England Vs Scotland

So the sweaties have named their starting XV, I think we do so on Thursday. Don't want to knock it too much after Telfer has already labelled us arrogant, still could be worse as he's said the Welsh are lazy. (Not yet clear if he said the Irish are a good crack, the French unpredictable and the Italians emotional just to round out his stereotyping)

Ryan Grant
Dougie Hall
Euan Murray
Richie Gray
Jim Hamilton
Alasdair Strokosch
Kelly Brown (capt)
John Beattie
Greig Laidlaw
Ruaridh Jackson
Tim Visser
Matt Scott
Sean Lamont
Sean Maitland
Stuart Hogg

No openside, which may give them problems. Though we're likely to return the favour.

England have released the following players

Botha
Dickson
Foden
Joseph
Kvesic
Monye
Thomas
B.Vunipola
Waldrom

No surprises, though I'm a little cross Joseph has been sent back to his club. Tuilagi isn't being considered for the squad but is staying with the squad and continuing his treatment in camp.

Which means the 23 players the matchday squad will be picked from are:

Marler
M Vunipola
Wilson
Cole
T Youngs
Hartley
Launchbury
Lawes
Parling
Wood
Robshaw
Morgan
Haskell

B Youngs
Care
Farrell
Flood
Barritt
Twelvetrees
Ashton
Strettle
Brown
Goode

Seeing a lot of complaints about Strettle being in, especially over Joseph. I guess however, he'll be on the bench anyway, with Goode and Brown on the pitch like NZ.

Still, it's decided who'll be in the centres at least. I wonder which of Barritt and 36 will be 13.

I don't see Billy as a 13 so I'd have to say Barritt will line up at outside. Looking forward to seeing him in an England jersey, just unfortunate that Freddie isn't there alongside him this time.

I suspect that's what we'll see. It should potentially light a fire under Barritts arse.

Lancaster is looking at other 12s whilst Barritt isn't injured, rather than 13s.

I do like Barritt, he's been improving in his attacking game, and his defence is immense, and the English way (in my eyes) has always been a case of winning by not losing (don't let them score), so he fits in with that philosophy quite well.

Disappointed that Foden has been sent back

Billy started off playing for Leicester as a 13, though that was in part down to the players injured resulting in him getting a start. Slightly difficult to call as 36 might have more whole games at 13, but it's been a long time and he's now nearly always a 12 (sometimes a 10) and Barritt does have the odd hybrid job at Sarries, where he can stand at 13 depending on what they're doing and who his centre partner is.

I think as Burt has talked about getting a passing 12 into the team that to omitt JJ and now play 36 at 13 would be plain odd. And 36 has been running inside Brad in practice. But we'll see

Basil wrote:Disappointed that Foden has been sent back

I am in a way, as I think him England's best fullback, though I know plenty prefer either Goode or Brown. There is however a reasonable point that coming back from injury Foden has shown mixed form, and he's certainly making more mistakes than he'd be expecting, he did have a very low error rate. Against that Goode is only just back from injury himself and hasn't shown much of anything.

At this point I'd have to suppose Burt has been more impressed with Goode in the camp, and can only back such selection. Don't think we'll see Goode playing quite the same role as in the AI with Billy at 12, not really enough room for another playmaker in there

We have both the U20 and Saxons game later today. Could be good games, certainly the U20. At U18 level this England group were beaten by the Scottish group they take on later, so no formality.

Did the other thread on the messy defence, this game was really more about a messy attack. But delighted to see an England team having problems with actually trying to attack.

Twelvetrees looked to the manor born, but really wasn't the 9/10 performer he's being rated as in many papers. Just he was a centre who has the option to run, pass or kick, and with that balance looked good based in no small part on what we've had there in the last few years.

Farrell, much better but was under little pressure. With our pack delivering a huge amount of good ball, actually the weak performances came in the backs from Barritt (out of position), Brown and easily the worst Goode.

The pressure we were under, and the tries we coughed up, all came from our own errors or forcing the attack. Easy things for the coaches to work on going to Dublin.

Hopefully a good game next wee, with both England and Ireland showing some good stuff yesterday.

I thought one of the weaker attacking links was Barritt. A number of times he received the ball in space and simply shipped it on to his winger. He didn't run straight or fix a man to create space, he just forced Brown into a small channel on too many occasions. If we can get Manu in at 13 we would be a better attacking force but I'm just not sure Burt would want to take the defensive hit.

If Manu is fit he'll play, unless we entrust selection to BOD. But I do expect Barritt will move back to 12, where he'll exhibit the exact same problems Grim has observed.

And whilst I'd play Twelvetrees I can see why a coaching team would select Barritt. Though I'm not happy with a 12 who can't pass well, and to put him outside a 10 who can't pass well is even worse. Heh ho, it is what it is.