England vs Wales: 6 Nations

[tigerseb]

I was listening to 5 Live this morning and it sounds like Youngs/ Dowson are to be dropped for the Wales fixture.

Dickson & Morgan to be the only changes with Lawes, Flood & Tuilagi on the bench.

I would have brought all 3 of the above in... what do we think???

[Stupid]

I was listening to 5 Live this morning and it sounds like Youngs/ Dowson are to be dropped for the Wales fixture.

Dickson & Morgan to be the only changes with Lawes, Flood & Tuilagi on the bench.

I would have brought all 3 of the above in... what do we think???

I would definitely have brought Tuilagi in - the lack of penetration from the England midfield has been appauling, not for the first time we have been winning despite our centres not because of them. I'm a bit more relaxed about Lawes and Flood though. I'd hope both get a good 20-30 minutes off the bench, but can see why they man not be starting.

[Hinckley Bob]

Nick Mallet will be smiling anyway.

[bluntiger]

If true, with Lawes on the bench, then shouldn't we be getting Parling back? Or could he start?

[ABC Tiger]

For heavens sake, Manu on the Bench !? He's our most dangerous player by a country mile, and Lancaster doesn't have the bottle to drop Farrell or Barritt. Okay they have both being playing well but does someone have to have a shocker to be dropped? I'm absolutely outraged has Lancaster failed to see we have only scored two tries up to yet which have both been charge downs and we have created absolutely nothing.

Also what does Sharples have to do to get a call Ashton has been terrible, I was once told he is a good tracker of the ball, I'll have to take their word for it because I've never seen him do it.

[fentiger]

Sharples has Tweeted he has a dead leg and can't train with England. Although he also says it should be cleared up by the weekend.

[tigerburnie]

I think it will be accademic as I can't see this Welsh side losing at Twickenham.Mr Lancaster is going to be found out with what looks like a side a long way off winning much,I can't see them getting a triple crown this year.The future looks a lot better with the dead wood stage now having left(calling at Gloucester and a few points west),but the two wins we've got are one more than I thought we'd get.

[RWA]

Manu should be in, although Barritt has done nothing wrong. I'd also bring in Morgan, Dickson, Sharples and Brown...Dowson, Youngs, Ashton and Foden are badly out of form..if Care hadn't been a bad boy...Youngs would be playing against Newcastle.

[tigerburnie]

Sometimes being left on the bench can be good for the player,maybe a wake up call for a couple of over confident players would be a positive.

[mol2]

Not sure I'd drop Ashton but I'd play Brown - he's the form English full back and at present Foden isn't on top form and showing some defensive frailties.

Manu surely has to start - he was head and shoulders above the rest of the English team at the world cup and his performance against Sarries suggests he's both fit and on form after his cheek and hamstring injuries. Barritt has done nothing wrong but not offered a lot in attack.

I'd play Flood with Farrell doing the kicking. For me an out of sorts Flood is still a better option than Hodgson who's done well as the charge down expert but not much else.

Without a doubt Morgan has to start - Dowson wasn't good enough when he was young enough and looks nothing more than steady, certainly not the dynamic 8 England need if they are to succeed against Wales let alone the world's best.

Young's needs to be dropped - if only to focus him on his game rather than stamping his feet like a spoilt brat when the ref misses something and getting distracted from playing his own game. He a smart chap but needs a bit of a jolt to remind him that international rugby needs application and skill. We know he has the latter in abundance.

[Big Dai]

Bang on Mol! Right on the money re Ben.

The English will find a Welsh win unpaletable. The Welsh deem an English win unthinkable.

The Welsh should win handsomely.........but what if they don't?

[Bill W (2)]

Bang on Mol! Right on the money re Ben.

The English will find a Welsh win unpaletable. The Welsh deem an English win unthinkable.

The Welsh should win handsomely.........but what if they don't?

Ahem! When?

[Granby]

Not a problem - the next Golden Era will start next week.

[Bill W (2)]

Not a problem - the next Golden Era will start next week.

Will there be a next golden era? Discuss!!

[Bristol Tiger]

Not sure everyone has caught this on the rfu.com site. The England 22 for Saturday are:

Forwards (12)

• Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
  Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
  Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
  Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
  Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
  Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
  Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
  Ben Morgan (Scarlets)
  Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
  Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
  Matt Stevens (Saracens)
  Rob Webber (London Wasps)

Backs (10)

• Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
  Brad Barritt (Saracens)
  Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
  Owen Farrell (Saracens)
  Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
  Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
  Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
  David Strettle (Saracens)
  Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
  Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

All others have been returned to their club.

Maybe Flood, Youngs and Tuilagi all on the bench ready for a Tigers influx at 50 minutes? Possibly with Lawes.

Cole, Croft and probably Parling set to start (as Palmer has been sent back to his club).