Stade Français lock Tom Palmer has surprisingly been released from the England squad for this weekend’s match against Wales, meaning Courtney Lawes takes a place in the 22 after returning from injury. Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi will also be part of the squad for the first time since the Rugby World Cup. Mike Brown & Jordan Turner-Hall have also been released, leaving England with no wing/full back cover on the bench.
Here is the full list of players released back to their clubs for this weekend:
Chris Brooker (Harlequins)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints)
Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)
Omitting Palmer is puzzling, maybe there’s a factor we don’t know about there, as, being a second row he can play in the next world cup at 35 years old. I think he’ll be back.
Fair enough to include Flood asap he in the central man that England will look to over the next three years. The Saracens midfield trio are settled so leave them to it in the first half and bring on Manu and Flood in the second half, who also know each other well.
It’s harsh that Brown didn’t get some game time but Foden has done just enough coupled with his experience to keep him out, and unless Brown’s starting he’s a bit too specialist to be on the bench in front of Manu, who could slip onto the wing or both centres.
Everyone has different ideas on selection but SL has done very well so far.
My two cents worth, I have to believe that SL knows the players as well as all of us and has a strategy. Not just for this game but for a squad that is competitive on a world stage. No disrespect to Scotland or Italy but they tend to play up the middle so a strong line of defence and some ball playing should get the win. With the likes of Wales who are currently representative of world class teams, the squad should be more adept at broken field play with more counter attacking opportunities. That’s where I think this squad will step up and shine. Can we beat Wales? Sure, if the team clicks and every member does the job they are supposed to and what they do for their respective clubs!
Even if we play shocking I still expect us to stuff England