Thread: Knockout Stages
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Old 03-10-2007, 11:35 AM   #11 (permalink)
BoyBrumby
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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England XXII

Thanks to Auntie:

England: Jason Robinson; Paul Sackey, Mathew Tait, Andy Farrell, Josh Lewsey; Jonny Wilkinson, Andy Gomarsall; Andrew Sheridan, Mark Regan, Phil Vickery (captain), Simon Shaw, Ben Kay, Martin Corry, Lewis Moody, Nick Easter.
Replacements: George Chuter, Matt Stevens, Lawrence Dallaglio, Joe Worsley, Peter Richards, Olly Barkley, Dan Hipkiss.


Well, the good news is that Jase Robinson is back. Other changes made are possibly more debateable. I totally see the logic in bringing back a bigger centre (the idea of Mortlock running at Barkley & Tait was, frankly, scary), but Farrell? Had his best game for us v Tonga coming off the bench as an impact player. Hipkiss to start at 13 with maybe Cetty at 12 (who has the virtue of being right-footed too).

The presence of Lol & Worsley on the bench suggests we're abandoning any pretence at a 15-man game (no specialist openside in the 22 at all) and are going to try to smash Oz up front. Vickery starting in the place of the infinitely more dynamic Stevens, presumably on the grounds of his (arguably) better scrummaging seems to support this too.
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