Croft given the all clear to play every week

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/steam-ahead-Tom-Croft-given-clean-health/story-18265629-detail/story.html#axzz2M5XSP766

Fantastic news for him and for Tigers

It is, as he's been in very good (and improving) form when he has made appearances.

But you can't help thinking its only a short matter of time before he's injured again.

He has also looked a more hard-nosed and physical player in these few matches. Still quick, still great in the line-out, still making turn-overs but also clearing out rucks with aplomb and tackling with more oomph.

But yes Jimpy I am worried that we may see him injured again. He does not have a great injury record (even if this last one was a fluke injury) and we cannot know if his body can handle the increased muscle bulk

I think he's bulked up slightly so hopefully he won't get injured as much.

Bulked up by nearly a stone according to Cockers. He's previously done ok with injuries considering flankers pick up more than anyone else. That last injury was a freakishly nasty one though.

He's a top quality player and will be a big boost to Tigers on a tough run in.

From an opposition perspective that is really bad news for the rest of the Premiership season.

I'd love to see him make a late run at the Lions squad. He offers something different to all the other flankers and the Southern Hemisphere conditions are likely to suit his style. Plus his lineout skills are always a bonus for any side he is in.

Also still see him as one of England's top back rows so wonder how that will work itself out.

Probably Tigers best player (behind Murphy).

Its great for the team and the Jeff to have him back.

Looking forward to seeing him in the summer tour,

He is outrageously skillful but Mafi isn't far behind (nicknamed Steve Murphy by the other players). Best player at Tigers is contentious.

I'd hate to see him go on the summer tour. Lions is understandable but I'd rather he rested this summer and had a proper pre season so he's in a position to be on his best form for the AIs and Tigers.

He will not be in contention for the lions - and with the Argentina tour being so short I cannot see it would impinge on having a proper pre-season. Especially for a player who has effectively had a rather long pre-season up till now.

He played well vs Saracens recently too.

Great news. So good to have him back and you can't deny his class.

The England flanks have just become even more competitive.

Would he combine well with Robshaw?

Personally I think it's worth noting that his best England form by a mile came about when Chris was at 7 and doing the nasty stuff so Croft could shine.

Great to see him back again...noone likes to see players getting bad injuries.

With regards to England chances...would you replace Wood with Croft?

If Croft modifies his game slightly then there is a possibility...but i prefer a 6 who gets stuck in..not hanging in the backs as the tigers use him...and Wood for me offers that alongisde a lineout game.

I will certainly be watching his performances with interest.

To be honest, I wouldn't swap either Wood or Robshaw for any other England flanker right now. They're so good together.

Wood and Robshaw are in form and may well be playing there way into the Lions squad. Come next season who knows. Of course I am biased but in my view an on-form Croft offers more than Wood and would balance a back row with Robshaw and Morgan quite nicely.

I admit that Croft has never been a tackle machine and does not put in the Lawes style hits (but would not have let fofana get past him so easily) but it is apparent in his comeback that he has worked on this part of his game. His rucking and mauling has always been under-appreciated, but tigers do not let forwards get away with being poor in this area - especially a 6.

stats are always misleading, but comparing Croft with Wood in the AP this season we can see that his tackle count (and success rate) stacks up quite nicely, alongside the expected decent running with the ball and lineouts (conceded a few penalties as well sadly):

3 Matches 10
0 Tries 0
0 Points 0
0 Try assist 0
0 Kicks From Hand 0
2 Passes 16
0 Yellow cards 0
0 Red cards 0
13 Carries 37
59 Metres carried 41
2 Clean breaks 2
0 Offloads 5
7 Defenders beaten 0
24 Tackles 71
1 Missed tackles 5
4 Penalties conceded 6
3 Turnovers conceded 9
15 Line outs won own throw 28
2 Lineout steals 1


Wood of course often plays 7 for Saints - and certainly looks the better linkman with his passing and offloading.

Croft before injury was very good for England at the breakdown and at tackling. To be honest I think the whole idea of him being weak in those areas is just a myth, mostly based on the fact people don't want to believe that a flanker that quick and who runs like a back can be so good at the regular duties.

He won a few key penalties against Oz when we beat them the last two times while making Genia's life a misery and was massive in the 6N's.

He would also help strengthen our lineout, link well with Youngs and makes any injuries to Parling less critical.

I know it is sacrilege and I will probably be accused of being a "typical Robshaw-basher", but I feel the best 2 flankers in the country are Croft and Wood. This is not to decry anything Robshaw has achieved over the last couple of seasons, but on individual ability he wouldn't get in the top 2 for me. Wood plays a lot at open side and has the potential to be a truly world class player, while Croft has been a top performer in a struggling side for years and offers a different style to pretty much anyone else in the international game. Setting aside this 'happy camp' that Lancaster and Robshaw seem to have built, and focussing purely on class and ability, a back row of Croft, Wood, Morgan could be superb.

With that back row, it would allow a more powerful and dynamic second row, as the lineout specialism of Parling would be less crucial. That would allow Lawes and Launchbury to form a formidable partnership moving forward. I feel this back five would intimidate any other side and could really dominate in a way only NZ have in recent years. With other strong players on the bench and in the squad, such as Haskell and Robshaw, England would have a serious pack.

Well, it is widely believed that Lancaster planned to have Croft and Wood (Wood captain) on the flanks last year before Wood damaged his toe.

Robshaw has surprised me and won me over - as a 7. He is just so consistent and ever present. There are things for him to improve, but he has done damned well so far.

To oust either Robshaw or Wood by the time the AIs come around, Croft will need either injuries or some awesome form.

Whilst Robshaw and Wood are both playing very well the England backrow is noticeably lacking balance. Even before Morgan got injured there was too great a focus to close into the breakdown and there was little sweeping defence. Lawes attempted and failed to offer this against France. If Croft was fully fit I think he'd be starting as Lancaster kept him in the EPS for a reason.

6. Croft
7. Robshaw
8. Morgan

20. Wood

By the next AIs.

Croft would also make a very useful bench player as his attributes would work well in the final 20/30 mins of a game as the match breaks up.

It is a little crazy the amount of potential class backrowers that are in the Prem now.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Crofty on the bench for the Wales match. He is one of the best at the cover tackle in the outside channel and as players are tiring he could be a useful tool in stopping those pacey Welsh backs making a telling late impact.

Croft in the 2009 lions was immense...one of the players of the series. Although its a long shot Gatland knows what croft offers and on the hard pitches of australia he would shine again. Croft and Wood are very close and for me its just like care and youngs, both as good as eachother with different skillsets, when one dips in form rotate them. Wood has the added advantage of covering the whole backrow so will probably always make the squad. Crofts return and the development of billy vunipola will probably see haskell finally disapear off the radar having performed admirably in patches but never living up to the hype that he and the media created. I'd currently rate our back row as thus.

1)Robshaw
2)Wood
3)Croft
4)Morgan
5)Vunipola
6)Haskell

P.s i just get the feeling that everyone begrudges robshaw having awesome game after awesome game because of this fetcher bollox (even when he tops the turnover charts in the AI's)....seriously the guy is immense, just cause he's 6ft2 and near 18stone doesn't mean he cant be a seven.....god help him when he finally turns in a bad performance i fear the knifes will be out straight away

sirtidychris wrote:Croft in the 2009 lions was immense...one of the players of the series. Although its a long shot Gatland knows what croft offers and on the hard pitches of australia he would shine again. Croft and Wood are very close and for me its just like care and youngs, both as good as eachother with different skillsets, when one dips in form rotate them. Wood has the added advantage of covering the whole backrow so will probably always make the squad. Crofts return and the development of billy vunipola will probably see haskell finally disapear off the radar having performed admirably in patches but never living up to the hype that he and the media created. I'd currently rate our back row as thus.

1)Robshaw
2)Wood
3)Croft
4)Morgan
5)Vunipola
6)Haskell

P.s i just get the feeling that everyone begrudges robshaw having awesome game after awesome game because of this fetcher bollox (even when he tops the turnover charts in the AI's)....seriously the guy is immense, just cause he's 6ft2 and near 18stone doesn't mean he cant be a seven.....god help him when he finally turns in a bad performance i fear the knifes will be out straight away

Gatland was there in 2009 so I guess he knows what croft is capable.

If only theyd given George Ford and 36 the all clear to play every week....