606v2 picks the England World Cup squad: Props

Martin Johnson World Cup training squad announcement a couple of weeks ago got us all talking about who should be there/shouldn't be there/should go to the World Cup/shouldn't go to the World Cup etc. Now that the heat has died down a little bit and the squad has had a bit of time to sink in, who do we think should make the final 30? Over the next few weeks I'll post a series of polls so that we can select a 30 man World Cup squad.

First up is the props, and the names listed in the squad are: Dan Cole, Alex Corbisiero, Paul Doran-Jones, Tim Payne, Andrew Sheridan, Matt Stevens and David Wilson. Vote above for the props you think should go to the World Cup.

Squad Selection criteria: 4 props will be selected. The squad cannot have two props that can only play on the same side (2 specialist loose-heads or 2 specialist tight-heads) or we could be in trouble should one of our props pick up a knock. For that reason only 1 of Sheridan and Payne can be selected (as neither can play tight-head). We only have 1 specialist tight-head in Dan Cole, with the other 4 props able to play both sides of the scrum.

must be corbs, cole, sheridan and stevens.

Some tough choices here.

Dan Cole picks himself, he will in the squad and he will start, assuming he doesn't get injured.

Andrew Sheridan is the most experienced Loosehead that we have, but I believe he has injury question marks hanging over him.

Some people think that Stevens is a stuck on selection too, I don't. He has had a decent half season and kicked the rudey poo out some substandard opposition in the Churchill Cup. Is he ready for full international rugby? I hope so because I believe Johnson is going to pick him. I think I’d pick him too, but it is a close thing between him and Paul Doran-Jones.

Final spot would go to Alex Corbisiero, he’s and a brilliant player and has a long international career ahead of him.

Props I’d pick:

Dan Cole
Andrew Sheridan
Matt Stevens
Alex Corbisiero

It is looking pretty clear-cut at the moment. Let's just hope there aren't too many injuries before/ during the World Cup.

Just to build the picture the 6 nations squad had:
Cole, Payne, Doran-Jones, Sheridan and Wilson (Stevens was only just out of ban).

Would Johnson drop 3 players from the squad? Would he only have 4 props?

Payne out is almost a certainty. Corbisiero did well in his games. Stevens has done well so far.

I went for Cole, Corbisiero, Sheridan and Stevens. If there was a 5th I'd have Wilson.

Most countries at the 2007 World Cup took 4 props, and I don't think there is room enough in the squad for 5, so one of them has to be cut.

Corbisiero has already leapfrogged Tim Payne in my opinion, so I think it would be a weird move to go back to Payne. Corbs also has the versatility to cover both sides, which is key if we only take 4 props.

So the only question in my mind is has Matt Stevens jumping above Wilson and Doran-Jones? He's a proven International who has played well for Saracens and the Saxons this year, so I can definitely see him going.

HammerofThunor wrote:Just to build the picture the 6 nations squad had:
Cole, Payne, Doran-Jones, Sheridan and Wilson (Stevens was only just out of ban).

Would Johnson drop 3 players from the squad? Would he only have 4 props?

Payne out is almost a certainty. Corbisiero did well in his games. Stevens has done well so far.

I went for Cole, Corbisiero, Sheridan and Stevens. If there was a 5th I'd have Wilson.

You obviously rate him higher than Doran-Jones? As a Newcastle fan, I've got a lot of time for Wilson and hope to see him packing down for the Falcons again. However, he really hasn't looked like an international standard player in the games I've seen him play for England. That isn't to say that he won't develop into one, just that he isn't there yet.

Edit (completely off topic) I'm watching the Wigan vs. Leeds match on Sky, a Union club really really should take a punt on Sam Tomkins at some point in his career.

Edit, Edit: Looks like he has thought about it himself, as this fabulously in depth article proves:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/rugby_league/3629030/Sam-Tomkins-admits-he-has-not-ruled-out-a-switch-to-rugby-union.html

This is apparently why some idiots booed him when he was playing for England the other week.

Cumbrian wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:Just to build the picture the 6 nations squad had:
Cole, Payne, Doran-Jones, Sheridan and Wilson (Stevens was only just out of ban).

Would Johnson drop 3 players from the squad? Would he only have 4 props?

Payne out is almost a certainty. Corbisiero did well in his games. Stevens has done well so far.

I went for Cole, Corbisiero, Sheridan and Stevens. If there was a 5th I'd have Wilson.

You obviously rate him higher than Doran-Jones? As a Newcastle fan, I've got a lot of time for Wilson and hope to see him packing down for the Falcons again. However, he really hasn't looked like an international standard player in the games I've seen him play for England. That isn't to say that he won't develop into one, just that he isn't there yet.


Edit (completely off topic) I'm watching the Wigan vs. Leeds match on Sky, a Union club really really should take a punt on Sam Tomkins at some point in his career.

I watched Wigan Vs Huddersfield last week, the first game of League I'd watched in a long time. I too think some Northamptonshire based professional union club should take a punt on Tomkins as well

Back on topic I went with Sheridan, Corbisiero, Cole and Stevens although I do think Johnson will take 5 props and one less back, in which case I think he will take Wilson over Doran-Jones. I seem to remember being told that the England camp rate Wilson highly, especially his defensive work rate in open play.

Cumbrian wrote:Edit (completely off topic) I'm watching the Wigan vs. Leeds match on Sky, a Union club really really should take a punt on Sam Tomkins at some point in his career.

I think I saw Tomkins and Eastmond playing at 6 and 7 for England a few years back and they looked really good together. Just turned the match on but haven't seen Tomkins get his hands on it yet. Looking forward to seeing Eastmond in union, but Tomkins is a class act as well.

(EDIT: Tomkins at Northampton could work, possibly with Tomkins playing at 10? If not a back 3 of Foden, Ashton and Tomkins would be unreal!)

But enough about exciting backs, we're talking about props here!

I don't think we can afford to drop a back, I think we need all 14 spots. 6 half-backs, 5 other starting backs and 3 replacements.

robbo277 wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Edit (completely off topic) I'm watching the Wigan vs. Leeds match on Sky, a Union club really really should take a punt on Sam Tomkins at some point in his career.

I think I saw Tomkins and Eastmond playing at 6 and 7 for England a few years back and they looked really good together. Just turned the match on but haven't seen Tomkins get his hands on it yet. Looking forward to seeing Eastmond in union, but Tomkins is a class act as well.

(EDIT: Tomkins at Northampton could work, possibly with Tomkins playing at 10? If not a back 3 of Foden, Ashton and Tomkins would be unreal!)

But enough about exciting backs, we're talking about props here!

I don't think we can afford to drop a back, I think we need all 14 spots. 6 half-backs, 5 other starting backs and 3 replacements.

I agree about not dropping a back, especially to take a prop who probably wont get much game time but I think Johnson will go with five. Sheridan's ability to pick up injuries will influence his decision.

If there are only 4 props then I don't think we'll take Stevens and Corbisero. Yes they can both play TH, but it's really not clear how good either of them are at it. Good enough for either of them to sit on the bench and cover both sides, but if Cole needed resting or had a minor injury would you want to start with either of them?

I think Corbisero will be left out and one of PDJ and Wilson taken instead, both of whom are theoretically capable of playing both sides but who favour the TH side.

Before his ban Stevens was mainly a tight-head who could play loose, so he's started International matches wearing 3 before. He played 3 for the Saxons, so I think Martin Johnson might be looking at him as a tight-head who can cover loose-head, with Corbs as a loose-head who can cover tight.

But before his ban he was on the verge of getting dropped for his poor form at 3. Since then Sarries have used him as a LH. Yes he played 3 for the Saxons, but gainst Tonga he committed a large number of penalty offences which weren't given.

It would be a huge risk to start him at 3 against a decent scrummaging side. Stevens is definitely a LH who can play TH.