Tom Wood ruled out of Summer Tour

He apparently needs surgery on his foot.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/316072

With Steffon Armitage likely to be unavailable as Toulon seek to win the T14 play-offs it will make the back row selections interesting.

It is a real shame that the Churchill Cup is no more - in various articles I have seen a number of players getting mentions for this 40 man tour party, when you feel they would have been better served playing for the Saxons in a summer tournament.

Have there really been no plans to replace the Churchill Cup? Surely all the Six Nations teams with second sides could arrange some kind of round robin. Makes the whole Saxons, Wolfhounds etc concept a bit redundant if they only play two games a year.

churchill cup seemed so sensible for so many reasons

Real shame for Wood, would have loved to see him tour this summer. He's looked pretty decent in the games he played in since returning. I guess if this second surgery helps him in the long run then it's worth doing now.

real shame for wood and england. especially if croft cant make it after coming off in the quins game.

i would have advocated wood starting and giving croft a rest for at least 1 game.

wonder what the backrow will be with haskell, wood, croft, armitage unavailable. suddenly it goes from having huge strength in depth to a bit of problem area especially in the lineout.

for the test matches i would play
6. fearns
7. robshaw
8. morgan

for the midweek games i would play
6. launchbury?
7. Kvesic
8. Vunipola?

need suggestions for 6 and 8, especially 6. Launchbury is a second row really and a young one at that so i was scraping the barrell
while clarke is still banned. Vunipola im less worries about physically as his england profile says he 19st 12. hes played a bit for wasps recently anyone got any idea of how hes getting on?

Vunipola is massively out of shape at the moment. He's come back from injury and it looks like his rehab diet was all poptarts or something. He couldn't last a full international, no way.

I'd be looking at Gibson (London Irish 7/8), Kvesic, Wallace, and Fearns, as well as the usual Robshaw, Morgan, Croft (though I think he could do with a break). I think Wood's injury could now cement Dowson's spot on the tour, just for added experience (even though I don't think he should be anywhere near the squad).

It's a shame because I really rate Tom Wood but he doesn't want to mess around with a foot injury, this is what happened to poor old Richard Blaze. Best just to rest it for as long as needed and come back refreshed.

I'd expect that the main team to be unchanged though with Croft, Robshaw and Morgan lining up together.

I think Kvesic will be with the U20's this summer, which isn't such a bad thing. There is no need to rush the lad.

Think Kvesic has just turned 20 though hasn't he Cumbrian? Surely he's not eligible for U20s anymore?

I could be wrong, but I think he is still eligible because there is a cut off point in the year. If not we are in trouble because a good portion of the squad are already 20 including the captain.

bluestonevedder wrote:Vunipola is massively out of shape at the moment. He's come back from injury and it looks like his rehab diet was all poptarts or something. He couldn't last a full international, no way.

ah well then it appears he needs to really up his conditioning before he gets a call-up to somewhere. hes only 19 or something though so im sure in a season or threes time he will be on the radar in a serious way.

you guys have mentioned croft a couple of times is he going to be available? i just assumed from the manner in which he was taken off he probably wouldnt be. any news on him?

if he is available then for me its
6. croft
7. robshaw
8. morgan
for the test matches

and
6. dowson
7. kvesic
8. fearns

for the widweek. i really want to give fearns time at 8 and i hope hes plays there game in game out next year for bath. dowson is there for experience really.

on kvesic he has played u20s for the last 2 seasons i think so its probably time for him to move on. also he is my age (i used to play against him at school) and i am 20 so he might be ineligable? i dunno exactly how that works though

mattraven wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Vunipola is massively out of shape at the moment. He's come back from injury and it looks like his rehab diet was all poptarts or something. He couldn't last a full international, no way.

ah well then it appears he needs to really up his conditioning before he gets a call-up to somewhere. hes only 19 or something though so im sure in a season or threes time he will be on the radar in a serious way.

you guys have mentioned croft a couple of times is he going to be available? i just assumed from the manner in which he was taken off he probably wouldnt be. any news on him?

if he is available then for me its
6. croft
7. robshaw
8. morgan
for the test matches

and
6. dowson
7. kvesic
8. fearns

for the widweek. i really want to give fearns time at 8 and i hope hes plays there game in game out next year for bath. dowson is there for experience really.

on kvesic he has played u20s for the last 2 seasons i think so its probably time for him to move on. also he is my age (i used to play against him at school) and i am 20 so he might be ineligable? i dunno exactly how that works though

It as just precautionary, he picked up a stinger to his shoulder. I think his pride was hurt more than anything else.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gIRtOJWlq6-k8x8QqA8QviMtrqsA?docId=N0456081335030708928A

I don't get the U20s rules to be honest! I wouldn't be surprised if he were still eligible despite being 20.

The RFU and their crazy, crazy rules...

I think if the players turn 20 this year (as opposed to last) they are still eligible to play for the U20's. I'm happy to be corrected though. Mako Vunipola played last year and he turned 20 in the January 2011.

oh right thats good to hear. was worried he has dislocated or broken something. still undecided on whether to play him in all the games though, he makes my first choice combination fairly easily with wood out but i also think he needs a rest.

i feel fearns is already an international standard player but he is more similar to robshaw in style so putting him in for croft might upset the balance, and the lineout. other than fearns and with the unavailable/injured players i cant see another international option. maybe dowson but i dint rate him internationally and he would be a stopgap

decisions, decisions! glad im not in charge of the team!

The way Waldrom and Easter are playing at the moment I wouldnt be too surprised to see one of them in the squad that tours.

If Croft and Wood were not to go...then Robshaw MUST start at 6 for me.

But i suspect Croft will be fit...and the 6n back row will remain...which was useful.

Cumbrian wrote:I think if the players turn 20 this year (as opposed to last) they are still eligible to play for the U20's. I'm happy to be corrected though. Mako Vunipola played last year and he turned 20 in the January 2011.

Apparently all racehorses have their birthdays on Jan 1st. I don't know how that affects foals born on Dec 31st. Strange.

I think worries about Vunipolas fitness should not be a major one. He will get fitter...and should he make the EPS ever or in a few years..then as Morgan has...he will improve his fitness rapidly....

The IRB stipulate it is the age you were at midnight 31st August of the year preceeding the JWC, so Kvesic is still eligible. He played in this year's U20 6N when Worcester didn't need him.

With the news that Wood's out, I'd be looking for Croft, Robshaw and Morgan to start with Dowson continuing on the bench (for now).

Looking for the midweek team, Fearns, Gaskell, Johnson and Waldrom from the February Saxons squad look like they could be the ones that make it, and all of a sudden we seem to be a little thin on the ground in this area again. Still, it will be interesting to see how those 4 uncapped players go in the midweek games, and it will be interesting to see if any of them can play their way into the test squad. With Wood likely to be named in the EPS with the 4 mentioned in the first paragraph, you've got to believe there is only 1 spare spot in the EPS for whomever impresses.

Im not a fan of Gaskell Robbo...what do you like in his game that would make you take him?

Would gaskell or fearns be at 6?

Quins could offer a number of contenders beyond Robshaw. Easter's experience could be handy, though he may be too much of an old school type for Lancaster. Guest, back from two long injury layoffs, is finding some form and offers a lot of what Croft does while being better at the basics - and can play 8 as well. Wallace could well go for the experience.

I'd also be interested to see if a Robshaw - Haskell - Morgan combination could work. Haskell, to my surprise, played pretty well at 7 in the 2011 6N, and that combination might have the physicality to front up to the Boks.

If we could get Haskell then i'd play him at 6 just because he's seemed a little off the pace at 7 in the Superrugby but plays exceptionaly as a 6 still. Keep Robshaw at 7 and let them share the duties much like SA do with their flankers, and have Morgan at 8.

6. Haskall
7. Robshaw
8. Morgan

If Morgan couldn't do the full 80 i'd switch Haskall to 8 and bring Lawes on at 6, he has experience, is a physical presence and we wont lose anything in the loose (except maybe the ball )

I think a backrow of:

6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Morgan

could be really good, and is well-balanced. However, Haskell definitely won't be touring this summer, and will then face stiff competition when he returns next season. He'll really have to prove that he's learned from his Japanese and Super15 experience. Saying that, the backrow combo would be devastating with ball in hand I reckon!

I also would keep the same backrow as performed well in the 6N although I would look to maybe bring Ferns on to the bench for Dowson as I don't feel Dowson is an impact player. I would still take Dowson on tour as he would make a decent midweek captain and is a player you can call into the test team and know he will do a job (dependable without being spectacular).

Test Team
6 - Croft, 7 - Robshaw, 8 - Morgan, 19 - Ferns

Midweek Team
6 - Dowson, 7 - Wallace / Kvesic, 8 - Guest, 19 - Wallace / Kvesic

Haskell must be given a rest (and have to work for his place back in the squad when he returns next season) and I just can't being myself to select Waldrum (hence why I went for Guest).

I actually think that Wood's injury has been poorly managed. The player wanted to play on (which was wrong but you can understand his reasoning seeing as he was in line for the England captaincy), then they tried resting it but said it would need an op eventually anyway. He then lasted 1.5 games into his return and now needs the op anyway. Can't help thinking that they should have just done the op in Feb, hopefully cleared the issue once and for all and given the player the whole pre-season to regain fitness ready for next season.