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Well done to them all.



“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Benjamin Franklin

Tetleys Block F E143

Shouldn't this be 5 Saints on the England plane to New Zealand? What about other planes?

I remember when England used to select inside centres.

Forwards: (17)

Props: Dan Cole (Leicester, Age 24, 17 caps), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish, 22, 6), Andrew Sheridan (Sale, 31, 38), Matt Stevens (Saracens, 28, 34), David Wilson (Bath, 26, 18).

Hookers: Dylan Hartley (Northampton, 25, 29), Lee Mears (Bath, 32, 37), Steve Thompson (Wasps, 33, 67).

Locks: Louis Deacon (Leicester, 30, 24), Courtney Lawes (Northampton, 22, 9), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais, 32, 27), Simon Shaw (unattached, 37, 67).

Back row: Tom Croft (Leicester, 25, 25), Nick Easter (Harlequins, 33, 44), James Haskell (Ricoh Black Rams, 26, 36), Lewis Moody (Bath, 33, 67), Tom Wood (Northampton, 24, 7).

Backs: (13)

Full-backs/wings: Delon Armitage (London Irish, 27, 20), Ben Foden (Northampton, 26, 16), Chris Ashton (Northampton, 24, 12), Mark Cueto (Sale, 31, 52).

Centres: Matt Banahan (Bath, 24, 13), Shontayne Hape (London Irish, 30, 12), Mike Tindall (Gloucester, 32, 71), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester, 20, 1).

Fly-halves: Toby Flood (Leicester, 26, 41), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon, 32, 86).

Scrum-halves: Joe Simpson (Wasps, 23, 0), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 28, 7), Ben Youngs (Leicester, 21, 12).

Uninspiring in many respects but then again who else is there ?

robshaw, johnson, sharples, clarke, attwood, borthwick, gray, farrell...

Simon Shaw, off to his third RWC (and had 8 caps prior to missing the 1999 tournament) and turns 38 next week - old enough to be Manu Tuilagi's dad!

Photo Gallery



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:22:20:07:41 by smurfomatic.

Quote:

smurfomatic
Simon Shaw, off to his third RWC (and had 8 caps prior to missing the 1999 tournament) and turns 38 next week - old enough to be Manu Tuilagi's dad!

Well you may be more in the know than me Simon, but I don't think Shaw is Tuilagi's dad. They look nothing like each other.

You made a mistake Robby, you've put Banahan and Hape down as Centres!!

Oh. My. Life.

Well, as I said after the last Wales game, at least we'll be getting our Saintly contingent back early. And they can save the RFU a fortune in hotel bills in this difficult financial climate.

Quote:

Saint.Kenneth
You made a mistake Robby, you've put Banahan and Hape down as Centres!!

No StKen the mistake is putting them anywhere in the squad

If Shaw is Tuilagi's Dad he clearly did a poor job on the discipline front!

This is sad for the Saints as we will lose our Director of Rugby after the world cup.

Personally I'm not so sure of that Bleach.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but with the way Mr Steele was treated I wonder whether Jim et al would be so keen to take over the reins AT THE MOMENT.

It does seem a remarkable coincidence that the same time the board stopped dabbling in the playing side coincided with Big Jim's arrival. I get the impression "it's Jims way or the highway" and that could prove to be an impasse with regard to the RFU

Dunc, we got him form the RFU, his feet were well under the table, but he had to go and prove himself, he's done that.

In that case we'd all better pray that despite misgivings about the squad and recent performances, England at least reach the final and MJ keeps the job (if he still wants it which is far from certain)

Robby to most important ones you missed out who could have been there were Barrit or Allen, both better 12s on form then picked in training squad!

N Bananaman..............I wouldnt have him there as 12, 13 or 11/14...

Shaw, you can argue Atwood (I would), my question to Mr Johnson is, Shaw proved given him 30mins he can mix it up (maybe), what happens if you put him on bench n a lock gets injured in first 10-15mins of a game?... he cant last that long at this level ffs!, does this mean everytime Shaw in squad he has to have Croft there with him in case he gets called on early?

This really isnt a surprise though, sadly

Really REALLY don't want Jim to go anywhere... When ever he does, he taken half the playing squad with him. Saints will be ruined for half of every season as he select them all.

neil it was off the top of my head...

He has not proved himself to himself yet. No major Trophy. There are others who may be more to the RFU's taste.
Venter keeps pushing our coaches for England though.

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Quote:

St Marlowe
He has not proved himself to himself yet. No major Trophy. There are others who may be more to the RFU's taste.
Venter keeps pushing our coaches for England though.

pft, the RFU arent going to go to cockers, and they aint going anywhere near venters mob. its jim. the top, the bottom and the middle of the list.

Robbie i wasn't critising mate, was just adding to your list!... we have the talent if they were picked

Quote:

SaintGav
If Shaw is Tuilagi's Dad he clearly did a poor job on the discipline front!

If Shaw was Tuilagi's dad - Manu would have qualified for England through parentage rather than (illegal) residency!

It wasn't that long ago that the Saints had next to no representation in the England setup and now, we have probably five certainties to be in a match day squad.

It's a remarkable turnaround in fortunes and shows what Jim, Nobby, Grace and the Hood have managed to do to our club. The only good thing I can see if they go to International coaching, is that they won't be stealing our players for other clubs, in the same way we seemed to raid Sale a few years back.

When you look at the five English lads, they are also some of the most talked about and promising players in the squad, not just bench fodder, but real exciting talent that other sides would love to have within their ranks.

Quote:

Robby Richmond
Dunc, we got him form the RFU, his feet were well under the table, but he had to go and prove himself, he's done that.

I appreciate that Rob, but just 'cos the Blazers want him doesn't mean he'll want to go to them.

I get the impression (although as stated above it may just be a hope of mine) that Jim won't go anywhere that isn't on his express terms. I don't think the gin soakeds would go for that. I'd have been much more worried if the Steeley one hadn't been royal shafted, if he'd have been allowed to sort the sorry mess the RFU is out I think we'd be much more likely to lose our coaching set up. I also think England RFC would be a much stronger force to be reckoned with in the coming years...

hear bl00dy hear

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Quote:

SaintsDuncan

I appreciate that Rob, but just 'cos the Blazers want him doesn't mean he'll want to go to them.

I get the impression (although as stated above it may just be a hope of mine) that Jim won't go anywhere that isn't on his express terms. I don't think the gin soakeds would go for that. I'd have been much more worried if the Steeley one hadn't been royal shafted, if he'd have been allowed to sort the sorry mess the RFU is out I think we'd be much more likely to lose our coaching set up. I also think England RFC would be a much stronger force to be reckoned with in the coming years...

the thing is, turn it down and you wont get offered it again...

Take it with that bunch in place and you might never get anything again.

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Quote:

Robby Richmond

Quote:

SaintsDuncan

I appreciate that Rob, but just 'cos the Blazers want him doesn't mean he'll want to go to them.

I get the impression (although as stated above it may just be a hope of mine) that Jim won't go anywhere that isn't on his express terms. I don't think the gin soakeds would go for that. I'd have been much more worried if the Steeley one hadn't been royal shafted, if he'd have been allowed to sort the sorry mess the RFU is out I think we'd be much more likely to lose our coaching set up. I also think England RFC would be a much stronger force to be reckoned with in the coming years...

the thing is, turn it down and you wont get offered it again...

the thing is, turn it down and you wont get offered it again by the current incumbents (or should that read incompetants?)