Englands EPS and Saxons announced

First topic message reminder :

England Senior Elite Player Squad (33)

Forwards (18)

Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (London Wasps)
Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs)
Joe Launchbury (London Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Backs (15)

Chris Ashton (Saracens)
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Jonathan Joseph (London Irish)
David Strettle (Saracens)
Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

England Saxons Elite Player Squad (32)

Forwards (17)

Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints)
Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
Will Fraser (Saracens)
Joe Gray (Harlequins)
Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby)
Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors)
Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
David Paice (London Irish)
Tom Palmer (London Wasps)
George Robson (Harlequins)
Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks)
Billy Vunipola (London Wasps)

Backs (15)

Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)
Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Biggs (Bath Rugby)
Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
George Lowe (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
Joel Tomkins (Saracens)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
Christian Wade (London Wasps)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)

Effervescing Elephant wrote:Why have the Sarries players been congratulating George Kruis on his call up? Is he an injury replacement for the saxons? Have been trawling the interwebs but can't find anything on him being called up???????

http://m.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/10150909.Kruis_set_for_late_Saxons_call_up/

Not sure who would be next beshocked, Joel Hodgson? Too inexperienced really.
Heathcote was named by Lancaster as a one to watch so it would have probably been him.

Its probably an indicator that Ford is next in line and the coaches want to see him get a full run out. If worst comes to worst I'm sure Daly, Eastmond or Wigglesworth could step in if he got injured during the game.

Is Trinder injured Glaws fans?

Cracking news about Kruis...he's another with a big potential future...

So much for the Saffacens tag...their showing some real value to England now arent they...11 players in the two squads? Not bad going ....

beshocked wrote:

Effervescing Elephant wrote:Why have the Sarries players been congratulating George Kruis on his call up? Is he an injury replacement for the saxons? Have been trawling the interwebs but can't find anything on him being called up???????

http://m.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/10150909.Kruis_set_for_late_Saxons_call_up/

Ah cheers 'shocked. My trawling was obviously inadequate! Brilliant news for the young man. Really exciting player.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Carlos

Tuilagi and Twelvetrees can certainly to the business physically. But what im calling for doesnt have to be a route one specialist...i just like to see a guy who has that bit more physcial presence to force it up the middle should it be required....if we cant break the defence down with skill.

A potential first team combo of Twelvetrees & Tuilagi could have the lot...especially with Burns pulling the strings.

The Saxons seem to be missing a little physicality with their centres such as Daly, Lowe, Allen etc...or am i doing them a little disservice??Are they actually more than capable of making some hard yards when required?

I wouldn't say Allen, Daly or Lowe are exceptionally strong going straight into contact like Tuilagi or JTH no. Lowe and Allen in-particular are very clever in and around the contact area though, they remind me of Conrad Smith in that sense (though not in the same league) as they use their footwork very well at the last minute to get on the defenders arm rather than shoulder and both have very good body positions in contact. As such they both usually get themselves well over the gainline when needed.

With a pack hopefully containing Vunipola, Kvesic and Slater/Kitchener as ball carriers I'd actually love to see those guys taking up the route one carries of the back of Wigglesworth, Ford, Allen and Lowe's distribution. That should hopefully create space for the backs to attack outwide (something England sides of late have been pretty poor at!).

bluestonevedder wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:I thought there was but can't find anything listed on the rfu site or elsewhere

If there are games they will surely need someone like Buns or36 in the side to cover ford

The RFU website is terrible for listing the fixtures!

TBF its not just them. The BBC, ESPN, Rugbyworld and the SRU websites all deny the existence of any A fixtures at all.
The Irish site does however list the Wolfhounds as hosting the Saxons on the 25th, although they probably wont turn up if they dont know about it.
The Falcons website has a massive banner for Saxons vs Scotland A on the 1st Feb
Its easier to find the bloody womens fixture lists

But anyway that answers it, away in Ireland on the 26th then neutral territory for Scotland on the 1st of next month. These coincide with LV= fixtures so player release shouldnt be an issue.

Effervescing Elephant wrote:

beshocked wrote:

Effervescing Elephant wrote:Why have the Sarries players been congratulating George Kruis on his call up? Is he an injury replacement for the saxons? Have been trawling the interwebs but can't find anything on him being called up???????

http://m.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/10150909.Kruis_set_for_late_Saxons_call_up/

Ah cheers 'shocked. My trawling was obviously inadequate! Brilliant news for the young man. Really exciting player.

Should end any interest that Canada had in trying to tempt him too

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Effervescing Elephant wrote:

beshocked wrote:

Effervescing Elephant wrote:Why have the Sarries players been congratulating George Kruis on his call up? Is he an injury replacement for the saxons? Have been trawling the interwebs but can't find anything on him being called up???????

http://m.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/10150909.Kruis_set_for_late_Saxons_call_up/

Ah cheers 'shocked. My trawling was obviously inadequate! Brilliant news for the young man. Really exciting player.

Should end any interest that Canada had in trying to tempt him too

Is that a parental link?

Edit: Just seen his Dad's Canadian. Queue cries of poaching for the Guildford born lock!

He sounds forignese though!

propdavid_london wrote:I would like a Saxons back line of -

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Eastmond
Lowe
Sharples
Abendanon

Bench-May, Daly, Tompkins

Thats a bloomin small back line ! the opposition will think they are playing colts rugby again...could improve it however

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Allen
Eastmond
Biggs
Abendanon

team munchkin....it reminds me of that tiny guy from Jonah lomu rugby 1995 who could run round everyone !

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:I thought there was but can't find anything listed on the rfu site or elsewhere

If there are games they will surely need someone like Buns or36 in the side to cover ford

The RFU website is terrible for listing the fixtures!

TBF its not just them. The BBC, ESPN, Rugbyworld and the SRU websites all deny the existence of any A fixtures at all.
The Irish site does however list the Wolfhounds as hosting the Saxons on the 25th, although they probably wont turn up if they dont know about it.
The Falcons website has a massive banner for Saxons vs Scotland A on the 1st Feb
Its easier to find the bloody womens fixture lists

But anyway that answers it, away in Ireland on the 26th then neutral territory for Scotland on the 1st of next month. These coincide with LV= fixtures so player release shouldnt be an issue.

The RFU site is rubbish but there is this http://clubs.rfu.com/Fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=163092044

sirtidychris wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:I would like a Saxons back line of -

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Eastmond
Lowe
Sharples
Abendanon

Bench-May, Daly, Tompkins

Thats a bloomin small back line ! the opposition will think they are playing colts rugby again...could improve it however

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Allen
Eastmond
Biggs
Abendanon

team munchkin....it reminds me of that tiny guy from Jonah lomu rugby 1995 who could run round everyone !

I'd go

Simpson
Ford
Biggs
Allen
May
Wade
Bendy

Destroy anyone.

Still think Turner Hall should be in there at 12 in the Saxons line up. He gives you that steel...around which Daly, May, Wade, Lowe etc etc can play.

sirtidychris wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:I would like a Saxons back line of -

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Eastmond
Lowe
Sharples
Abendanon

Bench-May, Daly, Tompkins

Thats a bloomin small back line ! the opposition will think they are playing colts rugby again...could improve it however

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Allen
Eastmond
Biggs
Abendanon

team munchkin....it reminds me of that tiny guy from Jonah lomu rugby 1995 who could run round everyone !

He was awesome, I also liked the huge FB in that Codemasters team, had a killer handoff!

Bathman_in_London wrote:

sirtidychris wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:I would like a Saxons back line of -

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Eastmond
Lowe
Sharples
Abendanon

Bench-May, Daly, Tompkins

Thats a bloomin small back line ! the opposition will think they are playing colts rugby again...could improve it however

Simpson
Ford
Wade
Allen
Eastmond
Biggs
Abendanon

team munchkin....it reminds me of that tiny guy from Jonah lomu rugby 1995 who could run round everyone !

He was awesome, I also liked the huge FB in that Codemasters team, had a killer handoff!

Wasn't there a team Lomu as well ?, loved the handoffs as your player would just literally flatten the whole team ! must have been like when Billy Vunipola was playing U12 :-)

Well Jonah will still be having nightmares about that Baa Baas game when little JSD ran rings around him...oh if only he'd been fit for England duty...