Wilkinson dropped from England start against France
Discussion
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Sorry about the Wail link, I think they just have the quickest typing pool.
Changes had to be made, but is this not the wrong change?
Sorry about the Wail link, I think they just have the quickest typing pool.
Changes had to be made, but is this not the wrong change?
Christ... We a doomed!!
Johnny should have stayed, the one country that fears him the most is France, because he has been destroying sides for fun playing for Toulon.
I agree with Foden coming in, but Tindale!! OMG! wind the clock back 7 years... The problem with England in the backs stems from Care, he doesnt get the ball away, he does that weird half step and the defence is up. Flutey hasnt done anything all season and faced with slow ball from the SH and no direction from inside centre what is any fly half meant to do? Either kick or take it on, which is what he has been doing. Flood will be no different and will be monstered by the French back row because he isnt in the same league in defence. Tait hasnt been able to show what he can do as he hasnt had any ball.
If he really wanted to make changes I would have shifted Johnny to inside centre and played Flood at fly half, keep tait at outside centre and then there may be a chance that the back 3 would see the ball.
Bet bloody, Borthwick keeps his place! France will be laughing now... 20 point margin easy.
Johnny should have stayed, the one country that fears him the most is France, because he has been destroying sides for fun playing for Toulon.
I agree with Foden coming in, but Tindale!! OMG! wind the clock back 7 years... The problem with England in the backs stems from Care, he doesnt get the ball away, he does that weird half step and the defence is up. Flutey hasnt done anything all season and faced with slow ball from the SH and no direction from inside centre what is any fly half meant to do? Either kick or take it on, which is what he has been doing. Flood will be no different and will be monstered by the French back row because he isnt in the same league in defence. Tait hasnt been able to show what he can do as he hasnt had any ball.
If he really wanted to make changes I would have shifted Johnny to inside centre and played Flood at fly half, keep tait at outside centre and then there may be a chance that the back 3 would see the ball.
Bet bloody, Borthwick keeps his place! France will be laughing now... 20 point margin easy.
The problem with the backs isn't just Care.....I don't think England have won quick ball in successive phases more than a few times in this six nations. And without quick ball with modern defensive systems the backs are going to really struggle. Yes Care's delivery isn't quick enough and Wilko has been sitting too deep, those combined with slow ball are a complete disaster. How many times have you seen an English forward really make some yards, get over the gain line and break tackles in this tournament? There is no dynamism.
Johnson and his coaching team need to take a long hard look at themselves, can they really say they couldn't have done a better job ? I honestly don't understand what is going on with Lawes...he was good enough to be on the bench last weekend and didn't do anything wrong in the few minutes he came on....yet now Palmer has been called up if Borthwick can't play. What is that all about ? You just have to watch Lawes running around the pitch and you can see he's got more athletic prowess than any England forward for a generation. He should be No 8 if Johnson doesn't think he is good enough in the lineout.
Havign said all that I just don't think the current crop of England players are that good....if you had to pick two XV's from the current six nations squads how many Englishman would make be among those 30 players? Regardless of playing for a bad team you would have thought one or two would make it.....
Then if you think about the England team since the 2003 RWC side retired. How many players have come in and really claimed the position as their own and gone on to win a decent amount of caps ? Sheridan, Easter and maybe Borthwick if you are a fan of his. I can't think of a back that has. That is obviously a result of the changes in coaching over that time but even so it's pretty shocking that over seven years hardly anyone has come in and claimed a place as their own.
Johnson and his coaching team need to take a long hard look at themselves, can they really say they couldn't have done a better job ? I honestly don't understand what is going on with Lawes...he was good enough to be on the bench last weekend and didn't do anything wrong in the few minutes he came on....yet now Palmer has been called up if Borthwick can't play. What is that all about ? You just have to watch Lawes running around the pitch and you can see he's got more athletic prowess than any England forward for a generation. He should be No 8 if Johnson doesn't think he is good enough in the lineout.
Havign said all that I just don't think the current crop of England players are that good....if you had to pick two XV's from the current six nations squads how many Englishman would make be among those 30 players? Regardless of playing for a bad team you would have thought one or two would make it.....
Then if you think about the England team since the 2003 RWC side retired. How many players have come in and really claimed the position as their own and gone on to win a decent amount of caps ? Sheridan, Easter and maybe Borthwick if you are a fan of his. I can't think of a back that has. That is obviously a result of the changes in coaching over that time but even so it's pretty shocking that over seven years hardly anyone has come in and claimed a place as their own.
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