Rugby World Cup 2015

Addickforlife

With England announcing their pre world cup training squad today it's probably time to start a thread on the tournament (sorry to those who hate rugby). I'm starting to get quite excited really!

England training squad:

Forwards: Dave Attwood (Bath), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), George Kruis (Saracens), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Rob Webber (Bath), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester).

Backs: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Sam Burgess (Bath), Danny Care (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Sale), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jonny May (Gloucester), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), David Strettle (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester).


Some interesting picks in there and got to feel for Dave Ewers missing out, he's been immense this year.

Lincsaddick

Pretty much as expected, though I would like to have seen Waldrom and (like you) Ewers of Exeter included, both have had truly outstanding seasons in the back row

cafcnick1992

They could all knock on my front door and I'd have no idea who any of them are

SuedeAdidas

cafcnick1992 said:

They could all knock on my front door and I'd have no idea who any of them are

I guess they could say the same about you too

A-R-T-H-U-R

I love the way Billy Twelvetrees is just called '36' at his club, due to his Irish coach.

IA

SuedeAdidas said:

cafcnick1992 said:

They could all knock on my front door and I'd have no idea who any of them are

I guess they could say the same about you too

That's a lot of doors for him to knock on.

killerandflash

I do find it a bit odd that we exclude players who play in France, it's not as if they're playing the other side of the world.

Imagine if football did that...

Big_Bob

Very interesting to see where Burgess fits in.
Been playing back row for Bath but sure England see him playing in midfield, maybe playign with Joseph in there, though if Burgess plays i assume it will be at 13.

northstandsteve

making all the official ties for this for the licensee, past winners , 20 nations and individual countries ties as well.

kodfish

Nice to see Addick Ed Slater there.

Addickforlife

Big_Bob said:

Very interesting to see where Burgess fits in.
Been playing back row for Bath but sure England see him playing in midfield, maybe playign with Joseph in there, though if Burgess plays i assume it will be at 13.

Yeh not sure about Burgess. Could sort of understand why they've included him if at 6, as he's played quite well there for Bath (albeit in just 5/6 games), but he's no way an international class centre just yet.

All_Thaid_Up

killerandflash said:

I do find it a bit odd that we exclude players who play in France, it's not as if they're playing the other side of the world.

Imagine if football did that...

It's done to protect the English league, the French pay significantly higher wages, where as English clubs have a strict wage cap. Otherwise all the best English players would be in France, if we did not exclude them for playing for England.

I don't necessarily agree with it, but do understand why.

Addickforlife

All_Thaid_Up said:

killerandflash said:

I do find it a bit odd that we exclude players who play in France, it's not as if they're playing the other side of the world.

Imagine if football did that...

It's done to protect the English league, the French pay significantly higher wages, where as English clubs have a strict wage cap. Otherwise all the best English players would be in France, if we did not exclude them for playing for England.

I don't necessarily agree with it, but do understand why.

Yup and just look at the Welsh domestic game for proof of why it is needed.

Armitage knows the rules, and he even signed a new contract at Toulon just last year. If he wanted to play for England so badly he could quite easily have come and played for a club here.

Lincsaddick

Addickforlife said:

Big_Bob said:

Very interesting to see where Burgess fits in.
Been playing back row for Bath but sure England see him playing in midfield, maybe playign with Joseph in there, though if Burgess plays i assume it will be at 13.

Yeh not sure about Burgess. Could sort of understand why they've included him if at 6, as he's played quite well there for Bath (albeit in just 5/6 games), but he's no way an international class centre just yet.

He's there as a sop to Rugby League fans, an interest point .. he's the new Andy Farrell, talented at league, not so good at union .. ask yourself who could Burgess displace either as a 6/8 or a 12/13 .. answer ? .. no-one .. if he makes the final squad it's for reasons of expediency and publicity, not on talent, form or any other reasonable assessment

killerandflash

All_Thaid_Up said:

killerandflash said:

I do find it a bit odd that we exclude players who play in France, it's not as if they're playing the other side of the world.

Imagine if football did that...

It's done to protect the English league, the French pay significantly higher wages, where as English clubs have a strict wage cap. Otherwise all the best English players would be in France, if we did not exclude them for playing for England.

I don't necessarily agree with it, but do understand why.

Imagine if the French football team left out Zidane, Henry, Vieira, Ribery etc for playing abroad. Or England left out Lineker, Gazza, Platt etc when they went abroad.

And there are only so many French teams anyway, it's not as if the whole of the England team would immediately depart.

To me it's getting farcical, especially when national teams (especially France and Scotland) are picking so many foreign players for their national teams!

_MrDick

Lot of hype around Sam Burgess. Although a reasonable player, I don't think he's good enough yet. Hasn't made the transition from Rugby League in the same way as Jason Robinson did. Bath don't know what his best position is yet. Have moved him to back row but I don't think he's destructive enough to play there.

LenGlover

I would like to have seen Joe Simpson of Wasps in there. I can only assume he is injured.

Croft of Leicester is another but he is perennially injured.

LenGlover

Lincsaddick said:

Addickforlife said:

Big_Bob said:

Very interesting to see where Burgess fits in.
Been playing back row for Bath but sure England see him playing in midfield, maybe playign with Joseph in there, though if Burgess plays i assume it will be at 13.

Yeh not sure about Burgess. Could sort of understand why they've included him if at 6, as he's played quite well there for Bath (albeit in just 5/6 games), but he's no way an international class centre just yet.

He's there as a sop to Rugby League fans, an interest point .. he's the new Andy Farrell, talented at league, not so good at union .. ask yourself who could Burgess displace either as a 6/8 or a 12/13 .. answer ? .. no-one .. if he makes the final squad it's for reasons of expediency and publicity, not on talent, form or any other reasonable assessment

Good analogy

LenGlover

Addickforlife said:

All_Thaid_Up said:

killerandflash said:

I do find it a bit odd that we exclude players who play in France, it's not as if they're playing the other side of the world.

Imagine if football did that...

It's done to protect the English league, the French pay significantly higher wages, where as English clubs have a strict wage cap. Otherwise all the best English players would be in France, if we did not exclude them for playing for England.

I don't necessarily agree with it, but do understand why.

Yup and just look at the Welsh domestic game for proof of why it is needed.

Armitage knows the rules, and he even signed a new contract at Toulon just last year. If he wanted to play for England so badly he could quite easily have come and played for a club here.

Armitage is talented but my personal view is that he would not got in if everybody is fit particularly when the skipper is one of those in contention with him.

Bryan_Kynsie

Armitage is currently the best in his position. Problem is that it's also the captain's position and it seems established players will rally round the captain which is a good thing. Also the Premier League bosses have made it clear they will review co-operation with the England set-up if the overseas rule is bent to accommodate him. So England will go into the tournament without the best available squad of fit players due to an internal rule of their own making.

Money is already starting to have an obnoxious effect in pro rugby even though there is much less of it sloshing around at club level and probably always will be. If you think footy ticket prices are silly try getting rugby international seats.

nth_london_addick

Got loads of work on this, not a rugby fan normally, but being around the organisers and the People behind the Twickenham etc I quite excited by it,

shirty5

Lincsaddick said:

Addickforlife said:

Big_Bob said:

Very interesting to see where Burgess fits in.
Been playing back row for Bath but sure England see him playing in midfield, maybe playign with Joseph in there, though if Burgess plays i assume it will be at 13.

Yeh not sure about Burgess. Could sort of understand why they've included him if at 6, as he's played quite well there for Bath (albeit in just 5/6 games), but he's no way an international class centre just yet.

He's there as a sop to Rugby League fans, an interest point .. he's the new Andy Farrell, talented at league, not so good at union .. ask yourself who could Burgess displace either as a 6/8 or a 12/13 .. answer ? .. no-one .. if he makes the final squad it's for reasons of expediency and publicity, not on talent, form or any other reasonable assessment

Kyle Eastmond, Stephen Myler, Chris Ashton. All ex Rugby League. Are they in the same bracket as Burgess?

ricky_otto

shirty5 said:

Lincsaddick said:

Addickforlife said:

Big_Bob said:

Very interesting to see where Burgess fits in.
Been playing back row for Bath but sure England see him playing in midfield, maybe playign with Joseph in there, though if Burgess plays i assume it will be at 13.

Yeh not sure about Burgess. Could sort of understand why they've included him if at 6, as he's played quite well there for Bath (albeit in just 5/6 games), but he's no way an international class centre just yet.

He's there as a sop to Rugby League fans, an interest point .. he's the new Andy Farrell, talented at league, not so good at union .. ask yourself who could Burgess displace either as a 6/8 or a 12/13 .. answer ? .. no-one .. if he makes the final squad it's for reasons of expediency and publicity, not on talent, form or any other reasonable assessment

Kyle Eastmond, Stephen Myler, Chris Ashton. All ex Rugby League. Are they in the same bracket as Burgess?

I would suggest no. Burgess will (imo) go on and be a great player at union level. Maybe not to the level of Jason Robinson, but he will certainly be up there.

harveys_gardener

Can't believe the perrenial underachiever Chris Ashton is recalled but no Christian Wade.

A-R-T-H-U-R

6 hours in a queue but finally got a bunch of mid price tickets, having failed in the two previous lotteries. Worse than the Olympics, but worth it!

ricky_otto

harveys gardener said:

Can't believe the perrenial underachiever Chris Ashton is recalled but no Christian Wade.

Bit harsh on Ashton imo. 1 try in just under every 2 England games (19 in 39) joint leading try scorer in 2011world cup. Admittedly his last few England games didn't cover him in glory, but that hardly makes him a perennial underachiever.

CharltonDave85

http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/64667/rugby-world-cup-2015#latest

Covered End

Extra tickets released.

http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/rwc2015?j=716582&l=20473_HTML&u=30496138&mid=1314420&jb=1780&et_mid=716582&et_rid=619815944

Addickforlife

England team to face France in first warm up on Saturday:

England: Alex Goode; Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Sam Burgess, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth;
Mako Vunipola, Rob Webber, Kieran Brookes, George Kruis, Geoff Parling, Tom Wood, Calum Clark, Ben Morgan

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alex Corbisiero, David Wilson, Dave Attwood, James Haskell, Danny Care, Danny Cipriani, Billy Twelvetrees

Think the biggest debates around the final squad are are now going to be about the centres and hookers. Can see Barritt and Joseph definitely going with Burrell more than likely included. That leaves one spot between Burgess, Slade and Twelvetrees, so really hoping Slade goes well on Saturday as don't rate either of the others at Centre. Seems like they are trying their hardest to get Burgess in as they want a lump in the centres to replace Manu.

The_Organiser

Addickforlife said:

England team to face France in first warm up on Saturday:

England: Alex Goode; Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Sam Burgess, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth;
Mako Vunipola, Rob Webber, Kieran Brookes, George Kruis, Geoff Parling, Tom Wood, Calum Clark, Ben Morgan

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alex Corbisiero, David Wilson, Dave Attwood, James Haskell, Danny Care, Danny Cipriani, Billy Twelvetrees

Think the biggest debates around the final squad are are now going to be about the centres and hookers. Can see Barritt and Joseph definitely going with Burrell more than likely included. That leaves one spot between Burgess, Slade and Twelvetrees, so really hoping Slade goes well on Saturday as don't rate either of the others at Centre. Seems like they are trying their hardest to get Burgess in as they want a lump in the centres to replace Manu.

I'm going to the one in Paris the following weekend and would suspect there will be a stronger line-up for that one!??!

Addickforlife

The Organiser said:

Addickforlife said:

England team to face France in first warm up on Saturday:

England: Alex Goode; Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Sam Burgess, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth;
Mako Vunipola, Rob Webber, Kieran Brookes, George Kruis, Geoff Parling, Tom Wood, Calum Clark, Ben Morgan

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alex Corbisiero, David Wilson, Dave Attwood, James Haskell, Danny Care, Danny Cipriani, Billy Twelvetrees

Think the biggest debates around the final squad are are now going to be about the centres and hookers. Can see Barritt and Joseph definitely going with Burrell more than likely included. That leaves one spot between Burgess, Slade and Twelvetrees, so really hoping Slade goes well on Saturday as don't rate either of the others at Centre. Seems like they are trying their hardest to get Burgess in as they want a lump in the centres to replace Manu.

I'm going to the one in Paris the following weekend and would suspect there will be a stronger line-up for that one!??!

Yeh I think the one in Paris will see a lot more established players involved, while still with a mix of fringe players who he needs one more look at.