posted May 1, 2007

Good squad. The best selections are JSD, Hazell & Roy Winters - looking forward to seeing them three hopefully. Titterell I've always rated too so include him in that.

Only bad inclusion is Jamie Noon - so lacking in any ball-handling skills it's staggering.

I'd have preferred any of Stuart Abbott, Ollie Smith or Erinle.

Richard Hill is the worst ommission - unless I've missed the reason, likewise Abbott, anyone suggest any reason why they are not there?

I only heard it said any player involved in the Heineken Cup won't be picked. The chances are Smith or Erinle won't get near the Leicester or Wasps 22 so I see nothing to stop them being added.

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posted May 1, 2007

Where is Stuart Abbott?????

World Cup winner, Hieniken Cup Winner, Premiership Winner......and he needs to get back into the England.

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posted May 2, 2007

I cannot for the life of me understand why the RFU is going ahead with this tour. Why take any squad at all out on a tough tour just months before the world cup and a matter of days after the Premiership has finished. How on earth is ANYBODY supposed to get a fully fit, well coached side together? It absolutely makes no sense whatsoever. Utter mismanagement. Lets just watch the injury list grow.

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posted May 2, 2007

Singingoverkill, normally I would agree, but after the debacle in Cardiff, we are in desperate need of a few forwards to make a claim for selection. 6 of the 8 places in the pack are (or at least should be) completely up for grabs, even Easter and Rees are not quite at the un-droppable stage just yet.

Hopefully a few of the forwards will grab their chance in SA.

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posted May 2, 2007

Unfortunately this is no more than an invitational side, and will get the same sort of hammering that the Lions got last in NZ. Especially at altitude - how can you think of going from sea level UK to mountains in a week? It's nuts - do the RFU make snickers!?

As for injuries, any of our first choice squad will be targeted by the S Africans to reduce any glimmer of hope we might have for the RWC. Let's be honest they aren't renowned as the cleanest side in world rugby!

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posted May 2, 2007

Spare a thought here for Ashton. He really has inherited the coprolitic end of the staff on this one, in every way.

It seems ironic in the cruellest way to me that a man who has never advocated the rugby factory we now all inhabit, has a track record of resting players, doesn't believe in smashing into your opposite number and recycling etc etc (the list could go on and on) is now faced with this selection nightmare; no disrespect to some solid ability in this squad.

The only plus side I can see is that God knows we need someone to give us something new in this world cup year; this many new faces must at least increase the chance of that!

And another plug for Ashton; this squad looks to me like he has at least borne in mind where we're touring...

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posted May 2, 2007

Where is Richard Hill? Saracen's revival is nicely timed around his return and yet he is totally absent. Of course, Sarries improvement has many factors but how can he not be in a squad so shy of international experience. And no media commentators in the press seem to have picked up on it. Wierd.

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posted May 2, 2007

Having just seen the Saxons squad it's a no brainer as where to turn focus on June 2nd!! Anyone else think the Saxons look a hell of a lot more exciting than the "senior" squad?!

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posted May 2, 2007

Hi to all.
Read the article (follow the link below).

http://www.keo.co.za/2007/04/30/bok-test-farce/

The (British) summer test series have long been a disgrace with Northern Hemisphere teams (especially England) picking there 3rd or 4th best sides to tour Oz, NZ and SA.

It's a joke.

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posted May 2, 2007

look guys we are going to get our bottoms handed to us on a plate and deep down everyone knows it so i think we should play two completly different team in SA to see who shud be in the WC squad then it will give everyboby a good idea of who shud be there and who shoudn't. where is richard hill? anyone know? he may be injuried because he pulled out of the sarries match on saturday so......... btw phoenixdoyley i do think the saxons squad looks better by quite a bit!!!!

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