An Alternative England World Cup 15 Staying at Home

With the England team announcement now in and the forums full of chat thought i'd make an England XV, of healthy lads who will be nursing their sorrows over a protein shake and watching the tournament from the sofa at home. Some got close, some didn't even get near the squad list.

1) Doran-Jones
2) Webber
3) Mullan
4) Attwood
5) Botha
6) Johnson (Tom)
7) Robshaw
8) Waldrom
9) Dickson
10) Cipriani
11) Sharples
12) Allen
13) Tait (just about fit again)
14) Simpson Daniel
15) Goode (Alex)

The forwards wouldn't do any better but the backline would cut anyone apart...although defense may be an issue ?

Forwards are pretty good, I'd have personally gone for Christian day ahead of Botha and Narraway ahead of Waldrom.

Actually it is a pretty good side.
But I wonder a bit about Lee Dickson. Every time he played for Northampton, at least before his injury, he was aggressive, creative and controlling. I wonder what the likes of Simpson and Wigglesworth offer that Dickson does not. he is a cheeky bu99er as well.

Just to say I will be moving this to the international section in a bit.


doc,

I agree with you about Dickson. With Simpson in the World Cup, he is that guy with the x-factor, but the orthodox scrum half role, they've plucked for Wigglesworth which I wouldn't agree with when you have Dickson available who has been one of the stand out English scrum halves in both the Prem and Europe for the past 2 seasons.

1) J.Golding
2) R.Webber
3) P.Doran-Jones
4) D.Attwood
5) N.Kennedy
6) P.Dowson
7) C.Robshaw (c)
8) L.Narraway

9) P.Hodgson
10) O.Farrell
11) C.Sharples
12) B.Barritt
13) D.Waldouck
14) U.Monye
15) M.Brown

16) N.Catt
17) J.Gray
18) C.Day
19) T.Johnson
20) L.Dickson
21) D.Cipriani
22) A.Allen

A few chancey selections:

Marler
Webber
Doran-Jones
Attwood
Day
Johnson
Robshaw
Waldrom

Dickson
Hodgson
Simpson-Daniel
Barritt
Allen
Sharples
Brown


Mullan
Gray
Kitchener
Narraway
Hodgson
Farrell/Twelvetrees
Abendanon/Goode

sirtidychris as far as I know Tait has been signed as a winger by Tigers. He certainly has started on the wing for both preseason games and has had no time at centre.

1.Golding
2.Webber
3.Doran-Jones
4.Attwood
5.Parling (best line out operator in the AP when fit)
6.Johnson
7.S Armitage
8.Crane
9.Hodgson
10.Burns
11.Sharples
12.Barritt/Allen (both are good)
13.Lowe
14.Short
15.Brown

Replacements; Brookes (covers both sides), Gray, Kitchener, Robshaw, Young, Twelvetrees, Tait.

No Trinder in there? I do like Dickson as scrum half, must admit.

1. Wood
2. Webber
3. Doran-Jones
4. Attwood
5. Kitchener
6. Dowson
7. Saull
8. Narraway
9. P Hodgson
10. C. Hodgson
11. Sharples
12. Allen
13. Trinder
14. JSD
15. Morgan

16. Paice
17. Brookes
18. Parling
19. T Johnson
20. M Young
21. 36
22. Abendanon

Heavy Gloucester flavour, but I think Morgan has to be one of the best full backs around, just unlucky with injury. A better bet than Brown I feel as Kitchener could outpace him!

1. Doran-Jones
2. Webber
3. Mullan
4. Attwood
5. Kitchener
6. Dowson
7. Robshaw
8. Narraway
9. Dickson
10. Burns
11. Sharples
12. Allen
13. Trinder
14. JSD
15. Monye

Might not win anything, but would be exciting to watch! Quick ball from Dickson to some devastating runners.

I'd have Joe Marler in any of those teams and also Alex Gray, both have been in and about the Eng sides up to the Saxons.

Mike Brown for me was the stand out FB of the whole season only just behind Foden.

yappysnap wrote:I'd have Joe Marler in any of those teams and also Alex Gray, both have been in and about the Eng sides up to the Saxons.

Alex Gray in the Saxons? Do you mean your hooker (Joe? Gray)?

I'd have Joe Marler in any of those teams

Not strong enough in the scrum and has too much of a temper for my liking. If he can calm down and improve his technique he could be a great loosehead sooner rather than later. Needs to sort that hair out though, he's far to easy to spot in the rucks and mauls.

I'd go with the following group personally:

1.Mullan 2.Paice 3.Doran-Jones 4.Attwood 5.Botha 6.Johnson 7.Robshaw 8.Waldrom 9.Hodgson 10.Farrell 11.Ojo 12.Barritt 13.Allen 14.Moyne 15.Goode

16.Marler 17.Webber 18.Parling 19.Fourie 20.Dickson 21.Twelvetrees 22.Brown

Here's the Scotland stay at home side to beat them.

1. Ryan Grant (Glasgow)
2. Fergus Thomson (Glasgow)
3. David Young (Leeds)
4. Steve Turnbull (Edinburgh)
5. Fraser MacKenzie (Sale)
6. Rob Harley (Glasgow)
7. Roddy Grant (Edinburgh)
8. Johnny Beattie (Glasgow)
9. Greg Laidlaw (Edinburgh)
10. Phil Godman (Edinburgh)
11. Lee Jones (Edinburgh)
12. James King (Edinburgh)
13. Ben Cairns (Edinburgh)
14. Nikki Walker (Ospreys)
15. Hugo Southwell (Wasps)

16. Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh)
17. Andrew Kelly (Edinburgh)
18. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh)
19. David Denton (Edinburgh)
20. Colin Gregor (Glasgow)
21. Alex Grove (Worcester)
22. Jim Thompson (Edinburgh)

Notable players not used: Scott MacLeod, Alan MacDonald, Ally Hogg, Simon Taylor, Duncan Weir, Rob Dewey and Simon Webster.