Why does everyone think Haskell will start? Is it a case of start with th experience and defence, then bring Clifford on when the occasion has died down a bit?

We will be playing two 7’s in Hardie and Cowan/Barclay,excellent chance for Clifford to learn the ropes there.

Erm….it was the same ford who was not released back to his club by England.

For the Euro Cup, wrecker. I know it’s been more than three sleeps now. 🙂

with Scotland being favourites, I hope you still got decent odds…

I wish that the SRU would dispense with a lot of the pre-match bllx – the big Gray brothers can do their stuff on the pitch without all the “marketing guff” that has invaded rugby in the last few years

Thats a strong team,Taylor has been flying for Sarries and isn’t starting. I am suprised Denton is starting in front of Strauss,but hey-ho. Weakest link in there is Dickinson,he has a gearbox failure that means he can only reverse.

You said last week? Bath played sarries last week, and ford wasn’t available. Priestland has not started ahead of Ford. He’s played 370 odd minutes across 8 games the whole season, and most of those were off the bench and not at fly half. To say he is being selected ahead of Ford is just incorrect, however a very relevant fact is that the sarries game was one of Baths best performances this season, and priestland was a fly half, so there is an argument to say that perhaps he should be starting…..

Very good!

Pretty much exactly the team I expected sadly there just isn’t the wonder player game changers that were being overlooked before.
I suspect a different style of play however, just not sure what! Very interested to see if with the same props and supposedly a weaker scrummager in Hartley (as in push, not hook) against a decent Scottish scrum, weather the fair better. I guess they will.

Hartley is twice the scrummager that Youngs is.
There won’t be anything special about England for this entire 6 nations.
Without making excuses, EJ has had 2 weeks with the players and he was limited in how much he could change the squad anyway. If I were him, I wouldn’t be trying to change too much, there just isn’t the time. So a few tweaks is the best we can hope for. I expect losses to wales and ireland, perhaps scotland. It’s no biggie.

For the Euro Cup, wrecker. I know it’s been more than three sleeps now.

You said last week? Bath played sarries last week, and ford wasn’t available. Priestland has not started ahead of Ford. He’s played 370 odd minutes across 8 games the whole season, and most of those were off the bench and not at fly half. To say he is being selected ahead of Ford is just incorrect, however a very relevant fact is that the sarries game was one of Baths best performances this season, and priestland was a fly half, so there is an argument to say that perhaps he should be starting…..

Umm, ok, I made a throw-away comment, didn’t expect an argument, especially over time-frames.

The Euro Cup game against Toulon was, what, 10 days ago, so maybe I should have been more specific.

My throwaway comment, which again should maybe have been a little more explicit, was based on the fact that I think Priestland is a pretty dreadful OH*. I thought it was funny that Ford was playing so, so badly that Bath thought it necessary to replace him with Priestland. I’m sure Ford will play better for England. Sorry to be so cryptic.

*Yes Priestland can occasionally play well, but he’s not good enough for Wales IMO, far too nervous, far too inconsistent and he is selected purely because of internal Welsh politics.

I wasn’t arguing with you idlejon. You thought that Bath had selected Priestland ahead of ford, and that was well, wrong. Ford started vs Toulon and priestland came on in the 76th minute for Agulla. Ford remained on the pitch. Like I said, no argument, just pointing out that Priestland has not been unseating ford for bath. Ford has mainly remained at 10 when Priestland has come on (who then played in the centre or wherever).

Lord Eddie J is now saying that they have a

12.

Rather enjoyed Probyn’s dig here, though!

They’ve misquoted EJ there. He actually said – I watched the video – “Owen Farrell has all the attributes to be an international 12” Maybe he sees him as Giteau Jnr. It’d be interesting to see Tuilagi/Devoto outside him/Slade in the next few years.

Lets see/hope if Dad’s argument with Mike Catt influenced that and this time around its a different story.

Probyn’s being a bit of a tit there, Robshaw isn’t trying to imitate Pocock or Hooper. Not this year anyway.

You need to read the words more literally. For example I had all the attributes to be an international 13 once, except I also wasn’t quite good enough 😀

We do have a seven who is not too bad – Kvesic. He did well when England toured Argentina and from what I have seen this season is in pretty good form. Haskell seems to be in pretty good form since the WC, but a seven he isn’t. My main issue with him is that he’ll give you one great game and then do naff all (see last 6N – great against Wales, poo for the rest of the games).

I think Clifford is destined to be a sub because he covers all three back positions – he’s not a natural seven either. His own team mate (Easter) has said that he’s a six / eight, not a seven.

Ford worries me because his form has been dire since the WC; Bath can’t buy a win and he is trying way too hard. I’m not a Farrell fan, but he should be playing 10. Who will kick? I hope it’s Farrell.

Lawes is a lucky boy to be in the squad on his current form – Itoje should have been on the bench based on form, but I guess I can understand why Eddie isn’t chucking in too many youngsters. There are a lot of ‘fans and pundits unhappy we have a foreign coach so can’t wait for him to fail.

Scotland will fancy themselves – they’re at home, with a settled squad coming off an OK WC.

I know the 6N is about to kick off and this is a different tack but I’ve been watching the World 7s the last few weeks and it’s been excellent.

Interesting how the top sides have been trying to integrate some XVs players like SBW, Savea, Speight and Cooper (though he’s not made the latest tournament) and they’re building for Rio.

Team GB? Nothing.

I’ve heard statements about “negotiations with the clubs over release” and “looking to integrate some fifteen a side players” and “some Welsh/Scottish players are under consideration” but there’s nothing concrete and, in case they haven’t noticed, IT’S FAR TOO LATE!

It looks like a cluster***k along the lines of team GB wendyball from London 2012.