England EPS Squad according To Daily Mail (not the most Reliable source of Media)

Team:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/10/article-2084879-0F680E8A00000578-952_468x390_popup.jpg

Arcticle:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2084879/Six-Nations-2012-England-drop-13-players-World-Cup.html

If (and it is a very big when the Daily Fail is concerned) this is the EPS then there are a few points that jump out to me.

- Mears & Wilson are more than lucky to be retained (not sure how long Mears is out though). Doran-Jones is unlucky in my opinion.
- As a Saints fan that's a lot of players from the Gardens. Training during the week is going to be light on numbers during the 6N!
- As predicted Callum Clark is a real left-field selection, can only see him making the first 22 if there are injuries in the backrow.
- I really don't think Marler is ready for the next step up yet due to his ability in the scrum. Would have preferred Nick Wood or Mullen.
- Really wanted Parling in. It will be interesting to see who replaces Deacon (and Lawes short-term).
- Although a big fan of Dowson at 30 it's late in a career to make a debut although really happy there is no Tommy the Tank.
- After watching the Tigers Wasps game at the weekend I can't believe Webber is in. His throwing was about as straight as Julian Clarey.
- Joe Grey is very unlucky, especially considering the above point.
- With Armitage and Banahan (both rightly) not making the squad it seems Sharples is earmarked for the 22 shirt covering the back 3.
- Farrell will probably be covering 10, 12, & 13 from the bench if he doesn't start.
- Not a fan of Simpson and his club form has been poor recently. Think he is only in due to lack of options at 9.

Overall pretty happy. Wonder who will be the short term call up's for Flood and Tuilagi if they don't make the first game (Burns & Trindler?).

Flippin heck....not many caps and leaders in that bunch.

But maybe that is the point...new broom and give the kids free rein

Literally, the only way is up.

Seems pretty believeable.

Mears maybe will get immediatly replaced as an injury, it could just be EPS selection jiggery pokery ( remeber this isnt a new squad its an ammendment to the exitsing one) or it may just be that Lancaster isnt that impressed by whoever would have been England 6th choice hooker (behind Hartley , Thompson, Chuter, Mears, Webber) only a few months ago and thoughgt some experience might be of value in the training sessions.

Callum clark is a leftfield selection but one thats been rumoured for a while., Like most of these players hes been throug the system, Lancaster knows what hes about and obviously thinks he has what it takes. Brave call though.

Harsh perhaps on Burns and Clegg that neither is in, it may be a case of with Flood being doubtful he wanted to retain both experienced 10's to make sure he had one for the Scotland game.
I thought Billy 36 might have made the squad but hes gone with JTH instead, not a great suprise.
Most people expected Trinder in as well, but he seems to have gone quite light on the center options with Farrel offering cover.



No Narraway is a bit of a surpise, leaves a shootout between Dowson (who surely is right on the borderline of Lancasters age policy ebven more so for a 0 cap) and the fat Welsh kid for Easters role of walking slowly toward the opposition and falling over.

Hugley inexperienced, distinct lack of a 50 cap cavalry. Two of the 3 most capped players are in the same position, and the one with the most is injured. Its a very risky squad.

Stretles maybe a bit lucky to retain his place. Theres a lot of comeptition for the wing spots.

Parling probably would have been in if hed got fit sooner, Id expect him to be first reserve...may even be called in as an injury replacement for Deacon.

Excellent, now you can stop pretending to be a Welsh fan

Gatts wrote:Excellent, now you can stop pretending to be a Welsh fan

Sorry is this in anyway relevant to life or are you just trying to provoke and argument again?

Don't be sorry, no one believed you were a Welsh fan anyway

Well that is all pretty much expected and they have mainly left alone Tigers in regards to new call ups which is nice.

I think the likes of Marler, Webber and JTH are in for nasty wake up calls based on some of their recent games and the expected step up in performance for internationals.

Why is Phil Vickery not in the squad? Did he retire or something?

Peter seabiscuit wheeler you evidently haven't watched Strettle recently. He has looked very sharp. Was excellent in the 1st 40 minutes vs Quins and got the MOM vs Bath.

Wade is injured now so he's ruled out. Who else would you say is better than Strettle?

If it was JTH vs Twelvetrees surprisingly enough I would have picked Twelvetrees. I still don't really rate JTH.

Marler simply cannot scrummage. I am even unsure whether Stevens should be retained.

Agree Gray is unlucky. Shame there's no Garvey.

I am pleased with most selections though.

Fingers crossed that Marler and Mears are selected to play against Ross Ford and Euan Murray, that would be fun come scrum time.

If that is indeed the squad I'm pretty much in agreement with B91212 on all those points. Particularly Mears, who just seems to be included in these squads without any consideration of form or ability. Perhaps he's too small to notice.

There's also very little cover at 13, with Tuilagi the only specialist.

I actually hope this isnt the actual squad...think we could happily change a few of these selections...

B91212 I agree that's the awful lot of Saints.

The breakdown according to that list:

Saints 8

Leicester 6

Sarries 5

Quins 4

Bath 3

Wasps 2

Scarlets 1

Stade Francais 1

London Irish 1

Gloucester 1

The top 4 contribute 23 of the players.

Its depressing that we now have not 1 representative in the England squad....

GeordieFalcon you have Dowson and Flood surely?

Its a loose tie now though....plying their trades at others clubs....

I mean players actually with us who make the squad....

To be fair Geordie youre struggling to find anyone at teh club whos good enough to make teh Newcastle squad let alone the England one at the minute

Geordiefalcon do you believe a Newcastle player should have been picked?

Newcastle need to focus on getting promoted again next season.

Can't argue with that squad to be honest most of them have been playing well and deserve their chance.

On the plus side if they do get relegated Tigers might start loaning back some of the players we poached.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Its depressing that we now have not 1 representative in the England squad....

Don't worry. When Euan Murray destroys Corbisiero or Marler you can puff out your chest with pride

If that is the EPS, with all the various restrictions in place, I wonder who will replace Deacon, Flood and Tuilagi?

LondonTiger wrote:If that is the EPS, with all the various restrictions in place, I wonder who will replace Deacon, Flood and Tuilagi?

They wont replace Flood and Tuilagi, both are likley to be fit by the second game if not the first.
Deacon will probably be replaced by Parling or possibly Attwood, and I assume Mears will go for Grey

funnyExiledScot wrote:Perhaps he's too small to notice.

I agree with what you're saying though. I have never understood what Mears brings to the team, and what merits his selection. He was obviously too small for anyone to notice he snuck on the plane to South Africa in '09.

anyone know what time the announcement is?

Peter , Beshocked....

No i dont think there is anyone who deserves to be in the squad - maybe Hudson the exception...but he's not young.

I was just saying its sad that a team that generally supplied a few players (not loads) has gone to supplying none.

Anyway back to the squad

Don't worry. When Euan Murray destroys Corbisiero or Marler you can puff out your chest with pride

A tad annoying that England have a perfectly good scrummaging loosehead in Mullan who can also do the business around the park and he isn't picked because he plays for Worcester. Comfortably better than Marler and at least on a par with Corbisiero, he has already nullified Murray at the scrum once this season.

bluestonevedder wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Perhaps he's too small to notice.

I agree with what you're saying though. I have never understood what Mears brings to the team, and what merits his selection. He was obviously too small for anyone to notice he snuck on the plane to South Africa in '09.

Him and Stevens were excellent together in 08 and 09 both for Bath and England. In the white shirt they were often the only ones getting over the gain line in midfield.
If that is the squad, it's about as good as it can get bearing in mind they are only able to make a certain amount of changes. I'm guessing Parling may get a shot in Deacon's place (who will drop out of the EPS come summer time).
Disappointing not to see Trinder in there, but I guess with Gloucester's rotation he probably hasn't played as much as selectors would have liked.

bathmad wrote:Him and Stevens were excellent together in 08 and 09 both for Bath and England. In the white shirt they were often the only ones getting over the gain line in midfield.

I remember Stevens performing during that time, but can't recall Mears ever standing out that much during an international game.

Hopefully Parling should be the one to replace Deacon, and agree about Trinder. This isn't the actual squad though (is it?) so hopefully there should be a few little changes.

Squad announcement is at 1pm for anyone that is interested

I think Mears was excellent in the loose....almost like an extra fat centre....i think what most people had issues with was his power in the set piece...

GeordieFalcon wrote:was

Fact is from the Lions tour onwards he looked a spent force in every department at international level. Having Chuter around the squad last year seemed an oddity, retaining Mears really strikes as against the Lancaster ethic.
Hes still out injured anyway right?

Very true Peter...he wouldnt be in my squad thats for sure....

GF

I think the issue with Mears in the scrum is not just his relative lack of bulk and power, but also that his lack of height really upsets the balance of the relatively tall props England have used over the last several years (mostly 6'2" or taller).
In open field, I've always thought of Mears as having pretty good skill but again not being that great at making ground after contact because of his lack of power. Then again, Hartley has less ball skill and doesn't make ground like he should either.

Can someone remind me of how many changes were allowed to the EPS, in addition to those players that have retired (Wilkinson, Moody, Thompson, Worsley? )

dummy_half wrote:Can someone remind me of how many changes were allowed to the EPS, in addition to those players that have retired (Wilkinson, Moody, Thompson, Worsley? )

I beleive its 10 plus any for injury plus anyone whos not playing regulalry for their club in their listed position or deemed to be out of form.
Plus Tindall who was sacked from the EPS ( pending appeal)

So really as many as he wants.

It's worth considering the average caps per player in the three 6 Nations squads released so far:

France: 29
Scotland: 25.97
England: 13.375

(I know, England's hasn't actually been released yet, but I'm working off of the Daily Mail. First time for everything...)

PSW
I beleive Tindall was reinstated.

By my reckoning there are 9 players who've been dropped from the EPS (assuming the Daily Wail have the new EPS right) plus Sheridan and Wigglesworth out with long term injuries and the three retirements.

Is the retention of Deacon and Mears (both of who are injured and won't be in the 6Ns) to do with fiddling the EPS system? - they can be replaced freely because of their absence, and so the coaches could perhaps take a look at a couple of alternatives in each spot.

dummy_half wrote:PSW
I beleive Tindall was reinstated.

By my reckoning there are 9 players who've been dropped from the EPS (assuming the Daily Wail have the new EPS right) plus Sheridan and Wigglesworth out with long term injuries and the three retirements.

Is the retention of Deacon and Mears (both of who are injured and won't be in the 6Ns) to do with fiddling the EPS system? - they can be replaced freely because of their absence, and so the coaches could perhaps take a look at a couple of alternatives in each spot.

Right sorry didnt keep up on Tindallgate.

Yes I believe thats probably the case with Mears and Deacon, Mears unlikley to be retained because hes no use and Deacon because hes injured.

BTW the squad was suppossed to be announced 10 minutes ago, the internet news is very slow today

I'm fairly sure that Mears is injured and he is there as an injury swap for someone a little later on.

BBC has just updated. Pretty much as in the mail with the following:

"Four members of the Saxons squad will join the elite squad as temporary injury cover - Bath's Dave Atwood, Saracens full-back Alex Goode, Leicester's Geoff Parling and Gloucester's Henry Trinder, the last three also uncapped."

Hats off to the Daily Mail I guess!

Is there any real surprises there? From what I have seen on TV looks pretty much as most expected and most in form etc.