I know, the poor little bloke is one 6’5 and 16.5st. Just like Neil Back, simply too small for international rugby

tu farsand tu undred

Glitcheroo

being 6foot five is a distinct disadvantage when trying to slow/steal opposition ball, if being tall and fast was a help Shingler would have done a better job against scotland

A_a is correct. I’ve never understood why croft doesn’t play 7. His speed and brain would be a real asset there in both defence and attack. Just like Neil back.

anagallis_arvensis – Member
You took your time! Wait till Zokes reads it!!!!

Show pony or not, he’s still a very good player.

I cant cope with wrecker agreeing with me i’m off to bed to dream of grand slams!!!

Any Lions back row would benefit from Ferriss.
He’s the most balanced player – tackling, winning ball , securing ball, carrying, passing.
And the Aussies are sh1t scared of him.
Gotta agree Croft had his best international game in years though.

The scrum half / back row point was perfectly illustrated in the Ireland Scotland game. Connor Murray does a similar job, and made a load of tackles in the French game, but Reddan’s more suited to covering behind for kicks thriough and the like.
They didn’t change the system, and ended up with a defensive line with Reddan (5’9″) against Gray ( 8′ ish). Didn’t really work.

defensive line with Reddan (5’9″) against Gray ( 8′ ish). Didn’t really work.

😀

So Warbs, Ferris and Robshaw loam?
Can Ferris play 8?

Robshaw? No chance, in fact I would go as far as to say he will not even be in the England team this time next year.

I bet he is. I’ll also bet he goes on the Lions tour.
He’s been groomed.

Apparently he can do (Ferris), but I’ve not seen it myself. Think I’d rather he was at 6, I reckon he’s the best blindside there is. At the moment I see the back row as Warbs, Ferris +1 other.
The +1 could be O’Brien, Faletau, Robshaw, Denton, Rennie, Lydiate, Heaslip, Haskell, Croft, Barclay. In something like that order (ish).
I do think its that open – and those players are all good enough. It depends on the gameplan/shape that they decide to play and the balance with the locks they chose (and how much we need a lineout jumper too) If its up front, then SOB is a beast and plays well at 6,7 &8 ; but robshaw’s fine too. If its wider then Faletau or even Croft.
A-a talked above about Faletau playing almost as a flanker defesively, but I’ve been really impressed with him as a ball carrier. He takes a lot of ball in the centres area, with JDavies running off him, and nearly always makes good yards. But the team that defended him best was England, with Robshaw.
Think we’ve loads of good options for 6/8 but Warbs stands out at 7, mainly to stop Pocock being first to the ball every time. Problem is he doesn’t seem to play or finnish every match, and there needs to be cover for his pace either on the bench or elsewhere in the back row. I think Rennie’s the best bet for cover on the bench because of this pace, but if pushed Faletau could be quick enough too (starting at 8 but move to 7 if/when warbs injured), allowing room on the bench for a real wildcard like Denton.

Edit: coming off the fence – Ferris, Warburton, O’Brien. With Faletau as the bench cover.

C Healy
R Ford
A Jones
R Gray
P O’Connell
S Ferris
S Warburton
S O’Brien

M Phillips
J Sexton
G North
J Roberts
B O’Driscoll
M Tuilagi
R Kearney

D cole/ G Jenkins
D Hartley/ R Best
A W Jones/ D Ryan
T faletau
C Murray
O Farrell
L Halfpenny

Faletau very rarely breaks the gain line. Solid tackler but lacks something. Rennie, although a good player is nowhere near the other players mentioned in your post.
Opensides; Warbs/Barclay(?)
8s; O’brien/Denton
Blinds; Robshaw/Ferris
It took a bit of thinking to come up with an alternative to warbs. Wales aside, we aren’t exactly rich in quality 7s at the moment.
I reckon robshaw will be moved to 6 when wood is fit as croft blows hot and cold.

I like the look of the team Loum has picked, my one plus would be Barclay as cover. He is playing out of position for Scotland to allow Rennie easier passage into International rugby,despite this I think he has adapted well and can cover both 6 and 7 and looks like an international even out of position.Rennie does not have the ground game (yet) but it will come. We will need an out and out ferret to negate Pocock who is right up there with Smith as a 7 imo. I also feel Denton needs another couple of seasons on int rugby before he is the finished article.

C Healy
R Best
A Jones
R Gray
C Lawes
C Robshaw
S Warburton
S O’Brien

M Phillips
O Farrell
G North
J Roberts
M Tuilagi
T Bowe
R Kearney

D Cole/ G Jenkins
D Hartley/ Rees
Charteris/ P O’Connor
S Ferris
J Davies
J Sexton
J Hook
Both of our selections betray our allegiences (just a bit!).
No Tommy Bowe loam? madness!

Maybe Barclay is the man to cover after all, I’d be fine with that.
Like I said, covering the openside position seams key to me.
If Barclay’s already on for a Warb injury , D Ryan can always play 6 well.

It was sad to see Tom Rees retire last week, one of the few pure 7s to emerge in English rugby.

No Tommy Bowe loam? madness!

Hardest call I ever made. 🙁

But the midweek team would have 15 tommy Bowes 😆

Ireland team announced.
SOB’s back in.

Ireland side:

R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), K Earls (Munster), G D’Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); J Sexton (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster, capt), M Ross (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), D Ryan (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), S O’Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), T Court (Ulster), M McCarthy (Connacht), P O’Mahony (Munster), T O’Leary (Munster), R O’Gara (Munster), F McFadden (Leinster)

http://www.espnscrum.com/six-nations-2012/rugby/story/161095.html

SOB’s back in.

Aren’t they just 😀

A-a talked above about Faletau playing almost as a flanker defesively, but I’ve been really impressed with him as a ball carrier. He takes a lot of ball in the centres area, with JDavies running off him, and nearly always makes good yards.

He does pick some lovely angles but doesnt make the hard yards as well but then he is only about 12. His tackling and rucking and overall workrate are astonishing, he’s got a massive engine..Kind of the polar oposite to ben Morgan. I think his carrying close to ruck and maul will improve as he gets stronger.

Lions 15 thus far on form I would say is:

Kearney
Bowe
Tuilagi
12.erm Roberts maybe (he only has to be better than the others not at his best)
North
Farral
Phillips
Denton
Rennie
Ferris
Grey
POC
Adam
Ford
Gethin

Bench is itresting as you will need someone who is ambipropsous and the top candiates Adam, Gethin, Healy, Cole arent as far as I know so people like The Fat Baby Coke head or Paul James come into the equation without being near the top of the tree as do Hook and 1/2p or Ryan Jones. In fact Ryan Jones woul be the first in any squad I would pick this year, has played brilliantly in any position he’s asked to cover and would make the perfect mid week captain.

by next year I would imagine we could see:

Foden
Cuthert
Tuilagi
Roberts
North
Farrel
Phillips
Faletau/Denton
Warburton
Ferris
Grey
Bradley Davis
Adam
Ford
Healey

Just how bad would darcey have to be and for how long before he got dropped?

Not been at his best, but Declan Kidney’s a pretty loyal coach.
Who would you play instead? Downey?

There must be a way to avoid the Fat baby coke head. He can’t go.
This profile suggests we may have a candidate :
http://www.rfu.com/SquadsAndPlayers/EnglandElite/AlexCorbisiero

I’d not look further than the welsh centres at present. Still think Tuilagi has too many question marks against him.

Please can some take Robinson aside and give him a bottle of whisky and a pistol!

Peter Murchie – uncapped Glasgow Centre, Alex Cuthbert (fullback) – barely able to make it into the Bath team and Alex Grove called up.

Hello – Jim Thompson is the best full back that is Scotland qualified IMO and there are other candidates in Tom Brown.

Grove is another good pick we have been crying out for for months!

Arrggghhhhhhhhh

a-a, the darcy thing –
Edit: TBH, Darcy’s probably safe ‘cos of the youngster’s round him : they’re keeping one old head. Murray, Sexton, Earls, McFadden all need to build some international experience – and with BOD out, he won’t get dropped. It’s been Ronan, Darcy, BOD for a long time now but I think BOD will be the only one starting next year.
Problem is, most of the strength coming through is from outside centre outwards.
There’s talk of Tommy Bowe playing centre next year too, but I’d see him more as an outside C. One of him or BOD may have to move inside, and might surprise us. Someone’s needed at inside C for sure.

TJ, I thought you favoured greater gun control. 😉
The one exception?
Maybe he still has his house down Bath, otherwise that’s some commitment for a scouting trip.

Scamper, I reckon they’ll all go- but Roberts & BOD to start.

BOD can easily play 12 with Bowe outside I would imagine. Lot of miles on BOD’s clock now though and I wonder if he will be as effective when he returns, he hasnt been at is best for a while now.

Loum, if Corbisero can cover both to a decent levels he’s in the squad IMO. Gethin used to but hasnt some quite a few years now.

Backrow choices you’d imagine 6 from Ferris, SOB, Hisplip, Warburton, Lydiate, Faletau, Ryan Jones, Croft, Denton and Rennie, some tough choices.

Dear God! Not Cuthbert. If he is in the squad,he might make the bench…or somebody might get injured and…no,it’s too horrible to think about 🙁

, Alex Cuthbert (fullback)

Do you get the feeling Robinson has been frantically searching Scottish clubs for anyone called Roberts, North, Davies, Williams, etc?

😉

Dopplegangerpost.

Tom Brown can’t be international 15.

I dropped him 4 times in one season. Here on that form maybe i can get AR’s(e) job.

loum funny you mention Bowe at 13, with Ulster just having signed him, we are well covered on the wing but are quite thin at 13 with really only the injury prone Darren Cave, IRFU might be up to something here.

As for Darcy he has been living on reputation for about 3 seasons now and its time for a change. Just not many options out there.

I think that there will be many twists in the lions selections but here is my effort

Healy
Best
Jones
Gray
Jones
Ferris
Warb
Denton
Murray
Farrell
North
Tuilagi
Bod
Bowe
Kearney/Foden

Top player nominations – no England

He doesn’t look too bothered 😀

Some strange choices and omissions, without going into the balance from each nation, they’ve not alway’s picked the most impressive players from each side.
Wales – no North
France – no Fofana
Scotland – no Gray
Ireland – no Bowe
(England – no Tuilagi ? )

Missed my guitar lesson last week due to this lot recording for scrum[v]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3hFzpUq6w4[/video]

“They’re bad losers and hopefully they’ll be bad losers on Saturday.”

They’re bad losers

A bit rich coming from the team who got stroppy because they drew only a couple of weeks ago. I expect all professional teams to be bad losers to a degree. Look at wales after the France game in the RWC. It’s natural and shows passion. I’d rather that than behavior like Easters; “well there’s £30k down the drain” etc.

It’s this that does it for me…

“They come with bit of a tag about being arrogant and if you asked any team they’d probably say the same thing.”

Team, fans and commentators 🙄