu.com/News/2012/June/NewsArticles/110612_midweek_tour_team_1.aspx

Original message

Any word on what the team is? Apparently it is to be announced today. I'd be looking at:

Corbisiero, Grey, Doran-Jones, Palmer, Robson, Fearns, Haskell, Waldrom, Care, Hodgson, Monye, Turner-Hall, Lowe, Wade, A. Goode.
T. Youngs, Mullan, Kitchener, Gibson, Dickson, Strettle, Abendanon.

I'd be aiming to bring Corbisiero, Haskell and Alex Goode off at half-time or after around 50 minutes, as they'd be likely starters for me in the second test. Care and Palmer around 50-60 minutes as they'd make my test bench.

Official RFU ‏@Official_RFU
England's 22 for midweek match against Southern Barbarians training in Jo'burg sun. Can't tweet a pic as team not out until 3.30 BST #rugby

From Tw..tw..tw damn it cannot say it.

I can already tell this is going to be a really unproductive afternoon for me!

Team has been announced. All change, but looks pretty decent personally. Only gripe I have is Allen at 13....and JTH at 12. Is Allen a 13?

15 Alex Goode (Saracens)
14 David Strettle (Saracens)
13 Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers)
12 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
11 Christian Wade (London Wasps)
10 Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins)
1 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
2 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
3 Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints)
4 Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
5 George Robson (capt, Harlequins)
6 James Haskell (Otago Highlanders)
7 Carl Fearns (Bath Rugby)
8 Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)

Replacements
16 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
17 Rupert Harden (Gloucester Rugby)
18 Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
19 Jamie Gibson (London Irish)
20 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
21 George Lowe (Harlequins)
22 Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)

Strong backrow too. Lots of carrying capacity, and hopefully dogged ruck work. Looking forward to seeing Youngs off the bench. Hats off to Abendanon- obviously has impressed since joining up to be on the bench.

No Monye I see.

Allen is not a 13, not sure why he is starting there ahead of Lowe.

So who will play 12 on Saturday?

Perhaps it's a shootout between JTH and Allen for the test 12 jersey and that is why they are both starting this game.

That's exactly what I was thinking LT. I was hoping to see JTH and Lowe, with Allen rested for the next Test. Although, maybe we'll see Lowe come on early and Allen taken off. Hopefully, he's just there for a 'run around', so to speak.

It's odd that Abendanon would leapfrog Monye unless Monye was inline for a test spot this weekend, which isn't implausible as we've had injuries to both Barritt and Brown.

Corbisiero is a weird one, unless he's not fully fit. If he is fully fit I'd say he needs the minutes to be in test consideration (I can't believe he's dropped that far out of favour), if he's not fully fit, what's he still doing there?

http://www.rfu.com/News/2012/June/NewsArticles/110612_midweek_tour_team_1.aspx

Lancaster says that Allen will start at 13 but will be shifted in to 12 later in the game so sounds like it's pre determined that JTH will come off, which is likely to mean he is either going to start 12 or be on the bench on Saturday.

robbo277 wrote:It's odd that Abendanon would leapfrog Monye unless Monye was inline for a test spot this weekend, which isn't implausible as we've had injuries to both Barritt and Brown.

Corbisiero is a weird one, unless he's not fully fit. If he is fully fit I'd say he needs the minutes to be in test consideration (I can't believe he's dropped that far out of favour), if he's not fully fit, what's he still doing there?

Lancaster talks of leadership groups, and it's possible that he may not be fully fit but is being kept around the squad for that purpose. I know he is highly thought of at London Irish in terms of leadership and captained the side in the AP last season, which is a reasonable achievement for a 23 year old prop.

Pretty good looking team. You would think Allen will only play a half if he is to be involved at the weekend, so if he plays the whole game we can guess that JJ will be starting on Saturday?
Elsewhere, no FH on the bench, Presumably Goode to 10 if Hodgson gets injured?

Unless Ugo is injured I'd say this implies he's going to start on Saturday. Likewise with Joseph as if they were thinking of the bench for him again on Sat they would have given him some gametime in this fixture. I'd say it means he's going to have a go with Tuilagi at IC with Joseph outside, Ugo on the wing and Foden at full back.

If Ugo isn't fit I'd say it will be Farrell at IC with Joseph on the wing. Probably wrong but that would be my guess.

As LT has mentioned - we could see Ugo Monye in the test side. Likely to be there for his kicking game.
I had thought that he was included in the tour squad to offer a kicking option in the mid week side. But injury to Brown and Barritt may have suitably changed the situation.

A set of backs - Flood, Monye, Joseph, Tuilagi, Ashton, Foden would still be mighty useful.

Add to that Monye's very solid in defence - the more I think on it the more I think it is possible.

Ha, Toadfish - you got there just before me.

Going to be interesting to see how that second row go, lots of mobility and both are very good in the lineout but it lacks a bit of grunt in the engine room with both normally partnered with bigger specimens at their clubs (Kohn, Deacon/Slater/Skivington).

I'm looking forward to seeing that backrow carrying a lot of ball and the impact of Tom Youngs off the bench. I think Alex Goode may play his way into the test squad by the end of the tour, especially if Lancaster likes the 2 full backs in the back three concept.

Monye, Corbs and Joseph were all in my starting line up for Saturday. Looks to me like they will be in Lancaster's too!!

Be interesting to see who he subs when. For example one of Dickson or Care must be at least be on the bench on Saturday (I'm reading from this that Youngs probably starts). If they take Care off early I guess he makes the bench, otherwise Dickson again.

Could be a few other signals made as well.

I like to look of the tem looking forward to how Carl Ferns and Thomas Waldrom do at this level. Also Looking to froward to seeing Robson Kitchener in the second row. And what with Haskell in the back row it is looking good in the pack.

Remember that this level isn't going to be anywhere near test standard - at least that is what I understood from the Saffers on here.

Lancaster has played Allen at 13 in the Saxons a few times before to good effect. And when he he played there on occasion for club at the beginning of his career I thought he looked more than at home. In truth I've always felt that his skillset is more suited to 13, his running lines and footwork benefiting from the extra space in the outside channel, and running off a 12 who can draw defenders and create greater opportunities.

Yeah ill be looking for a big game from Fearns...against what ive heard is a low standard opposition...

Interesting that we can expect to see Goode move to 10 at some point as well with Abendanon to come on at 15, I hope he plays well as he did show a fair bit of promise there a couple of seasons ago and seems a lot more solid then some other options the time at 15 will hopefully have helped a lot with his all round game as well.

My first thoughts seeing no Ugo in the lineup were that he'd be in the Sat team along with Corbs.

Can't wait to see Lowe wearing the Red Rose as well, while there's been so much hype about what ever flavour of the month 13 is about at the moment he's been doing the business for Quins, I hope he gets a good run out.

England should have an easy run out against the Barbarians, it isn't a very strong team, it may be spirited as these guys don't get the opportunity to play international teams, I reckon it will be a very entertaining match though.

NOt sure Lancaster will learn a lot from this game as it won't be near Currie Cup quality, but at least it will be a nice run out for the midweek team.

Ugo's played well in South Africa before. Just if he plays on Saturday, CARRY THE BALL IN THE CORRECT HAND!

About half as good as the Wales mid-week team .

Hard to judge that Morg. I think it's ok except I need to see
Allen at 13 as I don't think he is a 13. Players to watch - Wade, Care, the Brand, interested in Harden. All I hope is we escape this week without any further bloody injures, especially to Quins players!

I doubt Monye will be involved on Saturday, he's barely played any rugby in the last 3 months. I'd have expected him to get 40 minutes on Wednesday if that was what SL was thinking. It's the same thing with Corbs, I just can't see him going straight into the side now. PDJ will presmably come off early.

Given this side I expect JTH on the bench on Saturday (boo!), JJ on the left wing and Farrell at IC. If JJ is to start in the centres then I think Goode has to comes off at half-time.

DaveM wrote:I doubt Monye will be involved on Saturday, he's barely played any rugby in the last 3 months.

He got injured vs Leicester in round 21, having played Wasps in round 20, and was back for the final (effectively round 24) where he played the full game with no ill effects. If he's not selected it won't be for lack of gametime I don't think.

if i had to bet i would put my money on ;

10-flood
12- farrell
13- tuilagi

with monye coming in at wing, i think monyes kicking game puts him in front of JJ (dont know if JJ has much of a kicking game?).

cant see allen in the first 15 at 12 if he is in the midweek team at 13.

tuilagi could play 12 but he would need to add offloading to his game, now is not the time for this experiment, he has to remain at 13. SA's defence was quite narrow, with their back 3 defending quite deep to negate kicks to the corners. tuilagi is a key man for getting on the outside of sa narrow but powerful defence, i would even consider him on the wing.

HQ Matt I see those 3 players making up the midfield as well but I have a truely horrible feeling it will be:

10.Farrell
12.Flood
13.Manu

with Flood forced to 12 for the majority of the match and only unleashed at 10 once we've lost (basically what happened last time).

Hope JTH doesn't make the first team, I know Lancaster likes his crash ball options in the centre to aid Farrell's slow passing but JTH has spent nearly all season living off the back of the Quins form whilst being below par himself.

HQ Matt and Sam, both of those midfields send shivers down my spine. I honestly hope SL doesn't let himself down by choosing either of them.

Prepare to be let down...

Having said that the Flood/Farrell/Manu one wouldn't be to bad as Flood would at least get the team playing flat and have Foden, Ashton and Goode/Joseph/Monye coming off him into the line at pace.

I would prefer a Tuilagi, Jospeh midfield. As they could easily interchange to allow Joseph to distribute (he is sometimes first receiver at LI). and allow tuilagi to attack PDV on outside channel. Aswell as Tuilagi on the crash and joseph hitting the space outside.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Prepare to be let down...

Having said that the Flood/Farrell/Manu one wouldn't be to bad as Flood would at least get the team playing flat and have Foden, Ashton and Goode/Joseph/Monye coming off him into the line at pace.

I agree with that. With Flood at 10, at least he would be able to miss out Farrell as a receiver and get Manu and others into the game. He's a far better distributor than Farrell.

In my eyes, Farrell at 10 and Flood at 12 just does not work. Flood's not a 12. He's the best 10 we have at the moment, and should definitely be starting.