Wilko's back 6 Nations Spoilers

TheMightyTen · 29 Jan 2007 at 15:39

Well Ashton has made his first impact, Hackett Boy is back.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/6308957.stm

Seems a mighty risk considering he's only played 40 minutes in a team retreating all game on Saturday :confused:

But Ashton has never been one to sidestep the daring decisions.

I really like Farrel coming in at 12, in a few games he has probably become the in form inside centre in the GP, we at last have some distribution outside 10 again, and his defence is none to shabby. Tins at 13 is the right call, he has been in a rich vein the last month or so, probaly better than his 2003 vintage. Finally a proper ball winning 7, with a proper 6 and 8, (I would have liked Ward-Smith to get the 8, I feel so sorry for him dislocating his knee cap on Friday

) but Corry has shown better form since he lost the Captaincy of England.

I'm going to remain reserved until I see the result against Scotland, but I'm quietly hopeful.

Pumpkinstew · 30 Jan 2007 at 00:22

Most of the selection I agree with but you've still got Danny '70 minutes' Grewcock and three fullbacks in the team. :rolleyes:

Ellis has improved this season but I think Perry should be given as many games as possible. Bench at least as Richards isn't even first choice at Glos right now.

Quite how Barkley failed to even make the Saxons squad when he can cover the entire midfield and land 80% of place kicks is a mystery too.

Morba · 30 Jan 2007 at 00:44

Pumpkinstew said:
Quite how Barkley failed to even make the Saxons squad when he can cover the entire midfield and land 80% of place kicks is a mystery too.

I hadnt even realised that!
Shocking really, considering that ashton knows Barkley well enough to know hes worthy of a spot in the main team, let alone the saxons.

Alex_L · 30 Jan 2007 at 11:43

I think Ashton is brave selecting Wilkinson and Farrell together. I agree with starting with Farrell, as I've been impressed with him at 12 for Saracens. However, selecting a guy who's played less than 10 games at 12, in tandem with a guy whos played probably less than 30 games in 4 years seems a bit risky to me. I think its just too much pressure to put on Wilkinson this early in his comeback.

If I were Scotland I'd tell my 7 to go headhunting for wilkinson and see how he holds up after being dumped a few times.

I see the obsession with playing fullbacks in all back 3 positions still persists, and whats the point of playing Tindall a physical crash-ball centre, when you've got the man-mountain farrell at 12. Why not give Tait a go?

The pack looks good, nice balanced selection in the back-row for once.

TheMightyTen · 30 Jan 2007 at 12:36

I think the reason for Tindall at 13 is he's demonstrated for Glaws this year that he has developed far more than the crash ball game that he was known for, it appears he now does have an outside break :eek:

and an excellent kicking game to boot. I think having Denis Betts down at Kingsholm to concentrate on, and coach the players in, basic skills is really paying dividends with Tins, he is for me the in-form 13 in the country.

Pumpkinstew · 30 Jan 2007 at 13:10

And here's what we're up against:

BBC said:
Scotland team to face England:
H Southwell (Edinburgh Rugby); S Lamont (Northampton Saints), M Di Rollo (Edinburgh Rugby), A Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), C Paterson (Edinburgh Rugby) capt, D Parks (Glasgow Warriors), C Cusiter (Border Reivers); G Kerr (Border Reivers) D Hall (Edinburgh Rugby), E Murray (Glasgow Warriors), A Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), J Hamilton (Leicester Tigers), S Taylor (Edinburgh Rugby), D Callam (Edinburgh Rugby), K Brown (Border Reivers).

Replacements: R Ford (Border Reivers), A Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby), S Murray (Edinburgh Rugby), A Hogg (Edinburgh Rugby), R Lawson (Gloucester), R Dewey (Edinburgh Rugby) R Lamont (Glasgow Warriors).

Can't see Parks and Henderson creating much going forward, although DiRollo has his moments. Apart from Paterson is that the biggest team they could have chosen? :eek:

rdizzle · 31 Jan 2007 at 00:55

we are without jason white, mike blair and ali hogg and scott murray are on the bench as they are both not fully fit. the team isnt are strongest but england as far from confident at the moment and i think mr wilkenson could proove to be our best player.

TheMightyTen · 31 Jan 2007 at 16:36

If you're hoping that I think you're going to be awfully dissapointed, he may not be 100% but one thing he won't do is let the side down he's just to focussed for that.

I do worry that your midfield isn't going to be physical enough to cope with Farrell and Tindall, and if it's wet England have good kickers from hand at 9,10,12 and 13 (a new addition to Tins game).

rdizzle · 31 Jan 2007 at 17:22

oh no doubt you have a much stronger team, however andy henderson is not to be underestimated, he is a formidable tackler. i think with the home advantage and the injuries we have, a poor england performance would still be enough for you guys to win.

Pumpkinstew · 31 Jan 2007 at 18:54

News just in: Balshaw and Moody injured. Real players in the form of Rees and Morgan to be added to the squad in their place

Actually they both have fitness tests tomorrow but Tait will play for Balshaw on the wing and Olly Morgan take Tait's place on the bench, with Rees a straight swap for Moody as a reserve if either fails.

TheMightyTen · 1 Feb 2007 at 11:52

Balsh is no loss, Moody gets his bad press but he has been in form this year and although he is a more natural 6, as we know he can do a passable 7's job, Rees is a great call up but is an out and out 7 which means we have no cover for 6 and 8.

I'm chuffed Olly Morgan has got a call, he often gets forgotten about by many because Allan and Lamb play at Glaws as well, he really is the future for England at 15 and at 21 is already one of the best full backs in the country. It will be interesting to see whether Ashton promotes him straight to the starting 15 or switches Lewsey or Robinson to Full back and sticks Tait on the wing. I have a funny feeling he may want to keep Tait on the bench as a utility cover for 11,13,14 & 15 and have Morgan as the starting specialist.

rmt · 1 Feb 2007 at 12:24

I'm finding it hard to call this game, I think Johnny will bring out the best in Faz and help him through his first test - I also don't think we should target Johnny as the weak link. Many teams have tried this in the past and he just gets on with his game, and now with Faz outside him England have someone who can do well at second receiver.

I think Scotland need to concentrate on playing an open game, England are too big up front for us so we don't want to get sucked in. QQuick rucking and offloading will win us the game, otherwise it's 2 points to England.

cheets64 · 1 Feb 2007 at 12:44

Robinson now Farrell, two great RL players walking into the England RU team

TheMightyTen · 1 Feb 2007 at 12:55

cheets64 said:
Robinson now Farrell, two great RL players walking into the England RU team

But as you make the point they were GREAT RL players, naturally talented sportsmen. There are plenty of failure stories with players going from RL to RU and vice versa where it hasn't worked (Iestyn Harris

). I really am looking forward to seeing Farrell in the Lillywhite and Red rose, and he can certainly bring something to the game.

Pumpkinstew · 1 Feb 2007 at 13:17

rmt said:
I think Scotland need to concentrate on playing an open game, England are too big up front for us so we don't want to get sucked in.

I was thinking just the opposite.

I think Scotland's best chance is playing a very positional game, with Parks and Cusiter using lots of tactical kicking.
There are some very big players in the Scottish team and I think they're capable of rumbling in from close range but can't see them striking from deep or wide.
The English players will be desperate to win and will be nervous and it won't take long for the Twickenham 'supporters' to get on their backs if things don't go totally to plan. :rolleyes:

Play in the right half of the pitch and live off Englands mistakes.

rmt said:
Quick rucking and offloading will win us the game, otherwise it's 2 points to England

That applies equally to both teams in any game.

Pumpkinstew · 1 Feb 2007 at 13:22

cheets64 said:
Robinson now Farrell, two great RL players walking into the England RU team

I remember Jonathan Davies going the other way and making RL look like a doddle.
It's a measure of the player not the code.

kefkef · 1 Feb 2007 at 22:07

Pumpkinstew said:
I remember Jonathan Davies going the other way and making RL look like a doddle.
It's a measure of the player not the code.

Yeah, JD was quite a good import into RL. I would say though, if you have enough skill to make it into either codes national team then you should be able to make a switch to quite a high level in the opposite code. Iestyn Harris, yes, he didn't make a massive impact, but he still managed to get into a half decent side on quite a number of occasions.

Just as a bit of an aside, i played against Farrell at under 19's Academy level, he was the guy who finally convinced me that playing rugby league at that sort of level wasn't for me after he ran over the top of me on a number of occasions in just one match.

TheMightyTen · 1 Feb 2007 at 22:28

kefkef said:
Just as a bit of an aside, i played against Farrell at under 19's Academy level, he was the guy who finally convinced me that playing rugby league at that sort of level wasn't for me after he ran over the top of me on a number of occasions in just one match.

Ouch!!

It's a very humbling experience spending a whole game being somebodies doormat isn't it! for me it was playing against Phil de Glanville that did that

TheMightyTen · 1 Feb 2007 at 23:32

Just noticed that because of injury to Mike Catt and Olly Morgan being on standby for the test team, Chev Walker has now been called onto the Saxons bench for Friday night against Italy A. So that's another League convert in nearly full colours.

England Saxons team to face Italy A: M Brown (Harlequins); D Strettle (Harlequins), J Noon (Newcastle, capt), O Barkley (Bath), N Abendanon (Bath); S Geraghty (London Irish), S Perry (Bristol); N Wood (Gloucester), A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), S Turner (Sale Sharks), D Schofield (Sale Sharks), A Brown (Gloucester), J Haskell (Wasps), J Scaysbrook (Bath), J Crane (Leicester).
Replacements: D Hartley (Northampton), T Mercey (Saracens), C Jones (Sale Sharks), N Easter (Harlequins), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), C Walker (Bath), T Varndell (Leicester).

#Chri5# · 2 Feb 2007 at 09:15

Hopefully England will win a good game tomorrow. I went to Murryfield last year and that was a dismal show from England (plenty of quality banter from the all the Scot's around us though!). Got tickets in the East stand tomorrow - really looking forward to it now :cool:

Wilko's back **6 Nations Spoilers**

Wilko's back 6 Nations Spoilers