England world cup squad (rugby)

heavymental

Hmmm....what you reckon? Not really sure if Farrell should be there. I suspect he's made it because the management wanted to justify all the expense and hype he's generated. It looks like a decent enough squad generally though. Not as strong in all positions as a world cup squad should be but it could be enough to see us through some tough matches.

Backs (14): M Cueto (Sale - Age 27, 19 caps); J Lewsey (Wasps - 30, 48 caps), J Robinson (unattached - 33, 45 caps), P Sackey (Wasps - 27, 3 caps); D Hipkiss (Leicester - 25, 1 cap), J Noon (Newcastle - 28, 25 caps), M Tait (Newcastle - 21, 12 caps); M Catt (London Irish - 35, 70 caps), A Farrell (Saracens - 32, 4 caps ); O Barkley (Bath - 26, 17 caps), J Wilkinson (Newcastle - 28, 59 caps); A Gomarsall (Harlequins - 33, 26 caps ), S Perry (Bristol - 29, 11 caps), P Richards (London Irish - 29, 6 caps).

Forwards (16): G Chuter (Leicester - 31, 12 caps), L Mears (Bath - 28, 16 caps), M Regan (Bristol - 35, 37 caps); P Freshwater (Perpignan - 34, 7 caps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks - 28, 13 caps), M Stevens (Bath - 24, 13 caps), P Vickery (Wasps - 31, 54 caps); S Borthwick (Bath - 27, 28 caps), M Corry (Leicester - 33, 56 caps), B Kay (Leicester - 31, 46 caps), S Shaw (Wasps - 33, 36 caps); L Dallaglio (Wasps - 35, 79 caps), N Easter (Harlequins - 28, 5 caps), L Moody (Leicester - 29, 45 caps), T Rees (Wasps - 22, 5 caps), J Worsley (Wasps - 30, 59 caps).

Omitted: N Abendanon (Bath), D Cipriani (Wasps), T Flood (Newcastle), J Haskell (Wasps), C Hodgson (Sale), T Palmer (Wasps), M Tindall (Gloucester), K Yates (Saracens).

bornagaincycler

It's looking like;

Sheridan
Regan
Stevens
Borthwick
Shaw
Moody
Rees
Dallaglio
Perry
Wilkinson
Lewsey
Farrell
Hipkiss
Robinson
Cueto

fidbod

The one thing that really worries me is the lack of pace in the back row. apart from Moody and Rees the back row are all chuggers rather than flyers - it would have been good to have Haskell for variety and pace.

I think Farrell makes it so you can play him against Samoa and Tonga and let him take all the punishment a decent player would get if Farrell wasn't available

ddraver

surprised messers hodgson and flood are nt there

but i'd agree with the above

fidbod

Flood maybe but hodgeson no way on earth he makes it - he is more flakey than the finest cadburys chocalate. he is a big game choker. As far as I can see he will always be like Graeme Hick - absolutely dominant at club level but unable to transalate to top class.

jimmythecuckoo

Losing Strettle this late on is a blow.

TheTalkingTurboTrainer

It is pleasing to see the minnow nations so interested in this years RWC

*ducks for cover*

fidbod

I have the greatest respect for the New Zealand rugby team - most of all for their consistent ability to peak in between world cups and then miss out on the big prizes.

the two big questions for the Kiwis

1 - will their pack recover from the kicking the Italian forwards will administer in the first pool game

2 - can Dan Carter handle pressure or will he turn into Freddie Michalak?

TheTalkingTurboTrainer

I think Carter's handled pressure numerous times in his career and has never been phased. The Saffa's have played him out of the game once or twice, but not what you'd call not handling pressure. Everyone has bad games. Nobody has every raised concerns over him not handling pressure before.

Good joke re the Italian by the way

heavymental

Ah TTTT.....you must be getting nervous now the time is nearly here!? No doubt the AB's will also be feeling the heavy weight of expectation on their shoulders too!

Ok...I admit they should certainly win it this year but still, there's alot of pressure to handle being the hottest of hot favourites!

beckenham

England went in as favourites last time around and seemed to do okay. If the AB players can't cope with the pressure then should they really be there in the first place? Its pretty much their national sport so I accept that the pressure from home will be high but come these guys are supposed to be international sportsman. They need to be mentally tough as well as physically tough

heavymental

Well they should be mentally tough, Beckenham but they're still human. You can't really train for the pressure cooker games hence the favourites/best teams don't always win out in sport.

fidbod

TTTT - You a right about Dan Carter being fairly well tested, I concede the point even if my darkest hope see him fall apart on the field and never recover.

The Italian pack on the other hand is a different matter or did you not watch the six nations this year?
There isn't a single AB tight five forward who could make the italian team on current form. Bergamasco and Parisse are also world class albeit very different in style to McCaw and Soailu (sp?) McCaw is probably the only AB forward who would make the Italiian team.

beckenham

But they should have plenty of experience of playing in similar circumstances!

heavymental

True beckenham, true. I'm clutching at straws. We've got to have some hope that the AB's won't steamroller everyone.

TheTalkingTurboTrainer

Wow, Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock and Chris Jack are no longer regarded as the best in the world in their position?!?! I never knew that view was floating around!! (granted Victor Matfield challenges Jack - they'd make an awesome locking combination).

Interesting that you say the tight five and then talk about the loose trio as well

Soi'alo is having a great season, Jerry Colins and his massive guns would always be in my starting team and McCaw is a great player to such an extent that the rest of the world are so jealous that he can't be that good, he must be cheating!

Seriously, the Italian forward pack is not a concern and if you also remember rightly, the ABs have dealt to every 6N team in the recent past. I think a S14 and Tri Nations with South African teams rates a little bit tougher than a few Italians with a chip on their shoulder.

I apologise if this sounds arrogant, it's not meant to. People just constantly pick holes in the ABs so I feel like I have stand up and say "enough is enough".

Yes, we haven't won for 20 years, but have we REALLY always been the best team? I doubt that. 1995, yes we probably were. Every other time .... no, I don't think so. We were good, but not the best. This time I think it is different. How will we handle the pressure? Who knows? I hope for my their sake and the country's sake that we win it. You can't understand the burning desire there is to win this in NZ, it means a great deal to every NZer and to an extent I do feel sorry for the pressure that they are most definitely under. In a way it's good that WC is on the other side of the world so they can escape that pressure to an extent.

Oh .... and I have tickets if we make the final!!!! 8)

captain_oakley

I see from Sky Sports news that Greg Somerville is the last name to be added, he has been given extra time by the selectors, as his achilles is still playing up. Still an awsome squad though.... for them to lose.


Thank god Hodgson has not being picked, as a 'Dyed in the Wool' Fezhead would have liked to see more of the Men In Black in the squad.... still not sure about Farrell though. The Backs are still an area of concern.



"Picked a hell of a week to give up Glue Sniffing......"

ddraver

true but i'm not sure barclay is significantly better than hodgson

massive blow with regard to strettle....hmmm

fidbod

TTTT - My post wasn't clear in that I do not think there is any debate over the front five - the italians all the way.

as far as the two back rows go you could debate till the cows come home - the only weak player in the six is the italian blindside. How you mix up the back row from there is a long argument.

I think we could nay say each other until the world cup kicks off so congratulations on the tickets....If england make the final and the ABs don't I will make you an decent offer for the tickets

TheTalkingTurboTrainer

I don't have tickets if the ABs aren't in the final. My girlfirend's cousin works for the NZRFU so if the ABs make the final they get allocated tickets and we have been told two of them for us.

The Italian forwards do not appear a threat in the eyes of anyone else I've ever spoken to nor have I read anything in the press that would make me concerned. If they hold their own in the scrum, they should regard themselves as having played well.

Moose11

Go Ireland!! A semi-final spot would make me very happy.

beckenham

I see that Sheridan is out for Saturday as he has been bitten by an insect!

heavymental

It always seems a bit ridiculous when athletes get laid low by such minor things but what can you do!? If its infected then he can't play...although if it was the final I'm sure he'd be bandaged up and shoved out there.

Re the italian pack. Ok they're good and I'm sure Graham Henry will have watched the videos of the 6N closely but I don't think the ABs will be quaking in their boots. It'll be a physical game up front as Italian games always are but it certainly won't be a major obstacle. I'd certainly prefer to have the AB pack for their speed, mobility and handling skills aswell as their physical grunt.