England v Ireland - OTY on the bench

[BJ.]

15 Mike Brown
14 Jack Nowell
13 Luther Burrell
12 Billy Twelvetrees
11 Jonny May
10 Owen Farrell
9 Danny Care
1 Joe Marler
2 Dylan Hartley
3 David Wilson
4 Joe Launchbury
5 Courtney Lawes
6 Tom Wood
7 Chris Robshaw (capt)
8 Billy Vunipola

Replacements:
16 Tom Youngs
17 Mako Vunipola
18 Henry Thomas
19 Dave Attwood
20 Ben Morgan
21 Lee Dickson
22 George Ford
23 Alex Goode

Courtesy of the BBC

[baz1664]

The Irish will crush that front row, Wilson is run of the mill to say the least, will just show how important Cole is to a stable England front row. England will need to score trys as they wont dominate the set piece, our number 10 will have to show some dynamisim!! Irish to win by 7.

[Jay C]

Pleased for George Ford that he could make his senior debut this weekend.

Apart from Mako Vunipola & TY the bench looks very weak to me ....

Where is the english strength in depth ?

[JohnB]

I think that the possible effect of Cole's absence is being overstated. Cian Healy has been having problems with his ankles of late, both having been strapped in his first two 6N games. His sub, Jack McGrath, is a good young player but he has a long way to go before he's the finished article. I think this will be a very tight game.

[APM16]

15 Irish warriors - v toothless (no Tigers) England - I smell blood & an Irish triple crown

[Val T]

And the Irish Team

Rob Kearney
Andrew Trimble
Brian O'Driscoll
Gordon D'Arcy
Dave Kearney
Jonathan Sexton
Conor Murray
Cian Healy
Rory Best
Mike Ross
Devin Toner
Paul O'Connell
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Henry
Jamie Heaslip

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Isaac Boss, Paddy Jackson, Fergus McFadden

That is a strong team, I'm sorry but I dont fancy Englands chances against what is verging on a full Leinster squad - 14 out of the 23

[Brianf]

Given that Simon Zebo and Donnacha Ryan were available for selection as well, it seems that Ireland is, at last, starting to have some strength in depth.

[SuperEagle]

I wonder, when was the last time that England fielded a XV with no Tigers (not counting during Lions time)?

[mol2]

England's front row is suspect - neither Marler nor Hartley are renown scrummagers and it's a big ask for Wilson who is only half fit to return to international duty.

Wilson is a capable scrummager when fit although no Cole.

The bench - no issues with OTY but the bench props are inexperienced and Mako Vunipola isn't yet up to facing a top level front row, although he is a fine player in the loose.

For me it is the right call not to have Barritt on the bench - he can only play centre. The backs on the bench need to be a specialist fly half, scrum half and a utility back. Goode just about fulfils the latter. Who comes on if 36 or Burrell get injured isn't clear.

I'm afraid that in spite of his talent Ford will be exposed at international level and if England alter their defensive patterns to keep him out of harms way they may get caught out of position. As a fellow short-:censored: I fear he's just not big enough and will get munched. Whether England and the press will learn this lesson may have to wait until Manu is back and we play Bath!
I guess that may be a greater risk against Wales than Ireland.

[jgriffin]

George Ford would not get scragged if he was a great player, but he isn't. Simples. I think there is a 'missing England' team which would do better....
Corbiesero
OTY
Cole
Parling
Attwood
Croft
Armitage
Easter
Simpson
Burns
Yarde
Barritt
Manu
Wade
Pennell

[stonebob]

some serious players there..cannot understand why england don"t bring back a tighthead from france.

[tigergirl]

Come on guys. Most of the posts on this forum this week have been (rightly) highly critical of recent Tigers' performances - especially on Sunday - and yet here you are suggesting that England are doomed on Saturday because there are no Tigers in the team! Just take off the green, red and white glasses for a minute and try to get behind the team Lancaster has selected. It may not be a great team but the sum of the parts is definitely greater than any of the individuals and the good thing is that there is continuity. (something we have not been able to have this season)Give them a chance for goodness sake. IMHO players like Hartley, Care and Lawes- none of whom I like or even respect-have been playing out of their skins for England. Even Nowell, who I was doubtful about after his flaky debut, seems to be growing into his role and plays a much more subtle game than someone like Ashton or even Wade. Time for national pride to come before club loyalty.

[h's dad]

Come on guys. Most of the posts on this forum this week have been (rightly) highly critical of recent Tigers' performances - especially on Sunday - and yet here you are suggesting that England are doomed on Saturday because there are no Tigers in the team! Just take off the green, red and white glasses for a minute and try to get behind the team Lancaster has selected. It may not be a great team but the sum of the parts is definitely greater than any of the individuals and the good thing is that there is continuity. (something we have not been able to have this season)Give them a chance for goodness sake. IMHO players like Hartley, Care and Lawes- none of whom I like or even respect-have been playing out of their skins for England. Even Nowell, who I was doubtful about after his flaky debut, seems to be growing into his role and plays a much more subtle game than someone like Ashton or even Wade. Time for national pride to come before club loyalty.

Good post

[baz1664]

I don't think people are questioning loyalty, it's just that the Irish have a stronger team on paper, if England win then happy days, if we lose then I'm not surprised!!

[CitizenSmiff]

That team sheet isn't one to stir the heart with dreams of glory but to be fair the Slancaster I can't think who I'd swap in given the injury situation and the paucity of English players at 3 7 and 10 making strong cases for selection. Our lack of a real scavenging openside and a pair of newbies on the wing having to deal with Sexton's mighty tactical kicking will cost us this game by 7-10.