posted Jun 15, 2007

<<< Regan would get the nod at hooker after Chuters Heineken cup final. >>>

Yet when Chuter and Regan went head to head just a couple of weeks before then, Leicester had the edge in the scrum and lineout...

Ah, well... you're only as good as your last game...

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posted Jun 15, 2007

Dallaglio's in. Ashtons setting a dangerous precedent by picking a world cup squad that doesn't contain the best players available.

And don't move Matt Stevens to hooker! We may be short of people in the position but moving a guy would make him a half-arsed prop and a half-arsed hooker. He apparently had a spell at Bath (i.e a few training sessions) whereby he practised to be a hooker. apparently he wasn't great.

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posted Jun 15, 2007

personally i think it's a good move bringing dallaglio back in.i reckon he might inject some backbone into england's pack,which is one of the missing ingredients at the moment.he's an inspirational player and his experience alone is invaluable.his injury early on was one of the main reasons of the lions failed recent tour to new zealand.he might have slowed down a bit at 34 but he could still be used in some way at the world cup.put some steel back in the side. give him a go i say.

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posted Jun 15, 2007

<<< his injury early on was one of the main reasons of the lions failed recent tour to new zealand >>>


Hm.... bit of a big call to make, that. Especially considering that he was part of an England back row that had been ripped to pieces in NZ the year before.

He had a good 20 minutes against a very weak provincial side. That's it.

He would not have made a difference in the tests. Especially given that his replacement, Ryan Jones, was one of the few success on tour.

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posted Jun 15, 2007

Like that pack, awesome, although why not play a specialist instead of Corry in the second row. And its got to be Worsley instead of Moody for me.

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posted Jun 15, 2007

Guscott should stick to the modelling and coaching kids with brian moore. Dallaglio is long overdue a recall and should have been playing in the last six nations if it wasnt for political stubbornness by robinson. He commands respect from his teammates and that is something that is sorely needed

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posted Jun 19, 2007

Hartley is a better player now than Thompson was.

Strong in scrummage and loose plus very accurate in l-o.

I watched him against Wasps where he dominated the loose in April.

The French hooker who plays for Wasps must have been sick at the sight of him.

Great shame he is banned until October.

Had Dayglo been playing for Wasps that day, maybe Hartley would not have done the illegal bit....

Sherry is a must and in the training sessions I hope they try him at TH which I think is his natural position in the front row.

Talking about the ABs game, my thoughts are that if Dayglo had been playing, would England have been awarded that try that Noon scored but for some inescapable reason the officials really really messed up on?

Personality does permeate in games and does affect refereeing decisions.

My pack would be
Sherry
Regan
Vickery/Stevens
Shaw
Palmer
Ward-Smith
Rees.

The final position I am not so sure about - maybe a Proven Dayglo after extremely strenuous training and l-o work.

The key is to make Dayglo offer more of an all-round game if his speed is in question. The other selections offer a lot in the loose anyway.

Sherry could easily lift either Shaw and Dayglo to unparalleled heights, which England have never tried before in games owing to lack of game time, poor selection, and injuries.

I know it must irk but personality can be key to success.

The second game against the ABs in 2004 really really impressed me. Even though England had been soundly beaten in the first game, in the second they - led by Dayglo - really took the fight to the ABs and forced them into blocking quick ball at rucks very illegally and led to Shaw's knee job which very unfairly led to a sending off. Even after that England's attitude with Regan to the fore was spot on.

The ABs were mighty relieved to see Shaw being sent off!!!!!

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posted Jun 19, 2007

<<<< Dallaglio is long overdue a recall and should have been playing in the last six nations if it wasnt for political stubbornness by robinson. >>>


Except for 2 things - Robinson was not in charge of England for the last 6N, and Dallaglio's form was very mediocre. As it has been virtually since he bust his ankle in 2005.


There have been better performing English No8s this season.

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posted Jun 19, 2007

Clearly everyone agrees with my comments or they can't be bothered!

Bored by my persistence!

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