England v Ireland Team

[G.K]

The England team is up here.

http://www.englandrugby.com/news/barrit ... r-ireland/

Personally I'm struggling to see how England have moved forwards in the last 4 years.

Where are we if we lose on Saturday at 'fortress' Twickenham?

[Bill W (2)]

Still looks very "experimental" to me.

[BarmyBamford]

It may look experimental but it may well be the starting XV for the World Cup, who has stronger claims on a spot ?

[Bill W (2)]

It may look experimental but it may well be the starting XV for the World Cup, who has stronger claims on a spot ?

Fazlet for Ford and Burgess for Joseph might be Farrell (Snr)'s choice!!

[WhitecapTiger]

It may look experimental but it may well be the starting XV for the World Cup, who has stronger claims on a spot ?

But surely, whether players have a better claim or not, it shouldn't look experimental at this stage? Doesn't that give an aura of "we're not really sure what we're doing and who we intend to do it with"?

Unless of course it is all a cunning bluff......

[G.K]

I'm going with option 1.

[Spicer]

This team is probably the one SL thinks is his best 15.

[WhitecapTiger]

This team is probably the one SL thinks is his best 15.

Well, that's that then

[Bill W (2)]

This team is probably the one SL thinks is his best 15.

The whole problem is that SLancaster does not have any idea who is best 15 are. His whole process is about assembling reasons for his decisions (excuses for failure).

[RWA]

Has anyone got anything positive to say about the team or the coaching staff ? Someone has posted the link to the 23 vs Ireland and the rest have waded in with the usual twaddle about Lancaster (you have to say SLancaster though) and not forgetting of course, the standard poppycock about Andy Farrell and how he favours his son and loves Burgess !

I believe that this is pretty close to our strongest line-up and it will do well, in my opinion. It was pretty obvious from a long way back that Barritt was going to be the starting 12, nobody else has really staked a meaningful claim. Short memories clearly of how he helped take the All Blacks centres apart a couple of years ago. There's nothing experimental that I can see. Morgan comes in at 8 to get some more game time. You must have been taken in by Gatland's pathetic attempt at mind games ?

[Sajerj]

You have bitten RWA !!!!!

It is of course not remotely experimental. Come on England.

[RWA]

Who has bitten me ?

[Bill W (2)]

There's nothing experimental that I can see.

Two centres who have becer played together before. A Line Out squad that has never played together before.

To me that is experimental.

[RWA]

I'm pretty sure that Barritt has been introduced to Joseph in training, or perhaps Farrell (Snr) will only speak to Burgess. I'm intrigued by the "line out squad" though…what is this that you speak of ?

[The Boy Dave]

the standard poppycock about Andy Farrell and how he favours his son

It goes on everywhere though doesn't it, no-one is immune, just look at the names getting through and the level they plateau at and you know something better was overlooked in favour of the favourtes.
By the time the all knowing expert coaches have had their way it's a right mess!
Most of them are and never will be able to compete with the brutal All Black methods where only the strong survive, names mean nothing to them, only need to see their selections and who is left out for the world cup to know this, they are often the best because they select the best.
On topic an obvious lack of back three options in an emergency against an Irish side that likes to put the ball up high!