England Head coach Stuart Lancaster has named an unchanged 23-man squad for Saturday's Six Nations match against France.
Lancaster has sent 12 players back their clubs this evening, including Gloucester number eight Ben Morgan, who has not yet recovered from the ankle injury sustained in the tournament opener against Scotland.
Lancaster said there were some tough selection calls, but the players who achieved a first competitive win in Ireland since 2003 deserved the chance to continue their unbeaten start to the tournament.
"We've had 30 plus guys pushing hard for selection this week, which is what we want," he said.
"We had to make some close calls but the team did very well in Ireland so we've gone with the same squad against France.
"We are looking forward to getting back to Twickenham against what I am sure will be a highly motivated French team."
England squad to face France:
Backs: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester), Alex Goode (Saracens), David Strettle (Saracens), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Ben Youngs (Leicester).
Forwards: Dan Cole (Leicester), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Geoff Parling (Leicester), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Billy Vunipola (Wasps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton), Tom Youngs (Leicester).
Comments
heart_of_oak says...
Lawynd - was I ranting ? I didn't mean it to come across that way. I just read your reply to my alternatives. Got to admit I haven't seen Crane for a while and many of my options are not people who specialise in the number 8 position.
When I think about it, we are really playing 2 people out of position because of Morgan's injury. One - Wood is moved to number 8. Two - Lawes has come in to play where Wood was. Wood is normally a 6 and Lawes normally plays in the 2nd row. For me, this means a double disruption to the scrum.
I kind of get your argument but imagine for a moment if Parling was injured. We'd play Lawes and Lunchbox together, wouldn't we ? We wouldn't for example, put Wood in the 2nd row and bring in someone else at number 6,
At least, I don't think we would.
Posted 11:02 22nd February 2013
lawynd says...
I'm interested that you rate Jordan Crane more highly, though. As a Leicester fan, I don't think he's been right since he had his serious injury a couple of seasons ago and is simply just a slow lump now - he makes Nick Easter look pacey!
As for Lancaster's thoughts, I suspect it's twofold - Waldrom is a stopgap for the next year or so until Vunipola and others get more experience, and he's also a good impact substitution; he's explosive over ten metres, has an intelligent draw and pass and is a very smart player. I've heard it mentioned several times that if he wasn't good enough for the All Blacks then he isn't good enough for us, but he was kept out of the setup by Kieran Read...KIERAN READ FOR CHRISSAKES! He's as unlucky as Nick Evans, IMO.
Posted 09:40 22nd February 2013
lawynd says...
@heart_of_oak - thank you, someone did it!
I don't think you're all necessarily wrong on Waldrom by the way, but do find it hard to take rants about him seriously when people won't posit a viable alternative under the circumstances. As it is, the alternatives on your list that are feasible are Jordan Crane and Will Fraser; the rest are either unfit, unavailable for selection (Easter is outside the EPS) or don't play in the position, and I remember what happened the last time we did that with Haskell and he kept giving the ball away at scrums.
Posted 09:40 22nd February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Tom Guest perhaps ?
Posted 20:46 21st February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
OK lawynd, here goes...
Backup number 8 to Morgan.
1. Billy V if fit.
2. Launchberry (aka Lunchbox) - has played alot of rugby there according to someone, forget who
3. Will Fraser - good to give encouragement to Saxons players
4. Tom Croft - someone else's idea but I could see it working
5. Jordan Crane
6. Lawes - I had suggested this but no-one liked it much. My thinking was, if Wood can play number 8, why not Lawes ?
7. Nick Easter - yes, I know he's unlikely to get picked ever again but even so, I'd rather see him than Waldrom.
And now I'd like you to answer a question of mine.
Why, when Morgan is injured, does Lancaster not play Waldrom but chooses instead to play another player out of position ?
Posted 20:42 21st February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Lawynd - trying to answer your question but keep getting 'Sorry - we are unable to process your comment at this time'.
I think it's my use of the word 'Waldrom' which is giving offence to the editor.
Will keep trying....
Posted 20:21 21st February 2013
lawynd says...
@heart_of_oak - I'll ask you the same question - ignoring your feelings on Waldrom's ability or lack thereof, who would you choose instead, bearing in mind the possible options?
Posted 09:32 21st February 2013
ramm83 says...
@expatrussy - The reason cut and paste should always be checked!! Ha!
Posted 09:20 21st February 2013
Headhunter99 says...
I tend to agree with everyone that its a good squad with the exceptions of Strettle, Waldron and Flood.
@melkdave & @APV1
I have the view that SL has a definite plan,I suspect Strettle, Waldron and Flood will not feature in his coming squad for the 2015 RWC but he is quite shrewd and after the fiascof the Jonno regime he will not just chop and change the squad till after this 6 nations when he has built a level of continuity.
Posted 09:02 21st February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Sorry Lawynd, but I have to agree with Pierredelot regarding Waldrom. Do you feel he has done enough to be the backup to Morgan ? Personally I don't. Waldrom rarely gets much time on the pitch for England and when Morgan is out, England prefer to use Wood who is not a specialist number 8. So why select Waldrom ?
I'm not anti Leicester. I've seen great Lecister games over the years. But I'm not a fan of Waldrom.
Posted 08:27 21st February 2013
DavidLowe46 says...
It would be a shame to change a winning team; I would keep Youngs as hooker and 12trees in the centre, with Tuilagi & Hartley coming off the bench to turn the tide in the second half. The weak link is Ashton, who is poor in defence and drops scoring passes!
Posted 06:20 21st February 2013
TVaddict says...
I've heard that the starting line-up is going to be:
1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Parling
6. Lawes
7. Robshaw
8. Wood
9. Youngs
10. Farrell
11. Brown
12. Barritt
13. Tuilagi
14. Ashton
15. Goode
As I've said before I'd of had Vunipola over Waldrom but alas injury has set back his exciting debut. Apparently Haskell had the flu and couldn't train properly so he might be dropped to the bench because of that.
As for the changes, although Hartley's lineout throwing is significantly better he's seeming to be a real liability in terms of discipline making Youngs preferable for me. As for centre I'd still prefer Twelvetrees and Barritt with Tuilagi on the bench for impact. I don't like changing winning teams unless someone off the bench really put their hand up, or someone in the start XV played really badly.
Posted 18:09 20th February 2013
expattrussy says...
Ramm83 - some very interesting changes if Cole's moved to loosehead and Vunipola plays tight! I too think it'll be Barritt and Tuilagi in the centres, but wouldn't be adverse to the same strategy as the Ireland game....
With regards to T.Youngs and the lineout in Ireland, I think we have to take that with a pinch of salt, being that it was raining all day. Hopefully if it's dry this weekend, the lineout will function 100% and Youngs can get around the field.
An improved French performance, but England by 8....
Posted 17:45 20th February 2013
lawynd says...
@pierredelot1 - your anti-Leicester rants continue to amuse and puzzle me in equal measure. Ignoring your personal feelings about Waldrom for a second, if you're capable of not frothing at the mouth for a second, who would you pick instead? Morgan and Vunipola are injured, Easter patently isn't going to be selected for England again...Dowson? The cupboard is relatively bare.
Also, you're wrong - Picamoles 'won' the back row battle in Toulouse and then he and his fellows got stuffed in return at Welford Road, even with Steve Mafi going off injured. It's ignorance like that which makes it hard to take you seriously.
Posted 17:37 20th February 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Gordon Bennet, old Tommy Waldrom turns up once again like a bad penny. I just can't fathom it, but Picamoles might be having a quiet grin, he made mincemeat out of the whole of the Leicester backrow in the HC and showed up Waldrom for what he is. A big physical lump but with no outstanding attributes like speed wit or skill. Twelvetrees please to start. No problem wit the rest, previous performances would indicate that, but I doubt Lancaster will change much to start, although I would like to see both Vinipolos get a longer run as well as Courtney Lawes, Wouldn't be suprised somehow to see Hartley start in front of Youngs whose throwing went amiss in the last one. Just depends who turns up on the French side. Asterix or Mickey Mouse.
Posted 15:48 20th February 2013
lawynd says...
@markpat - Goode isn't a flyhalf and never will be - he played there for nigh on a season with Saracens and couldn't cut the mustard.
Posted 14:06 20th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Was going to suggest Lawes at 6. Hope you are right Ram83. And Manu scored vs France last year and probably keeps them from putting Feaufana there which is good. Discipline has been key for England: this means keeping two of Haskell Hartley Lawes on the bench. Lawes is my choice. T Youngs needs a good game to keep his spot as his lineout was poor. Hope our set pieces improve from Ireland or we can not maintain our unbeaten run (of 3) for long.
Posted 13:03 20th February 2013
markpat says...
@APV1, I'd still rather see Goode (Alex, not Andy!) overing fly half, tha Flood.
Posted 12:54 20th February 2013
ramm83 says...
The supposed starting 15 I have heard on the grapevine is:
1. Cole
2. Youngs
3. Vunipola
4. Launchbury
5. Parling
6. Lawes
7. Robshaw
8. Wood
9. Youngs
10. Farrell
11. Brown
12. Barritt
13. Tuilagi
14. Ashton
15. Goode
Obviously the grapevine isn't always right but interesting changes if so!
Posted 12:31 20th February 2013
APV1 says...
@ jestnation & TVaddict - well spotted. I've just checked the RFU release and BV and DS are banished from the 23 (25).
Perhaps PR could check their facts (and their maths!) first too - some of us are too stupid to be able to count and too lazy to check their facts.
Posted 11:40 20th February 2013