Matt O'Connor slates Lancaster for not selecting creative players...!

Matt O'Connor has launched a stinging attack on the England coaches for their treatment of the club's half-backs Ben Youngs and Toby Flood.

He also believes England interim head coach Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team "don't want creative players" and are taking the field merely "trying not to lose".

Following England's unhappy World Cup campaign, both Flood and Youngs picked up injuries and have lost their starting shirts.

Youngs, 22, was dropped to the bench for the defeat by Wales and is again expected to be there against France in Paris on Sunday.

Flood, however, has not even made the squad for the trip and has dropped to third-choice fly-half behind Saracens duo Owen Farrell and Charlie Hodgson.

Flood and Youngs led England to their first Six Nations title in eight years last season and O'Connor is furious with their treatment.

"Both of them were outstanding for Leicester against Gloucester on Sunday," he said.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Leicester-Tigers-blast-England-star-duo/story-15420754-detail/story.html

I think its a fair point....however the pair of them seem to come as one. Take Flood out and Youngs appears a bit lost and vice a versa. Got to believe the coaching set up knows more than a bunch of ex amateurs and keyboard warriors but I am really concerned we appear to morphing into a poor man's version of 2000-2003 ( a Sarries style being adopted?)......Time will tell tho' it is definately early days..

I am very surprised at Flood not being included especially as he seems fit, he is young and very talented.

A few points,of course with an inexperienced side England are playing a conservative game.With respect Leicester is one of THE strongest Aviva sides.
Youngs and Flood have had injuries and are getting back to form,club and test
Rugby are two different things.A Club pairing always helps Leicester would expect
at least parity upfront.THAT is not guaranteed with the current test pack various
combinations being tried out.
Get a settled team THEN start making comments SCW had a fair number of losses before he got it right.

Matt O'Connor has made himself look stupid with these over the top comments.

He should be happy to have Flood back for the Tigers & England are content to have strength in depth. SL is right not to chop & change.
Hodgson is in form & deserves to be in the match day 22.

Flood is probably not quite there yet but I guess it may have been different if Youngs was in the same form as last year.

As together & in form they proved in the last 6Ns, they were the best outside halves in Europe.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:As together & in form they proved in the last 6Ns, they were the best outside halves in Europe.

Best in England not best in Europe

Matt O'Connor should keep his gob shut and concentrate on Leicester....

Wait till the rubbish we'll be watching with Jake White in Charge of England.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:Matt O'Connor has made himself look stupid with these over the top comments.

He should be happy to have Flood back for the Tigers & England are content to have strength in depth. SL is right not to chop & change.
Hodgson is in form & deserves to be in the match day 22..

Except chopping and changing is what he has done.

Flood is probably not quite there yet but I guess it may have been different if Youngs was in the same form as last year.

As together & in form they proved in the last 6Ns, they were the best outside halves in Europe

Flood is in the best form he has ever been for Tigers. As Lancaster believes that is not good enough to play for England - despite calling him his first choice when teh squad was announced in january - I reckon we will be seeing him at tigers for as long as Lancaster is coach.

Last season the youngs/Flood combo outplayed their Australian, Welsh, Italian and French counterparts, shaded the match-up against their Scottish counterparts and behind a badly beaten pack were mashed by SA and Ireland. Last season they were right up there with the best Europe had to offer. But that was last season.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Matt O'Connor should keep his gob shut and concentrate on Leicester....

Wait till the rubbish we'll be watching with Jake White in Charge of England.

I have a feeling that Andy Farrell has a lot more to do with this England team than Stuart Lancaster.

Youngs and Flood have had injuries and are getting back to form,club and test
Rugby are two different things.

Yet Flood looked the best 10 on show against Wales. Flood is in very good form and is over his injury. Youngs (who is 4 years younger than Flood) is the young player struggling to regain his form after injury. Yet Flood is dropped and Youngs retained (it should be the other way round).

He should be happy to have Flood back for the Tigers

Flood isn't needed for an LV Cup weekend. Tigers use the LV Cup for developing players and Flood is in prime fitness and form now. All it means is he gets a weekend holiday.

I have a feeling that Andy Farrell has a lot more to do with this England team than Stuart Lancaster..

Well he is the backs coach so he will be responsible for organising them in attack and defence and he will make suggestions for the players he wants to utilise.

I have a feeling that Andy Farrell has a lot more to do with this England team than Stuart Lancaster.

Agree but somewhat surprised about the outcome of that. Farrells League background should be producing slick handling, incisive back play but it isn't, yet, and it hasn't at Sarries either which is a puzzle.

This coaching team has been landed with an almost impossible task. They are being asked to caretake the situation but being expected to turn round a misfiring squad and lay foundations for the future. I think they have been hedging their bets by utilising some key players who they know inside out, grafting on some youngsters who deserve the chance and retaining some who have a few caps and could be expected to be upto scratch in the international arena. I think if SL had been gifted the summer tour as well as 6 Nations it might have changed his thinking.

aitchw wrote:I have a feeling that Andy Farrell has a lot more to do with this England team than Stuart Lancaster.

Agree but somewhat surprised about the outcome of that. Farrells League background should be producing slick handling, incisive back play but it isn't, yet, and it hasn't at Sarries either which is a puzzle.

This coaching team has been landed with an almost impossible task. They are being asked to caretake the situation but being expected to turn round a misfiring squad and lay foundations for the future. I think they have been hedging their bets by utilising some key players who they know inside out, grafting on some youngsters who deserve the chance and retaining some who have a few caps and could be expected to be upto scratch in the international arena. I think if SL had been gifted the summer tour as well as 6 Nations it might have changed his thinking.

No but the style is very Saracens. Not just the backplay. I think he has a larger coaching role tactically as well. Lancaster lacks experience where Farrell has it.

You got to love the Tiggers.

They moan when their players are selected for England as it's very unfair on them losing all those players and still having to play AP matches.

They moan when England don't want their players and send them back to them.

Excellent.

For what it's worth, my opinion is that Flood should have remained in the 22 as bench cover, with Hodgson the man left out. Farrell did enough in his first start at 10 to warrant another few outings there, and for me is a better medium and long term bet than Flood.

Pete I have never moaned.

I wanted some acknowledgement from you that the WC had a big affect on tigers. A point you were unwilling to concede. Thus from now on we have nothing to say on the matter. That does not stop you choosing to continually snipe and have digs. In most matters you are a good poster and Mod. On this topic you are a complete and utter WUM.

To be fair, I think he has a point. As a Welshman I was very happy to not see Flood named in the squad against us. Owen Farrell had a good game but just doesn't pose anywhere near the threat of Flood.