Who would you prefer on the plane to New Zealand?

Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)

Age: 25, Height: 6ft2, Weight: 17st4, Caps: 1, Born: Redhill, England.

Robshaw is the current Harlequins Captain, he led Quins to their Amlin Cup Triumph this season and won Guinness Premiership Player of the Season in 2008/2009. He started out as a blindside, however has flourished this season at openside. He has been compared to Richard Hill and is known for his high work-rate, ball carrying, tackling, link-man and dominance at the breakdown. Robshaw has been very unlucky not to win more England caps, however he grew up in a very talented back row age group consisting of James Haskell and Tom Croft.

Robshaw was left out of both world cup warms up games against Wales. However remains in the squad as he has impressed in training.


Hendre Fourie (Sale)

Age: 31, Height: 6ft, Weight: 17st2, Caps: 6, Born: Burgersdorp, South Africa.

Signed for Sale for the 2011/2012 season, Fourie was one of the few positives taken from a weak Leeds side which was relegated. Fourie moved to Rotherham from South Africa in 2005 and made his name at Leeds. An openside flanker, who has drawn praise from the likes of world cup winner Neil Back, he is a strong tackler and forager, who carries well in the tight.

Fourie has made two starts for England, with his most recent against Wales in the second warm up game. However Fourie along with the rest of the England team did not play very well.

Chris Robshaw is well over 14st7! In fact he's over 17st and probably heavier than Fourie!!

Robshaw was 112kg at his last measurement at Quins.

112kg = 17.6 stone. Sounds about right to me.

I like Robshaw and dislike Fourie so it was a no brainer for me.

Fourie will be in the 30 though.

It will be baffling if Robshaw goes to the World Cup. Johnson isn't in the habit of knee-jerk reactions, so I can't see Robshaw being named in the 30 having not had any game-time this summer. Fourie will most probably go, as I think we'll take an extra flanker due to Moody's injury worries.

i would like to see both of them on the plane to New Zealand especially if one of them takes Wayne Barnes' seat.

aucklandlaurie,
I will make a deal with you: I get someone to take Wayne Barnes seat (though I think he is OK) and you find someone to get your Aussie Steve to referee matches in the Sahara?

I would rather have Robshaw. The reasons for this are:

The speed around the field he shows and his proficiency at the breakdown is, in my opinion, equal if not superior to Fourie’s.

He is younger than Fourie which adds to the argument by thinking to the future and he has plenty of leadership experience to add.

He has been training well and has experience with the Saxons, whom he has captained.

I would not think it baffling if Robshaw goes as Moody is a doubt and I don’t think Fourie had a particularly strong game against Wales and was guilty for giving penalties away at the breakdown which could be a killer in the RWC as the referees are sure to be very strict on this area as the IRB will want the games to flow quickly, as they do in the S15. I think not having game time is not a sensible argument in this instance.

Dr Grey.
Steve walsh is the best referee in the World , After the last couple of weeks I daresay that some more people are starting to see this.....