English Squad for Tests against the Spiringboks in June

The following is the English squad for the June tests against the Springboks:-

 Backs

Fullbacks/wings: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester) Denny Solomona (Sale)

Inside backs: Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens, capt), George Ford (Leicester), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Cameron Redpath (Sale), Dan Robson (Wasps), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Spencer (Saracens), Ben Te'o (Worcester), Ben Youngs (Leicester)

Forwards

Back five: Tom Curry (Sale), Ben Earl(Saracens), Jonny Hill (Exeter), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Brad Shields (Hurricanes/Wasps), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Jack Willis (Wasps), Mark Wilson (Newcastle)

Front row: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter)

How about the "6 Nations" ... you should recognize some of the players from that.

It's not their best squad but there are a few quality players like Billy Vunipola in the mix.

As expected, EN prefered to leave out as many of their non white players. They did not want to answer the question about which side is the african side.

...notsoclevermike....it's a year out from the next RWC so Eddy could be giving some fringe players a chance to shine with eight uncapped players named in the English team....with what looks largely like an experimental team - a rethink in response to their 6 Nations failure perhaps... Eddy must now be feeling some pressure to get results.

England losing their fullback Anthony Watson to injury must be a a big loss for them - Cipriani is touted to replace him...

 England's most capped halfback Danny Care is also being rested ...Robson gets the nod there after being snubbed for 6 Nations ...Youngs also coming back from injury included here..and Ben Spencer makes it three halfbacks...

And how many flyhalves does Eddy need to play SA ?  Only six ... Slade, Cipriani, Redpath, Ford , Lozowski and Farrel all potential flyhalves that have been named in the England lineup to play SA...

...Speaking of overkill. five locks have also been named as you do -  Hill, Isiekwe, Itoje, Launchbury and Robshaw...although some could double as loosies ...

The Hurricanes are lending England the services of Brad Shields,  a big talking point in NZ media circles....Shields a player that has never played in England but now playing for England ...Interestingly Rhodes may be eligible in a few months for selection as well...so in the future the England backrow could potentially be made up of all foreign born players...

The disadvantage of this policy is that as a result of Eddy overlooking the England players some will become disillusioned, head across the Channel and could be lost to English rugby...Similarly Kiwi Denny Solomona is another contentious selection being picked over other English players on the wing...he will run circles around the SA wingers given the chance,,

... SA winning could depend on whether they can tighten up their defence or not... Combrink letting in hat tricks down his wing like last week just won't do, or will De Allande's turnstile defence..so making first up tackles will be critical...  watching the Highlanders game against the Bulls should be compulsory viewing for the Boks - a great example of how a solid defense wins games...

Warning, England is out to make history winning a series in SA which no other England team has done before...so SA need to get their shit together to avoid embarrassment...and in the meantime manage their players better with the USA test in mind,,, and especially given allegations Marx injury is due to South Africa's mismanagement of players...

Therefore w hat is the point of taking a full strength team to the US for example when the Welsh will be without eleven of their key players...  Owens, AWJ,  Faletau, Tipuric, Warburton, Webb, Biggar, Jonathan Davies, Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny...something Rassie will have to consider.. but he will also want to start his tenure as Bok coach on a winning note...bit of a conundrum there but defending the home record against England must surely be the priority...

We have the players to compete at the highest level ... but ... they need to be selected.

SARU is more interested in getting it's demographics in place than playing winning rugby. They are a racist institution and have already pushed Rassie to select a quota as his assistant.

We will never see our best team fielded again. Those days are over. At least 50% of our "team" will be 3rd rate performers ... all so that an uninterested Sipho, living on a farm somewhere, can feel included in the goings on in South Africa.

Truly a sad state of affairs.

I will be cheering for these 2nd string Poms t o leave with a historical win.