England Pecking Order

As things stand this is what the pecking order probably looks like in each position for England. With the top 5 players selected. Non-English based players are not included.

*Denotes injured player

Full Back

A.Goode, M.Brown, B.Foden*, N.Abendanon, R.Miller.

Right Wing

C.Ashton, C.Sharples, C.Wade, D.Strettle, T.Biggs

Left Wing

B.Foden*, C.Sharples, U.Monye, J.May, M.Benjamin.

Outside Centre

M.Tuilagi, J.Joseph, M.Banahan, G.Lowe, H.Trinder.

Inside Centre

B.Barritt, A.Allen, B.Twelvetrees, J.Turner-Hall*, D.Waldouck.

Fly Half

T.Flood, O.Farrell, F.Burns, D.Cipriani, G.Ford.

Scrum Half

D.Care, B.Youngs, L.Dickson, J.Simpson*, R.Wigglesworth.


No.8

T.Waldrom, B.Morgan, N.Easter, B.Vunipola, J.Crane.

Openside Flanker

C.Robshaw, T.Wood, J.Haskell, J.Gibson, M.Kvesic.

Blindside Flanker

T.Croft*, T.Johnson, P.Dowson, C.Fearns, C.Clark.

Tactical Lock

G.Parling, T.Palmer, G.Robson, L.Deacon, D.Attwood.

Enforcer Lock

C.Lawes, J.Launchberry, M.Botha, G.Kitchener, M.Garvey.

Tighthead Prop

D.Cole, D.Wilson, P.Doran-Jones, R.Harden, H.Thomas*.

Hooker

D.Hartley*, R.Webber*, J.Gray*, T.Youngs, D.Paice.

Loosehead Prop

A.Corbisiero*, J.Marler, M.Vunipola, M.Mullan, N.Catt.


I see that Corbisiero made his comeback from injury this weekend for London Irish, however, I expect England will want him to work his way back to full fitness at club level, I keep him as first choice though as England rely on his scrummaging, he helped tear Ireland apart in the six nations and his appearance against South Africa in the second test I feel showed England what they were missing at scrumtime. Jonathan Joseph will be in contention for the matchday 23 next weekend vs Australia, after shaking off his ankle injury, however I expect Mike Brown to remain the bench option.

Players for me, which I would like to see given more of a chance and seen higher up the pecking order include Matt Garvey and Dave Attwood, both players are having outstanding seasons for their respective clubs. Carl Fearns has been arguably the best flanker in the league this season despite playing for an under performing Bath side, he should feel very hard done by being left in the Saxons this Autumn. Whilst although this causes a lot of debate, I would love to see Cipriani given another chance, he is a special talent and England could really do with his attacking instincts. In no way am I discounting Freddie Burn's ability, but both players should be ahead of the lacklustre Owen Farrell in the fly half pecking order. I'd also like to think that due to Turner-Halls untimely injury, Twelvetrees has risen in the inside centre pecking order, he could be a hell of a player and add real balance to our England side.

I'm hoping Christian Wade, Matt Kvesic, George Ford, Jonny May, Billy Vunipola and Henry Thomas when he comes back from injury, really kick on with exposure to more game time. Wade has been in spectacular form for Wasps this season, and was unlucky not to make the full England EPS squad, Kvesic is getting more game time at Worcester, Ford is standing in for Flood at Leicester, May's versatility is being exploited by Gloucester and Vunipola is getting more game time than he expected at Wasps.

I would more or less agree with this. Seems we have quite a lot of potential to work with and take in to account there are no French based players on this list!
We have lots of options across the park, albeit half of them aren't capped yet.

I'm with you on Cipriani too! Lancaster & co shouldn't be afraid to pick him.

No mention of Courtney Lawes though? Surely he is a contender for the future enforcer role, no?

I think the players with the shirt at the moment, with the possible/probable exception of Hartley, are the top in England pecking order. Corbs has to play better than Marler to take his shirt back as Marler is playing well at Club and in the shirt especially in the area you refer to, scrummaging. The same applies to Croft and probably Ashton, good as they are. To take the shirt off of a player unless it was a definite short-term injury replacement, you must be playing better than them, preferably a lot better. Otherwise how the hell can your team find any consistency?

Comprehensive list. However I don't think England's coaches recognise the distinction between 'enforcer' and 'tactical' locks. I think they just see themselves as having two locks, who are expected to be good at all aspects of the game.

DaveM wrote:Comprehensive list. However I don't think England's coaches recognise the distinction between 'enforcer' and 'tactical' locks. I think they just see themselves as having two locks, who are expected to be good at all aspects of the game.

I don't know... I would like to think Rowntree understands the importance of having a hard pushing, hefty lump behind him in the scrum

If Louis Deacon had been available during the SA tour I suspect he'd be in and I definitely have him down as an enforcer lock, albeit one who is very good tactically as well - this is part of the reason I'd have him. He's not flashy but he does the hard work.

Together with the backrow, though, it's all about balance and having the right people in the right places on the pitch, able to do the right thing when required. If your 6 is seagulling on the wing and your 7 is having to make all the first-up tackles, it won't matter that he's the best pilferer of the ball as he'll not get much opportunity. Similarly, having an enforcer lock able to hit the big carriers backwards is not as effective if the opposition are playing a looser offloading game. Against Aus, I'd rather sacrifice a few kg to get a Lawes/Launchbury type in, rather than a Deacon. Against SA it would be the opposite.

At the moment i would start Launchbury over Palmer...and i will take back everything ive said...Parling had an good game...lets see how he goes against Aus.

Im still not happy with the back row. Robshaw at 7 yes,....but 6 & 8 concern me.

The list seems pretty spot on at the moment. But I think Lancaster's real pecking order is concealed by this rule, whereby he can only replace the injured players.

You might want to star J May, he's been injured for a while now.