We’ve had advanced word from Pennyhill Park that there are six changes to the England team to play France this weekend.
Delon Armitage and Ugo Monye were released back to their clubs, making way for Ben Foden to claim his first Test start in the full-back jersey, and for Chris Ashton to finally get the place he deserves.
Mike Tindall comes in for Mathew Tait, Toby Flood replaces Jonny Wilkinson, Simon Shaw returns to oust Louis Deacon and Lewis Moody comes in for James Haskell, with Joe Worsley switching to the blindside.
England Team
15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
14 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
13 Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby)
12 Riki Flutey (CA Brive)
11 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
10 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins)
1 Tim Payne (London Wasps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
4 Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
5 Steve Borthwick (Saracens, captain)
6 Joe Worsley (London Wasps)
7 Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)
8 Nick Easter (Harlequins)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Steve Thompson (CA Brive)
17 David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
18 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers
19 James Haskell (Stade Francais)
20 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
21 Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
22 Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)
The only massive disappointment for me is that Courtney Lawes has been packed off back to Northampton and dull Louis Deacon stays. The inclusion of 58-year old Simon show isn’t exactly looking to the future and neither is bringing back Mike Tindall in my opinion.
Still, I’m chuffed that Ashton has finally been given a chance. I’ve never been a fan of Ugo Monye – I mean, running fast in a straight line does not a top class international winger make.
It will be good to see how Foden gets on. Some Saints fans have commented that he has so much freedom because Reihana covers for him a lot. I’ve not seen much of him this season so I don’t know if this is true. Either way, he brings an edge to the England backline that has been sorely missing in this competition.
Also, I hope England will have sorted out their tackling for their trip to Paris. The number of tackles they fell off against Scotland had be shouting at the TV.
Finally, I’m glad that Jimmy Haskell has been dropped to the bench. I agree with Patrick – one great performance in five is not good enough at that level.
It’s worth remembering that Tindall played every game in the last six nations and we ended up as top try-scorers with 16. And that was with Flood most of the time and Flutey inside him. Will the forwards front up is the question!
A hard running centre is what’s needed. We need a few more ball carriers to break the gain line. In fact, any would be a start.
Good point about missed tackled Bamberio, didn’t cost us against Scotland but do that against France and they’ll rip us to pieces. In fact I think England are top of the pile for the number of missed tackles this season. Although Wales would run us close I reckon.
The slowest pack ever selected by England?! Enough said I think.
Backs are fairly well picked although I’d have kept Jonny to play in the country he now plys his trade in. I just don’t think Flood is the answer.
I would also have stuck with Jonny, and Lawes should be on the bench at least. I thought dropping Haskell was a good idea, but Kemlo’s point about keeping Jonny as a France-based player is relevant here too.
Agree that the pack looks sluggish, and they’ll probably struggle against the French. And, Haskell aside, there’s not really anyone that Johnno can turn to to inject some momentum.
Not too many complaints, and I’m now looking forward to the game more than I was on Sunday (not hard).
perhaps controversially i would rather get rid of cueto – he can kick etc but my god is he lost all gas!
hopefully jonno will have a look at Jon clarke @ northampton, rather ploddy tindall again.
im a full back, so can someone tell me why Easter is in the team? surely dowson, ward smith are better in every area?
our ball is slow because our back row lack a touch of gas so dont get to the break down.moody inclusion will help, but easter…….
No-one in the backs has delivered anything of note in the entire tournament. Tait hasn’t been great but he’s not done a lot wrong and has played a key role in 2 out of our 5 tries (scoring one and setting up one). It’s time to move on from Tindall, if we want that type of player then at least go for a younger model – Hape, he might even create something
Awfulll pack still. Although Shaw is better than Deacon. Much better. The rest is ok and more than I could have dreamt of! Lawes/Kennedy will not be the pack anyway under MJ.
MJ did enough to change my mind and I will watch the game after all!
Glad to see its taken a calamitous Autumn series and a poor 6 nations before Ashton and Foden get their starts, Poor selection in the forwards, we need to look at out second row and replace Borthwack and Shaw, and our back row is there to mix it up and nullify the French. Unsure
A step in the right direction. But if Johnno can see that Haskell and Jonny were not performing, what about Deacon, Easter, Care and of course Borthwick? Part of me feels like this is Johnno getting desperate and bowing to public pressure. Just wish he’d listened (and read this blog) more carefully. I would have Lawes, Kennedy, Hodgson and Dowson in there. Seems like most on here think it’s a fine balance between the 9′s, but I would have Hodgson in with Youngs on the bench.
How’s Tindall been playing lately all you Gloucester boys? Haven’t seen him play for a while. I think this one is a little tough on the boy Tait. It’s so hard to judge this backline when they get mostly crap ball and don’t have the freedom to do what they want with it. Tindall is generally more likely to put the tackles in, but the French are more likely to run rings round him.
Watching England is like watching 24 at the moment. After every episode I say that’s it, I’m not wasting my time with this b******s any more, I’m done. But then when it comes around again, I feel obliged to give it one more go.
Uncle Mat, couldn’t agree more, though I’d be a little more sympathetic to Care.
He’s been in a quins side which, though struggling more this year with injuries and non-injuries, has had a firing backline for a couple of years now with exciting free-running backs and fairly average forwards (especially without Easter and since the departure of Mike Ross). It seems to me Johnno and the coaching team are selecting a running/sniping/kicking scrumhalf then telling him to not play like he normally does. So I say its more about picking the right guy for the role they want or creating the right role for the guy they want.
Agree with the Tindall assessment completely. That Andreou chap may make him look even more lumbering than he actually is.
The back row, as ever since Richard Hill’s knee gave up the ghost, looks unbalanced, defensive and slow. Easter is good at creating opportunities for others to run off him at club level, but seems unsuited to the style England play under Johsnon and the pace of the international game. How about this for a forward looking trio? 6.Robshaw, 7.S. Armitage, 8.Dowson.