England's Injured/Recovering XV favourites for 6N?

I reckon we could win the 6N with the lineup of our injured or not selected players....fill in the gaps...not sure who's ruled out of the front row

1
2
3
4 lawes
5 launchbury
6 wood/garvey
7 steffon armitage
8 morgan

9 simpson
10 farrell

11 roko
12 barritt/burgess/eastmond/maybe burrell too!
13 any of the above
14
15 foden

Well Corbs might be in the squad...but does anyone actually think he'll make the pitch without being injured again...I seriously doubt it.

Edit...and Eastmond has played wing...stick him out there.

Or Wade who is non selected.

Mullan webber in the front row?

ummm, think you missed out Tuilagi as well

killer938 wrote:ummm, think you missed out Tuilagi as well

i know. bit of a rush job.

Where's Phil Vickery? Should be shoe-in at 3!!

Mr Bounce wrote:Where's Phil Vickery? Should be shoe-in at 3!!

I hope he doesn't choose to retire now he's not been selected by Lancaster

There are positives to be drawn from these injuries in that the players will get a well earned rest and hopefully come back firing on all cylinders for the big one later in the year.

Players coming in will be playing for their spots in the WC squad and would not have had an opportunity in different circumstances.

Looking at the first game the pressure will all be on wales as they will have the full first team squad all fit and firing and playing at home. Anything other than a convincing performance from them and a win should be deemed as failure for the management and fans alike.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Well Corbs might be in the squad...but does anyone actually think he'll make the pitch without being injured again...I seriously doubt it.

Edit...and Eastmond has played wing...stick him out there.

Or Wade who is non selected.

Corbs was pretty good for the first 50-60minutes against Stade, it was Ma'afu that was the problem. I think he was brought off as the game had gone away from Saints and it was an unnecessary risk continuing with him with the 6N coming up.

It looks like it is the nature of rugby these days, 20% of your team will most likely be injured. Not so long ago, this was ireland's injury list.

1. Healy (recovering)
2. Sherry
3. White (should be fit)
4. D Ryan
5. Henderson (back playing)
6. SOB (recovering)
7. Henry
8. Ruddock (Heaslip only doing light training)
9. Murray (recovering)
10. Sexton
11. Dave Kearney
12. McCloskey
13. Henshaw (should be fit)
14. Trimble
15. Olding


16. Varley
17. Kilcoyne
18.
19. Touhy
20. Copeland
21. Jackson
22. Marshall
23. Redden (should be fit)

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Well Corbs might be in the squad...but does anyone actually think he'll make the pitch without being injured again...I seriously doubt it.

Edit...and Eastmond has played wing...stick him out there.

Or Wade who is non selected.

Corbs was pretty good for the first 50-60minutes against Stade, it was Ma'afu that was the problem. I think he was brought off as the game had gone away from Saints and it was an unnecessary risk continuing with him with the 6N coming up.

Oh I'm not questioning his ability, at his best he's one of England's very few truly world class players......I'm questioning his ability to stay injury free......

1. Mullan - not selected
2. Webber - not selected
3. Cole - injured
4. Launchbury - injured
5. Lawes - injured
6. Slater - injured
7. Wood - injured
8. Morgan - injured
9. Simpson - not selected
10. Farrell - injured
11. Roko - injured
12. Eastmond - injured
13. Manu - injured
14. Wade - not selected
15. Foden - injured

its crazy. i would be fairly happy seeing that team start against anyone.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Well Corbs might be in the squad...but does anyone actually think he'll make the pitch without being injured again...I seriously doubt it.

Edit...and Eastmond has played wing...stick him out there.

Or Wade who is non selected.

Corbs was pretty good for the first 50-60minutes against Stade, it was Ma'afu that was the problem. I think he was brought off as the game had gone away from Saints and it was an unnecessary risk continuing with him with the 6N coming up.

Oh I'm not questioning his ability, at his best he's one of England's very few truly world class players......I'm questioning his ability to stay injury free......

Same could be said of Cole in recent years. When was the last time a top 8 international side played their first choice front row for 5 consecutive games, must have been years ago

Cole was an ever present for a long time - something like 40 matches in a row. Its just unfortunately when he did finally get broke he got broke bad

That is true Cole was very consistent and injury free for years. Despite changes to laws interpretation he was the cornerstone of the England pack. Give him a bit of rest time and he will be again. If anything the time off seemed to reinvigorate him.

Corbs has had injury problems for some time. Shame as he's a beast of a loosehead. The changes to the hooker has been due to fluctuations in form.

Do hope England will make a fist of it…lots of opportunities on offer now and i hope some players take it. Shame about the injuries, but with such extraordinary strength in depth there is no chance of the game being devalued.

I am starting to be a bit sceptical of how strongly the Welsh on here seem to be lauding the England strength in depth 

Almost too much praise, almost as if we're being set up for a fall..

Just think of the Saxons side we could put out if we had an injury free 1st XV, it would be very similar to the side most are suggesting for next week. Probably only Robshaw and Hartley would be missing from the pack and arguably Care, Ford and Brown and May from the backs.

BamBam wrote:I am starting to be a bit sceptical of how strongly the Welsh on here seem to be lauding the England strength in depth 

Almost too much praise, almost as if we're being set up for a fall..

Such cynicism is unnecessary,
Us Welshists simply envy England's extraordinary ability and the huge pool of talent to draw from that even now with so may crocked there is still a recognizably talented match day squad available. If only we could field such players as Haskell, Easter and Cipriani in our squad. As a result there is no chance that the game will be a poor contest and England will still be very very strong, which for many countries in your current parlous state, would not be possible.

formerly known as Sam wrote:That is true Cole was very consistent and injury free for years. Despite changes to laws interpretation he was the cornerstone of the England pack. Give him a bit of rest time and he will be again. If anything the time off seemed to reinvigorate him.

Corbs has had injury problems for some time. Shame as he's a beast of a loosehead. The changes to the hooker has been due to fluctuations in form.

It may have been the early stages of his injury, but Cole looked uncomfortable and far less effective in his handful of international games under the new scrum engagement. I haven't seen enough of him since his return to know whether he's over that.

Corbs on the other hand has looked good when he's played but unless he can string a consistent run of games together in the second half of the season he will be a huge risk for the RWC - especially when in Marler, Mako and Mullan England have a decent set of alternatives to call on.

Hooker, as you say, is down to form but I have more faith in Hartley to perform at the top level than in Youngs and Webber, who have both had some seriously bad moments mixed in with the good.

In reality, whatever the situation England are likely to be able to field a pack that will hold its own against any side not refereed by Steve Walsh. The big problem remains finding a backline that can stay fit for long enough to build an understanding. As we go into yet another tournament with yet another patched-together midfield, I think it will all come down to the pre-RWC training camp. Lancaster probably needs to take only the fully fit centres into camp, and just work with them. It's getting too late to be able to drop someone returning from injury into the mix part way through, even if it's Manu.

Perhaps time to bump this thread up again.

Who is coming back into contention for England?

For some of these cases, the decision won't need to be made for several more matches, but:
- Has JJ done enough to keep a fit Tuilagi out? Or would we look at a Tuilgai / JJ combination? (Though Burrell and 36 both played well)
- Is Cipriani going to stay No 2. Will a fit Farrell take his place?
- Will Launchbury and Lawes push aside Atwood and Kruis, both of whom played well?
- I think Haskell will keep Tom Wood on the bench.
- If Wilson recovers, will Cole keep him on the bench?

Lancaster likes to keep a successful team, so in all cases I guess returning players will need to work their way in on the bench.

He will also need to give Cipriani some game time. Staying on the bench is no preparation if you have to come on against Ireland.

Well considering Manu is as permanently broken as Corbs then yes Joseph should definitely keep the spot. Give him the 6n and if he performs then the shirt is his for the WC

Poorfour wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:That is true Cole was very consistent and injury free for years. Despite changes to laws interpretation he was the cornerstone of the England pack. Give him a bit of rest time and he will be again. If anything the time off seemed to reinvigorate him.

Corbs has had injury problems for some time. Shame as he's a beast of a loosehead. The changes to the hooker has been due to fluctuations in form.

It may have been the early stages of his injury, but Cole looked uncomfortable and far less effective in his handful of international games under the new scrum engagement. I haven't seen enough of him since his return to know whether he's over that.

Did Cole play for England with the new laws? He did a number on Jenkins last night and handled James despite looking cream crackered by the time he came off. I think the change in laws has helped him, particularly at AP level where he and Ayerza always seemed to take the hit and then apply the pressure anyway.

Cole's last game before injury was under the new laws (France, IIRC), and he looked pretty ropey. Looked far better against Wales, so I assume it was injury that was the issue. Good to know.

Of the currently injured players, I think the locks, Wood,
, Morgan and Wilson should come back into the match day squad when fit. Corbs too if he can put in a good run.

I hope we persist with Joseph rather than rushing Man back, though.

Be nice if Manu could get a few games under his belt before returning for England consideration.

Poorfour wrote:Cole's last game before injury was under the new laws (France, IIRC), and he looked pretty ropey. Looked far better against Wales, so I assume it was injury that was the issue. Good to know.

Before the injury was diagnosed you mean. It was a problem probably bubbling under ever since the Lions tour.

LondonTiger wrote:

Poorfour wrote:Cole's last game before injury was under the new laws (France, IIRC), and he looked pretty ropey. Looked far better against Wales, so I assume it was injury that was the issue. Good to know.  

Before the injury was diagnosed you mean. It was a problem probably bubbling under ever since the Lions tour.

I think it was, too.  A doc who is a good mate had told me during the Lions tour that simply looking at Cole biomechanically on tv, he saw the probable injury.  And it turns out he was pretty much on the mark with it.  Hopefully Cole does not start against Italy, and only plays off the bench.