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Bath RFC	InTheFastLane
Exeter Chiefs	Driver - RIP 606
Gloucester	Anonmattyt
Harlequins	Steven_Sharks
Leicester Tigers	LukeLovesLuka
London Irish	stnick88
London Wasps	Arry
Newcastle Falcons	Sgt_Pooly
Northampton Saints	Dammit_Chris
Sale Sharks	SirJohnnyEnglish
Saracens	LDCPete
Worcester Warriors	prop_lyd

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Waiting List
1. pullthestrings
2. Bathite

where did you win them pete?

What other 10 would you have then Mat? I wouldnt play Hodgson just have him in EPS for experience - you've got

Burns - not good enough yet
Ford - not experienced enough
Cipriani - not available
Lamb/Myler - not int class
Bowden - not English
Geraghty - either brilliant or crap

Can't think of anyone better and available? And Farrell isn't an out and out 10, he's played his whole life as a centre and then played emergency 10 for sarries last year.

Massively Disagree with Dickson being a club player.

I'd have him on the bench for England. he controls the tempo of a game better than any other english 9 for me. He isn't as exciting as Youngs, Care or Simpson but gives so much more control and have a better combined passing and kicking game than the aforementioned 3.

stnick88 wrote:where did you win them pete?

Twitter. The clubs #tickettuesday competition. Question was name the three players who started in the backrow against Chiefs at home last year. Didn't think I'd win it as first right answer wins and the tweet with the question was about 5 minutes old when I saw it.

Must admit I'm a Hosgson fan and would have him in ahead of Farrell who'd I'd play in the Saxons at 10.

Big fan of Dickson too lol...I'd have him instead of Simpson to give us something different.

Simpson/Farrell halfback combo would be interesting for Saxons

At a guess I'd say Stowers, Armitage, Hala'ufia?!

I'm going to the Chiefs game, first game in a while. Pretty confident of a win. Although the injuries and bans are mounting up.

I'd like to see a Farrell/Tuilagi midfield for England.
If not, maybe try Barritt.

Just hope he picks on form so players like Croft, Stevens arent starting and on form players like Robshaw, Robson, Garvey, Brown get recognition.

Croft was excellent against Clermont last week.

I don't think we need to drop the players who would be considered certs if they are playing well. It's good to reward good form but we shouldn't get into a habit of disgarding players who have a bad run.

He has good games and is obviously superb in the lineout, I just find him frustrating in that sometimes he seems to go missing in games and you need a blindside to do the hard dirty work

Gibson, Armitage, Stowers stnick. It's a massive game for us now, must win and get some momentum going in the AP.

I'd bring Hape in for Spratt and put Homer at 15, Delon on wing for Thompstone, Ojo back in.

Should have Corbs, Kennedy back.

Think Dickson gets a really easy ride with the Saints pack, which only knows how to go forward most games. I like him, and your right he does control tempo and has a good passing/kicking game, but dont think he's a bench player and wouldnt have him ahead of either Care or Youngs. I always put simpson up there as think he could become one of the best impact subs around with his pace.

You could say exactly the same about Youngs and Care playing behind good packs though.

Chris ten is a problem position. Why return to
Hodgson. You say lamb and myler are not up
To it but as a 3rd choice I would prefer either as none of them have failed repeatedly like
Hodgson has at international.

Personally i would have lamb as thrd choice on form but I do not think he will come through to be an international its just that he is preferable to tried and failed
Option.

I would have flood,Farrell and lamb which is a pretty weak collection of tens. Let's hope ford is as good as we hope

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7389161,00.html

Some very odd choices on this team of the year. Kaino behind SOB is ridicoulous.

Absolute nonsense In some departments they are usually quite good on front 5 and think they got it right for starting front row .

Would have Joc above Ashton for year and many other wings. It's like they blurred seasons

I agree Matt. It was 2010 when Ashton was really looking very good.

Wouldn't have JOC in the team myself. Ioane picks himself.

IRB World player of the year doesn't get in

It's like they've tried to please the NH with some of those selections, total tripe.

Ashton gets in for scoring 9 tries vs Italy, Romania and Georgia....

Clerc, JOC, North much better over the year, Jane much better in WC.

We keep saying that Hodgson has wasted his chances, but on the 2005 Lions tour his performances were exceptional and I'd have had him as the best 10 out there - only injury stopped him being the test no10 from books/reports I've read.

Myler wont ever be an international 10, neither will Lamb - I'd have him there purely to aide Farrells development, might sound a bit pointless but if it benefits Farrells England career then its better than attempting to try and turn Myler and Lamb into internationals, when I dont think either will achieve that.

Steven I do really like Dickson, think he's a good player but I just dont see him being better than either Care or Youngs, and I think if you put Simpson behind a dominant pack you suddenly have a very, very exciting attacking option that not many teams have - the thing with Simpson is that he makes opposition backrows stay off the opposition back lines that little bit more, because if you dont pay him special attention then he'll be under the posts. For England that would give Ashton, Foden, Tuilagi and Sharples that extra bit more time to attack - not saying Simpson is the best no9, but could be key from the bench in good running conditions.

Been meaning to ask a question about Sean O'Brien - I've watched him quite a few times now as he's a great player and one of the best at getting over the gainline, but he seems to make a lot of wrong decisions, misses overlaps and takes the ball into contact - is this a regular feature of his game?

Chris for me SOB is not a natural player. He butchers stuff and technically is poor.

Great ball carrier just needs to be played in a balanced team. He is very much like an impact player. Never rated him as a player but as an athlete and carrier yes. If I had mccaw and hari then Sob would be good in my team as he could just do what he is good at

Needs balance around him as he just seems to play with the blinkers on and charges through. But every team needs one of those players.

He's pretty good at what he does though, amazing carrier/tackler very handy on the floor.

I'd say he deserves his space in the team of the year, he was incredible in last years HC. He gives a team such go forward, I wish he was English.

Think he is poor on the deck and for me lacks rugby intelligence. Look at kaino hari mccaw burger ferris heaslip etc they all have that nack of being in the right place

I was struggling to see what he does at the breakdown - I think he's good at clearing people out of the way and is very good in defence but he reminds me of a better ball carrying/dynamic version of Haskell.

I'd certainly have him in my team, but when he blew the 5-1 overlap v Bath the week before last I just wondered how much he lacked in the intelligence department, as seen him do that before.

Where do the Irish get all these back rowers though!?!

Who are the best backrowers out there at the moment in the game that arent at one of our clubs?

Gets a bit of a bad rep for his ground work, think he's pretty strong there myself.

Steve....Huget news:

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1614065/French-rugby-winger-cops-extra-month

I can deal with that. Maybe gets a crack with France in 6N.

We all have them i have Guildford universally the best wing in the world on here and via coaches pre wc. None of us knew he was a drunk I am actUally excited if he was as good as that pised what can he do. Always said for me most talented player in world. Would have him
Above any of my back 3

I've got Hala'ufia and Armitage who between them spend a whole season banned!

Something we were discussing a while ago...

"Of the 32 EPS players, the RFU can make six changes, but on top of that Moody, Wilkinson and Thompson have retired and Sheridan and Wigglesworth are injured." said Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill.

"So there are up to 12 changes potentially that I can think of that England could make on Jan 11 so that gives Stuart Lancaster quite a bit of scope to remodel that squad."

"He can't name a completely new squad but they can name six plus whoever is injured or retired."

Bit of a pain in the arse for any potential new coach isn't it?

So any ideas when does the completly new EPS get named? I assume its the start of the season/summer time so wouldnt be too bad for a new coach coming in after 6 nations?

I have internet back

I'm not sure that Cockers has that one right on this occasion, I am sure I read on the RFU site somewhere that Lancaster has free reign to name a whole new EPS as there wasn't one named in the summer, only a World Cup squad.

I wont even bring up Tom Rees as part of this discussion with bans, injuries, drunkeness etc...

Luke, that's what I thought was the case, sure it was always 6 changes plus any injuries/retirements - as last few seasons they;ve only been able to make 6 changes each January (SJE - its either the 6th or 12th January squad is named).

So on that basis guess you have Thompson, Sheridan, Palmer, Moody, Shaw, Wilkinson, Tindall (as good as retired) - anyone else I've missed? Plus 6 changes - so potentially that is 13 new players?

Corbs, Cole, Marler, Stevens, PDJ
Hartley, Gray, Webber
Lawes, Attwood, Deacon, Parling
Wood, Easter, Robshaw, Croft, Dowson
Youngs, Care, Simpson
Flood, Farrell, Burns
Barritt, Tuilagi, Trinder, Twelvetrees
Sharples, Foden, Ashton, Brown, Banahan

13 out...

Wilson, Sheridan, Thompson, Mears. Shaw, Moody, Haskell, Wigglesworth, Wilkinson, Tindall, Hape, Armitage, Cueto

Isn't Parling injured again luke?

Not sold on Dowson, Burns or Banahan in that selection to be honest. Don't think Dowson has shown anything this season so far to suggest he should be in the international team, likewise Burns, and Banahan is just not an international player.

I'd swap those 3 out for Luke Wallace (want a genuine 7 in the squad and he is worth a look at), Jonny May (need to have a look at the kid in the squad as he could be special) and Ugo Monye (looked to be back to his 2009 form prior to injury, and is now back again for Quins).

Is he?

I had Monye in but put Banahan back in to make it 13 changes....

Wallace and May to the Saxons for me.

I think you are more likely to be right and Wallace and May will be in the Saxons luke, I'd just go for broke with it and take a few defeats for the long term gain.

I think Parling went off injured against Ulster in Heino R2 and hasn't featured for Tigers since.

Attwood and parling to Saxons robson
A cert for squad based on last 18 months.

Be a lot of quins there. Would not be surprised to see nick wood in the squad. He has been the best scrummaging loosehead in the country all season and given some proper tightheads uncomfortable times

May to Saxons for me he is still learning

The EPS is for the season so short term injuries arn't such a problem. Parling is out till next HC game apparently.

Toss up between Parling & Robson for me, I'd be happy with either although I wouldn't be convinced with Robson partnering Lawes. We need a big carrier in there like Garvey. Attwood has been playing pretty well in a poor Bath side so again I wouldn't mind seeing him in there.

I really like that squad though Luke, Dowson is a pretty good shout due to his versatility and has a bit of class about him.

I'd prefer Hodgson to Burns/Farrell though, I wouldn't like to throw either of those in against Ireland/France if Flood got injured. I'd also go Dickson over Simpson.

Love to see May involved, he's got something a bit special about him although a long way off the finished article.

Parling
Played about 7 games in 2 years and
Needs to play for a while before consideration

Robson carries well and lawes is getting better and better as a carrier so will be a 4.

Burns a million miles away currently and I don't think he will make it through.

Dowson has class????????????

For me Dowson is dross and if picked would be the worst ever player to be picked in an English back row. Can't emphasise enough how short of international quality i think Dowson is.

Poor pace mediocre character and a pretty poor
Defensively. Does read the game well though

Mediocre carrier not character damn iphone

Agree with pete that I would like to see Wallace in Saxons at least. Impresses every time

Locks I would go...
Lawes, Robson, Garvey, Attwood
If Parling was fit and had played more games would put him in.

Not sure about 12T or Trinder, prefer to see May involved.

I do like Trinder but him and Tuilagi would have no balance in the midfield

I know that Tigers have shunted Manu to 12 out of necessity at the moment, and he's not been brilliant there so far, but interesting to see if they stick with it and if he can develop there, as 12. Tuilagi 13. Trinder/Joseph/May has a great deal of potential to it and could go on to be in the mould of Nonu/Smith for the AB's.

Saxons for me could be:

1. Marler (Quins)
2. Grey (Quins)
3. Thomas (Sale)
4. Garvey (Irish)
5. Robson (Quins)
6. Launchbury (Wasps)
7. Wallace (Quins)
8. Gibson (Irish)
9. Spencer (Saracens)
10. Ford (Tigers)
11. Wade (Wasps)
12. Barritt (Saracens)
13. May (Gloucester)
14. Monye (Quins)
15. Morgan (Gloucester)