England: D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).
Not a bad side, potentially the best England XV for a good few years.
England team
Moderator: Moderators
-
Jackie Brown
- Rí na Cúige Uladh
- Posts: 11723
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 1:15 pm
- Location: Carrickfergus
Re: England team
Monye, Wilkinson, Borthwick and Easter are all way over-rated.
Gonna Party Like It's 1999
Re: England team
I disagree about MonyeJackie Brown wrote:Monye, Wilkinson, Borthwick and Easter are all way over-rated.
Re: England team
I don't think Borthwick is overrated. Everyone except Martin Johnson thinks he is crap 
Re: England team
At long last they haven't picked a bash-it-up-the-middle centre. Hopefully the days of the Jamie Noon type player are over.
Not sure about Easter - he always looks a bit fat but he can be effective.
Wilko is past it, England need to move on.
Not sure about Easter - he always looks a bit fat but he can be effective.
Wilko is past it, England need to move on.
Re: England team
i have to say that this s the best team England havebeen ble to put out in a long time. Add Sheridan and Vickery to his and they culd be a force come the world cup. Exciting center partnership as long as Wilkinkinson can get the back moving. Put in Lawes,wen fit, instead of Borthwick and make Moody captain is my advice
Re: England team
I am under the strictest of instructions from Miss F to support England in all occassions in this Championship, the game at Twickers aside (although we're visiting her parents in the Lakes that weekend, by coincidence apparently 
). As such, I'm fairly happy to see some of these selections - Tait may struggle to impose himself on this game but he's a more interesting option - as was said above, it's nice to see England moving away from a bash-it-up-the-middle style 13. Indeed, Tait and Flutey could make an interesting partnership in there for the English, if Wilkinson can give them the ball in decent positions. The choices of Armitage, Cueto and Moyne in the back three also suggests that England may intend to run a lot more than they have in recent seasons (Banahan and Tindall or similar to bash would have been expected otherwise, I think) but I wonder how that marries up with the selection of Nick Easter in particular? I'm not sure England have selected a pack that could really support that sort of game?
I still think 10 is where England will really struggle in this championship. If Wilkinson plays like he did in the Autumn, we'll see the same dull, lifeless and uncompetitive performances from England. The best they could really hope for is to make themselves difficult to beat if they go for those same tactics. I've seen glimpses of Wilkinson playing for Toulon and he's played on the gainline at times but he still seems very content to lie deep. The game, for me, has moved on from a deep 10. If England and Wilkinson don't play on the gainline, then they'll struggle.
I think this is a good selection by England. My big doubts are Wilkinson, Easter and most of the tight five (if my earlier ponitifications about game plan hold). It's a stronger England team than we've seen in a while. I think that this game will be tight and I think England are a better outfit than they have been given credit far in a number of places. If I called with head, I'd say a tight Welsh victory but I wouldn't be putting my house on it.
). As such, I'm fairly happy to see some of these selections - Tait may struggle to impose himself on this game but he's a more interesting option - as was said above, it's nice to see England moving away from a bash-it-up-the-middle style 13. Indeed, Tait and Flutey could make an interesting partnership in there for the English, if Wilkinson can give them the ball in decent positions. The choices of Armitage, Cueto and Moyne in the back three also suggests that England may intend to run a lot more than they have in recent seasons (Banahan and Tindall or similar to bash would have been expected otherwise, I think) but I wonder how that marries up with the selection of Nick Easter in particular? I'm not sure England have selected a pack that could really support that sort of game?I still think 10 is where England will really struggle in this championship. If Wilkinson plays like he did in the Autumn, we'll see the same dull, lifeless and uncompetitive performances from England. The best they could really hope for is to make themselves difficult to beat if they go for those same tactics. I've seen glimpses of Wilkinson playing for Toulon and he's played on the gainline at times but he still seems very content to lie deep. The game, for me, has moved on from a deep 10. If England and Wilkinson don't play on the gainline, then they'll struggle.
I think this is a good selection by England. My big doubts are Wilkinson, Easter and most of the tight five (if my earlier ponitifications about game plan hold). It's a stronger England team than we've seen in a while. I think that this game will be tight and I think England are a better outfit than they have been given credit far in a number of places. If I called with head, I'd say a tight Welsh victory but I wouldn't be putting my house on it.
Re: England team
Do England believe - I think this game will be won in their heads.
Wales have weaknesses and at Twickenham can be beaten - I just think England will not not get out 'fear of making a mistake mode'
I predict 60% of territory and possession but a Welsh win with 3 tries to 1 or 2
Wales have weaknesses and at Twickenham can be beaten - I just think England will not not get out 'fear of making a mistake mode'
I predict 60% of territory and possession but a Welsh win with 3 tries to 1 or 2
Re: England team
Good to see the lumbering lump of crap Banahan is nowhere near this squad.I really like Cueto as a player and although I have question marks around Monye there is little doubt he is a good finisher.Good centre partnership.
Borthwick rubbish of course, Easter too slow although is not the worst player and Wilko not up to it.With a proper 10 this would be a fairly decent team.
Anyway that said I think England will win on Saturday.Even under-performing or poor England teams are not that easy to beat at Twickers and although Wales are, on paper, a better team of individuals that old English fighting spirit cannot be discounted.
Borthwick rubbish of course, Easter too slow although is not the worst player and Wilko not up to it.With a proper 10 this would be a fairly decent team.
Anyway that said I think England will win on Saturday.Even under-performing or poor England teams are not that easy to beat at Twickers and although Wales are, on paper, a better team of individuals that old English fighting spirit cannot be discounted.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Re: England team
England 22 Wales 16
They could even get to Paris, for their last game, still 'alive' in the championship race this year.
They could even get to Paris, for their last game, still 'alive' in the championship race this year.
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
-
againstthehead
- Lord Chancellor
- Posts: 6933
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:58 am
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Re: England team
on paper it actually looks a decent side. wales are a bit of an unknown. could turn up and be brilliant but i think they'll have a relatively quiet championship. Almost too close to call this weekend but I'll go with Cables and predict a slender home win.
Climb up onto the top of your house and start screaming: 'stand up for the Ulstermen, stand.......'
Re: England team
I think Wilkinson could step up and prove a lot of people wrong this tournament, you have to remember this is his first prolonged exposure to rugby at any level for a number of years and the Autumn internationals probably came a little bit early for him to show true form. The guy is class and even though i won't be supporting England i hope he puts in some Stellar performances, poor guy deserves a bit of luck. If Wilkinson plays well, the whole confidence of the England side will rise and rise and i can see them being a real danger this tournament.
Re: England team
Unless my memory is going Wilkinson was outstanding in the first of the autumn Internationals, albeit largely defensive.
However that was forced upon him due to the ineptitude of his team mates - MOTM as I recall.
I didn't watch the subsequent matches so maybe he was poor in them
However that was forced upon him due to the ineptitude of his team mates - MOTM as I recall.
I didn't watch the subsequent matches so maybe he was poor in them
Re: England team
I checked my diary and I was at the England v Argentina game in November. I needed to check my diary as it was so unmemorable.
Wilkinson was excellent in defence, competent at place kicking but looking like a 70% kicker rather than the 80%+ kicker that he was in his prime, and created absolutely nothing in attack.
Many pundits say that Wilkinson needs a playmaker outside him, like Greenwood or Catt used to do, as he creates very little himself, and that is what they are looking for Flutey to do.
Wilkinson was excellent in defence, competent at place kicking but looking like a 70% kicker rather than the 80%+ kicker that he was in his prime, and created absolutely nothing in attack.
Many pundits say that Wilkinson needs a playmaker outside him, like Greenwood or Catt used to do, as he creates very little himself, and that is what they are looking for Flutey to do.
Re: England team
The game I am thinking of was Australia where Wilkinson literally put his body on the line and played superbly.
The problem he has was most of his team mates were appallingly bad.
Sounds as if the Argentina was not dissimilar in which case some comments are a bit harsh.
He does stand too deep for the modern game but if the players around you are playing like donkeys its difficult to impress
The problem he has was most of his team mates were appallingly bad.
Sounds as if the Argentina was not dissimilar in which case some comments are a bit harsh.
He does stand too deep for the modern game but if the players around you are playing like donkeys its difficult to impress