Comments on: Reflections on England’s elite squad

By: matt

matt — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 02:02:00 +0000

Mine:

1. Corbisero
2. Youngs
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Parling
6. Robshaw (c)
7. Kvesic
8. Morgan
9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Yarde
12. 36
13. Tuilagi
14. Ashton
15. Foden

By: Simo

Simo — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 19:17:30 +0000

Definitely agree with above comments saying Burns/12Ts/Manu and Farrell and Eastmond on the bench.

Burns is more of an attacking 10 than Farrell, and he has the “steady” (but not one dimensional) 12Ts outside him.

Farrell would have Eastmond (most attacking 12 available to England) who would play flatter. Also the two could easily interchange. They may also be able to interchange defensively as well. If Eastmond struggles defensively (doubt he will, coming from a League background, but he is small) then Farrell can shift to 12 in defence.

For me I think I would start considering barritt as more of a 13. If something happens to Manu, then Brad is (sort of) a like-for-like. Although I would be tempted to play 12Ts at 12 and Eastmond at 13.

Having Eastmond on the bench may not happen, as brown and foden are both still around, and only one will get the 15 shirt. But eastmond’s versatility means he should probably get the spot over brown (foden would be my 15).

I would also go for wade and yarde on the wings. Possibly shifting foden out if one gets injured, bringing brown in at 15. Really struggling to pick Ashton. I know he has the potential (he used to be excellent) but he really is not there. Until he regains top form, I can’t justify picking him.

Tight 5 pick themselves really, but I think that I may look at Attwood for the bench spot. Lawes is the most suited to the “impact” role, but he has not impressed recently. Attwood is available to bring added bulk if the tight 5 are struggling (like the Wales game).

Backrow is a completely different problem, and one I won’t go into now. So many options and combinations available, and all are great choices. I think the only guaranteed starter is Morgan. His club combination with Kvesic could make the 7 choice easier. Still have great options who won’t even make the bench. If Robshaw shifts to 6 for quins, it will make things very interesting. Plus surely that means Wallace (the kid who has shifted the current England 7 and captain to 6) would have to be taken quite seriously too.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:20:13 +0000

My thoughts on who to play together hinged mainly around style of play. So SY, I would say that Burns and Barritt would not work – Burns would go at the gain line and Barritt wouldn’t know what was going on (slight exaggeration I know but you get my point). Farrell and Barritt are normally on the same wave length, as are Burns/12T so I would match the combos up.

And Dazza I agree with you on Burns/12T/Tuilagi – looks like a very good back line to me.
I also agree on Eastmond, but I think he will end up play Brown or Foden in the 23 shirt depending on who he doesn’t select. I would personally prefer a Farrell/Eastmond bench but I can’t see it.

By: Dazza

Dazza — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:19:00 +0000

Liam, I made the same mistake as you on another post. Webber is not in the EPS, he’s in the Saxons. Hartley has to be the bench option.

By: Dazza

Dazza — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:15:07 +0000

Personally I would say if Farrell is playing I would have Eastmond at 12. Farrell has shown that he can play on the gain line, and with Eastmonds’ ability to outmaneuver the defence he could open up big holes for him and the guys outside him. But I think Eastmond is probably the best bench option England have had for a long time. He can cover the whole back line except SH, although he’d probably give it a go. He has enough pace to play on the wing, the awareness to play FB, and has already shown he can play 10, 12 and 13.
Farrell and Burns are currently our two best options at 10, and having one on the bench with Eastmond covering the rest of the back line would keep me happy. So a starting combo of Burns, 12T and Tuilagi would be great going forward. Burns and 12T play together, and 12T and Tuilagi played a lot together at Tigers, so makes perfect sense.

By: Banastre

Banastre — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 11:26:13 +0000

My team for the first game of the Autumn Internationals as follows:
1.Corbisiero
2.Youngs
3.Cole
4.Launchbury
5.Parling (c)
6.Croft
7.Wood
8.Morgan
9.Youngs
10.Burns
11.Wade
12.12T’s
13.Tualgi
14.Ashton
15.Foden

Front three on their day can give anyone a game, slight worries over the pack being a bit light weight though. I would single out the locks there in particular, though they bring other qualities; speed round park, breakdown work etc.. Back row has a nice balance to it, plus Wood has experience of playing at 7 for Northampton. Would like to see an out and out 7 on the pitch but I don’t think Kvesic is better than either Wood or Robshaw. So Wood for now.

A hell of a lot of talent in the back, iv pipped for Burns over Farrell, purely because he is a more exciting player and he has that experience playing alongside 12t’s. Banking on Ashton to find form, too soon for Yarde. Don’t want to see Goode anywhere near even the bench. Foden all the way.

By: R120

R120 — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:43:42 +0000

As others have said, aside from physical stature, Robinson and Eastmond are pretty different.

Eastmond was the playmaker for England and St Helen’s, effectively playing the role of Fly Half.

I know Bath have experimented with him there, but I think he is worth a shot at inside center.

By: SY

SY — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 18:46:34 +0000

I would switch it. If would have a more attack minded player in Burns playing, we can have Barritt playing to cover defensively. Barritt can be used as a crash runner or skipped. Plus, England can use their wings in the midfield more. However, if Farrell is playing, Twelvetrees should be 12 because he adds creativity. It’s about balance, so players weaknesses are covered by others’ strengths.

By: Liam

Liam — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 13:14:37 +0000

1. Corbs
2. Youngs
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Parling
6. Croft
7. Robshaw (C)
8. Morgan
9. Care
10. Farrell
11. Yarde
12. Twelvetrees
13. Tuilagi
14. Wade
15. Foden

Subs: M Vunipola, Webber, Attwood, B Vunipola, T Youngs, Flood or Burns!? (to hard to call) Eastmond, Brown

By: Jacob

Jacob — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 10:58:02 +0000

I would assume Dave means the Scotland game where Twelvetrees played alongside Farrell and it went very well.

Foden finished the season in fantastic form for Saints, he is over his injury now and should certainly be our full back. To point “a” of your Ashton comments, he was very good for Saracens at the end of the season, and “b”, no-one will care about his tackling if he is scoring tries in an England shirt (see 2012-2012 for evidence).

By: Little_badger

Little_badger — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 09:53:35 +0000

Dave – My memory fails me, which game do you mean with the ‘Farrell and ball playing 12 moment’?

I would have Eastmond on the bench with 12T starting. Why?. I want to see Eastmond on against tired defences with his razzle dazzle, 12T impresses me and I’d like to see what he can do first.

If Foden can find consistent form, he’s our best fullback and I will never put Chris Ashton in an England team until he a) finds form and b) learns to tackle someone below the chest.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 09:07:08 +0000

A very good selection from Lancaster. The only thing I would’ve changed would be to drop Goode and bring in either another outside back or another flanker, as having 3 15s seems a bit silly. Having watched Bath alot over the years, I think the inclusion of Eastmond is masterstroke. You mention earlier that is unfair to compare Eastmond to Robinson and that is very true- because besides their footwork and physical make-up, they are quite different. Eastmond is a superb playmaker and has a strong kicking game, whilst also having fleet footedness and a low centre of gravity plus his defence is strong too, or else Bath wouldn’t play him there. I personally hope Barritt won’t start as we need a ball playing 12 badly. Farrell’s best game for England came with a ball playing 12 outside him. Twelvetrees had a good game in the 1st test vs Arg, but was pretty poor for the Lions which is perhaps an unfair criticism. I would pick whoever is in better form, Eastmond or Twelvetrees come November.

Selection also shows how far Manu Tuilagi is ahead of his other rivals for the 13 shirt, as he is the only 13. In the EPS now, Barritt and Eastmond can cover, but they wouldn’t drop Manu for them. Joseph had a poor season and Tomkins still has his flaws, whilst Daly would be our up and coming prospect but needs to play 13 more not 15.

My team for first game would be:

Corbisiero, Youngs, Cole, Launchbury, Parling, Croft, Wood (c), Morgan, Youngs, Farrell, Yarde, Eastmond, Tuilagi, Ashton, Brown

Hartley, Vunipola, Wilson, Lawes, Robshaw, Care, Burns, Wade