Mark Cueto is struggling with a stomach illness and may not be fit enough to play Ireland on Saturday. Chris Ashton has been called into Pennyhill Park as cover just in case.
Cueto has been a fairly solid option in his last few outings for England, but many of the comments on The Rugby Blog suggest that Ashton should be given a shout.
We’ll await further news from the England camp, but this change might not be such bad news, with the Guinness Premiership’s most potent finisher coming into the side.
I rekon it’s more likely that Noon would start and Tait move to the wing!
Surely Jamie Noon has gone home again??
How about Armitage to 13, Tait to the wing and Foden at full-back?
Johnson doen’t like to change things to much so I can see foden coming in on the wing, ashton on the bench.
However Johnno would probably tell cueto to play sick rather than play the saint’s fullback
When we have a fantastic prospect and finisher in Ashton, he has to be picked if Cueto doesn’t make it. Tait should not be moved to the wing as he is beginning to settle in at 13 and Armitage and Foden should just be left to fight it out for the full back spot. Lets just pray Jamie Noon doesn’t get anywhere near it!
The fact that Johnson said before the Wales game that he sees Tait as a centre and wants to give him a decent run makes me hopeful he wont move him to wing. I would prefer Ashton to come in and keep the rest as is, but I think Foden will come in to start with Ashton on the bench
Would be great to see Ashton in. It’s a shame that it’s at the expense of Cueto because I agree that he’s done nothing wrong – not just this season but in all of his England caps, and there are other players I’d sooner see stricken with a stomach bug!
And with him being an ex-Leaguer, he’s less likely to come in to the side and start kicking possession away isn’t he? I hope Johnno doesn’t read this comment and decide to drop him.
I think you are safe on that score, Rob. If Johnno read The Rugby Blog, he might have got the message that Deacon is not a great option on the bench.
Even God seems to be trying to get Ashton a chance in the team. Just a shame his efforts with Borthers were to no avail before the Italy game…
Well this is a long shot then Hutch, but Johnno, if you’re sat up reading this in your suite at Pennyhill Park, please make your players watch this before Saturday:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article7037665.ece
Doesn’t Johnno wished he gave Ashton a few caps back in the autum so he wouldn’t be completely inexperienced.
Funny how that works