Special features
- Your View |
- Message Boards |
- Polls
Tough on Tait?
Join the Sky Sports debate on the England XV to face Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Back to storyLatest Poll
Todays Polls
Who will complete the line-up at the ATP World Tour Finals?
Who will be England's leading wicket taker in the one-day series against South Africa?
Will the New Orleans Saints remain unbeaten throughout the regular season?
Previous Poll Results
Around Sky Sports today
Free ticket giveaway
Win a pair of tickets to the
UEFA Champions League
with Ford - enter now
Play Super 6 & Win!
Super 6 is free to play and you could win £100,000
Make The Difference
Chelsea v Man Utd - have your say on the big match.
Comments (37)
M Jones says...
For me the selection of Vickery as captain is the first mistake. He will inevitably be substituted during the game as Stevens is cleary playing better than him at the moment. Why not give it to someone who is guaranteed to start and finish every game? Why oh why do England managers persist with Balshaw? His inability to defend is going to be our achilles heal, is he really better than Josh Lewsey who isn¿t even in the squad, I think not! The fact that Matthew Tait in not in the 22 is a disgrace. Our only player that looked like beating a defender in the world cup final is not included its just ludicrous! I think that again England will be without a recognised openside, Rees should have started with mongo at 6. I hate to raise the issue again but with no outstanding 12 in the country why not play either cipriani or hodgeson with wilkinson at 12? Alternative line-up 15 - M Tait 14 - D Strettle 13 - M Tindle 12 - Wilkinson 11 - M Cuato 10 - D Cipriani 9 - A Gommersal 8 - J Haskell 7 - T Rees 6 - L Moody 5 - B Kay 4 - S Shaw 3 - M Stevens 2 - G Chuter 1 - A Sheridan
Posted 16:09 29th January 2008
Andy Smith says...
Well I will be there on Saturday cheering the boys on but I have to agree with most of the comments, Balshaw has had his chances in the past, chances are he will be injured in first 10 mins then we will have Cipriani on I guess. What we do when Tindall gets injured I do not know, no centres to bring on and no flair in midfield to open up a defense, why no Tait or Hipkiss in is a mystery, TAit has the flair, Hipkiss great at staying on his feet and giving the forwards a target. Jury is out on Strettle and Sackey, both match fit????? The sooner we get Matt Stevens on the better, Vickery is not the player he was and can't get through 80 mins anymore, as for Narroway, bold decision and one for the future, let's hope he gets a run in the position if he does well. Go England!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 16:06 29th January 2008
Richard Powell says...
Why have we got another Fly-Half on the Bench? We have two on the field in Flood and Wilkinson. Balshaw is not the player he was and other players are easily better than him at the moment. Again two crucial errors for me in not picking Tait and another centre. If Tindall or Flood is hurt where is the cover. None of the back three players can play centre, this would mean putting Jonny in at 12 and Cipriani in at 10. Not a good choice. Even worse if Jonny gets injured you would assume Flood in at 10 and Ciprani at centre, again not international class. Players who play consistantly at centre are better defensively as well making the right decisions in attack, when will the England selectors stop overlooking this.
Posted 16:01 29th January 2008
John Deacon says...
I find the decision to axe Tait from the squad all together absolutely baffling. Amongst 4-5 England backs I see taking the game forward Tait is part of that.
Posted 15:54 29th January 2008
Michael Jennings says...
Brian Ashton is a brave man! While I disagree with many of the comments that Balshaw is not a good player, I can't see how Tait has been left out of the squad. Even as an impact player in the last 20 minutes, Tait's blistering pace could be used to great impact agaisnt tired legs.
Posted 14:05 29th January 2008
Tom Day says...
Very harsh on Tait, especially as Balshaw hasn't had a good game in an England shirt in years. It's a bit disappointing really, as there was a great opportunity here to bring out a really exciting back line, and to leave out the most illusive runner we seem to have at the moment seems madness. Then again, I'm not at the training camps.
Posted 14:03 29th January 2008
Michael Jones says...
As a Wales fan, I am amazed that Tait is not in the team. I'm equally perplexed by Gomarsall's selection - he can't even get in the Harlequins team, how does he deserve to be ahead of Wigglesworth?
Posted 14:03 29th January 2008
Mr Ward says...
Never been a big fan of Balshaw - but looking at Gloucester's reign in the Guiness Premiership you've got to think there some magic somewhere, but can that be brought to international games? I think it is a bit tough on Tait after his performance in the World Cup - but maybe there are too many utlitly players. I am a bit concerned about Sackey, to have a week off with the mumps is he going to be phycially up for this. Fingers crossed - I just wish we got to see Tom Croft!
Posted 13:59 29th January 2008
Matthew Hurst says...
How can a man that has so blatently proved that he is not international quality be picked ahead of one of the most exciting talents in English rugby? Balshaw shouldn't even be close to the squad let alone the starting lineup. This is a terrible decision!
Posted 13:59 29th January 2008
Matt Johnson says...
What planet is Ashton on? Tait was class at the World Cup and Balshaw has just had too many chances for England and rarely delivered! A poor, poor selection, with Tait not even on the bench. I can only think he has an injury?
Posted 13:58 29th January 2008
Jack Green says...
Tait is mightily unlucky, his performances in the World Cup were sublime for a young man. Balshaw crumbles under pressure and is very unsafe under a high ball...what happened to Josh Lewsey, the most consistent player in England? Vainikolo's inclusion will be explosive if he gets going and crashes through defences.
Posted 13:56 29th January 2008
Kofi Barnes says...
It is hugely dissapointing that Tait has been dropped. His removal from the squad let alone the starting line up appears to have numbed the England attack. Whilst I am a huge fan of both Tindall and Flood neither has the skill or flair to open up a backline.
Posted 13:55 29th January 2008
Jamie Spice says...
England should be building this team around Matt Tait not leaving him out all together. On the whole I have few complaints with this squad, but Tait should be there. Probably at the expense of Balshaw or Strettle. I haven't seen anything from Strettle at Quins this year on Sky that suggests he is back to his best, so maybe he should be out, Balshaw should switch to the wing - or better still they should pick his clubmate Simpson-Daniel there - and Tait should be a full back. At least Narraway's call-up is forward thinking.
Posted 13:49 29th January 2008
Rupert Denny says...
With any luck Balshaw willl get injured and Ashton will see sense and bring Lewsley back! Apart from that good team..
Posted 13:43 29th January 2008
Toby T says...
Narraway is a bit of a surprise choice. Where did that one come from? Part of me expected to see Croft on the bench too but maybe he hasn't come through as strong in training as his games have suggested. Or perhaps we've got enough runners in Haskell and Moody. As for Balshaw....I won't be alone in pondering what on earth is going on?! I'll avoid questioning the lack of Lewsey or any other dedicated full-back in the squad..... Still Tait's form for Newcastle this weekend was woeful so there is a degree of logic, can't help but look at the subs and wonder what's going to happen when we need to sub a centre for injury etc.?
Posted 13:43 29th January 2008
Harry Cook says...
Iain Balshaw?!??!?!?!?!?! What on earth is Ashton upto...? The guy is shcoking... even my two-year-old son deserve a call up before that clown. How can Tait go from man of the match in the World Cup final to not even making the XV. This is a big big mistake. The only saving grace is that Balshaw will undoubtedly suffer an injury in the opening minutes and hobble off.
Posted 13:36 29th January 2008
Tom Hibson says...
I thought Balshaw was a lucky man to just be in the training squad but now he's somehow managed to get a place in the starting XV! I'll give him 25 minutes before he's injured and replaced. Tait is a star for the future, a player who we should be building around with the long-term goal in mind of the next World Cup. Whether he plays at full-back or outside centre, he should be in this team.
Posted 13:35 29th January 2008