England vs Barbarians

[mohamed_ali12]

Lee Mears, David Wilson and David Flatman brutally ignored in favour of Steve Thompson, Paul Doran-Jones and Tim Payne. Tut tut tut. Considering Wilson can play loosehead and tighthead i don't quite know why Payne gets the bench spot over him.

Courtney Lawes should be playing, too. Would have like Barkley to start but i know he hasn't trained this week, Ashton over Cueto would've been nice too. Worsley shouldnt be anywhere near the England team.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I really don't understand how Payne keeps getting selected.
With some dodgy decisions you can sort of see where they're coming from, like with Borthwick, he's good in the lineouts, if nothing else.
I've never seen one good word said about Payne in any newspaper or rugby blog ever, he's poor in the GP and worse than that at international. What the hell does Johnson see in him?

 

[Teh Mite]

Lee Mears... The Hooker that every Bath fan thinks can play like Shalk Brits. Okay, his hooking and lineouts may be on par (i.e. Shite), but he doesn't make up for it with the awesome loose play. He's never been at test standard (anyone who thinks he was on the Lions Tour is a communist) and consistantly gets shown up in an England shirt (let's not forget he was never better then 2nd best during Englands worst ever era). Thompson (who's playing his best rugby for about 5-6 years) is the best choice for the time being, regardless of Hartley being injured or not. It's a straight fight between Wally and Hartley for the World cup shirt from here on in.

So long as this is the only match Hape will EVER play for England... Well I guess he should be allowed this chance to make his **** up before getting kicked out. I'll bet Brian Smith has earmarked Barkley as a replacement 10; You know, the same way he thought Geraghty was a 12?

 

[Teh Mite]

BaaBaas team;

15 Paul Warwick (Munster)
14 Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
13 Casey Laulala (Cardiff Blues)
12 Florian Fritz (Toulouse)
11 Cedric Heymans (Toulouse)
10 Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde (Toulouse)
9 Byron Kelleher (Toulouse)
1 Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais)
2 Benoit August (Biarritz)
Julian White (Leicester)
4 Ross Skeate (Toulon)
5 Ben Kay (Leicester)
6 Rodney So'oialo (Hurricanes)
7 Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues)
8 Xavier Rush (Cardiff Blues), captain

Replacements
16 Ken Owens (Scarlets)
17 Census Johnston (Toulouse)
18 Jerome Thion (Biarritz)
19 George Smith (Brumbies)
20 Pierre Mignoni (Toulon)
21 Fabrice Estebanez (Brive)
22 David Smith (Hurricanes)

Bit naff really, hardly the team which beat the All Blacks.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Didn't realise it was the current and previous Sale coaches that are in charge of the Baabaas this time round (Kingsley Jones and PSA respectively)

 

[MunsterMan]

Underwhelming for sure, but still capable of winning. Selection a bit bemusing too, Why no Smith, Thion and Johnstone? Is Frtiz not in the French squad (called up today as an injury replacement) and White for Leicester?

Warwick to tear it up 8)

 

[Duckdee]

Cole and Castro are ahead of White at Leicester, Kay is in a similar position.

 

[Conal]

is it on bbc???
ahh england could well lose this again wonder if sackey will do well

 

[Teh Mite]

Sky own everything at Twickenham except the Six Nations.

 

[MunsterMan]

Cole and Castro are ahead of White at Leicester, Kay is in a similar position.

Yeah, but there are 4 props and 3 locks in a matchday squad

 

[Duckdee]

Yeah, but there are 4 props and 3 locks in a matchday squad

And none of them will be White or Kay.

 

[Teh Mite]

England debut excites Bath's Shontayne Hape

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/bath/8708011.stm

Bath centre Shontayne Hape says he is looking forward to making his England debut against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday.

Hape, 29, was part of England's Six Nations squad but did not make it onto the pitch.

"It's about testing myself up against the best players in the world and playing with some of the best in England," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Whoever the Barbarians choose will be world class players."

Hape was born in New Zealand and played international rugby league for the Kiwis before joining Bath in 2008.

He qualifies to play union for England on residency grounds, having played league for Super League side Bradford Bulls until switching codes.

"It's an exciting time for me and, as long as we're ready to play the best, then we can't go wrong," he added.

"As long as we focus on what we need to achieve out of the game, then everything should be fine."

Hape will partner former Bath man Mike Tindall in the centre for the non-cap match.



---------------------------


Can't say the feeling is mutual I'm afraid, Shontayne...

 

[Duckdee]

I don't like this residency thing. I think it works ok for younger players who haven't fully established themselves in their home country, (ie Manu Tuilagi) but not when you've already played at the top level.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Agreed,
I said, when he was named at 6N (or AIs? whichever he was named for first) that if you've played for another country that's it, no matter what the sport, you're locked to that country.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Glad to see Ken Owens (Or, as he will be within five months no doubt, simply Ken.) in the side. I'm not alone in the fact that I've been saying he'll be a Wales regular and Lion one day, so why he's still uncapped is a mystery. Spectactular for the Scarlets all season, and he only lost two line-outs in his first 12 games of the season (I recall someone saying on Scrum V), which is remarkable. Their one real shining light this term.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Does anyone have a live streaming link for this match, cause seems to be unknown from all TV programs nor streaming websites as myP2P

THAAANKS

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The places i normally watch matches aren't streaming it either, will probably have to head to the pub and hope they're not showing the cricket

 

[Ninja]

Doesn't look like Sky in New Zealand are screening this... Not even The Rugby Channel has got it listed

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I've PM'd you, Ninja

 

[Gavin]

Anyone know of a link?