England Vs Australia

Dave Attwood, Freddie Burns, Luther Burrell, Danny Care, Kyle Eastmond, Ben Foden, Alex Goode, Tom Johnson, Matt Kvesic and Christian Wade will return to their domestic teams over the course of the next 24 hours.

Very cross there will be no Attwood, Burns, Kvesic and Foden. Would have liked Wade too, but I never went anti-Ashton

Burns is very annoying, Attwood not as surprising seeing as he's had no game time, guess they want Morgan + Billy so no room for Kvesic, Ashton has been on fine form, and as much as I think Aus would have been a good game to let Wade go on for, I'm not complaining.

No Foden though means Trinder and Tomkins, with one of them on the bench I assume.

Foden could well come back to take the bench role. And I know Attwood hasn't played for a few weeks, and also might come back to be on the bench, but I don't think that's any worse than carrying on with an unbalanced lock pairing

I'm thinking Attwood with a big game could come back in. Foden and Eastmond may be in a bit of a head to head for that bench role. Burns with a big game displace Flood on the bench? I don't think Wade can do it, even with an amazing game, though it may get him a spot for Arg. Same for Kvesic.

Not sure Care was really going any worse than Youngs, so I guess that came down to the training camp?

who is the other option at SH, Dickenson or they gone with new blood? i havent actually looked at the squad

Dickinson is the 8, Dickson is the 9.

Dickson, Care (released) and Youngs. Dickson has been in the best form of all 3, but offers the least in terms of skillset. Generally good at providing quick service from the ruck, but you'd have thought that Burns would have been the best choice for exploiting that.

Chris Robshaw, player without portfolio, has been named captain for the AI series.

England have called up Henry Thomas and Rob Webber to cover for knocks to Wilson and Hartley. Likely cements Youngs and Cole to start.

Do we know what was going wrong with Baths lineout? The throws looked fine, the jumpers looked fine, but they didn't happen at the same time for some of them...

Have Sale played any of the big packs? Saints, Sarries or Tigers? How did Thomas go in those games?

I think there's not much wrong. Not convinced the lifters are the best, certainly not the tallest. And Stuart Hooper is a chocolate teapot at AP level.

Technically it all looked ok, just appeared to be some confusion. Communication would be the most obvious issue, but who to blame...

Lancs impressed by burrell and foden, but he seems intent to have trinder involved somehow... Fazza will be pushing for the inclusion of tomkins.

Parling out with a mild concussion picked up in training, should be available for the Argies given no one in rugby treats concussion seriously.

Burns, Burrell, Care, Eastmond, Goode, Johnson, Kvesic, Thomas, Trinder, Webber and Wade have all gone home too.

Tomkins over Trinder is annoying! And no Burns, I guess the injury to Parling could be a blessing in disguise as it gives a chance to others. No other surprises but Kvesic out the squad is annoying

As reported by the Telegraph and Mail.

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Tom Youngs
3. Dan Cole
4. Joe Launchbury
5. Courtney Lawes
6. Tom Wood
7. Chris Robshaw
8. Billy Vunipula
9. Lee Dickson
10. Owen Farrell
11. Marland Yarde
12. Billy Twelvetrees
13. Joel Tomkins
14. Chris Ashton
15. Mike Brown

16. Dylan Hartley
17. Joe Marler
18. David Wilson
19. David Attwood
20. Ben Morgan
21. Ben Youngs
22. Toby Flood
23. Ben Foden

How I wish Burns had been there in place of Farrell. But, lets hope Farrell can get things going a little with 36 outside of him, and maybe even go for a run or two himself.

I've not seen enough of Tomkins to comment, but lets hope he performs too. And Billy has got a massive chance to stake his place now, a big game from him could really mean we have some hot competition for 8.

Aus team.... Horwill dumped as Captain.

15. Israel Folau
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
13. Tevita Kuridrani
12. Matt Toomua
11. Nick Cummins
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia
8. Ben Mowen (c)
7. Michael Hooper
6. Scott Fardy
5. James Horwill
4. Sitaleki Timani
3. Ben Alexander
2. Stephen Moore
1. James Slipper

Res:
16. Saia Fainga'a
17. Benn Robinson
18. Sekope Kepu
19. Kane Douglas
20. Ben McCalman
21. Nic White
22. Christian Lealiifano
23. Bernard Foley


I really liked how their backline went in the last game, but the only guy in their forwards that really provides oomph is Moore.

I don't fancy our chances that much, but I'd not count us out.

Team looks pretty solid. Front row potential exploit. Timani is a wrecking ball.

England by 5-8.

http://www.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/story/204429.html
Questionable choices in there

Any of those players would seem to me to have a valid case, but it's a strange amalgam Clive has gone for.

Yeah a lot of potential but I can imagine them blowing hot and cold a bit. Not much experience either

As opposed to the back line we've named which has a lot of..., no hang on, they've naff all experience too save Ashton. I would say at least the Clive selection has the chance to blow hot, but honestly with May and Tuilagi in the centres how would Yarde, Wade and Watson get the ball, other than by chasing kicks or receiving kicks?

I like the backline but wouldn't have May at centre I'd have a passer in there. Big Cips fan and he is our most exciting 10. Fact.

OK, I'd lose Ashton now. I don't know if it was Farrell, but our centres barely touched the ball. Brown was exceptional, I think I'd put Eastmond on the bench against Arg, and let him replace 36 potentially.