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Has Ashton got it right?
Brian Ashton has recalled skipper Phil Vickery and Andrew Farrell for Saturday - have your say on the XV to face Australia.
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Brian Ashton has recalled skipper Phil Vickery and Andrew Farrell for Saturday - have your say on the XV to face Australia.
Back to story
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Comments
Robin Campbell says...
I'm a Scottish Rugby fan and just wish to say that Ashton and the team have got it all going in the correct direction and l firmly believe and hope that England can retain the trophy and bring it back to the country once more and make history at the same time. GOOD LUCK to the whole team and the spin offs to all the Unions.
Posted 14:40 18th October 2007
Colin Pilkington says...
to not include andy farrell in the 22 players to meet france isabsolute and utter folly players like him are born rugby players not simply coached players his strenth kickingand tackling i fear will be sadly missed i sincerly hope that i am wrong
Posted 02:38 11th October 2007
Duncan Grocock says...
Completely agree with Neil Watson about southern hemisphere rucking - SA taught us a lesson in killing the ball and got away with it. Enough of all this talk of how our superior scrum will win the game - we need to be far more agressive and streetwise at the breakdown if we are to stand a chance. Chuter and Stevens do not deserve to be dropped, but apart from the continued absence of Hipkiss I think the backline is the best it could be. With regards to Rees, great player as he is, it would have been a massive call to change the backrow and bring in someone who has not played particularly well so far.
Posted 09:56 4th October 2007
Wayne Mar says...
Another Andy Farrell debate, after the Tonga match an article on this website wrote about his strong case for inclusion and now the whole debate starts again. There is so much anti Farrell writing by all the so called experts. If Barclay had been included no one would have batted an eyelid, yet if Barclay was called Farrell and played like that against Tonga everyone else would have said he needs to be droppped, it's not Rugby League, its a different game, "you can't run lines that that in Union" does that sound familiar? I am wondering if there are objective comments anywhere. Can we have a few (that's all I'm asking for) positive comments before the match and start the debate afterwards when we actually have something to talk about?
Posted 23:29 3rd October 2007
Kieron O'flynn says...
The fact of the matter is that Englands best attacking backline is back home in blighty preparing for another weekend of Guinness premiership. Cueto should be given his ticket home, that at least Ashton has got right. Did anybody else witness that when Stevens was on, Englands scum took Tonga to the sword but as soon as Vickery came on the scrum was an even contest( I'm from Gloucester i am a big fan of the bull, but a bigger England fan). Robinsons attacking skills are lost at full back where as Lewsey is one of the best 'last line defenders' in the world. Ashton has gone with a defensive backline with the idea that Tait is inbetween two big tacklers Farrel and Lewsey. Chuter is unlucky not to be picked as is Tom Rees. But all is not lost England will look to exploit Australias one defensive weekness, the channel between the slight Berrick Barnes and Matt Giteau. England should send all the big galloping forwards through this channel with the idea of getting beyond the gain line and from there build an attack. Australia should win on paper but don't be supprised if the Red Rose is a little to prickly for the Wallabies to handle.
Posted 20:03 3rd October 2007
Stephen Hill says...
No he's got it completely wrong. Why are Vickery & Regan back. Moody should be playing along with Rees as the flankers. I fear a devastaing loss!
Posted 17:10 3rd October 2007
Chris Cook says...
Corry needs to be left out, Sackey looks lost and Farrell has one more chance.... For such a big man Corry offers nothing apart from nice elbow wear, he needs to get aggressive and use his bulk carrying the ball up the jumper and making some distance - as do alot of the forwards. Sackey looks like he plays on ice skates and is the rugby equivalent of Emile Heskey looking to fall over at any moment. I was a massive fan of Farrell's in Rugby League but this is a different game and although his tackling is very good, going forward he is one dimensional - I hope they all prove me wrong.
Posted 15:42 3rd October 2007
Steve Bedford says...
Dropping the in- form Stevens for the decidedly out of form Vickery must send a negative message to the squad.It says 'even if you play well and are the right man for the job,we are not prepared to admit our earlier mistakes and make the right decision for the sake of the team'.Nothing personal regarding Vickery he has been a great servant to our country, but we only have once chance against Australia and it would seem that the coach has to make difficult decisions,dropping your Captain seems to have been the right decision....until now !!
Posted 15:30 3rd October 2007
Neil Watson says...
As far as I am concerned Ashton has picked the best backline he could have done with the squad that is there. As for the forwards Rees has to be there as well as Easter and Moody. Front row no qualms as Vickery has the ability round the park BUT Stevens should come on for the last 15 to increase the pressure in the scrum. One point I have to make is at the breakdown, the southern hemisphere referees rule VERY differently to northern ones. Ireland were turned over six times in the second half by Argentinian hands because the Argentinians were over the ball. In the northern hemisphere this would have been penalised, Anyone want to add to this point?
Posted 15:28 3rd October 2007
David Brown says...
Just as we started to get a bit more dynamic and start to perform, we change things and slow it down again. Stevens has played consistently well and loses his place to Vickery who is playing consistently badly, and Regan for Chuter? The back row was never going to be balanced as we overloaded it with slow players before we left. No-one has taken to the 12 shirt yet so Farrell is as good a gamble as any, but at least the inclusion of Robinson makes sense.
Posted 15:18 3rd October 2007
Mark Maiden says...
I don't understand why George Chuter was dropped, he played well around the park and hit his men in the lineout. More of a concern will be Matthew Tait's tackling. The Aussies have some big centres crashing through the middle of Tait and Andrew Farrell - Game Over.
Posted 15:12 3rd October 2007
David Miles says...
Ashton has taken a risk but it is needed. Robinson was the only shining light against South Africa until he got injured. I am worried about the form of Farrell but defensively he will make the difference. The pack is where we can win it and I think Ashton has got that right.
Posted 15:02 3rd October 2007
Simon Cox says...
I hope Rees in out due to injury otherwise Ashton has lost his marbles as Rees should be open side and Moody blindside! I would also have kept Lewsey at full back and put Robinson on the wing. As for Regan being selected over Chuter, well maybe Ashton has lost his marbles!
Posted 14:55 3rd October 2007
Keith Munro says...
Whilst I am a fan of Phil Vickery, no way does he deserve/warrant a start. Stevens is the man - Vickery's form has been iffy for ages and I question the wisdom of making him captain. I would have also played Hipkiss with Tait instead of Farrell.
Posted 14:55 3rd October 2007
Will Burnham says...
It's very hard - impossible in fact - to get enthusiastic about this boring team and just as hard to see how they have any serious chance against Australia. Nice of Ashton to give credibility to pom-baiters like Campese - he certainly hasn't done much to inspire England supporters. Slow, ponderous, predictable are the words that come to mind. Shaw, Vickery and Regan are back - why? They've hardly looked world-beaters so far. Why not Rees and Moody as the flankers with Corry moved to his best position in the second row. The whole tactical plan seems to be to rumble with as much weight and muscle as possible up front and pray that Jonny has a good day with the boot - hard to see how you can play any other way with a team so seriously short of pace, mobility and class. I hope I'm wrong but I think we'll be massacred.
Posted 14:46 3rd October 2007
Greg Fogg says...
Its good to see that we're in the last 8. I think the backs have struggled all the way through the world cup but with the return of Wilkinson & the amazing form of Paul Sackey, the whole team looks as if they are beginning to come into form after (what I saw as) a much improved match against the powerful Tongans. I think it will still be a struggle against the might of Australia but if we can use our strength on the scrum and battle on the line outs we may surprise a few people.
Posted 14:37 3rd October 2007
Tim Hurst says...
Ashton has failed to pick a back row that can win us this match. Corry has never been great, he is simply too slow, not robust or aggresive enough. Easter is also too slow. Moody should be playing, but on the blindside. I can only imagine that Rees is not fit and that is the reason he is not playing, as he is the only player that to my mind stands a chance of keeping up with George Smith. Palu, Elsom and Smith will be rubbing their hands together. Chuter does not deserve to have been dropped. I was at the game last Friday and Cueto looked fairly pedestrian I am afraid to say and is right to have been dropped for Robinson.
Posted 14:24 3rd October 2007
Stephen Hill says...
Yes i think he's got it right. Robinson back is a major boost, let's hope he stays fit. Come on England!
Posted 14:19 3rd October 2007
Paul Smith says...
Near enough - thought Tom Rees might have played but as he is not on the bench must assume he is not fit yet. Cueto is out of form and it was either Borthwick or Kay - Chuter loses out as Regan is the better scrummager - wear them down and kick the points - If we win no one will care if it was pretty or not!!!!!
Posted 14:17 3rd October 2007
Sam Sargeant says...
I think Brian Ashton has got it right. Vickery will do well for 50 minutes, then bring Matt Stevens on to freshen up the front row. Andy Farrell is better denfensively so will keep the Aussie's out until we bring Dan Hipkiss on to cut them up in the last 30. Simon Shaw is an awesome second rower, big, strong and has awesome hands! Only thing im not sure about is Regan in for Chuter. Chuter is a dogger, as Regan seems to be more interested in getting into the oppositions head!
Posted 14:12 3rd October 2007
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