ENG Team v Scot

[upnunder]

England side to face Scotland

England Team to face Scotland

15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
14 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
13 Brad Barritt (Saracens)*
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens)*
11 David Strettle (Saracens)
10 Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
1 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
4 Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
5 Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt)
8 Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)*

Replacements

16 Rob Webber (London Wasps)*
17 Matt Stevens (Saracens)
18 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)*
19 Ben Morgan (Scarlets)*
20 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)*
21 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)*
22 Mike Brown (Harlequins)


Still not convinced Barrit or JTH can do anything other than run in a straight line at people.
Sharples unlucky not to get a chance over Strettle or Cashton
Forwards look strong.
Hopefully Hodgson can continue his good Saracens form in an England shirt when he has failed to before.

 

[TheBFG]

England Team to face Scotland

15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
14 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
13 Brad Barritt (Saracens)*
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens)*
11 David Strettle (Saracens)
10 Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
1 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
4 Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
5 Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt)
8 Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)*

Replacements

16 Rob Webber (London Wasps)*
17 Matt Stevens (Saracens)
18 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)*
19 Ben Morgan (Scarlets)*
20 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)*
21 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)*
22 Mike Brown (Harlequins)

*Uncapped

Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby) and Joe Marler (Harlequins) will travel as reserves.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Most of them are English as well.

 

[Dixie]

Sarries three quarters - including the son of one of the coaches. This is why it was imprudent to appoint Andy Farrell. Hodgson is a rugby version of Graeme Hick: an outstanding club player who cannot seem top raise his game to the international level. Has anyone seen anything to suggest that his selection is a rational response to changed circumstances?

 

[TheBFG]

Sarries three quarters - including the son of one of the coaches. This is why it was imprudent to appoint Andy Farrell. Hodgson is a rugby version of Graeme Hick: an outstanding club player who cannot seem top raise his game to the international level. Has anyone seen anything to suggest that his selection is a rational response to changed circumstances?

or the fact he's the only one not injured :chin:

 

[Toby Warren]

Sarries three quarters - including the son of one of the coaches. This is why it was imprudent to appoint Andy Farrell. Hodgson is a rugby version of Graeme Hick: an outstanding club player who cannot seem top raise his game to the international level. Has anyone seen anything to suggest that his selection is a rational response to changed circumstances?

Long term choice - no - If flood wasn't injured he wouldn't be selected. The best of a bad hand for a first time selection - I'm happy enough with it. I still see a lack of 'world class' players.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I still see a lack of 'world class' players.

Scaramouche - Scaramouche...............................I don't disagree.

 

[Dixie]

Hmmm. Some might argue that the #12 has been selected out of position, preferring to play at #10. This was the case with Flood as well - are we too scared to pitch promising fly halves into the international arena - [provocative]even against the likes the Scotland?[/provocative]

 

[Toby Warren]

Hasn't it ever been thus with F/Halfs Wilkinson played his early days on the wing then 12/13 I'm sure Carter started at Centre as well but stand to be corrected. No issue with dipping a 10s toes in slowly.

 

[OB..]

Hasn't it ever been thus with F/Halfs Wilkinson played his early days on the wing then 12/13 I'm sure Carter started at Centre as well but stand to be corrected. No issue with dipping a 10s toes in slowly.

Wilkinson's first cap was as a 79th minute replacement at 10 for Paul Grayson. He then played two games as starting 10 in the Tour from Hell and the following 5N season at 12. Thereafter he has played 10 except on rare occasions off the bench.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Wilkinson's first cap was as a 79th minute replacement at 10 for Paul Grayson. He then played two games as starting 10 in the Tour from Hell and the following 5N season at 12. Thereafter he has played 10 except on rare occasions off the bench.

Ha Toby! Get told!:biggrin:

 

[Toby Warren]

Ha Toby! Get told!:biggrin:

Hmm sure he played on the wing.

From Wiki

Wilkinson began his international career as an unused replacement against Scotland, before coming off the bench, replacing Mike Catt, to play on the wing against Ireland at Twickenham on 4 April 1998; he was only 18.

I know OB is normally more trustworthy than Wikipedia so who to trust!

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I know OB is normally more trustworthy than Wikipedia so who to trust!

View attachment 1959

msf

 

[DrSTU]

Re: England side to face Scotland

England Team to face Scotland



Still not convinced Barrit or JTH can do anything other than run in a straight line at people.

Check out old tapes of him at the Sharks, he has plenty of ability to cut defences.

 

[OB..]

Hmm sure he played on the wing.

From Wiki

Wilkinson began his international career as an unused replacement against Scotland, before coming off the bench, replacing Mike Catt, to play on the wing against Ireland at Twickenham on 4 April 1998; he was only 18.

I know OB is normally more trustworthy than Wikipedia so who to trust!

I have checked other sources and it looks as if I got it wrong. I have found two other references to him replacing Mike Catt, who was indeed on the wing that day. Mea culpa. I have now corrected my records. Thanks, Toby.

(Mind you the Wikipedia pictures of Wilkinson "playing for Newcastle" in white with red flashes puzzle me.)

 

[crossref]

my memory - - probably faulty - - was that when JW's englad career started he wasn't regularly playing 10 for his club (?)

I seem to have a clear memory of a journalist asking SCW - or CW as he was then - whether he would pick JW at 10, as that was his natural position, and CW rounding on him, and asking him how he determined that, then, and had he ever seen him play 10? and when would that have been, Farnham U15s?

but memory is an unreliable thing and I may have made it all up.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I have checked other sources and it looks as if I got it wrong. I have found two other references to him replacing Mike Catt, who was indeed on the wing that day. Mea culpa. I have now corrected my records. Thanks, Toby.

Ha OB..!Get told!:biggrin:

 

[Ricardowensleydale]

Mind you the Wikipedia pictures of Wilkinson "playing for Newcastle" in white with red flashes puzzle me.

Sarries vs Falcons December 30th 2007