England side to face Ireland

First topic message reminder :

Right, who and what do we want to see in this?

Our last warm up before the World Cup, and coming off a couple of poor set piece performances.

For me:

Front row

The scrum has been dodgy in both games, not helped by the French pitch in the second of course. For me Marler and Cole are nailed on prop starters and Marler needs the game time after his shoulder surgery. Both should start.

Hooker is tougher. Youngs was questionable in Paris but threw himself about in the loose. The lineout improved once George came on, though how much of this was down to him isn't clear. Some have argued  that the lack of jumpers was the problem but there were a couple of clearly bad throws in their too. For me George should start this game. He needs experience and his set-piece work is strong which should give our backs more of a platform to run through the playbook, as much as they want to, before the group games.

Second row

Well Lawes and Launchbury are clearly the starters so we should get them on the pitch. Some suggestion that Launchbury isn't effective enough in the lineout to allow a back row without Tom Wood in it. Not sure if that's true myself, and we should probably use this game to find out.

Back row

Morgan has to start for me. He's our best 8 at this level when fit and on form, and if he's fit enough to have been selected then he needs to show it now. We can't be using group games against Wales and Australia for players to play themselves into form and fitness. As I mentioned I think we should have George throwing to a lineout without Wood in it, just to see whether that's really not an option with our current hookers, so Haskell and Robshaw on the flanks.

Half backs

Youngs and Ford have been first choice for a while so I'd give them another game to get back up to speed. If the set piece functions this time that should at least give them front foot ball from which to show their form.

Centres

Has to be Barritt and Joseph if fit, doesn't it? They're the first choice partnership-elect without ever having started a game together. Burgess and Slade need games as well but we'll get to that.

Back three

Nowell for me is first choice 11, with Watson and Brown. A lot have said that Ford looks better with an extra playmaker, which would mean Goode's case at 15 being advanced. Not sure how to reconcile that with the Six Nations game against Ireland, however.

Bench

Both Burgess and Slade could be there. Let's test the second playmaker theory by bringing Slade on in the centres and seeing how it affects Ford's performance. He and Burgess need the game time and Farrell doesn't, even if he'll inevitably be in the World Cup 23, quite rightly. I wouldn't want to explain it to him myself though.

Youngs has occasionally come off the bench and had a lineout shocker, worse than when he starts. I'd bring him on after 50 and see how he does. Maybe send Parling and Wood on with him for the club familiarity and lineout options.

Against Ireland I'd say it's more likely that we'll want to accelerate the pace at the end than close the game out, given the breakdown problems we've had against them before, so Care ahead of wigglesworth.

We should probably include Brookes on the bench as well and see how he copes at loosehead. Again a tight call as Wilson and Vunipola will need to play themselves into fitness.

What do people think?

I guess Burgess is in the England squad mainly for his defense. This is possibly because world cup games are on average lower scoring that normal six nations or rugby championship games particularly in the KO stages.

I think his defensive awareness is poor, he's ok slamming a free hit and making big contact but his footwork and positioning for me is not up to scratch and I can see him being exposed in defence. His main forte is his power with ball in hand running at the opposition. Like many I see his inclusion as high risk and feel a little for the hardworking and skilful Burrell

England's defensive system at the moment seems to have one player rushing out of the line to reduce the space for a pass or try to tackle the carrier behind the gainline. Burgess is ideal for that role but might be exposed in multiphase play when he has to adapt to who's available rather than be part of a set pattern.

Offensively, Lancaster had praised the way he draws defenders' attention and creates space for other players.

LondonTiger wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:

thomh wrote:...Left-field choice, but I'd consider putting Croft on the bench for the Ireland game. Not in the squad but he's been training with england so must be a reserve

No sure that's allowed under tournament rules. Once the deadline for announcing the 31 man World Cup Squad passes, then I think no-one else is allowed to train with the squad, let alone play a match alongside them.

The embargo is not in effect yet - but will be before the match.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, since there's a more active one for the match itself. However LT and I must be wrong somewhere on the tournament rules because Australia have named non-squad members for their match against USA on Saturday.

Australia and Wales are both acting like they have worked out something about the tournament rules that no-one else has. I wonder what it is?

Wales have named Moriarty and Dacey on the bench to face Italy, neither of whom are in the squad