England vs Barbarians

[PanAtSea]

29th May, Twickenham

Is anyone else going? I just booked my tickets and its my first International match for any sport, which is quite cool I think...

Is it likely to be a good game? Obviously you can't predict the future, just would like to hear people's opinions

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Unfortunately not, right in amongst my exams

Should be a cracking match though, can't wait to see what the England team looks like - only a few weeks away

BaaBaas games are nearly always great to watch, there's not really anything to play for other than fun (and pride), so a lot of running rugby on show




Edit:
Just been thinking about what team we could see,
I expect it to be a Saracens vs Tigers final so we'd be without any of their players, so I think we might see this

1. Corbisiero
2. Hartley
3. Doran-Jones
4. Attwood
5. Kitchener
6. Robshaw
7. Moody (I think he'll play as he hasn't played a lot this year through injury, but then again they might not play him because of his injuries?) - if not him then Saull or Armitage
8. Narraway
9. Simpson
10. Myler
11. Sharples
12. Flutey
13. Probably end up being Tindall if he's fit, to get him game time, can't think of anyone to put there with injuries/Aviva final happening - anyone but Matt Banahan. Clarke?
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Webber
17. Marler
18. Day
19. Wood
20. Simpson
21. ???Probably Hodgson, with Flood and Wilko likely to not be around. Farrell could be worth an outside shout but it won't happen, same with Freddie Burns
22. Abendanon/Brown

I don't expect any of the French players to be involved,
I reckon we'll see more players from the 6N in there, probably Easter at 8, Thompson in there somewhere - Banahan will probably start at 13

If Sarries aren't in the final then I'd like to see Brad Barritt in there, if Tigers aren't then Tuilagi, Allen, Twelvetrees, Crane, Skivington all could possibly feature - Shame Waldouck is injured too

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just to bump this back up,
Anyone have any idea when the team'll be up? I imagine some time this week and Johnson had sorted out squads based on various combinations of players not available due to the prem final



Means that we won't see fringe players such as Tuilagi, Allen, Goode and Saull in the match, but may see Charlie Sharples, Dave Attwood and maybe Jon Clarke in there
Would love to see Freddie Burns involved too, but his time will come after the WC (hopefully!)

 

[Teh Mite]

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a case of filling in the blanks around a Saints spine .

1. Corbesero
2. Hartley
3. PDJ
4. Lawes
5. Day/Palmer
6. Dowson (because he's a regular with the training squad)/Robshaw
7. Wood (if he's fit by then)/Moody
8. Easter
9. Simpson
10. Hodgson/Myler
11. HMS
12. Flutey
13. ????
14. Ashton
15. Foden

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If Robshaw doesn't start I'll cry

Think that squad is pretty much what it'll be, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Bananaman at 13 with someone else on the wing (hopefully Sharples as Strettle is otherwise occupied, thank God)

Bench would/could be:

16. Webber
17. Marler
18. Attwood/Day
19. Dowson
20. Care
21. Myler
22. Abendanon

 

[Tadginator]

What's the barbarians team like

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just seen on the RFU site that Fourie was at the first "mini-camp" they held there, so I reckon he'll probably start at 7 for the BaaBaas match

Wouldn't be the end of the world as he's not a bad 7

 

[Teh Mite]

A better option then Moody at least.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

True true, I always forget that he's actually a good player, and then when I watch Leeds you notice him at the bottom of every ruck winning a bomb load of turnovers
Better 7 than Haskell or Moody, but I think the fact that he only plays 7 counts against him in a world cup squad (as Moody will undoubtedly be our starting 7 and captain, so all other backrowers will need to have more than one string to their bow to make them more useful off of the bench)

 

[gingergenius]

So no Saracens, Tigers, Paris or Saints players... let's hope for some youngsters as well:

1. Corbisiero
2. Thompson (c)
3. Wilson
4. Attwood
5. Gaskell
6. Robshaw
7. Armitage
8. Narraway
9. Simpson
10. Hodgson
11. Simpson-Daniel
12. Turner-Hall
13. Trinder
14. Ojo
15. Brown

wishful thinking cos i know hape and banahan will be there...

 

[Teh Mite]

Why no Stade or Saints players? Their seasons end this weekend.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I reckon Doran-Jones is a shoe in to start at 3 (with Wilson on the bench, if there at all)




Edit: Ashton having knee surgery next week, so he'll be out, so that's both wingers not available
Thankfully neither is Strettle - means we're more likely to see one of JSD/Sharples on one wing
Hopefully Banahan is left well clear

 

[gingergenius]

Why no Stade or Saints players? Their seasons end this weekend.

fair point, i got my dates muddled. still, might be better not to have any stade or saints players since we've nothing more to find out about haskell, palmer, ashton, foden, lawes, hartley and wood. Dowson I suppose....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Only a week to go and still no hint of a team announcement...

Dowson had a good game last night, best I've seen of him in a while,
I think we might see:

6. Robshaw
7. Fourie
8. Dowson

Another strong showing by Christian Day as well

 

[TRF_Olyy]

England Squad v Barbarians
Forwards
Dave Attwood (Gloucester Rugby)
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester Rugby)
Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks)
James Gaskell (Sale Sharks)
Joe Gray (Harlequins)
Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs)
Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Matthew Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby)
David Paice (London Irish)

Backs
Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Rory Clegg (Harlequins)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks)
Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints)
James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby)
Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)

http://www.rfu.com/News/2011/May/News Articles/230511_Eng_Baas_squad.aspx
Matt Banahan over Charlie Sharples is a f**king disgrace.



My team:

1. Joe Marler
2. David Paice
3. Paul Doran-Jones
4. Graham Kitchener
5. Dave Attwood
6. Callum Clarke
7. Carl Fearns
8. Luke Narraway
9. Paul Hodgson
10. Charlie Hodgson
11. James Simpson-Daniel
12. Jordan Turner-Hall
13. Henry Trinder
14. Ugo Monye
15. Mike Brown

16. Joe Gray
17. Matt Mullan
18. James Gaskell
19. Tom Johnson
20. Lee Dickson
21. Stephen Myler
22. Rory Clegg (<--I know he's a flyhalf but I straight up refuse to have Banahan involved)

 

[psychic duck]

This is a pathetically poor team

some of the players aren't even first choices for their clubs, Brookes is 1000 miles behind displacing Golding in the Newcastle team

I know England want to have a look at these players

but how do they expect fans to pay £30+ to watch these players? They'll never get 80,000

And I know they want to have a look at these players, but some of them there is totally no point as they'll never get in the England team in their careers, and most of them have no chance however well they play of getting in the World Cup squad, not players who have potential in a few years time, that's what the Saxons is for

they should of picked their strongest available side, with players who are on the cusp of breaking into the World Cup or have something to prove squad like Dowson, Corbisiero, Flutey, Fourie, Wilson and Simpson

this must between England's 5th and 7th choice side

NOTE: also thankyou to Olyy for not including that insult to backline flair and creativity Banahan in his side

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I kind of agree - It was always going to be an experimental side, though I did expect a few more Saxons and/or EPS players (Robshaw, Simpson etc.)

With regards to ticketing, I think they're only selling seats for the lower tier (like at the 7s on the weekend) and tickets are only about £25, so it's not too bad
The only thing that might effect it is the Aviva final the day before (though some people might make a weekend of it and watch both)




Also, RugbyNetwork is going to put me into an early grave,
I said that Banahan is terrible and someone said (this is part of a long post about Banahan)

On recent form he should be englands 1st choice 12

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Agree certainly about the backs, really poor choices to be honest.

Paul Hodgson at scrum half? In my view he has never taken any chances given to him. And by picking him he's gone over the head of simpson when we really need to see what simpson can do before world cup.

Neither Myler nor Dickson are ones for the future and thus their inclusion is a waste. In contrast we've got rory clegg who is probably one for the future, but not anytime soon.

Banahan pointless as hes already engaged to MJ. I'm not really sure why Monyes there. dont we know exactly what he can and cannot do?

Mike Brown is deserving of his place because hes been playing well recently and hasnt had many chances since his time in the spotlight a few years ago.JSD Trinder and JTH are all good selections. But In general I think its quite a confused selection which doesnt really understand what its trying to achieve. why mix players who are very likely to make the world cup squads liek Banahan and Doran-Jones with other guys who clearly won't be there at all.

Relatively happy with the forwards actually but why no robshaw?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

adding to that, why not Ojo instead of Monye? Far more exciting player in my view

 

[nickdnz]

adding to that, why not Ojo instead of Monye? Far more exciting player in my view

Yeah, why no Ojo?! I like Monye and Simpson-Daniel, but surely Ojo has earned another shot.