Weapon of Choice

August 26, 2015

easter

It’s time. Months of debate and nomenclature. In or out. He loves me, he loves me not.

Here’s the England team that will be announced tomorrow. That’s right, I’m feeling confident. £5 in to the Rugby Blog’s charity of choice for every name I’ve got wrong. It’s a squad built to do a particular job. Not much flash or whizz but, as has been said before, a dog is very much like its owner.

Full backs: Mike Brown and Alex Goode
Wings: Anthony Watson, Jack Nowell, Jonny May
Centres: Brad Barritt, Jonathan Joseph, Sam Burgess and Henry Slade
Fly halves: George Ford and Owen Farrell
Scrum halves: Ben Youngs, Danny Care and Richard Wigglesworth

Props: Joe Marler, Dan Cole, David Wilson, Keiran Brookes and Mako Vunipola
Hookers: Tom Youngs, Rob Webber and Jamie George
Second Row: Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, Geoff Parling and Nick Easter
Back Row: James Haskell, Tom Wood, Ben Morgan, Billy Vunipola, Chris Robshaw

The Big Losers

Danny Cipriani
A man with all the natural talent you’d want but something doesn’t click with Lancaster. With impressive performances on the park, you have to start thinking it’s do with his personality. May be he remains too much about himself in the eyes of England’s head coach.

Luther Burrell
Handed a chance to stake his claim against a far better French midfield than a week previous; given little good attacking ball as his supposed superior forwards capitulated on the night. Unlucky? Definitely, but timing is everything in this sport.

Alex Corbisiero
Injury robbed him of any real chance. The man who ripped it up for Lions in 2013 is a long and distant memory.

Luke Cowan-Dickie
This call comes a year too early. He’ll be back, his battle with George over the next five years will be to England’s advantage, but for now 1-0 Jamie.

Maro Itoje
The Bolter that never was. His ability to cover both second and back rows would have been very useful. Perhaps a little green, like LCD, but if Slade does well, Itoje would have done. He is an immense rugby specimen, would loved to have seen him included.

The Big Winners

Sam Burgess
Has worked incredibly hard to make himself credible and ironically, had an wonderful game in Paris last weekend, watching from the sidelines. Despite all the sound arguments to the contrary, he has made it.

Henry Slade
Like Burgess hit his straps just when it mattered. He brings a lot more as well, covering 10 and his intelligent left peg. 2015 RWC could be good for him, 2019 will be even better.

Dylan Hartley
Like others, his stock has risen because that of others’ has fallen. Informed colleagues suggest he has gone from humiliated exile to one twisted ankle away from being back in the squad. He remains a big risk for me. His headspin moments have come in big matches, they’ll be a few of those in England’s World Cup.

Nick Easter
While Kruis and Atwood have had outstanding seasons they couldn’t compete with Easter’s adaptability, experience and timely cameos. Mmm, Minty!

So there we go. Gambling in a few positions, much less risk in others. Some of these the kind of decisions that RFU tenures depend on. Weapons of choice for Lancaster, and it is into battle we go.

By Sam Roberts (@samrobertsrugby)

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images

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14 comments on “Weapon of Choice”

  2. Ben August 26, 2015 at 2:30 pm -

    Is cips not a liability off the field? Trying to rugby tackle a bus while drunk and then being arrested on suspicion of drink driving glad he isn’t in the squad

    • Leon August 26, 2015 at 3:26 pm -

      Burrell is in a straight shootout with Burgess and is pretty much the only change that could occur to the above squad

  5. Henry August 26, 2015 at 2:42 pm -

    Exactly the squad I think will be picked as well.

    And the one I would choose. I would love to have Cipriani in, but would rather have Slade and don’t think there is space for both. Especially as there is a case to make for Slade starting – I can’t see Cips getting anything more than some time in the Uruguay match given the current strength as 10. I like him at 15 but as an impact bench player, wouldn’t start him there. First call up though.

    Easter as the 4th lock is the biggest/riskiest shout for me, but one I back – he could bring a real extra dimension to the team in the last 20 and is there in case Morgan doesn’t get up to speed quick enough.

  6. Dazza August 26, 2015 at 3:09 pm -

    I would be happy if this was the squad announced tomorrow, but I still have a funny felling neither Burgess or Slade will be in there but 12T and Burrell will be.

  7. Matt B August 26, 2015 at 3:14 pm -

    I think that’s it, especially the backs – where I’ll be very happy to see Slade included. I also keep imagining the scenario of Barritt getting a one week injury vs Fiji, meaning Burgess will have to start at 12 vs Wales, which is nerve racking. Either that or Farrell or Slade .

    I think Easter must be included, if they take a punt on Morgan to get back to fitness along the way. And 4th lock/back row is the perfect spot for Easter. The biggest uncertainty for me is 3rd lock as I think Parling is too lightweight. I actually think Kruis might be picked instead but then Parling’s experience might win it for Lancaster, so really I have no idea!

  9. teecee August 27, 2015 at 11:31 am -

    I think we’ve all missed Sam’s wry wit regarding this squad (sorry,team!)

    BTW ,Bomber has remained true to form and left out Cips. If that is for disciplinary issues then the inconsistency is huge. I’ll say no more than that.

    Back to the centres debate/debacle. Slade, JJ, Burrell,Barritt.? Burgess,Slade, JJ, Burrell? Barritt, Slade,JJ, anybody we haven’t yet tried?

    Chickens always come home to roost. Hopefully Bomber will now see why he should have blooded Slade earlier and had either Eastmond or Daly in the squad.