England Saxons

Does anyone know if there is any talk about organising more fixtures for this level? With the Churchill Cup gone we're left with just the 2 annual games during the 6N. Could we not take part in the Nations Cup as Emerging Springboks, France A, Argentina Jaguars, Scotland A & Italy A all have done/do? Or maybe a more substantial summer 6N set of fixtures, disposing of the ones earlier in the year so that clubs aren't hit so hard during that period?

Not heard anything, but I'd also like to see a few games scheduled.

The hesitancy may be that the enlarged senior touring sides playing midweek games take several players from what would be the Saxons. I still think we could turn out a decent squad though, we managed in 2010 with the Churchill Cup and 40 man tour of Australia going on concurrently.

I could see the Nations Cup being a possibility, but it may be that the IRB want to keep it primarily for the developing nations and not flood it with top nation A sides.

A summer round of games between the six nation sides could definitely work (though Wales don't have an A side), it would certainly be the more competitive and affordable option for the unions involved.

Regardless of tours we could still put out strong Saxons teams.

Maybe we should be looking at playing them against the Georgianns or Romanians etc?

I think they should go on a tour of Eastern Europe or a tournament at least

The problem with organising too many fixtures during the 6N period is taking all these players away from clubs, as well as the full internationals, for too long when they have games. A lot of the Saxons players are youngsters who may gain as much if not more from a run of club games, either starting when they wouldn't normally, or stepping up into a seniority role in the absence of the 6N players.

I agree there could be a couple of games in the summer, but the plans are to continue with the big senior summer tours and considering this year as an example, with the size of tour party to South Africa and injuries/pre-season requirements, we'd be scratching around for players to fill the side. The midweek side was effectively a Saxons side in all but name anyway.

The Saxons now tour with the senior side.

IF that is going to be the case...then i want to see them playing better sides than the midweek teams we played in SA

In 2010 we sent a 42 man squad on tour to Australia with midweek fixtures and won the Churchill Cup with the Saxons at the same time.

jeffwinger wrote: The midweek side was effectively a Saxons side in all but name anyway.

In all but stopping scotland poaching more of the ones without senior caps

I think we could have put a decent enough Saxons side together from players that didn't tour. Here are a few options:

George, Lindsay, Haywood
Thomas, Wood, Wilson, Brookes, Imolek
Garvey, Attwood, Matthews, Slater
Wallace, Guest, Seymour, Gray, Craig, Wray
Simpson, Harrison, Young
Burns, Clegg, Lamb
Twelvetrees, Trinder, Waldouck, Hopper, Fitzpatrick
Benjamin, Thompstone, Ojo, Armstrong, Smith
Homer, Miller, Chisholm

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

jeffwinger wrote: The midweek side was effectively a Saxons side in all but name anyway.

In all but stopping scotland poaching more of the ones without senior caps

Actually playing a Tour match for England counts for tying down eligibility - actually, just going on a major tour does (so for example Waldrom was tied to England by flying out to the RWC as a replacement, even though he didn't play. Not that we wanted him back anyway ).

Kiwireddevil wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

jeffwinger wrote: The midweek side was effectively a Saxons side in all but name anyway.

In all but stopping scotland poaching more of the ones without senior caps

Actually playing a Tour match for England counts for tying down eligibility - actually, just going on a major tour does (so for example Waldrom was tied to England by flying out to the RWC as a replacement, even though he didn't play. Not that we wanted him back anyway ).

Fair enough. But we used to have 64 elite players, now we have 42, that still leaves quite a lot of Evans brothers available.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Kiwireddevil wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

jeffwinger wrote: The midweek side was effectively a Saxons side in all but name anyway.

In all but stopping scotland poaching more of the ones without senior caps

Actually playing a Tour match for England counts for tying down eligibility - actually, just going on a major tour does (so for example Waldrom was tied to England by flying out to the RWC as a replacement, even though he didn't play. Not that we wanted him back anyway ).

Fair enough. But we used to have 64 elite players, now we have 42, that still leaves quite a lot of Evans brothers available.

The way Evans has been playing your more than welcome to him although we'll keep Ryder, Hamilton, Ansbro, Grove etc.not that you'd want any except Hamilton!