Wilko's back **6 Nations Spoilers**

TheMightyTen

TheMightyTen

TheMightyTen

Soldato
Joined
4 Feb 2003
Posts
6,140
Location
Birmingham
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.
 
Last edited:
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.
 
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).
 
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.
 
cheets64 said:
Robinson now Farrell, two great RL players walking into the England RU team :D
Click to expand...

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

Ouch!! :eek:

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 :(
 
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).
 
Last edited:
As I suspected Morgan has been put straight into the starting 15, personally I think this is great he is a 'True' fullback with great running lines and fearless under the high ball, i'm chuffed for him.

Revised England team to face Scotland:
Morgan (Gloucester); Lewsey (Wasps), Tindall (Gloucester), Farrell (Saracens), Robinson (Sale); Wilkinson (Newcastle), Ellis (Leicester); Freshwater (Perpignan), Chuter (Leicester), Vickery (Wasps, capt), Deacon (Leicester), Grewcock (Bath), Worsley (Wasps), Lund (Sale Sharks), Corry (Leicester).
Replacements: Mears (Bath), White (Leicester), Palmer (Wasps), Rees (Wasps), Richards (Gloucester), Flood (Newcastle), Tait (Newcastle).

#Chri5# said:
Got tickets in the East stand tomorrow - really looking forward to it now :cool:
Click to expand...
Lucky sod :p

Have tickets for Ireland/England game at Croke Park, that should be really special (although I don't know how welcome and English White shirt will be to the authorities there :D )
 
Last edited:
TBH the IRB change to the scrum engagement has made very little difference in the GP except for a reduction in delays due to collapsed scrums, I think it will make very little difference on the international stage. The Scots front row is still highly likely to be scrummaged off the field tomorrow (I don't mean that as a disrispectfull phrase just a measure of the strength of our front row and what we have spare on the bench). People forget that Pezza scrummages against some of the best front rows in the world week in week out in the only other league other than the GP that see's scrummaging as the confrontation it should be.

As to Wilko being picked I think 'disasterous' is a bit of an over reaction, risky -probably, enlightened -possibly, JW certainly will not let the side down. The backline certainly will not fire on all cylinders tomorrow but in the forwards alone I think we have enough to beat the Scots, Paterson will hit his penalties but there isn't a lot else in terms of firepower to threaten.
 
Last edited:
Sorry for any bad spelling, I'm a bit smashed right now, ended up at the game because a spare ticket turned up.

What a return by Wilko

FORM IS TEMPORARY CLASS IS PERMANENT!!!! :D

Scotlsnd disrupted well, but for the first time in 2 years England seemed to have another gear when it mattered, and to see JR playing with a smile on his face and Jonny calling the shots it was like a blast from the past.

So much still to do but I have a sense of hope for the future (but I know a bad hangover coming)
 
O'Gara converted Try,

Wales 9 - 19 Ireland

All over, win to Ireland, Irelands pack are in for a hard time if they don't improve on that performance, O'Connell has gone from being one of the best locks in the world to being almost anonymous in a couple of months. I didn't see anything there to make Ireland out and out favourites yet.
 
Last edited:
England team to face Italy on Saturday

England: Balshaw; Lewsey, Tindall, Farrell, Robinson; Wilkinson, Ellis; Freshwater, Chuter, Vickery (capt), Deacon, Grewcock, Easter, Lund, Corry.
Replacements: Mears, White, Palmer, Rees, Perry, Flood, Tait.

Balshaw replaces Morgan, Nick Easter (who looked really good for the Saxons on Friday) replaces injured Joe Worsley to win his first cap, and Shaun Perry (Who also played really well for the Saxons) replaces Richards on the bench.

I think Easter is a good call, a proper 6 replaces a proper 6, he's a great ball carrier, tackles like a demon and has played really well for Quins this season. It's also great to see some proper competition for the 9 shirt with 3 SH's in the running for it and having to really compete. Under Ashton so far we seem to finally be seeing this much vaunted strength in depth, with the Saxons being used exactly how they should be -as an extended nursery/training squad for players rehabilitating or being checked for form suitability.
 
Last edited:
I've just seen the French team for Sunday and apparently they're playing Chabal at 7 :eek:, Laporte really has excelled himself this time, he's fast becoming as clueless as Andy Robinson :o


**Edit**

France team to face Ireland:

Poitrenaud; Clerc, Marty, Jauzion, Dominici; Skrela, Mignoni; Marconnet, Ibanez (capt), de Villiers, Nallet, Pape, Betsen, Harinordoquy, Chabal. Replacements: Bruno, Milloud,Thion, Bonnaire, Yachvili, Beauxis, Heymans.

Evidence of Laporte's incompitence
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6330361.stm

Ireland team to be named on wednesday, BOD's injury now looking less serious
 
Last edited:
I've just been reading Brian Ashton has had Richard Hill (Sarries back rower not Bristol Coach) back in training with the squad the last couple of days. BA was quoted as saying he it thought it would be good for Hilly to see the structures and the patterns they're trying to work with even if he's not quite ready yet to return to international rugby. The more I see of Ashtons attitude and the relaxed way he seems to approach player management the more hope I really have. Good on Brian again!
 
The Italians have lost Mauro Bergamasco and Andrea Masi to injury. The loss of Bergamasco will damage them, both the Bergamasco brothers are class acts.

I also see the Ref Steve Walsh is in the thick of it yet again :rolleyes:, When will he learn to keep his mouth shut and why do the IRB continue to put up with this joker (perhaps he has compromising photos of Paddy O'Brien ;) )

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/irish/6341533.stm
 
O'Driscoll and Stringer are out for Ireland. Boss takes SH, They're moving Horgan to centre and putting Murphy on the wing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6338079.stm

That's a big big loss for Ireland (particularly with Horgan coming straight back from a serious Knee injury) and I think shifts some of the balance in France's favour. I fancy France by 4 or 5 points now even with the 'Croker' effect.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom