World Cup Squad Announcements

[Scott1]

Admittedly the draw helps, but I will be very surprised if England don’t reach the semi.
There is enough quality and experience in that side combined with a decent game plan to do so.
The fact that they will avoid any of the Big 4, France, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa, if they beat Argentina is a big bonus

We still avoid any of them if we lose to Argentina. We will play Wales,Oz or Fiji in the QF regardless. We can't play one of the big 4 until the SF

[Baz]

Let's give the man a chance; we looked pretty hopeless two years ago!

[Scott1]

Let's give the man a chance; we looked pretty hopeless two years ago!

This 6N wasn't much better,worse in some aspects! But he does deserve time definitely

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Let's give the man a chance; we looked pretty hopeless two years ago!

This 6N wasn't much better,worse in some aspects! But he does deserve time definitely

But is he wasting his honeymoon period?
Picking Farrell as captain is just odd.

[Scott1]

Let's give the man a chance; we looked pretty hopeless two years ago!

This 6N wasn't much better,worse in some aspects! But he does deserve time definitely

But is he wasting his honeymoon period?
Picking Farrell as captain is just odd.

I'd say he is,there's a group of players we probably won't see again after this WC who are past their peak already imo. We can just hope that Borths can gets one more run out of them,somehow I'm not convinced.

[Rugbygramps]

Let's give the man a chance; we looked pretty hopeless two years ago!

This 6N wasn't much better,worse in some aspects! But he does deserve time definitely

But is he wasting his honeymoon period?
Picking Farrell as captain is just odd.

Why is picking Farrell as captain just odd. Captain of the premiership winners highly respected by his fellow professionals. Can play in a variety of styles, and along with Ford best suited at 10 to play Borthwicks game, and no I don’t think we’ll see him starting any games at 12.
The other question for all posters who else are you putting in that 41

[Scott1]

This 6N wasn't much better,worse in some aspects! But he does deserve time definitely

But is he wasting his honeymoon period?
Picking Farrell as captain is just odd.

Why is picking Farrell as captain just odd. Captain of the premiership winners highly respected by his fellow professionals. Can play in a variety of styles, and along with Ford best suited at 10 to play Borthwicks game, and no I don’t think we’ll see him starting any games at 12.
The other question for all posters who else are you putting in that 41

Its not so much the 41,although I definitely would have had Mercer and Kelly,it's the 33 that you can see coming from it.And then the tired old 23 that comes from that with a possible MF of Ford,Farrell and Manu and the usual 3 locks malarkey. See if it was me,and I've already said it,my BR would be Earl,Martin,Mercer something along those lines. Fresh,exciting,ticks all the boxes. But I expect Lawes,Curry,Billy V or something along those lines. Same old ,same old recycled garbage. I could do the same with other combinations too but what's the point?!

[westwinds31]

Not very exciting is it? Looks like it's gonna be a same old same old golden oldie squad by the looks of it. Shame really

Guess the coaching team must be more interested in winning than excitement...
But I am surprised that others are so surprised. Make a very late change to the complete coaching team relative to the World Cup, and people can't understand why Borthwick goes for experience and familiarity

And that’s what it’s about…..winning. Excitement is secondary. 2003 being a classic example. We nearly lost the quarter final, kicked the French to death in the semi and just got over the line in the final. Nobody cared.

[Scott1]

Just let me know when we start winning then please someone,and 2003 is a poor example. We were the best team in the world heading into that WC,now we are probably 6th or 7th

[markharbtiger]

Just let me know when we start winning then please someone,and 2003 is a poor example. We were the best team in the world heading into that WC,now we are probably 6th or 7th

Funny how people are quick to forget all the England games EJ won (59 according to Wikipedia...). You'd think they hadn't won a game in years!!

[Scott1]

Just let me know when we start winning then please someone,and 2003 is a poor example. We were the best team in the world heading into that WC,now we are probably 6th or 7th

Funny how people are quick to forget all the England games EJ won (59 according to Wikipedia...). You'd think they hadn't won a game in years!!

Yeah,always nice in recent times to beat the minnows I suppose

[markharbtiger]

Just let me know when we start winning then please someone,and 2003 is a poor example. We were the best team in the world heading into that WC,now we are probably 6th or 7th

Funny how people are quick to forget all the England games EJ won (59 according to Wikipedia...). You'd think they hadn't won a game in years!!

Yeah,always nice in recent times to beat the minnows I suppose

I hope you're not planning a trip to Wales anytime soon!

[Scott1]

Funny how people are quick to forget all the England games EJ won (59 according to Wikipedia...). You'd think they hadn't won a game in years!!

Yeah,always nice in recent times to beat the minnows I suppose

I hope you're not planning a trip to Wales anytime soon!

Haha

[mol2]

Funny how people are quick to forget all the England games EJ won (59 according to Wikipedia...). You'd think they hadn't won a game in years!!

I fear Eddie was good at putting the polish on a side that someone else had assembled but lost his way when it came to evolving and ultimately building his own side.

Yes there are other reasons that contributed to the rapid demise of the side. Borthwick has been left with an impossible situation. No time to build his own side and virtually no time to get the existing one playing in his way. Squad restricted by the limited changes permitted for the 6N and not got his full coaching structure in place for that 6N.
Realistically he won't get to build his own side until next season and that will be hampered by the demise of Wasps, Worcester and Irish forcing a number of players overseas as the salary cap prevented them from staying in England.

[jgriffin]

If the players get that Walters treatment, and Borthwick is his usual self, we could see an attritional style which would suit the competition with matches being decided in the last 15 mins. I expect England to get to the semis.