Selection headache

Join the debate on who Johnno should include in his squad for the autumn Tests

Last updated: 20th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Selection headache

Johnson: Looking at his options

Related links

Teams

Also see

England manager Martin Johnson will spend the next few days weighing up his options before announcing his revised 32-man elite player squad for the autumn internationals.

Johnson will confirm his squad to take on New Zealand, Argentina and Australia on Monday October 26 - and has seen the demands of tough domestic and European campaigns take a toll on the players.

Phil Vickery, Riki Flutey, Andrew Sheridan, Jordan Turner-Hall, Delon Armitage, Tom Rees, Lee Mears, David Wilson, Toby Flood and Simon Shaw are among those already ruled out of the November Tests.

Danny Cipriani and Matt Mullan, who have both been pushing for call-ups, are also injured, leaving Johnson with plenty to ponder.

The injuries, though, could open up the door for the likes of Shane Geraghty, Anthony Allen, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Dylan Hartley, Tom Mercey and Will Skinner to be promoted into the elite squad.

However, from the opening weeks of the 2009-10 season, who do you think should be called up?

Let us know your views and possible squads for the autumn internationals via the form below...

Comments (67)

Charlie .. says...

Heres the team for the six nations ( if fully fit) 1.Phil Vickery 2.Dylan Hartley 3.Andrew Sheridan 4,Courtney Lawes 5,Simon .Shaw 6.Lewis Moody 7. Tom Croft 8.Nick Easter 9. Danny Care 10. Jonny Wilkinson, 11. Matt Banahan, 12.Dan Cipriani 13.Riki Flutley, 14. Mark Cueto 15. Ben Foden we need jonny wilkoson playing flatter and kicking longer, the reason why he is staying deep is because that is how french rugby is played. we need to drop steve borthwick, i feel that martin johnson is just trying to re-create himself in the form of steve, let simon shaw, lewis moody or wilko step up to the challenge. the front row are very powerful, could be the best front row in the world. the second: what shaw lacks is age makes up for in experence and vise-versa for lawes. back row: lewis moody is QUALITY end of. nick easter adds more power to the back row, croft adds a better line out than anyone else, just hopes he gets his lions form again. lewis moody is a very hungary for a win, and thats what the england team need. dan cipriani as 12 may shock some people but that gives us options and he is also up there with wilko in my books. Foden, Monye, Cueto, Flutley add a very explosive and powerful attack, for danny and jonny to set up. i feel that we need to play the 2003 way and play with are forwards bullying the other pack and jonny kicking it deep, then us winning line out ball and giving the backs space to attack SIMPLE AS, coreee i wished i coached england, i only done my level one :(

Posted 23:33 23rd November 2009

John Butt says...

I just hope everyone including SKY gets off MJ back. SKY are paid to whinge about England thats shown by their bias even when we win. MJ will turn this team around. Its a shame some of the retired players that played with him are not more positive. Still I suppose they want the job.

Posted 17:58 10th November 2009

Sam West says...

For Argentina: 1 Payne. 2 Hartley. 3 Corbisero. 4 Shaw. 5 Borthwick. 6 Croft. 7 Moody. 8 Haskell. 9 Care. 10 Wilkinson. 11 Monye. 12 Hipkiss. 13 Erinle. 14 Cueto. 15 Geraghty. Unorthodox, but I think this formation of side could really cut holes in anybody... On the bench, with a mind to bring on, I would have Lawes, Thompson, Hodgson, Banahan and Foden. Other subs as needed.

Posted 13:25 10th November 2009

Mark Harvey says...

Unfortunately we have to face the fact that all the while we cling forlornly to 2003 we won't move forward and be able to compete with the southern hemisphere sides. This means that Martin Johnson and the rest of the proven failures we call a coaching team must go and the likes of Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson should return to France and only be called back IF they merit selection. Pick the on-form player in each position and tell them to go out and play! Forget the short-term results and build a style to take on the world. My Team as it stands right now: 1. D Flatman 2. D Hartley 3. D Wilson 4. N Kennedy 5. C Lawes 6. L Moody 7. A Saull 8. J Haskell 9. J Simpson 10. D Cipriani 11. M Bahanan 12. S Geraghty 13. M Tait 14. J Simpson-Daniel 15. B Foden. Subs: 16. D Bell 17. Webber 18. Croft 19. Gaskell 20. D Care 21. Alex Goode 22. N Abendanon Wasps half back combination for familiarity, I'd add Ward-Smith at 8 too if he was playing there every week - gives an instinctive spine whilst the rest bed into international rugby. 9-15 all dangerous runners in their own right and a super mobile 4-8 to play a fast game. Use Banahan up the middle when you want to crash it up - like Bath use him! You couldn't take your eyes of any player for a second if they all ran at once unlike vs. Aus when Hipkiss ran and everybody else stood and watched him get hammered! The other thing is to have players on the bench who can change a game and cover more than one position so NOT Andy Goode who should be behind my gran in the pecking order for England at 10 - When I saw the team sheet I thought thank goodness they've picked ALEX Goode he's on form, should have known better! We might loose a few games but it would be worth spending the money to watch this lot play, I'm in self imposed exile until England realise that whilst I desperately want to see a win, I want to be entertained too. Win by playing good rugby please boys!

Posted 19:14 9th November 2009

Terry Dees says...

1.T Payne 2. D Hartley 3. D Bell 4. S Borthwick (capt) 5. C Lawes 6. L Moody 7. J Haskell 8. J Crane 9. D Care 10. J Wilkinson 11. H Monya 12. S Geraghty 13.M Tait 14. M Banahan 15. B Foden, J Haskell time to step up to the mark.

Posted 19:39 27th October 2009

Adam Kyle says...

I dislike the style that england have played for years, exclusively rumbling the ball up the park looking for the forward tries or penatly kicks. Recently, however, they have started to play proper rugby and that style has been adopted by Ireland, and England have the abilty to play some great rugby if they don't pick badly, such as borthwick, who shouldn't even be on the bench 1 Flatman 2 Hartley 3 Not Vickery - Get some fresh blood in 4 Lawes 5 Kennedy 6 Skinner 7 Croft 8 No really class 8s. Probably easter is the best bet 9 Hodgson 10 Wilko 11 Monye 12 Geraghty 13 Jon Clarke - Been in super form for Northampton 14 Strettle 15 Foden Reserves;- Neil Briggs, 2 props, Hooper, Haskell , Lee Dickson, Tait (utility back), Banahan?

Posted 10:54 23rd October 2009

Ian Wilson says...

Payne,Thompson, White, Kay, Kennedy, Croft, Moodey, Easter, Ellis, Wilkinson, Moyne, Tait, Tindall, Simpson-Daniel and Foden. enough said, powerful pack with pace, great midfield with guile and strength, searing pace and trickery out wide and still the best kicker in world rugby and when the injuries sort themselves out maybe Shaw, Cipriani and Armitage to come in to the squad.

Posted 07:59 23rd October 2009

Ron Payne says...

1/ Flatman 2/ Hartley 3/ white 4/ borthwick 5/ Schofield 6/ Croft 7/ Armitage 8/ Easter 9/ Hodgson 10/ wilkinson 11/ monye 12/ gherathy 13/ Hipkiss 14/ Banahan 15/ Foden

Posted 07:44 22nd October 2009

Ollie Whiting says...

i think this should be the england starting XV. 1.FLATMAN. 2 HARTLEY. 3 PAYNE. 4 SHAW. 5 KAY. 6 CROFT. 7 ARMITAGE. 8 EASTER. 9 ELLIS. 10 WILKINSON. 11 MONYE. 12 HIPKISS. 13 TAIT. 14 CUETO. 15 ABENDANON. WORLD BEATERS

Posted 17:10 21st October 2009

Malcolm Baily says...

At least with all the injuries some of the younger players should get a chance. My Team. Flatman:Hartley:Wilson [ if fit ] or White: Blaze: Borthwick: Croft: Moody: Easter: Care: Wilkinson: Banahan: Hipkiss: Geraghty: Cueto: Monye: Replacements Payne: Webber: White or Bell: Kennedy: Hodgson: Tait: Sackey:

Posted 14:08 21st October 2009

Gareth Williams says...

geraghty is a fly-half not a 12. By all means pick him there but he wont be the foil wilkinson wants. Wilkinson needs a hard running 12 not another fly-half playing outside him. Johnson will go with jonny but geraghty has more flair. Whoever plays needs a strong ball carrying 12, like both have for their clubs. hodgson - do me a favour.

Posted 12:27 21st October 2009

Tam Tam says...

1.Phil Vickery 2.Dylan Hartley 3.Tim Payne 4.NickKennedy 5.Courtney Lawes 6.Tom Croft 7.Joe Woresley 8.Nick Easter 9.Danny Care 10.Johnny Wilkinson 11.Matt Banahan 12.Shane Geraghty 13.Dan Hipkiss 14.Ugo Monye 15.Ben Foden 15.Ben Foden

Posted 11:41 21st October 2009

Keith R says...

Chris Gregory - I know quite a few wingers who would be more than willing to meet your expectations. Only a squealer would make a stupid comment like yours. A fat lock managing to play on the wing at Premiership level eh| I dont really know why I'm bothering to reply to such a comment, probably disbelief at the level of intelligence.

Posted 11:31 21st October 2009

Joseph Home says...

agree with many of the comments made but i would love to see the new wasps eightman Dan Ward-smith given at least a spot on the bench. my team would be flatman. hartley. white. borthwick kennedy. croft. moody. ward-smith. care. wilkinson. banahan geraghty. hipkiss. monye. And david strettle at full-back.

Posted 11:22 21st October 2009

Neil Creedy says...

What is the problem with the Guiness premiership when all these players are injured so early in the season. Rugby Union is beginning to get like Football, players out so early and for little niggles. As for the England elite selection (if you can call it that with so many injuries), Hartley should start and with the problems at fly half with Flood and Cipraini injured they should bring back Wilko at fly half with Matt Bananhan or Tait operating at centre for protection and to set up second phase ball. Wilko has been doing well in France and we will need someone with their kicking boots on and he has not let us down in that department. Geraghty deserves a call up but perhaps on the wing where his running skills can be shown. Try a little variation England and see what happens before the six nations. although we are playing the three best sides in the world they are only freindlies and we can afford to expierement a little bit otherwise the six nations side will see us coming and will lock us out of the game. If this is all about building to the next world cup then let's start building but I suspect it's more about respectable perforamnces so certain indviduals can keep thier jobs.

Posted 10:33 21st October 2009

Ryan Boyce says...

England XV vs Australia 1(Julian White), 2(Dylan Hartley), 3(David Flatman), 4(Ben Kay Capt), 5(Simon Shaw), 6(Tom Croft), 7(Joe Worsley), 8(Jordan Crane), 9(Danny Care), 10(Jonny Wilkinson), 11(Ugo Monye), 12(Shane Geraghty), 13(Mike Tindall), 14(Mark Cueto), 15(Ben Foden) Reps: 16(George Chuter), 17(Tim Payne), 18(Steve Borthwick), 18(Steffon Armitage), 19(Nick Kennedy), 20(Paul Hodgson), 21(Andy Goode), 22(Matthew Tait).

Posted 10:26 21st October 2009

Ben Wrigley says...

My startin xv would be: 1. David Flatman, 2. Dylan Hartley (capt), 3. Duncan Bell 4.James Gaskell, 5. courtney lawes 6. james haskell, 7. tom croft, 8. nick easter 9. danny care, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 12. Tom May, 13. Matt banahan 11. Ugo Monye, 14. davis strettle, 15.Ben Foden

Posted 22:33 20th October 2009

Kyle Booth says...

1,flatman 2, hartley (c) 3 ??? 4 lawes 5 kennerdy 6 crort 7, armatidge 8 Ward-smith 9 care 10 wilko 11 monye 12 gerhety 13 waldock 14 simmpson daniel 15, foden the bench to include youngsters like cole, gaskell, rees ,tait ,robshaw and youngs/simpson this is ideal time to blood these yongsters after a good start to season and look towards next worldcup

Posted 20:23 20th October 2009

Joseph Homes says...

agree with many of the suggestions made, but does anybody read the injury list. Whatmore willn anybody consider DAN-WARD SMITH AT eight-man please

Posted 19:09 20th October 2009

Gabriel Kan says...

Its interesting to c the squads, backs look pretty similar...care, wilko, monye, geraghty, hipkiss, banahan and foden in the backs...not bad...throw in cipriani, morgan, ellis, flood, tait, strettle, turner-hall, armitage, varndell and the forgotten man AGAIN, Simpson-Daniel into the mix with Cueto, Cohen and Tindall stil kicking around, the backs look very very strong, especially wing/fb, I would have no complaints with any back 3 trio except Cueto, overrated. Regards the forwards, not much of an engine room expert, but youth looks the way forward so vickery, kay and shaw could have problems, although shaw is stil worth his place. We need to find a backrow combo similar to the 2003 greats, perhaps croft, rees and haskell wil become that trio, with Crane, Easter, Armitage and Moody backing up. 2nd row wil probably b kennedy and borthwick for now, but come world cup, i'd like Kennedy and Lawes or Blaze to be dominating selection. Hooker is Hartley with Mears backing up. Front row still Sheridan and Vickery, but now both r injured but I have no idea who else play there! I so so sooooooo wish Borthwick wasnt our captain though, time for a bold move and to name a new captain, perhaps Croft as longterm solution, with Hartley as vice?

Posted 18:05 20th October 2009

Add Comment*

Send us your views

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private