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England 6 Nations squad named; the nation cries salt tears of frustration
Given England's historical propensity towards selectorial cowardice, I'm not really sure why I'm so very disappointed in the wake Humungous Jonno's squad announcement. Perhaps it's because I actually like rugby as well as England.
The disgusting aberration that is Jamie Noon has been done around these parts many times before, so I will not labour it here, other than to make the point that, with the inclusion of Tindall, they cannot even use the experience excuse for his selection. Almost any selection at 13 would be better than Noon: Armitage, Jon Clarke, Tindall, my partially-sighted sister-in-law. Olly Morgan and Ben Foden are a nod towards form and verve, but Mathew Tait is playing pretty feebly - at least he is when I have seen him at Sale.
The forwards are the biggest disappointent, however. The management had a peep at some potentially exciting stuff before quickly pulling their heads back below the parapet that has "SAFE, BORING SHITE" sprayed across it. Despite bing the nearest thing England have to a modern-day breakaway, Steffon Armitage is excluded, while room can be found for the brainless Lewis Moody. Many bloggers are making the point that he doesn't give as many penalties away these days; this may be so, but he still overruns everything and offers very little other than wrong-headed enthusiasm.
The front-row that failed so miserably in the Autumn is retained, including the woefully out of his depth Tim Payne and chronically out of form Sheridan; while Nick Wood and young Corbisiero are ignored. Tom Palmer is included even though injured for the whole tournament, which disturbingly means he obviously has a future.
A definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This forwards selection has the same players and specialist coach that was so feeble just a few months ago, yet somehow the management expect it to perform much better this time. No, I don't get it either. And of the limited changes that could be made, not a single forward has been picked on form.
I hope we get our arses handed to us in the 6 Nations, maybe then they will wise up to the fac that a step change is needed in the squad. We've already wasted 12 months since the last World Cup going nowhere, it's time to get it sorted.
Revised England elite player squad (32):
Forwards: Tim Payne (Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale), Matt Stevens (Bath), Phil Vickery (Wasps), George Chuter (Leicester), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Lee Mears (Bath), Steve Borthwick (Saracens), Nick Kennedy (London Irish), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Simon Shaw (Wasps), Tom Croft (Leicester), James Haskell (Wasps), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Tom Rees (Wasps), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Luke Narraway (Gloucester).
Backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Olly Morgan (Gloucester), Mathew Tait (Sale), Mark Cueto (Sale), Paul Sackey (Wasps), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Mike Tindall (Gloucester), Riki Flutey (Wasps), Shane Geraghty (London Irish), Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Toby Flood (Leicester), Danny Care (Harlequins), Harry Ellis (Leicester), Ben Foden (Northampton).
Revised England Saxons squad (32):
Forwards: Matt Mullan (Worcester), Nick Wood (Gloucester), Julian White (Leicester), David Wilson (Newcastle), David Paice (London Irish), Joe Ward (Wasps), Rob Webber (Wasps), Richard Blaze (Leicester), Louis Deacon (Leicester), Ben Kay (Leicester), George Skivington (Wasps), Steffon Armitage (London Irish), Jordan Crane (Leicester), Tom Guest (Harlequins), Michael Lipman (Bath), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Joe Worsley (Wasps).
Backs: Nick Abendanon (Bath), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Matt Banahan (Bath), Topsy Ojo (London Irish), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), David Strettle (Harlequins), Olly Barkley (Gloucester), Dan Hipkiss (Leicester), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), Dominic Waldouck (Wasps), Ryan Lamb (Gloucester), Stephen Myler (Northampton), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Peter Richards (London Irish), Richard Wigglesworth (Sale).
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January 15, 2009 in England, Six Nations 2009 | Permalink|
Comments
I think you are being a bit harsh on tait. Yes he is not playing his best rugby but he is a huge talent that anybody but England (it seems) would love to have available to call on at 13 (not whatever position he is being trialled in this week).
He is fast, has great hands and runs a brilliant angle, I don;t know any other 13 in England who can challenge an opposition defence like he can.
Noon is a waste of space but Tindall is a decent call I think.
Interesting that Moody is the only fit 7 in the squad, Rees is out of the 6N. presumably they will be able to replaced the injured rees with steffan armitage come the 6N
Posted by: Rugby Nick | Jan 15, 2009 11:42:53 AM
I like Mathew Tait, but he ain't playing that well at the minute. I'm not advocating he should be dropped from the squad, more making the point that it is even more reason not to have the dead-weight of Noon in there as well.
They will swap Rees for Armitage, but what is telling is that the selection of Moody in this way tells us he is now first-choice seven. Which pisses me off.
I think a case could be made for Armitage at 13 and Morgan at 15 personally. But seeing as England can't even drop Jamie Noon, there is more chance of me stepping in rocking-horse shit than something that bold occuring
Posted by: Blood and Mud | Jan 15, 2009 12:10:17 PM
Fucken Moody. How can so many people get it so wrong for so long.
Tait is the best talent to be dicked around in your backline for a long time. I mean , he almost won you a world cup, why would you pick him?
Posted by: Gagger | Jan 23, 2009 8:12:44 AM
