Manu to start on the wing ?

[GT1]

It's true!
http://es.pn/1xKHcWi
Just heard sigh of relief from NZ centres - madness

[CitizenSmiff]

Well according to the Beeb the ABs have Conrad Smith on the wing so maybe they're taking a leaf out of Slancaster's playbook (I do so wish they'd employ somebody who knows anything about rugby to check their copy). I really can't stand Ashton but he's been scoring for fun this season and there's a reason positional play exists in modern rugby. I'd rather Manu warmed the bench than spend his afternoon having high balls rained down on him and being shoved into touch every time he manages to collect one.

[TigerLad]

I'm sure he will still have a good game because he is world class but really? He's the best player in that team and you move him to accommodate average players in Burrell and 12T? It's not like he played poorly last week either, he was the best player on the pitch. The battle between Manu and Savea will be immense though, they will be lined up directly against each other and if the 2012 game is anything to go by we are in for a treat. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yLdwuJoRlRY I do still think i
Manu will be wasted on the wing. At centre you have to pay attention to every move he makes, on the wing he won't even be involved in the play half the time. It's criminal to waste such a talent.

[Soggypitch]

It's a big gamble by SL, would not be my choice but I will now reserve judgment and hope that the coaches know what they are doing!

[Jimmy Skitz]

Along with forcing Robshaw in over a better 7 SLancaster is just trying to pick his favourites if you have the best player in the world in a position you don't move him out of it for anything but injury or lack of form

[G.K]

setting aside whether he has the pace to play on the wing, does Manu have the kicking game required of a winger? Especially when playing the AB's

Personally I don't think he does and he's not used to defending there having played at centre since age grade.

For me it's madness to nullify a player's main talent and at the same time expose his biggest weakness.

[shedster]

Well Mr Lancaster here we go again , please do tell me what happened when we last played a guy out of position ( Brown versus Wales 2013) that went well or a few years previous when Italy played a Flanker at Scrumhalf a storming idea ! I realise that for various reasons theres a dislike of Twelvetrees and to an extent of Burrell but if Tuilagi is on the bench to replace one of them then its a judgement call granted one you may disagree with , But to put him into an alien position on the wing is wrong and will be exploited by the All Blacks . If Splashton is a better wing than May then again its a judgement call I may disagree but a least hes playing in his normal position . This could go very wrong to put it mildly I really hope I get to eat my words

[jonlin]

Conrad Smith will have know need to go wide to dob down,without Manu in the centre Nonu will punch big holes through the middle.

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

So the guy who:

has ripped the NZ midfield apart in the last 3 appearances against them.
is feared by the SH teams
all other centres on the Lion's tour were talking about getting the other position as he was a shoe in to start

is being played on the wing?

NZ must be chuffed!

[baz1664]

It's a shocking decison by Lancaster and just shows he hasn't got the minerals to leave out his favourites, he says Burrell had a good six nations, how long ago was that, 12trees has not set the world on fire for an awful Gloucester team, he should have left Manu and Eastmond at centre, both were outstanding against the best team in the world, NZ will exploit Manu on the wing, he will have tendencies to drift in and NZ will make sure they take advantage of it, i wouldn't be surprised after 30 minutes when were 20 points down that Manu is moved to centre for 12trees and Ashton is brought on the wing, game will be as good as lossed by that point!!

[Rykard]

So the guy who:

has ripped the NZ midfield apart in the last 3 appearances against them.
is feared by the SH teams
all other centres on the Lion's tour were talking about getting the other position as he was a shoe in to start

is being played on the wing?

NZ must be chuffed!

that pretty much sums it up... unless the others have performed outstandingly in training and have won their places back....

[jgriffin]

Ashton is a good choice if Burns is playing 10, with Fazlet at 10 one assumes Cashton will float off the wing anyway to track Fazlet's break (he does one a game if hartley can block ).
The Manu thing is just toss.
Lancaster has the nous to keep Geoff on the park, so why not grasp the nettle and keep Eastmond/Manu?
The first 20 mins could be a disaster.

[MrPartridge]

It's a big gamble by SL, would not be my choice but I will now reserve judgment and hope that the coaches know what they are doing!

I agree with this. As I said before, I don't mind Manu on the wing… if it goes badly then nothing lost in my opinion. Bookies made us 13 point underdogs for 2nd Test even before the side was announced. Pressure is all on 12T and Burrell from what I can see… The only other point I would make is that if you look at how Wales use North then a modern day winger should be skilled enough to get the ball in lots of central positions. A few people here seem to be thinking Mr T will just be stood on the touchline all game!

Just for fun, I'm going to back him as first try scorer!

[Soggypitch]

Along with forcing Robshaw in over a better 7 SLancaster is just trying to pick his favourites if you have the best player in the world in a position you don't move him out of it for anything but injury or lack of form

Sorry I don't get that at all....Robshaw has been absolutely outstanding for England as a player and Captain, he was arguably MOTM last week. What English 7 would you really put ahead of him?!

[Louis]

English 7? {Coughs} Steffon Armitage.

I'm not saying that he would be my choice (or not) per se, I think Robshaw's doing great work, but that's the impression I get when anyone advocates for a different 7. I might be wrong of course...

...back on topic. I have an uneasy feeling in my rugby areas about this moving Manu to the wing. Yes he's class, yes he's talented, yes he is a gigantic scary ba...person, and yes he should do well there, perhaps in a roaming Ashtonian/Northian role. Dare I say it. But I do have to say he's a rather good centre (understatement of the year) and perhaps it should be up to other players to oust him, which I don't think 36 or Burrell have really done. Quality players in their own right, I'm a bit of a Burrell fan for example, I think he offers a lot in attack, but He's Not Manu.

I assume SL and chums know what they're doing. The general trend of decisions they've made, and direction they're pushing the team in is one I largely (but by no means exclusively) agree with, so I'll have to wait and see. Annoyingly.

There is more than a small bit of me that does dream of an England team with Manu as (one of) the first name(s) on the sheet, backs/attacking strategy built around him and one S Armitage (and also eventually one T Croft) in the back row, perhaps from the bench as an impact sub. Perhaps out of the 7 spot to accommodate Robshaw. And Robshaw is a bit of a "Silent Assassin" England loose forward, he does a phenomenal amount of very good work, not always the showy stuff. But then this is the bit of my brain that wishes various other players were English, so best to ignore that bit. It also wants a pony.