England Side Announced for 2nd Test

Stupid selections by Lancaster.......Tuilagi should have been retained at 13, with Burrell at 12, Ashton on the wing, Billy at 8, Hartley at 2 and Lawes at 5......stupid, stupid man

 
Ashton has been a little off his game lately, hasn't he? That's why he was dropped earlier this year as far as I can remember.

I agree with your centre pair of Burrell and Tuilagi. 

Vunipola is a power house second to none that I know of but hasn't he just come back from injury? Perhaps starting him from the bench is wiser.

I will be cheering for the Poms this weekend. It would be awesome to shut the Kiwis' big boastful mouths up for awhile.

 

 

 

 Billy Vunipola actually picked up a knock in the Prem Final and played for about 80 odd of the 100 mins the Final went on for ( we went into Extra Time ) He was not himself at all going into that match, he seemed rather off, possibly because he had a hard match against Toulon the week before ? I don't know.Morgan had a fantastic game last week and deserves to stay put. He carried 12 times and broke the gain line every time. So, from that point of view, he earned his place anyway. I am sure we will see Billy Vunipola at some stage and he will be champing at the bit to get out there.He has had a very nasty injury to his ankle this Season, missing half the 6 Nations with it and coming back ahead of schedule to play for Sarries at the end of the Season. So any tweak needs to be managed carefully, I think.
Ashton had a number of appalling years, even when he was still with us. It started with a knee injury...recovery times are not long enough.....and then his father became ill and died quickly. He did not cope well with this, as many do not. He lost his way rather. It took a heck of a time for him to grow up, really. He is playing better, but he is hardly the best Wing in the world....I mean, Strettle is usually toe to toe with him re Tries Scored and what do you think of him ? 

We shall see if this works or not.......

 
Not sure whether you directed your post at me, Becs. I'm "presuming" you did.

Can't really say I know enough of the lad (Strettle) to warrant a comment.

Must say though I'm not really a fan of Ashton. He tends to stick to his side of the field and not look for much work. I wouldn't have had him in my match 23.

I liked the look of May but you would know better who shoulda made the team.

Hope to rid myself of the ignorance I currently have regarding English rugby. Would love to chat to you and see your thoughts on the boys you rate as musts for the national side.

Go England!!!!

Whaaaaaaaaaa SAFFEX!!!!!!!!!! Just like I called it on another thread... Burell and Twelvetrees at cnter and Tualagi on the wing!!! Guess I am not so stupid hey!?!?!

 So Tin Soldier, because you called it, does it make it right?

 

free 

becs

Status: Squad member 
Posts: 478RE: England Side Announced for 2nd Test
June 12, 2014, 09:26:11 Billy Vunipola actually picked up a knock in the Prem Final and played for about 80 odd of the 100 mins the Final went on for ( we went into Extra Time ) He was not himself at all going into that match, he seemed rather off, possibly because he had a hard match against Toulon the week before ? I don't know.
Billy also took a big knock in the HC final, IIRC, Becs.

Clean Cut....I was more directing my comment at Saffex actually. Nice to hear you are on our side, but it is going to be scary on Saturday ! As long as we give a good account of ourselves and develop the Squad, anything else is a huge bonus. We do have some great players here, regardless of what you might have been told, and I am so pleased that they are getting the chance to play a bit of International Rugby at last ! 
As for Billy Vunipola, yes, Ceradyne,I think he was carrying a knock against Toulon, as I said...and he was injured against my lot too. So he is not necessarily fully fit and Morgan played jolly well at any rate. I am glad we have two players who appear to be up to task at Number Eight.
But it will be one hell of a battle this weekend. Another match watched from under the duvet, I fear !

If Courtney Lawes cannot make the run on England side send him to South Africa and on arrival give him a SA passport. Much like they did for Zola.

 Rugganut

Status: Baby Bok 
Posts: 181RE: England Side Announced for 2nd Test
June 13, 2014, 03:01:01If Courtney Lawes cannot make the run on England side send him to South Africa and on arrival give him a SA passport. Much like they did for Zola.

Why? We have lots of quality young locks in abundance, don't we? 

 Rugganut

Status: Baby Bok 
Posts: 181RE: England Side Announced for 2nd Test
June 13, 2014, 03:01:01If Courtney Lawes cannot make the run on England side send him to South Africa and on arrival give him a SA passport. Much like they did for Zola.

Why? We have lots of quality young locks in abundance, don't we? 

 
Yep!!! That we do.

Pity they've been cast aside for the aged.

Lawes is usually the starting lock and has been in great form but is starting off the bench as a result of his late entry to the squad and the perceived notion that average Parling had a good game......its one of Lancansters many poor calls this week  

Yes.....Parling was hopeless last week. Didn't steal any ball or play very well in the loose or Scrum for that matter. And all that coming off the back of little or no Rugby for most of the Season....nasty concussion and a nasty back injury.
Yes, this would be the useless, insult of a team that would lose last week by at least 50 points and rendered England ban able by the powers that be ? Remind me of the score and how poor the officiating was please. 

Oh and some of us like a man to show a bit of intellect...the reason why Parling is starting and not Lawes.

Parling is shit  

I know exactly what you think of him,Saffex. Thankfully others disagree. I also know what you think of most of my team...and I know what I think of my players. Thankfully we disagree ! 

You lot can think what you like.....what is a certainty is that you will lose again......why, because you select the wrong players.......so keep beating your chests that players like Parling are good when in fact he is bog ordinary.......not close to test standard, never has been  

It is not up to either of us and never will be, so matters little what we think.
All I know is that he is not the useless player you would have him made out to be. He stole enough line out ball last week to prove that. We were up against it, selection wise, and he put himself out there and proved he was worthy. That is all you can ask for.And we could and should have won. So the team and players deserve a bit of credit and a darned site more respect than they seem to be getting from certain quarters ! 
 Did I say we would win ? No, I believe it was to the contrary, all along. I believe I said we would most likely lose all three Tests, nothing new there !. But what I did say was, we were not an insult, we did not deserve to be banned from International Rugby and we have some very good players and a good Squad, whatever some of you may think or say. 
And I do not beat my chest, thank you very much. I leave that to you. I have more important uses for my chest, thanks ! 

 
Oh really???

And that would be ... ??

 Use your imagination ! 

 
Haaaahahahahahaaaa!!!

Shan't say another word !!

Probably for the best !
For the record.....my chest, like the rest of me, isn't anything to write home about !  

Parling is useless  

Yes, so you said.  

 Ben Morgan is an awesome player. Vunipola is probably the most powerful ball carrier at this moment btwin the nº 8s but Morgan is a more complete player IMO. A lso very powerful he runs more angles, is better located on the field and has a good defense.
Even if Vunipola was completely fit I would play with Morgan starting and Vunipola as an impact player from the bench for the last 30min. I hope that it doesn't happen on saturday but his impact can be huge the last 30 min with many players tired. We'll see...

not sure of Tuilagi's switch. Is it really needed? May played well IMO last weekend, pointed good manners and though is the only game I've seen of him he made enough to deserve another chance instead of switching Tuilagi.

Hartley and Lawes are better players than Webber and Parling and for what I've read they are more in form so it's difficult to understand their benching. It's been 2 weeks since the final and there are just 2 matches left to end the season.

But still a great team for the huge battle we'll see on saturday. Can't wait...

Given Morgan was found wanting at test level and dropped tells me you don't quite have it right. Morgan is handy but Billy is far, far better  

Morgan played very well last week and Vunipola is carrying a knock. He will just have to come on from the bench and make an impact at some point.
Webber and Parling worked well......Hartley has had a portion of a match to play in after weeks out with a cracked shoulder. He will get his chance, with Lawes, from the bench. 
We are building a Squad. 
Simple as that.  

Crap Morgan was exposed and discarded, he was not playing well at all. Came onto the test scene with a bang and then disappeared in a big way  

He got injured, he was not discarded. That is a fact. He was never discarded.On Saturday he played very well.....12 carries, crossed the gainline every time. Those are facts. He and Vunipola are our Number Eights of choice. You don't have to like it ! And I know you don't, before you tell me, yet again !  

Crap he got exposed, injury had stuff all to do with it  

Ok, Saffex. Have it your way. I have more to do with my life than argue the same point over and over again with you., even though I am actually right and the only reason he was omitted from the Squad was injury. Which is why he is now straight back in there ! Because, had he been so damned useless, Mr Lancaster could even taken a punt on a player performing as well as Dave Ewers, couldn't he ? 
Ah well, I tried !  

 England is a damn tough side and would give any of the top 3 IRB teams a good run for their money ... Yes even the Boks. England, have good depth and developed a very competitive environment for starting positions. That's a great place to be for a coach. 
The All Blacks will face some of the toughest games of the year over the next few weeks,  if they get past without a loss they've done well and will be a better team for it. England's going to be a real bitch in the rugby World Cup.