Is this really an England Team?

[G.K]

OK it's an unlikely starting 15 I know but if it happened then spot the odd two out:

1. Corbisiero
2. Hartley
3. Stevens
4. Shaw
5. Botha
6. Croft
7. Fourie
8. Waldrom
9. Simpson
10. Flood
11. Sharples
12. Hape
13. Tuilagi
14. Banahan
15. Armitage

Only two of them were born in England!

[Duncan B]

Corbisero, Hartley, Shaw, Croft, Simpson, Flood, Sharples, Banahan and Armitage without any question at all......

[Smurphswillgetya]

Only two of them were born in England!

This has been argued to death before. What does it matter where you are born. So if someone of Indian, African, Polish, etc origin is born in Leicester you would have no problem with them playing for England. Someone born in another country but whose parents/grandparents were born in England should not play for England.

[Goffer3404]

So G.K., if that team were to score a drop goal in the final seconds of the World Cup Final against the All Blacks you would put your pint down and say, "That's not England" and walk out the bar?
The rules are as they are, don't complain about the selection, work on the rules if appropriate.

[LeicScarlet]

Instead of "Swing -lo" insert:-

Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!
Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!
Tenei te tangata puhuru huru
Nana nei i tiki mai
Whakawhiti te ra
A upa ... ne! ka upa ... ne!
A upane kaupane whiti te ra!
Hi!

The English translation (for the "actual" couple of Englishmen):

I die! I die! I live! I live!
I die! I die! I live! I live!
This is the hairy man
Who fetched the Sun
And caused it to shine again
One upward step! Another upward step!
An upward step, another ... the Sun shines!!
Hi!

Love the name MANUSAMOA, makes you wonder why its always abreviated... only in England perhaps?

[Purebob]

I have no issue with folks born overseas representing different countries within the rules.

It DOES bother me what England's particular circumstances says about English rugby though.

Manu for example has been raised in England from a youngster. He almost certainly "feels" more English than Samoan owing to the amount of time and experiences he has had here.

The ones that bother me are the Bothas, Waldroms etc. The ones that couldn't make their birth nation's XV so play for ours. It is an admission that there is no English born talent to compete with international rejects from other nations. Thats a bit embarrassing IMO.

[Hot_Charlie]

Well, at least we don't routinely resort to paying Kiwi rugby league converts huge sums to come an play union with the sole purpose of them being fast tracked to the England side.

Can't say I have a problem with it. Manu is well documented, and has learnt almost all of his rugby here (so why anyone would want England to lose that is beyond me!), and players like Fourie and Botha have done the hard graft to convert from journeymen players below the top tier of English rugby to potentially play international rugby. Can't fault that.

[Norfolk & Goode]

Boring boring boring.

The rules are clear and they qualify so get over it.

[LeicScarlet]

I dont think anyone has said "Manu, go back to your own Country!"?

Its just been pointed out that he is Samoan, not British/English. Manu has every right to play in the AP with whatever team wants him (£££). The questionable aspect of his selection is that his brothers are Samoan International players and so should he be, being educated in England is irrelevant - feeling English is one thing, being English is another. TTTE = All Black (un-selected at senior) not British/English and so on (£££ = Patriotism = Mercenary).

I think someone has already said that it shows that England cant/wont field a proper domestic squad. I have exactly the same views about my own Country BTW, TobyF should be playing for Tonga.... not Wales..... it weakens Tonga not to have him. I would take pride in the fact that we produced a full Tongan International through the Welsh system..... and not nicked him at the end of it becuase of our own inadequecies!

[LeicScarlet]

Any minute now someone is going to make a stand about national purity.

The question is "Is this really an England Team?"

[Crumbie Deeks]

No the question is which two were born in England?
And I still don't know the answer!

[Bertos]

No the question is which two were born in England?
And I still don't know the answer!

Croft and Flood were the only two in that lineup that were born in England.