Wade to join up with the Lions

[BigChris]

Wade is probably not the weirdest call up this evening!!!

Cue Shane Williams, in town for media commitments, oh and a run out v The Brumbies!!


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22922831

[tig1]

Apparently Barritt has also been called up

Barritt??? The hand of Farrell Snr strikes again!

Bill, i assume if the Lions go on to win the series, the hand of Farrell senior will be mysteriously absent...

Personally i am pleased for Barritt. He has given his all for England the last 18 months and has put in some very decent performances really. Solid.

The track record for centres staying fit with the Lions is not good, so i fully expect both Billy and Barritt will see game time at some point during the test series.

In South Africa the series ended up in the 3rd test with Fluti and Bowe in the centres, and in New Zealand the 3rd test it was Thomas and Greenwood.

[drc_007]

I wonder how serious some of the injuries are, the number of replacements called up makes me wonder if some are tour ending but will not be announced until after the first test?

[SimonP in Surrey]

Agreed .... I suspect that we are for sure not being told all about the injuries ... They will be probably be more numerous and serious than is being portrayed ... Alternatively what if the day before the test both North and Manu are declared fit ? That would be a real boost.

[Bill W (2)]

Bill, i assume if the Lions go on to win the series, the hand of Farrell senior will be mysteriously absent...

.

Insofar as in this eventuality it will be down to Gatland ignoring Farrell Snr's advice, then of course!!

[DickyP]

Well Wade played his first game and surprise, surprise he allowed himself to be brushed off like a feather for the Brumbies to score the try - now there's a surprise.

[CitizenSmiff]

Well Wade played his first game and surprise, surprise he allowed himself to be brushed off like a feather for the Brumbies to score the try - now there's a surprise.

Aye, sad but true. If he was playing ten years ago he'd be a star of Jason Robinson proportions but at an international level everybody's so enormous now they only have to grip the little fella by a fingertip to knock him off his stride. Shame as with ball in hand he's got the best feet we're likely to see for a while.

[mol2]

We saw Wade get exposed in defense at Welford Road before we got injured. Technique OK, commitment fine but not powerful enough.

Has the talent but not the size at this stage of his career. Clearly he won't grow much but he will need to bulk up a bit to give him the strength to play international rugby. However that might affect his speed and agility.

Time will tell.

[tig1]

Christians performance really highlighted the difference between running in tries mid premiership and top flight international rugby. Lancaster got a lot of stick for not including him last season, but really he was spot on. If Freddie Burns, Eastmond and all these chaps who starred in Argentina had been playing in that game for the lions then i feel it would have been a similar outcome.

As Mol2 says, there are fantastic wingers all around the world who are 3-4 stone heavier than Christian and that is always going to be an issue.

But,..hope he goes on to become a star.

[The Boy Dave]

Yes I agree with the above. Wade is an easy out for a team going sideways. Imagine a Tuilagi running his way. He isn't a natural powerhouse like Robinson or Halfpenny and I dont think he ever can be like them as his frame is just too slight. He is exciting though as the game breaks up so much around him but unfortunately in defence also. Please no more cashton though, if he is still playing for England come 2015 with no matches at WR then I will not bother watching.

[fortysix]

In Wade's defence, he was there to actually attempt a tackle..
Cashton would have been conveniently somewhere out of harms way....

[mol2]

We have to remember that the likes of Burns, Eastmond and Wade are relatively inexperienced and would have been surprised to see any of them go on the plane with the Lions.

As for how you get that experience is a different matter. You have to justify your inclusion in the England side on merit or if it a close call on grounds of the greater potential. I've seen enough of Burn to think he should be England's starting fly half.
Wade? - seen a fair bit but not yet got the bulk to get into the England side proper. (Would have called up Visser or Foden)
Eastmond - only seen a little of him but looked good but I'd gladly play him ahead of Barritt but not sure I'd play him ahead of Twelvetrees yet.

[tig1]

The way i view it Mol2, is that many people would prefer an England backline with the likes of Burns, Wade, Billy, Eastmond etc, and have this romantic vision of running in many beautiful tries.

But my opinion is a backline like that would get absolutely run over at International level. When you look at the work that backs are now expected to do in the tackle and at the breakdown, to expect to get away with playing players 2,3 or 4 stone lighter than the oppositon is just not realistic.

I understand the reasons people dont admire players like Farrell and Barritt, but the fact is they have stood up to physical intimidation of international rugby, even if it is not been pretty at times. What struck me about the Brumbies game was that i thought players like Wade and Billy looked physically and mentally out of their depth, and i thought it was very interesting when Farrell came on as he had a presence that the others didnt.

[GT1]

Perhaps Wade could be converted into a scrum half!!