posted Sep 5, 2007

JBOB - but as we knew that LD, RH and NB were a great combo, perhaps Sanderson or Diprose, who were still playing well for their clubs, could have been given an opportunity to break up the triumvirate and make those three players improve their game to get back into the side.

This is the approach that GH has used with NZ, mixing and matching, but always aware of his best 15 or 22, for the real big games (Bledisloe Cup).

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

Indeed.

You may note, however, that instead of being Sanderson and Diprose who were back-up, occasional starters and eventual successors to The Triumvirate, it was Worsley and Moody. Neither of whom was on the tour.

You'd be hard pressed, 8 years ago, to have made a case for Moody and Worsley being better long-term optiond for England than Diprose and Sanderson.

At the time, Pat was lined up as a Future England Captain...

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

I can't really recall much about sanderson/moody as youngters
I know moody made a storming start to his england career (granted alongside better players than were on that tour)
I don't suppose playing at clubs like the tigers and wasps hurt moodey or worseleys international chances either.

Diprose was a v skillful player bt england had a load of top class back rowers in that period (corry was at his peak then as well)

just off the track for a minute can any one tell me if ben clarke was in the england team when he left to go and play for richmond?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

<<< I know moody made a storming start to his england career >>>

Not until 2002, though, when he was 24 and was in his 6th season at Tigers.

Four years after Sanderson - who is only a few months older - had already played in the Tour.


<<< I don't suppose playing at clubs like the tigers and wasps hurt moodey or worseleys international chances either. >>>

Probably helped - but Quins always used to be considered the easy path to international recognition, and that was where Sanderson and Diprose both played.

Also, being at Tigers may have set Moody back as he competed for a place in the back row along with the likes of Back, Kronfeld, Corry, Will Johnson, Gustard, Balding, etc.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

<<< just off the track for a minute can any one tell me if ben clarke was in the england team when he left to go and play for richmond? >>>


Yes, he was. though I don't think he was picked while they were in Div Two.

He went in '97 and played for England until '99.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

Back, Kronfeld, Corry, Will Johnson, Gustard, Balding, etc.

back and kronfield not a bad pair to call on

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

When Kronfeld was at the club, he was actually picked to start less often than Corry or Will Johnson.

In the end, he had to try and play blindside, because at no point was he in better form than Back.

It's possible that Kronfeld's arrival was why Back was still playing international rugby at 35 - he was so fit and committed because to play for his club he had to be better than one of the greats.

It's also the reason Moody moved to the blindside rather than the openside, which is where he started.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

don't leciester play left and right as opposed to open and blind ?

impressed with that young lad croft you have in your team he will be a big player in the future , he ran us ragged in the edf final

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

Croft will face an uphill task to get into the side as he's too light for lock and not as agressive a blindside as Moody.

Hope he gets a run during the WC, though. Sadly, I suspect we'll go for 'experience' and end up picking Owen Finegan or Marcos Wentzel instead...


Leicester usually play open and blind (Backy was, after all, an out-and-out 7) but like to switch flankers occasionally to give the opposition a bit of a headache. Skinner was considered surplus to requirements as, unlike the other guys who could cover 7 (Moody, Jennings and Abraham) he couldn't cover 6 as well.

The new guy, Herring, is another straight 7, though, so it'll be back to open and blind all the time again, I should think.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 5, 2007

sheadhead_smithy

If you think that Farrell won't start against the boks you are deluding yourself. Ashton has had Farrell in mind for the Boks game all along.

Like I said listen to the interview, it is quite clear this is the fourth 'warm up' game - Ashton is giving all the player comobo's two bites at the cherry each.

However if Catt has a stormer, of course he will start against the Boks. But like you say with Farrell, Catt is terribly over hyped (thanks to his mates like Guscott) so don't expect fireworks.

What Farrell has been hyped to do, he has done. He has offloaded, tackled and thrown some sweet passes, that is what he does. Anyone expecting him to run 100 when he joined union was seriously deluding themselves. The fact that he should be playing in the back row is a different story all together.

add comment | complain about this comment