Actual England World Cup 31

[Cagey Tiger]

Only 30 minutes to go.

MONG YOUR DOOM HERE

[Downsouth]

England 2015 Rugby World Cup squad

Props:

Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints, 10 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 51 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 32 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 22 caps)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 43 caps)

Hookers:

Jamie George (Saracens, 1 cap)
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 13 caps)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)

Second rows:

George Kruis (Saracens, 8 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 23 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 39 caps)
Geoff Parling (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)

Back rows:

James Haskell (Wasps, 60 caps)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 28 caps)
Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 38 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 18 caps)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 37 caps)

Scrum halves:

Danny Care (Harlequins, 52 caps)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 22 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 48 caps)

Fly halves:

Owen Farrell (Saracens, 30 caps)
George Ford (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)

Centres:

Brad Barritt (Saracens, 22 caps)
Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby, 1 cap)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)

Back three:

Mike Brown (Harlequins, 38 caps)
Alex Goode (Saracens, 18 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 15 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)

[Spicer]

Glad Slade is in. Sad for Cipriani. Time for Burgess to step up.

[Rykard]

can't believe cips hasn't made it, burgess is a very big call. Can't wait to see the press conference, wonder if any of the journos will be allowed to ask the questions we all want answered? could be a short tournament..

[Downsouth]

Now let's get behind the team! Cipriani would most likely not have made the 23, and if there is an injury at 10 or 15, he will be straight in. After all the debate, it is pretty much as expected.

[Coops]

As expected - well done to Slade.

Burgess doesn't even known which position he wants to play in. What iteration at centre are we at now?

Tis what it is - good luck to them.

Will this team get us out of the group stages?

[JackFlashJonny]

My only discrepancy is Cipriani but he would only be bench at best anyway so I can get behind this team (really glad Burrell isn't in actually)

Looking forward to being at the opener now

[baz1664]

Such an inexperienced set of centres, can't believe Burgess has been picked there, a bloke who plays in the back row for his club now gets picked as an international centre, can't be right. Pressure will be on Joseph if we are to progress into the later stages.

[Pellsey]

Squad as expected. Burgess... hahaha... Missing the best player from last week, Cipriani... Unbelievable if it weren't for the Clot's form in such areas. Probably go out in the group stages, as expected. Lancaster hopefully then forced to resign.

In this case, I'm really looking forward to the world cup in 2019, when we will hopefully have a decent coach and therefore better chances.

[Sajerj]

So much fuss about Burgess, who in reality is unlikely to start.

England's success or not in this tournament will succeed or fail on the pack getting back to doing what they do best. If they can do it, England will cause anybody trouble. If they don't then.....

[jgriffin]

So much fuss about Burgess, who in reality is unlikely to start.

England's success or not in this tournament will succeed or fail on the pack getting back to doing what they do best. If they can do it, England will cause anybody trouble. If they don't then.....

I'm not so sure you're right about Burgess, I can see him and Barritt sharing Fiji if Barritt plays against Ireland. If he doesn't.....
The back row is headless chicken time, as is lock unless Parling plays. And Goode?

[mol2]

Pleased for Slade which presumably was a factor in the non-selection of Cipriani.

Profoundly unhappy about the Burgess selection.
He may have been a huge League talent and he may have huge potential as a flanker, but a centre in Union he isn't.
Presume they want a big lump in the absence of Manu, especially if there are fitness concerns over Barritt and worries about Ford getting run over at fly half. If it's the latter then they shouldn't pick Ford. (I personally don't have concerns over Ford's tackling ability but his size may make him at risk of injury)

[jgriffin]

:censored: is this get behind the team lark? Is it another of those 'if you criticise a shylite selection you're not a fan' instance? I cannot believe that grown adults can't handle being an avid fan AND being critically perceptive as mutual cognitions. Most seem to have no trouble in supporting Tigers AND slagging off Cockers, Crane, Smurf etc etc.

[fleabane]

Morgan a big call, as is Burgess, but Slade good, can't help but think Cips was conned by SL when he had his offer from Toulon. What more could he have done. Better big game head than Ford, more creative than Fazlet. Can't help but think that if he played for a fashionable club he would be in. He needs managing, but that is what coaches are for.

[chipnchase]

Pretty decent squad given the circumstances and what he has to play with. I believe Joseph and Watson will become superstars at this world cup and Slade will be a great asset off the bench.

The question no one is asking is who has a better squad from 1-31? The French have an unpredictable side and a couple of injuries could cause mayhem. Wales & Ireland lack real strength in depth, Scotland........, New Zealand are nowhere near the team they were in 2011, Australia is anyone's guess, South Africa are down on their luck but you know they'll bring raw defensive aggression and route one rugby which has won them two world cup previously and Argentina, performed well in 2007 and lately have been exposed to more high pressure games and having England/Wales/Australia all in one group will do them a favour.

Can we all now just settle down for what promises to be the most open world cup in years!

I'll be happy if England make the semis, they're still a young side and 2019 was always the likely opportunity to go in as favorites. Lets not forget how bad things were in 2011, we've come along way and we've got some great talent coming through the system. The fact that we can analyse each player of the final 31 shows how far the side has come. The players that we have dropped, band or not included should also tell you how much belief the coaches have in the players they are handing the shirts to.