posted Feb 18, 2008

At last Pete Pet has seen the same light as I saw weeks ago. Lewsey is clearly the safest pair of hands in Britain yet Ashton continues to ignore him.

If he continues to pick on the basis of players who haven't told him a few home truths, we will soon be reduced to selecting from Orrell under 15's. He should be shown the door for not acting in the best interests of the team or country.

I gave him the benefit of the doubt after the World Cup. Now enough is enough.

Good bye you old duffer!!!

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posted Feb 18, 2008

Waldouck was outstanding in most of the things he did. Think he deserves to be in the national squad at least.

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posted Feb 18, 2008

Dadey01 - agree entirely. Ashton taught Balshaw as a schoolboy at Stonyhurst. Balsh was the son of another member of staff at the school.

Whilst England's problems don't necessarily relate to Fullback, he has to reinstate Lewsey who clearly has reinvigorated himself. He showed his class in the 2nd half against Bath. If not, give Cipriani experience at Fullback as Wasps did when he got into the 1st team. Seems a sound approach.

However, the problem is the backrow at the breakdown (including scrum half). We're too slow in recycling the ball. It doesn't matter whether you have super backs if you don't have quick ball. International defences are much improved and the game is won and lost at the breakdown. Haskell is the only player on merit - the others are fill ins. Is Worsley fit enough to come back and if so, where (7 or 8 - assuming Haskell stays at 6)? Is Easter dynamic enough to play at this level? Lipman - is he really international class........?
Ditto for Narraway.

Gommarsall looks tired and out of sorts - start with Wigglesworth please.

Lacking a gutsy hooker too - Ronnie's gone too far.
Lesley "Floella Benjamin" Vainikolo is an impact player - it's too early to throw him in for 80mins.

On reflection, was Andrew right to only award Ashton a one year deal? Looks shrewd - no significant pay off required. England haven't moved forward after the WC. We'll be 3rd in the 6N and not sure that is acceptable.

Next England Coach - Jake White (on a contract through to next WC)

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posted Feb 18, 2008

It would have been better to build after the world cup. Demote Brian to backs coach and bring in Jake White or Warren Gatland. He did say england were his favourite choice... With him comes Edwards. Man I hate ROB ANDREW!!!

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posted Feb 18, 2008

From the Premiership e-zine "London Wasps kept their title ambitions alive by ending Bath Rugby's unbeaten run at the Recreation Ground with a 34-42 win. Bath claimed a losing bonus point with four tries, but were outscored by the visitors whose scorers included England internationals Danny Cipriani, James Haskell and Josh Lewsey. Lewsey was at the centre of everything for Wasps, once again playing in his magic shirt which makes him invisible to members of the England coaching team."

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posted Feb 19, 2008

What is point Ian Balshaw?

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posted Feb 20, 2008

Brian Ashton's fixation with Iain 'I've not played well since the dark ages' Balshaw has gone too far...he is now parodying the Sven and Beckham love affair at the detriment to the English team.

I'm a huge admirer of the big fast juggernaut of a wing and think that Lesley Vainikolo deserves a chance, especially in the absence of Strettle. However surely with his defensive frailties it might be worth having a second person who could tackle in the back three. Lewsey must be re-instated, especially as he is on fire at the moment...and still has only ever had 1-2 bad games for England.

I also cannot see why Dan Hipkiss is not even in the training squad and why Joe Worsely wasn't ushered at least straigt back into the 22 after the Wasps v Bath game at the weekend when he showed the skills that flatten french full backs and break Aussie ribcages.

Dear Yoda,
Please remove the lightsabre that seems to be stuck somewhere painful and start using the force you are so allegedly supposed to have on the selection front, game plan front...and come to think of it any front.

Lol
Darth Lewsey

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posted Feb 20, 2008

ASHTON is an idiot. Can someone explain why Luke Narraway has been dropped from the squad when actually he has performed quite well in his two appearances to date? What is that going to do to the lad's confidence? The same thing happened with Anthony Allen. I can see an anti-Glaws bias shining through here (apart from Balshaw, who is a Barf mate anyway, as well as Stoneyhurst College). Oh by the way, Mr. Ashton, Andy Hazell is ten times the player Lipman is.

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posted Feb 21, 2008

Watched Bristol beat Glaws on Sunday, Narraway never got a look in against the Bristol back row, Buffoon Balshaw was terrible, Vainikolo's lack of union know how was exposed.

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posted Mar 8, 2008

Ashton has shown no intent of resolving all th every obvious problems, for a backs coach you would think that he would get all of the chuffing forwards out the way. i have never seen such lazy and blinkered running. the forwards might grind oyut the odd win but far from being englands stregth they are actually englands limit

next test

sheridan
mears
stevens
croft
borthwick
haskell
narroway
lipman
wigglesworth
hodgson
simpson daniel
flood
tait
sackey
cipriani

bench
wilkinson
allen
hodgson
vickery
dillon
brown
crane

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