15.Byrne - Just ... but yesterday he did lack ideas and kicked poorly
14.Bowe - electric .. could be the big surprise of the tour
13.BOD - world class and needs to help POC with captaincy
12.Roberts - the boks will genuinely worry about him and they should..
11.Monye - 1/2penney still time to stake claim, but Shane is at best on bench
10. Jones - with Hook on bench (ROG defense issues)
9. Phillips - clear lead over Ellis
8. Ferris - could be a master stroke
7. Wallace - as Williams could get well overpowered by awesome boks backrow
6. Croft - how could he be left out ... boks (Spies etc) are fast as well as powerful.
5. Jones - chance that DOC could show but probably not.
4. POC - ... but you have to wonder if Hines / Jones combo would ultimately be better
3. ??? - Normal thinking says Murray, but Sheridan seems to have been scrummaging better and has been more active around the pitych than usual
2. Mears - unless Ford wakes up
1. Jenkins - he is strong and everywhere
This was simon P from Surreys Line up and I have to say I virtuallya gree with him in every are ... except ..
Sheridan cannot play Tighthead - there it has to be Murray - unfortunately that probably leaves Vickery on the bench as no one else plays both sides.
I would like to pick ford but his form from last year seems to have deserted him in an interantional shirt although I understand he plays very well for Edinburgh - I think he needs confidence because there is no doubt that he is a hell of a specimen.
I think it is a toss up between Wyn Jones and Hines - Hines hives more grunt and edge though.
Ferris probably at blind and Heaslip at 8 with crofty on the bench
and the only other left field one I would go for is Kearney on the wing instead of Monye - I think he is a real talent and I have seen him play on the left wing very successfully
Part of me thinks that Ellis may get the test start in at least the 1st test. Ellis was behind a pack struggling at the breakdown, but still managed to get the ball away.
Phillips is great behind a pack going forward, that is creating disarray around the breakdown, but when put onto the back foot, he struggles.
Also, Harry is 100% better defensively than Phillips, and that could make a huge difference.
If you're picking on form then POC is a problem. He's not played well in his games and looks slow. I would far rather have Wynn Jones/Hines combo but what would you do if you didn't pick the Captain???
My test starters would be
15 Byrne
14 Bowe
13 BOD
12 Jamie Roberts
11 Monye
10 Stephen Jones
9 Phillips ( pass is not the best but bigger than Ellis who I would have on the bench)
8 Heaslip
7 David Wallace
6 Croft
5 Wynn Jones
4 Hines
3 Vickery ( never thought I would say that!)
2 Mears
1 Jenkins
If you're picking on form then POC is a problem. He's not played well in his games and looks slow. I would far rather have Wynn Jones/Hines combo but what would you do if you didn't pick the Captain???
Interesting point. For me the key thing missing from the first game and the last one was Leadership. If POC isn't bringing that to the pitch, and he's not making a physical impact, what's he doing there?
With Ferris out it does increase the chances of Tom starting... also for me makes the Williams/Wallace pick closer (assuming Williams regains fitness) as I thought the idea of an all Ireland backrow would be attractive to pick as a ready made unit. With Ferris out it throws that out of the window and increaces Williams' chances, but then Croft is lighter than Ferris so Wallace could get the nod to keep the weight/power needed against the Bok backrow.
It's a head scratcher but at least the backrow is a case of picking from a few good options unlike 2, 9, 10, and 11 that are all weak spots in my opinion.
Hook has a good chance of a bench slot with his ability to cover 10, 12, 13 and 15 but I can't see him getting a sniff of a start, it's a straight shoot out between Jones and ROG with the loser coming in for the next test if an injury crops up with Hook staying on the bench. We've not really been picking a bench so far but I'd expect:
Vickery (can prop both sides and IM loves him)
Ford (assuming Mears starts)
Jones/DOC/Hines (lock is hard to pick at the moment)
Williams (comes on and Wallace shifts to 6 or 8)
?
Ellis
Hook
Be interesting to see whether IM goes for a 4/3 split or 5/2 on the subs bench so I've left one place clear.
Im quite keen on hook at 10 atm (really wanted flutey there) He is the only fly half that will match the physicallity that the boks will put down the 10 channel. My team would be
moza9 wrote:Im quite keen on hook at 10 atm (really wanted flutey there) He is the only fly half that will match the physicallity that the boks will put down the 10 channel. My team would be
I am sure that is VERY close to the test team but still think that Sheridan will get the nod over Jenkins, Monye will play at 11 and it is close between Wyn-Jones and Hindes at lock. I also would prefer Hook at 10 as ROG and S.Jones are just too similar and too conservative.
15 Byrne
14 Bowe
13 BO'D
12 Roberts
11 Kearney
10 Jones
9 Phillips
1 Jenkins (a banker for me, but I have a suspicion that Sheridan is still in the frame)
2 Mears
3 Murray
4 A-WJ (although I think they'll pick Hines)
5 PO'C (c) - by default, although I'm not sure that I'd pick him
6 Wallace
7 Williams
8 Heaslip
Bench
16 God knows
17 Vickery
18 Hines (or A-WJ)
19 Croft
20 Ellis by default; he was poor today
21 Hook
22 ?
Lots of conundrums; TH is still open, PO'C's auto-selection makes life difficult for A-WJ, its difficult to see Croft and Williams in the same back row, and 11 remains a headache. One possible positive is that the inclusion of Byrne, Bowe, Kearney and Hook in the 22 give us an awful lot of flexibility in the backs, potentially allowing for a 5/2 split on the bench. Its a gamble, but I wouldn't rule out the inclusion of either Sheridan or Powell from the replacements. Ellis' performance today almost brought into play the ultimate test gamble of having Ickle at 20.
Wallace over Croft is tough on Tom, but I remain convinced that we need both Martyn and Wallace on the paddock. The backrow is easily the hardest selection issue.
Sigh, how quickly this game can change. With Ferris out it seemed Croft was a banker for the first test, but after Williams' Stirling performance I agree with Waffle that we can't play both. Still, Wallace, Williams and Heaslip have showed excellent form so far this tour and they're are best chance of achieving parity at the breakdown.
I'm very interested to see if Kearney will get a spot on the wing. It seems to me like Barnes heard/noticed something behind the scenes that shows that McGeechan thinks it's a possibility.
With the possibility of Kearney and Wallace playing in slightly unfamiliar roles in many peoples test teams, would that not neccesitate a run out in a warm up game in that role? And if so, would that not mean the gamble of playing them on Tuesday AND Saturday?
John
---
He is able to lift up a heavy object when that heavy object says "lift me now".
but at least the backrow is a case of picking from a few good options unlike 2, 9, 10, and 11 that are all weak spots in my opinion.
