RWC 2015

[irocfan]

unfortunately I've come to the end of my allowance for the Telegraph.... that being said they gave Burrell an 8/10 mark so it's not really a paper to be taken seriously!! lol

[Cheib]

Cips is reported to being out of the RWC squad. I guess that performance on Saturday came to late.

Interesting article in The Times today referring to a press conference with Rowntree....he said that if there's an injury to a hooker Hartley could get called up. He was asked about players like Croft who have been training with the squad....said that was the case because he hasn't played for England for a while whereas Hartley was very familiar with systems so there was no need.

[hornetrider]

irocfan said:

unfortunately I've come to the end of my allowance for the Telegraph.... that being said they gave Burrell an 8/10 mark so it's not really a paper to be taken seriously!! lol

Just clear your Telegraph/outbrain cookies or view incognito.

[basherX]

irocfan said:

unfortunately I've come to the end of my allowance for the Telegraph.... that being said they gave Burrell an 8/10 mark so it's not really a paper to be taken seriously!! lol

Steve James admitted in today's article that he'd over-estimated how good Burrell was based on a second viewing of the match.

[cough] You do realise that the way that 20 article limit works is enforced is by recording a cookie on your pc/laptop/whatever for each article you view....? [/cough]

[Vocal Minority]

irocfan - I think Burrell did a lot more good work than you realise. Maybe not 8/10 but did an awful lot of the hard yards up the middle when the forwards were finally securing ball.

[a311]

Burrell is firmly in the decent domestic player but not made the step up to international camp of me. His defense is pretty suspect and although JJ is a class act the players otherwise used have failed to win a 6N title so why should they be expected to win a WC? Maybe a bit unfair but you catch my drift.

[dom9]

a311 said:

...the players otherwise used have failed to win a 6N title so why should they be expected to win a WC? Maybe a bit unfair but you catch my drift.

Totally agree...

We can but hope though!

[irocfan]

basherX said:

irocfan said:

unfortunately I've come to the end of my allowance for the Telegraph.... that being said they gave Burrell an 8/10 mark so it's not really a paper to be taken seriously!! lol

Steve James admitted in today's article that he'd over-estimated how good Burrell was based on a second viewing of the match.

[cough] You do realise that the way that 20 article limit works is enforced is by recording a cookie on your pc/laptop/whatever for each article you view....? [/cough]

[buckline]

custardtart said:

Ok getting my predictions in early

QF1 - AUS v SA - SA win
QF2 - NZ v FR - FR win
QF3 - IRL v ARG - IRL win
QF4 - ENG v SAM - ENG win

SF1 - SA v FR - FR win
SF2 - ENG v IRL - IRL win

F - FR v IRL - IRL win

Got the money down

Ireland fan here so I like the cut of your jib and have tix for QF2 & QF3. Not sure I'd stick any more thank couple of quid on that, you have some big shock results in there.

[a311]

For anyone interested the squad is announced at 1345hrs today.

Word is Burgess is in for Burrell, Cips out and Kruis preferred over Attwood.

[Slaav]

a311 said:

For anyone interested the squad is announced at 1345hrs today.

Word is Burgess is in for Burrell, Cips out and Kruis preferred over Attwood.

Andy Farrell is the backs coach so Burgess is a shoe in! I feel for Cips who I fear may now be off to France .....

[a311]

Slaav said:

Andy Farrell is the backs coach so Burgess is a shoe in! I feel for Cips who I fear may now be off to France .....

Yep apparently Farrell had the final say.

Don’t think anyone would blame Cips for heading overseas if he does, he hasn’t helped himself throughout his career then seemed to have his head down at Sale then the DUI thing. Truth is Goode had to have a howler for Cips to have so much of a sniff. At no point was I expecting him to be in the squad so I’m not overly annoyed, what gets me is he should have had more game time I in the run up to the WC.

Funny how Ford was the second coming and now around the press some are questioning his selection and temperament some saying he should have been dropped! Fickle rugby fans are.

Imbalance in the back row is my main point of concern, the current lot need a rocket up their backsides. Lineout will hopefully get sorted and the packs pasting a one off and can mount a credible attempt on a home world cup.

[irocfan]

an hour to see if we are right

I'd be thinking we'll loose

slade
cips
easter
corbs
36
clark
kruis/attwood

[a311]

irocfan said:

an hour to see if we are right

I'd be thinking we'll loose

slade
cips
easter
corbs
36
clark
kruis/attwood

I reckon Slades in at the expense of 36, otherwise agree. I'd drop Parling as I think Kruis is going to get the nod over Attwood which leaves us short of ballast.

[Greenie]

I'm going

Luther
cips
easter
corbs
36
clark
kruis

[London424]

It's amazing how good some players get talked up having done nothing of note for a long time at the highest levels of the game...and unlikely to be anything more than a sub anyway.

[spikeyhead]

The speculation is over

Props:
Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints, 10 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 51 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 32 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 22 caps)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 43 caps)
Hookers:
Jamie George (Saracens, 1 cap)
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 13 caps)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
Second rows:
George Kruis (Saracens, 8 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 23 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 39 caps)
Geoff Parling (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)
Back rows:
James Haskell (Wasps, 60 caps)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 28 caps)
Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 38 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 18 caps)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 37 caps)
Scrum halves:
Danny Care (Harlequins, 52 caps)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 22 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 48 caps)
Fly halves:
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 30 caps)
George Ford (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)
Centres:
Brad Barritt (Saracens, 22 caps)
Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby, 1 cap)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)
Back three:
Mike Brown (Harlequins, 38 caps)
Alex Goode (Saracens, 18 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 15 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)

[prand]

London424 said:

It's amazing how good some players get talked up having done nothing of note for a long time at the highest levels of the game...and unlikely to be anything more than a sub anyway.

Like Brad Barritt? Announcement due now at 1.45, so we'll soon know.

[0000]

fk's sake.

[a311]

Rumors proven true.