England Squad Announcement

Wednesday sees Stuart Lancaster's first meaningful day in his role as Interim Coach, or as I prefer to call him, Coach. The announcement of the EPS (Elite Player Squad or any other name you wish to give it) is the announcement of the direction that the House of Lancaster will take.

Let me get one thing off my chest before we go any further. The use of the word Interim is pointless. He is the Coach. Everyone knows it, everyone understands it, so why bother using the word interim? He is on a short-term contract, but he is the coach.

With that out of my system, time to look at the fruits of his first few weeks labour. He has traveled the grounds of the Premiership extensively, usually alongside his sidekick Muttly, sorry Rowntree. Every possible candidate for the 32 EPS places has had the coach's attention for at least 80 minutes, and after a meeting with Rowntree and his other principle assistant Andy Farrell, Wednesday sees the 32 names announced for the first time.

We've heard the rumours of those who are being overlooked and those who aren't happy with it. Mark Cueto and Nick Easter seemingly falling into the latter category, Wilkinson (retirement - ha), Shaw, Palmer, Tindall and many others have been jettisoned, as the new management team look to leave its stamp on the year ahead.

As every other blogger has seemingly had their go at picking the 32, I thought I should probably do the same. There have been some strange selections in the lists I have seen and heard. Steve Borthwick in Will Greenwood's list for example, Tom Palmer, who is in France, also getting named. I believe mine will be closer to the mark, but then I would say that wouldn't I?

Front Row
There are some interesting choices in the front row. Loosehead sees a relatively young survivor of the World Cup in Alex Corbisiero, and it would be a major surprise were he not to be included. This leaves a straight fight for the second spot between, as I see it, the future, loose option that is Joe Marler, whose scrummaging is maybe slightly weaker but whose hard yards in the loose and ball carrying would give England a dynamic option, and the more experienced Nick Wood of Gloucester, who is without doubt one of the better scrummagers in the Premiership, but whose loose game is a fair way behind Marler. A touch pick for sure, and while Wood may be the better short term option, I think this squad will be a very foward looking one and therefore expect Marler to get the nod.

Tighthead is a little more straightforward in my eyes. Dan Cole is the quiet unassuming character who gets on with things. After a slight dip in form at the World Cup, he seems to be back to something approaching his best. Matt Stevens too, since he has been focussing on the tighthead side rather than trying to be Mr Flexible, has made steps to somewhere near his best. I wouldn't be surprised if the pair get selected. Their form is reasonable, and their experience in a relatively young squad would be invaluable. Only Paul Doran-Jones, on current form, may disturb this pair.

Hooker is both easy and difficult. Dylan Hartley is the experienced man, he is probably the best hooker in England at the moment (well, in England and qualified to play for England). He is a shoe-in for one of the places. The second is a little more open, and most Premiership hookers have been mentioned in respect of the second place: Webber of Wasps, were he able to throw, would be the perfect foil for Hartley. His throwing though is at times abysmal, and England cannot really afford that. Paice of London Irish, Gray of Quins and George of the Jungle, sorry Saracens, are also in line, but Lancaster has Webber with the Saxons last year, and I suspect that will be the weight that tilts it in Webber's favour.

Second Row
Injury, retirement and deciding to play abroad have robbed England of Lawes, Deacon, Shaw and Palmer, from the rather disappointing World Cup second row. It always surprised me that, for someone who exhibited such qualities as a player in that position, Martin Johnson never managed to get anything out of his chosen second row forwards. Lancaster has effectively a blank sheet, though Lawes would be a certainty were he not injured. I still suspect Lawes will get an EPS place, as he should be fit for summer's Australia tour and the winter arrival of the Southern Hemisphere sides. Who joins him though? Robson of Harlequins is in good form, Attwood of Bath too seems to be on the road back to his best, and slightly left-field for me given his injury record and his lack of game time in recent weeks, Parling of Leicester would also get the nod from me.

Back Row
I'm pretty certain that, given the euphoria surrounding his performances this season in both victory, and latterly in defeat, Chris Robshaw will be named in the list. He may well be up for the captaincy eventually too, but for now he, Tom Croft and Tom Wood will waltz into Lancaster's squad. Three places to fill then, including the key Number 8 position. Specialists need to be picked there for me, and they also need to be people who take the game to the opposition at pace. Easter's time has been and gone, despite his recent lean look and performances, and as such, I would opt for Waldrom of Leicester and Morgan of Scarlets. Morgan is another of those who I believe has had a whisper from Lancaster, which explains the timing of his announcement that he would be choosing England ahead of Wales. The final back row position is a tricky one too, but I would go for Seymour of Sale, who is a proper number 7, though if slightly unfit given the clonking he took at Leicester last weekend, then Saull of Saracens would be a hair's breadth behind him on my list

Half Backs
Scrum half is a problem area for me, so I'm picking three to keep options open. Youngs and Simpson will be in there, and given recent performances Dickson of Northampton should also get his first shout. Watching him behind a dominant pack is a joy. His pass is unfussy, accurate and quick, his defence is stout and his kicking game, while never going to reach the heights, is more than good enough.

Fly half sees another tricky decision given the injury to Toby Flood, who is still hopeful of returning for the Scotland clash. I would pick him anyway, along with Owen Farrell. The third name (needed given Flood's injury and Farrell's likely use in the centre) is anther tricky one. I like Burns, but I think he is too green, I really like Lamb, but he is a little inconsistent and I used to love Hodgson, but the key words there are 'used to'. I've seen enough in Lamb to want to take the risk on him, but think Lancaster will opt for the slightly steadier Burns.

Centres
Manu Tuilagi is as near to the first name on the squad list as they come. If only they could find a way of inserting some common sense into him.... Alongside him is a tricky one, with youth being required. I've never understood why Dan Hipkiss was so consistently overlooked by previous coaches, but think he is likely to miss out again, and much as I like Smith of Leicester, I can't see him getting a go unfortunately. I see Trinder getting a call, Barritt, who has played Saxons and is a key member of Andy Farrell's Saracens backline and Banahan, who has the ability to play centre or wing, but who I would like to see being given a run at centre. Turner-Hall will be unlucky and miss out.

Wingers
With Banahan in the centre and able to slip to the wing, I am going for three form players and a slight wildcard. Ashton, of course, will walk in to the list. I think he will be joined by the hot property of the moment, Sharples, and the forgotten man of English rugby Strettle. The final name on the list is someone who, whenever they have stepped up a level, have made an instant impression: Wade, young and inexperienced though he is, is the nearest England will come to another Jason Robinson, and needs to be involved sooner rather than later.

Full Backs
Easy. Foden and Brown. Brown's form allied with Armitage's consistent run-ins with the authorities and his rumoured future departure to French shores should see the two form guys of the Premiership selected.

So there you have it, a list of 30. A mix between what I would do and what I expect Lancaster et al to do.

Forwards (16)
Corbisiero, Marler, Hartley, Webber, Cole, Stevens, Lawes, Attwood, Robson, Parling, Croft, Wood, Robshaw, Seymour, Waldrom, Morgan

Backs (16)
Youngs, Simpson, Dickson, Flood, Farrell, Burns, Tuilagi, Trinder, Barritt, Banahan, Ashton, Strettle, Sharples, Wade, Foden, Brown

Here is a back-up 15, any of which are feasible selections:
Front row: Wood, Gray, Doran-Jones
Second Row: Garvey, Gaskell
Back Row: Saull, Narraway, Gibson
Half Backs: Hodgson, Hodgson
Centres: Turner-Hall, Smith
Wings: Monye, Armitage
Full Back: Goode

A fascinating time of year. No doubt some of those names mentioned will lead you to laugh or call me crazy, but rugby is all about opinion. You've seen mine, why not tell me yours?

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