Rugby Union (was 2014-15, now an ongoing thread)

[paul_e]

Farrell has had an absolute shocker of a first half tonight, really poor.

[paul_e]

Saints were very good today, North is unplayable in that form and the rest of the side are so good at making chances for him, some of the offloading from Wood was sublime and Foden had a great game.

Bath showed again that they desperately need a better backrow to compete with the big sides.

[paul_e]

A bunch of guys have been added so the full squad now is:

England Squad (41)
Loose-head props
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Matt Mullan (Wasps)
Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)

Tight-head props
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby)

Hookers
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby)

Locks
Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)

Back rows
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)*

Scrum halves
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)

Fly halves
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints)

Centres
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)

Back threes
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)

It's a huge shame to see Burrell not on the list but hopefully his hand is just bruising and he'll join in a couple of days. The only clear omission now is Cipriani and given Farrell's performance on Friday he probably should be there in his place.  I'm surprised there isn't a 3rd hooker in there though but I can't really see an obvious choice which is probably why, Youngs will obviously come in to things when fit. Not sure his brother should be there though, from what I've heard from someone who was there he was terrible yesterday.

[aev]

Coventry / Wasps article.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/29822480

[paul_e]

England: Mike Brown (Harlequins); Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Kyle Eastmond (Bath), Jonny May (Gloucester); Owen Farrell (Saracens), Danny Care (Harlequins); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), David Wilson (Bath), David Attwood (Bath), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Tom Wood (Northampton), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).

Replacements: Rob Webber (Bath), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle), George Kruis (Saracens), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Ben Youngs (Leicester), George Ford (Bath), Anthony Watson (Bath).

Barritt back into the team and Farrell still starting despite being unfit and off-form I'm getting really fed up of Lancaster now.  This is a team that screams that we're going to try to keep it tight and kick our way to a win how exciting.  I'd also love to get an insight into how Ben Youngs can possibly be considered the 2nd best 9 in English rugby after the start he's made to the season.

I am very happy to see Roko get a start and Watson and Brookes on the bench, all 3 deserve their chance, I'm also glad he promoted Attwood to the team rather than keeping him on the bench and putting Kruis in which I thought he might do.

[PaulWinch again]

It's funny with Lancaster, because I think he does a lot of good things like calling up Roko and having Watson in the squad now. But he has blindspots when it comes to Farrell and Barritt. I quite like Farrell, but on current form and fitness he shouldn't be picked. As for Barritt I thought we'd moved away from him, I just hope come the World Cup he's not involved.

[Colhint]

In the middle of a big week for Hull Ionians under 12's. Last week we got through the last qualifier for the Yorkshire cup. Then, tomorrow night we get to play a 15 minutes game at Headingly. We are the halftime entertainment for a Leeds Carnegie game. It should be good, my lad will get to play in front of a crowd of a few thousand.

[lovejoy]

In the middle of a big week for Hull Ionians under 12's. Last week we got through the last qualifier for the Yorkshire cup. Then, tomorrow night we get to play a 15 minutes game at Headingly. We are the halftime entertainment for a Leeds Carnegie game. It should be good, my lad will get to play in front of a crowd of a few thousand.

Good for him.
Let us know how he gets on.

[paul_e]

In the middle of a big week for Hull Ionians under 12's. Last week we got through the last qualifier for the Yorkshire cup. Then, tomorrow night we get to play a 15 minutes game at Headingly. We are the halftime entertainment for a Leeds Carnegie game. It should be good, my lad will get to play in front of a crowd of a few thousand.

Good for him.
Let us know how he gets on.

Yeah, good luck to the lad, tell him to make sure he enjoys the experience and to not get too nervous about the crowd.

[Colhint]

thanks guys

[UK Redsox]

Bloody hell...... Johnny May.........that was brilliant

[PaulWinch again]

Good first half need to keep it up.

[paul_e]

Good half in defence and have had good territory but we still haven't looked like we can take the chances, May scored a wonder try from nothing but we didn't take the chances to make it a 15-20 point lead during that very good start, which just encourages them back into the game.

[PaulWinch again]

This is real danger time now, but in fairness this is with the exception of Carter New Zealand's first choice team and we are massively depleted.

[PaulWinch again]

Got to stop trying to play in our own half.