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Author Topic: 6 Nations 2013  (Read 46851 times)

Offline Jon Crofts

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Offline Jon Crofts

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Offline paul_e

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #257 on: March 21, 2013, 12:31:31 AM »
There were quite a few iffy ones in the scrum where I'd love to have seen it from above as I'm fairly sure Jones was going in at a terrible angle all game.  He was also binding on the arm all along, but neither Marler or Vunipola spoke to Robshaw and made him bring it up.  That's where we were naive, they got a lot because Warburton was chirping at the ref all game and Robshaw was very quiet.

I still think our biggest problem was the back row though, we had 3 6s on the pitch and it showed, Wales totally dominated at the breakdown with their 2 7s.  This is the nagging worry I've had with Robshaw 7 and captain, he's great in most games but as soon as we come up against a top class 7 he looks out of his depth.  II still want to see Stefon Armitage given the chance he deserves, 3 starts as injury cover and a couple of 10minute subs appearances just aren't enough to judge someone and in the 3 years since he's gone from being a good club player to being the best back row player in the richest league in the world.  I get the point in leaving him out because you can't just take him for a training camp whenever you like but it feels a bit ridiculous when he's one of the star players in europe.  If armitage doesn't get a run of 3-4 games before the next world cup it will be a travesty, you can't ignore someone in the form he's displayed for the last 18 months.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #258 on: March 21, 2013, 12:51:54 AM »
Now that the Six Nations is over, surely we have more ideas on who will be on the plane to Australia with the Lions this summer.  A lot will change between now and the end of the season, but I would pick the following squad:

LH Prop - Jenkins / C Healy / Vunipola
Hooker - Best / Hibbard / T Youngs
TH Prop - A Jones / Cole /  E Murray (though his need to rest on Sundays might go against him)
2nd Row - AW Jones / Parling / O'Connell / Evans
Flanker - Warburton / Robshaw / O'Brien / Tipuric / R Jones
No 8 - Faletau / Morgan
Scrum Half - Phillips / B Youngs / Laidlaw
Fly Half - Sexton / Farrell / Wilkinson
Centre - Roberts / Tuilagi / O'Driscoll / Davies
Wing - North / Visser / Cuthbert / Bowe (if fit Zebo if not)
Full Back - Halfpenny / Hogg / Foden

As a Wales fan it may be a little Welsh heavy for some (Launchbury and Wood might replace Evans and R Jones for example).  I do worry about the lack of big game experience at fly half and that's why I would take Wilkinson, even though he has not featured in the 6N.  He's been in good form for Toulon this season and although I wouldn't start him, he'd be a great sub to bring on in the tests if the game needed closing out.  I think Bowe and O'Connell are both quality players who will go if fit in time and going on the Lions tour could just be the boost that Foden needs to recapture his form.  All this could change very rapidly though as players featuring in Premiership and European finals will come into contention.   

« Last Edit: March 21, 2013, 01:01:40 AM by tomd2103 »

Offline paul_e

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #259 on: March 21, 2013, 08:53:30 AM »
37 listed but I think they'll take 40 minimum.

I also expect 4-5 to be players 'from nowhere' who step up in the next month or so.

Launchbury will go, I think him, Manu, Ben Youngs and Farrell are the certainties from England (with Wood, Cole, Robshaw and Barritt all highly likely as well and 3-4 other maybes).  I think it's very easy (as has happened in virtually every 'team of the 6N' I've seen) to forget that England were 4 from 4 and going for a grand slam before they choked in Cardiff, Gatland won't miss that when he picks the team so I expect about 2/3rds of the squad to be english and welsh, with Ireland and Scotland making up the rest.  I think your right with the outside backs as I don't think any of the guys who played for England this 6N deserve a place.

Offline PaulWinch again

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #260 on: March 21, 2013, 09:50:54 AM »
I think Lancaster will use the the summer to bring in the younger players and we'll see in particular a different back three come the autumn. Also back row will be addressed.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #261 on: March 21, 2013, 10:26:43 AM »
37 listed but I think they'll take 40 minimum.

I also expect 4-5 to be players 'from nowhere' who step up in the next month or so.

Launchbury will go, I think him, Manu, Ben Youngs and Farrell are the certainties from England (with Wood, Cole, Robshaw and Barritt all highly likely as well and 3-4 other maybes).  I think it's very easy (as has happened in virtually every 'team of the 6N' I've seen) to forget that England were 4 from 4 and going for a grand slam before they choked in Cardiff, Gatland won't miss that when he picks the team so I expect about 2/3rds of the squad to be english and welsh, with Ireland and Scotland making up the rest.  I think your right with the outside backs as I don't think any of the guys who played for England this 6N deserve a place.

I'd maybe look at Mike Brown at FB as opposed to on the wing.  I still think that performances in the Heineken Cup and the play offs in the Aviva and Rabo leagues will see some more players come into contention and as you say, there are always some players that seem to come from nowhere.  Some of the French based players who didn't feature in the 6N (Sheridan for example) might also come into the reckoning. 

Offline paul_e

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #262 on: March 21, 2013, 11:58:19 AM »
If an english wing/FB makes the squad my money is on Johnny May

Offline Dave Summers

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Re: 6 Nations 2013
« Reply #263 on: March 21, 2013, 04:11:18 PM »
If an english wing/FB makes the squad my money is on Johnny May

I hope not.  I want to see him on tour with England and playing in both tests with Christian Wade on the other wing.  No Ashton(needs a break anyway and he will come back), certainly no Strettle and no Mike Brown on the wing.   As a bolter for England, I like the fella at Exeter who plays U20's, Knoll is it?.  Then again, I thought Noah Cato was going to be the next Christian Cullen when he was U20's :-)

Finally, as much as I am still angry with the result on Saturday, I think England should draw a line under it.  I don't think the "complaining to the IRB" headlines are strictly true, as we want some clarification.  Let's just let it go now eh, we are becoming as bad as Wales after the World Cup :-)


 


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