As further demonstrated by the WC, of course.

I don’t agree. I think Wales never gave up and played with terrific conviction even when trailing by a substantial margin late in the game.

Although depleted by injury with players playing out of position they came back and won it. One of the finest performances in adversity I can recall seeing – despite being an England fan.

Personally I think England have played better and not won a Grand Slam and whilst we’ve been worthy champions the Southern Hemisphere teams won’t be too worried. It will be interesting to see how the summer tour goes, we could well go 0-3

😆 I can’t think of one.
England may not have any “world class” players (whatever the hell that means!) but that’s fine, they don’t need any for another 3 and a bit years.

2003? A lot of that squad would have been nailed on for a world XV – Johnson, Wilkinson, Robinson and Hill for me. Pretty much every player would have been mentioned in the selection meeting. Vickery, Woodman, Thomson all had a good shout, Greenwood too. Back/Smith/McCaw would have been a long conversation back then.

[ picture of curly-haired baby-faced rugby player ]

Here’s the future!

I’m also a fan on Launchbury but I would not put him ahead of Itoje and Kruis just now.

Perhaps with Nonu gone and with SBW playing 7’s, there may be a slim chance of Roberts getting in if he’s better than Ngatai? (who looks pretty ****ing good to me though!)

Hartley……how is he not world class? Best lineout throw in the world bar none, excellent scrummager at international level, and aggressive around the breakdown. Fair enough he’s not got great hands/ball carrying ability…..still reckon that he’s world class-not saying that he’s the out and out best, but he’s world class imo.

North would start in my world XV on current form.

Anyone with a Lions XV prediction then? 😀

How? he doesn’t get in ahead of Milner Skudder or Savea, and possibly a few others.

I thought we were talking about the ABs?

Ledesma
Moore
Mealamu

Hartley is a very solid international but lets not forget the majority of England fans didn’t want him anywhere near the RWC squad. How times change 😉 Hartley can be considered World Class when he has sidestepped and outsprinted some of the best backs in the world, offloaded like SBW and run lines like AAC 🙂

I didn’t (and still don’t) want Tom Youngs anywhere near the team.

Is that the England team or the World XV? 😆

I agree but he’s a fearsome competitor too.

He’s certainly in pole position for the Lions at any rate even if there are better hookers elsewhere.

Are you seriously saying that the French 2 is better than Hartley?!!!!

Better in open play undoubtedly, but much worse at the actual bits that the hooker has to specifically do ie scrummage and throw!!!! Undoubtedly Coles and the two saffas are better than Dylan, I agree, but doesnt being favourite for the Lion’s and up there in the top handful of hookers make him world class?!

Lions

15 Halfpenny if unbroken/Hogg.
14 North.
13 Henshaw/recently unbroken Tuilangi.
12 Dr Chin.
11 Watson (or North,whatever side they play)
10 Irish Faker/Russell.
9 Recently unbroken Welshman/Murray
1 Fatter VP.
2 Hartley/George
3 Nel.
4 Kruis.
5 Davies.
6 Itoje.
7 Sam/C.J Stander.
8 Taller VP.

Good point about Faletau, but I wanted Itoje to have the smarts,and I think they would be a bit similar,taller VP has the job of fixing defenders. I got my Welsh locks mixed up,it was AWJ I wanted,although I wouldn’t complain if it was the younger Gray.