Slippery slope…. I love the Youtube title

Cips in the squad but unlikely to get any game time unfortunately.

Update for A_A;
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-Rugby-closing-deal-sign-Bath-Rugby-centre/story-25900032-detail/story.html#ixzz3PSfObmEj

Thought some of you might appreciate this (I know I did);
http://therugbybusinessnetwork.com/2014/12/18/video-jason-leonards-funniest-moments-rugby/

@wrecker thanks for that video on Leonard. I see him around in London and he looks more trim now than when he was playing. I didn’t know he was going to be RFU President, replaces my old head of sports at Bristol Uni Bob Reeves. Helps to remind me how old I am getting when everyone is retiring from their post retirement jobs !

Cant see Wales beating this lot, England have at least two front 5’s better than Wales

Never underestimate the English ability to implode 😆
good to see Twelvetrees picked (I might be biased as a Sussex boy who supports Gloucester though) as he’s been working well with May.

Predictable enough England squad.

Looks like they’ve picked Cipriani as 4th FH to stop him signing for Toulon – which seems a little disingenuous to me. Who’s FH for the Saxons?

Dan Cole in? How can he be on the bench in Cardiff? He’s not fit yet surely?

No room for Christian Wade but Nowell and Goode are in the back three slots………?

Barritt and 12T in the centres along with Burrell, Eastmond and Joseph. Any bets OF and BB will start?

Calum Clark (spitting noise). No Armitage – nothing deemed “exceptional” enough yet?

Youngs instead of Webber – seems a little unfair on the Bath man.

The whole England thing is starting to fill me with dismay. It sounds un-patriotic but I wouldn’t be too sad if England failed miserably in the 6N in the hope that the coaches would see some sense. We’ll probably grind out 4 wins out of 5 so SL can bleat on about “progress”. 🙁

good to see Twelvetrees picked

Well “good” in the sense of aimless kicking, paper-thin defence and ignoring three to one overlaps…..

But then that’s just going on what I’ve seen of him.

No Armitage – nothing deemed “exceptional” enough yet?

He isn’t that good.

Who’s FH for the Saxons?

Slade I think.

Youngs instead of Webber – seems a little unfair on the Bath man.

Youngs has been on great form recently, and they’ve only named two hookers which leads me to believe that Webber will probably feature.
I agree with your point about Goode, but Nowell has also been playing very well. It would be a toss up between the two, and nowells size probably edged it for him.

I wouldn’t be too sad if England failed miserably in the 6N

Because they haven’t picked your favorites? 😐
I’d like to have seen Slade in the elite squad and maybe Simpson and Ewers too but the elite squad and the Saxons are now more veiwed as one great big squad than they used to be. I’d be surprised if a good few of the saxons didn’t get 6N games.

Good points wrecker.

Maybe Armitage isn’t that good but we’ll never find out if he doesn’t get another shot will we? The French media certainly seem bemused by it all – mind you, their own selection policies probably confuse them even more.

Goode is a solid player and I agree Nowell has been playing well but who would you rather not have running at you? One of those two or Christian Wade?

It’s a good observation that the two squads can be seen as one. Slade has been mostly at 13 hasn’t he? It just seems they’ve promoted Cipriani to keep him in England in case they ever need him.

Because they haven’t picked your favorites?

Ha ha! No, not really. It’s more because of the way England seem to want to play and the players they then pick because they want to play that way. Even if poor Foden had been fit he wouldn’t have been picked over Goode – which sums it up really.

(You know, much as I enjoy these discussions it would be a lot better over a pint…..)

What would really bug me is that England have a great squad with good players throughout and real strength in depth, whereas Wales have a good first 15 and then often a massive drop in quality and yet have performed better in the six nations over the last 10 years. the answers are in that squad.

AA – this in spades. In 2006-2008, I’d have said that their simply wasn’t the talent in the English ranks, where as now, I really, really think there is. Yet somehow, it’s never there to show in an England shirt. Bloody bemusing to me.

We haven’t always had a good squad though. We haven’t had a convincing centre partnership since 2003.
Remember Paul? Vesty? Erinle? Abbot? Tait? Hape? Turner Hall?

We haven’t always had a good squad though

Wales have never had a good squad, we won a grandslam with Hal Luscombe on the wing and Rob Sidoli in the second row. England have underperformed massively since they won the world cup, Wales have over performed in the six nations over a similar timeframe but been found out against the top 3. England are however improving at present and Wales are not which is why I am surprised England are not favourites against wales this year.

Not sure if I want Ford to be picked v wales. He has great potential but could come unstuck in Cardiff as he will not have experienced a game like it before, his kicking can be erratic too.

Not sure if I want Ford to be picked v wales. He has great potential but could come unstuck in Cardiff as he will not have experienced a game like it before, his kicking can be erratic too.

I hear you, but Farrell has not played enough rugby this year. His form is on the floor. That leaves Myler or Celebriani. Polar opposites but both capable of doing a job.
I’ll be scared shitless if they select Ford, eastmond and Joseph whilst Roberts and co would be smacking their lips.

True but whoever england pick wont out muscle roberts and davies but those three would attack their weaknesses.
Wont matter as I doubt the ball will go past 10 too often. England just need to kick to the corners and pressure the welsh line out and maul.

Here we go 😆

cheers Pigface 😉

so then guys how you feeling about next friday night?

Sean Maitland off to Irish.

Next Friday?!

True but whoever england pick wont out muscle roberts and davies but those three would attack their weaknesses.

Indeed but SL seems to think the best way to combat Roberts/Davies is with Barritt/Burrell. Which it isn’t.

Read an interview with Frank Bunce a while ago and he said the player he most feared going up against was Jeremy Gusset. He said all other centres tried to take him on in a physical contest (and lost) but Guscott stayed clear of all that and his pace/step gave Bunce nightmares.

I doubt the ball will go past 10 too often. England just need to kick to the corners

A sad reflection on the limited ambition/ability of England and a prediction for a dull game.

No Armitage – nothing deemed “exceptional” enough yet?

He isn’t that good

Callum Clarke’s in ahead of him. 😆

doubt the ball will go past 10 too often. England just need to kick to the corners

A sad reflection on the limited ambition/ability of England and a prediction for a dull game.

More a sad reflection of the welsh lineout and maul tbh. I hope SL shares your view.

People seem to think that Wales will be defending the whole game. They won’t. Someone has to stop the doc and JD2, and I don’t trust eastmond and ford to do it.
BTW; Henson confirmed coming to briz.

Jamie Roberts vs Luther Burrell in a rugby Talent contest? Burrell may be no magazine star, but he’s very very good and is more than a match for desparate Dan.

Its quite obvious to most that England have centres to match Wales easily if used in the right combo. Burrell, Tuilagi, JJ and Eastmond and Barrett all pose very different threats, and if we discover the right pair in the next few months we coud be turning all those centre partnership questions on their head.

IMO, England easily have the measure of Wales in the selected squad, if the Team is picked correctly and allowed to play. with Corbs & Cole back the forwards have the potential to be stronger than ever.

I think you underestimate Roberts tbh but agree with Burrel being a good player and England having by far the stronger squad on paper.

.I don’t underestimate Roberts or Davies. They’ve ripped us apart before and are more than capable of doing it again.

quite obvious to most that England have centres to match Wales easily if used in the right combo. Burrell, Tuilagi, JJ and Eastmond and Barret

I dont think any combination of those would match the established and proven welsh pair.

Thats a one eyed view, but then that isn’t a surprise. Everyone knows how they play. I didn’t say they weren’t good, but I think the England setup can be more dynamic and less one dimensional then them.

Burrell outplays desparate dan easily IMO.

to be fair to AA, at least the Welsh pair are proven

Krypton accusing someone of being one eyed 😆

My irony meter just exploded 😆

Burrell, Tuilagi, JJ and Eastmond and Barrett all pose very different threats

What “threat” does Barritt pose exactly? 😉

Old brad gets a bad press. We should remember how he played against the ABs and aus when England beat them last, and the he has a starting berth in one of the best club teams in The NH.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t start him but he’s a lot better than he gets credit for.
Joe worseley used to get similar criticism, but I remember him putting Powell and Roberts in his pocket one game.

Of course England will have to defend and counter the Welsh threats, of which they have more than just their centres.

worseley used to get similar criticism, but I remember him putting Powell and Roberts in his pocket one game.

That Wales won.

Burrell outplays desparate dan easily IMO.

In your opinion but never actually on the pitch. 6 caps 27 year old compared to a 28 year old 50 plus cap multi test Lion. He may out play him but it wont be easily.

That Wales won.

They’d have won by a lot more if not for worseley.

Worsley was a back rower. He was in the side primarily to tackle and do other back row jobs.

Barritt is a centre. He’s supposed to pass, run, create, kick etc as well as defend. Somehow his tackling ability has been held up as an exotic skill akin to a Phil Bennett sidestep or a BOD pass. It’s not.

he’s a lot better than he gets credit for

True, he is. All these players we argue about are terrific rugby players. I’d have loved to have been half as good as any of them. However, he’s not good enough to be an international centre.

Obviously he is good enough though. So were Hal Luscome and Matthew J Watkins!

Worsley was a back rower. He was in the side primarily to tackle and do other back row jobs.

You’re missing the point. Sometimes you need to prevent the opposition playing.

However, he’s not good enough to be an international centre.

And Kyle eastmond is????? I don’t think so.

Anyway,

Massive rugby weekend still to come before all the usual “international banter” nonsense is due to start.

Gonna let heart rule head and say the two away teams to get their results in the big head to heads, Leinster to beat Wasps (despite the injuries) and Saracens to beat Clermont (away, yes I know).

Saints to win the other big ( vs Racing Metro) one at home.

Can’t see “other” results going the right way for Leicester or Bath even if they win their own.

Good win for Edinburgh in the plate last night too.

TBH, I can understand why the Welsh want to focus on next week already, but there’s still loads of rugby to be played for others before that though. Don’t get drawn in 😉

(ps think Benson Stanley got a knock last week, the Welsh reserve looks to be getting a run-out opposite Barritt in Clermont , worth a watch)

Sir Clive’s pick in the Daily Fail

Brown; A Watson, J Joseph, K Eastmond, J May; D Cipriani, B Youngs; A Corbisiero, D Hartley, D Wilson; G Parling, G Kruis; C Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola, J Haskell 

Healey’s pick is almost more bonkers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11363177/Six-Nations-2015-Austin-Healey-My-England-XV-to-take-on-Wales.html