The Telegraphs England and Wales combined XV

by maestegmafia Sun 25 Mar 2012, 3:38 am

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/sixnations/9100290/Six-Nations-2012-England-v-Wales-Combined-XV.html

by Shifty Sun 25 Mar 2012, 7:06 am

What an odd article to publish? Headscratch

Not to try and wum too much, but it almost seems like the person writing the article would rather a combined side so his team (England) would at least have a few decent players!

Looking at his team how the hell would Chris Robshaw get in ahead of Sam Warburton? While a fully fit Smiler would knock spots off Dylan Hartley every day of the week, and twice on Sunday!

What's even more odd is Priestland gets in ahead of Farrell! If were supposed to be picking on form then the fly half picks itself! Whistle

It could be quite fun though if we brought back those old games from the 50's, where England and Wales teamed up to play against Ireland and Scotland. Normally to open new stadium or a new stand.

by EngInAuck Sun 25 Mar 2012, 9:04 am

Preistland at 10?

Robshaw at 7?

Farrell Would beat Priest and to the spot in my team, Rhys had a bit of a cr** tournament in my view.

I would also have Manu outside of Roberts and Morgan in at 8.

by doctor_grey Sun 25 Mar 2012, 9:28 am

The article is only there to fire up the war across the Severn, and thereby to convince people to purchase more papers (or have more internet hits). And we felll for it.

Not a good time for an article like this at the moment. Though there was little between the teams when they played, this will quickly go down the rathole of my guys are better than your guys.

by Sgt_Pooly Sun 25 Mar 2012, 10:13 am

What a completely stupid & pointless article

by Manu's Boxing Coach Sun 25 Mar 2012, 10:36 am

The article was published before the England V Wales game hence Priestland at etc.

by maestegmafia Sun 25 Mar 2012, 11:53 am

15 Ben Foden (England)

14 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)

13 Jonathan Davies (Wales)

12 Jamie Roberts (Wales)

11 George North (Wales)

10 Rhys Priestland (Wales)

9 Mike Phillips (Wales)

1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales)

2 Dylan Hartley (England)

3 Adam Jones (Wales)

4 Mauritz Botha (England)

5 Ian Evans (Wales)

6 Dan Lydiate (Wales)

7 Chris Robshaw (England, captain)

8 Toby Faletau (Wales)

by wales606 Sun 25 Mar 2012, 12:44 pm

I disagree with all the English players selected

Robshaw over Warbs is ridiculous

Halfpenny is better than Foden at the moment - a pillar of consistent excellence

Hartley is awful, I'd prefer Rees, Owens or Bennett

Botha over Charteris? I don't think so - Evans is the enforcer

However, Farrell over Preistland based on the 6N
Morgan over Faletau perhaps (although Faletau does a lot of tackling)

by Sgt_Pooly Sun 25 Mar 2012, 2:23 pm

"Halfpenny is better than Foden at the moment"

No he isn't.

"Hartley is awful, I'd prefer Rees, Owens or Bennett "

Hartley is anything but awful, what a brainless comment.

It's a pretty stupid article bringing out pretty stupid comments....

by eirebilly Sun 25 Mar 2012, 2:50 pm

Articles like this really make me laugh to be honest, pointless and a waste of time

by **Biltong** Sun 25 Mar 2012, 3:01 pm

It is clear the original author of this list wanted to incite English vs Welsh debate.

Problem is he knew this list will be majority Welsh players, but why Not a Welsh and Irish Team, or an English and Irish team?

Anyway back onto the team.

Halfpenny has been better than Foden throughout the tournament.

Maurtiz Botha shouldn't even be able to make the England squad, never mind ths combined team.

I agree on Priestland, he didn't have his best form in the tournament.

by doctornickolas Sun 25 Mar 2012, 5:08 pm

Sgt_Pooly wrote:"Halfpenny is better than Foden at the moment"

No he isn't. Of course he is. Foden offers nothing at all that Halfpenny doesn't do better. Unless the main thing you are looking for is a defensively weak fullback

"Hartley is awful, I'd prefer Rees, Owens or Bennett "

Hartley is anything but awful, what a brainless comment. Again, no it isn't. Hartley is a poor scrummager and will not make the Lions tour. I know you will argue that he is a great scrummager but he isn't which is why he stands up as soon as any pressure comes on at all.

It's a pretty stupid article bringing out pretty stupid comments....

by doctor_grey Sun 25 Mar 2012, 5:15 pm

eirebilly wrote:Articles like this really make me laugh to be honest, pointless and a waste of time

doctor_grey wrote:The article is only there to fire up the war across the Severn...............this will quickly go down the rathole of my guys are better than your guys.

As predicted.
I can see now how joyous the selection process for the Lions will be. Shame.

by belovedfrosties Sun 25 Mar 2012, 6:25 pm

Dr Nick, Foden is anything but defensively weak. Probably one of the best defensive FB's about, I have only ever seen him get beat 1 on 1 once, and that was by Howlett in the munster game last year. I have seen him drive a charging Spies into touch and he pretty much never misses a tackle. Had it been Foden in Halfpennys place in the Wales game, Strettle would never have made over the line.

Having said all that Halfpenny is in better form at the moment and as someone said is a pillar of consistency I really like him as a player.

I'm not sure on Hartley, never been particularly convinced by him but his stats are always decent (he makes a lot of carries and tackles). ALso his lineout is pretty good regardless of what people say, I remember Gatland claiming this was a weak point before the Wales game last year. Hartley went on to hit every single jumper so hes obviously hardly bad at that. I feel the whole popping up at scrum time is a bandwagon that everyone jumps on. Yes he does do it occasionally but as has been pointed out by various pundits, if the oppo is driving up at you its pretty hard to stay down. Also when the saints do it, its after they start driving the opposition back and stand up to negate them driving back. He is a good scrummager and lineout operator.

by belovedfrosties Sun 25 Mar 2012, 6:26 pm

Forgot to add;

This article is ridiculously stupid

by offload Sun 25 Mar 2012, 6:36 pm

Yes the article is stupid, but it was also written a month ago !

by Sgt_Pooly Sun 25 Mar 2012, 6:38 pm

Foden defensivley weak & Hartley can't scrummage?

You're obviously a wum......

by ultra Sun 25 Mar 2012, 6:55 pm

biltongbek wrote:It is clear the original author of this list wanted to incite English vs Welsh debate.

Problem is he knew this list will be majority Welsh players, but why Not a Welsh and Irish Team, or an English and Irish team?

Anyway back onto the team.

Halfpenny has been better than Foden throughout the tournament.

Maurtiz Botha shouldn't even be able to make the England squad, never mind ths combined team.

I agree on Priestland, he didn't have his best form in the tournament.

#

See...there are times I think you know what you're talking about and then you spout some nonsense like this. If you have indeed ever laced up a pair of rugby boots then you've bee nowhere near the tight five. Ever. |Botha is a fantastic lock. Scrummages well, rucks, mauls, spits. No doubt Richie gray is a far better player. But NOT a better lock.....you wanna super tall center?

Phmmmph....I'd have thought you'd know better being a bok!

by **Biltong** Sun 25 Mar 2012, 7:19 pm

ultra wrote:
biltongbek wrote:It is clear the original author of this list wanted to incite English vs Welsh debate.

Problem is he knew this list will be majority Welsh players, but why Not a Welsh and Irish Team, or an English and Irish team?

Anyway back onto the team.

Halfpenny has been better than Foden throughout the tournament.

Maurtiz Botha shouldn't even be able to make the England squad, never mind ths combined team.

I agree on Priestland, he didn't have his best form in the tournament.
#

See...there are times I think you know what you're talking about and then you spout some nonsense like this. If you have indeed ever laced up a pair of rugby boots then you've bee nowhere near the tight five. Ever. |Botha is a fantastic lock. Scrummages well, rucks, mauls, spits. No doubt Richie gray is a far better player. But NOT a better lock.....you wanna super tall center?

Phmmmph....I'd have thought you'd know better being a bok!

Mate, I played tight five all of my club career.

Mauritz Botha hangs about a ruck, he doesn't clear it.

In his first 3 matches of the Six Nations he made but 11 tackles and missed one, his body position when running the ball is far too upright and hence he rarely gains any meters, in four matches he gained 40 meters in 17 runs, purely because he hasn't beaten one defender during the six nations.

Every time he gets the ball he goes to ground, I think he made something like one pass in the tournament, no offloads, no line breaks.

I have been watching him since the world cup warmups to see how good he is being a fellow South African and I have seen nothing that convinced me.

Compare him to Richie Gray and then tell me I don't know what I am talking about.

by ultra Sun 25 Mar 2012, 10:04 pm

biltongbek wrote:
ultra wrote:
biltongbek wrote:It is clear the original author of this list wanted to incite English vs Welsh debate.

Problem is he knew this list will be majority Welsh players, but why Not a Welsh and Irish Team, or an English and Irish team?

Anyway back onto the team.

Halfpenny has been better than Foden throughout the tournament.

Maurtiz Botha shouldn't even be able to make the England squad, never mind ths combined team.

I agree on Priestland, he didn't have his best form in the tournament.
#

See...there are times I think you know what you're talking about and then you spout some nonsense like this. If you have indeed ever laced up a pair of rugby boots then you've bee nowhere near the tight five. Ever. |Botha is a fantastic lock. Scrummages well, rucks, mauls, spits. No doubt Richie gray is a far better player. But NOT a better lock.....you wanna super tall center?

Phmmmph....I'd have thought you'd know better being a bok!

Mate, I played tight five all of my club career.

Mauritz Botha hangs about a ruck, he doesn't clear it.

In his first 3 matches of the Six Nations he made but 11 tackles and missed one, his body position when running the ball is far too upright and hence he rarely gains any meters, in four matches he gained 40 meters in 17 runs, purely because he hasn't beaten one defender during the six nations.

Every time he gets the ball he goes to ground, I think he made something like one pass in the tournament, no offloads, no line breaks.

I have been watching him since the world cup warmups to see how good he is being a fellow South African and I have seen nothing that convinced me.

Compare him to Richie Gray and then tell me I don't know what I am talking about.

Line breaks? Meters gained? Beaten defenders? - yup you're correct he aint no ritchie gray. He's a damn fine old fashioned, heard pushin', shoit shovelling second row tho'....but anyhow, we got him now, so there! Just as well you don't rate the fella

by **Biltong** Mon 26 Mar 2012, 6:49 am

I agree on that. thumbsup

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