Name your predicted squad for Argentina

[Rich]

Well... at least it isn't dull.

Taking Josh Beaumont instead of Wood would have solved three obvious problems with that squad

1) Only one 8
2) Only three locks
3) It contains Tom Wood

Haskell can and has played test No 8

Three locks is plenty for a two game tour

Yeah I know

[Beasties]

Half of me thinks wowsers and half of me thinks wt actual f? I really hope we get to hear Eddie's thinking behind the omissions as it's difficult to get to grips with his thinking at this stage. The selection of the usual crap suspects was always likely to happen, given that they'd not be Lions but that experience would be neede in Arg, but how many of us thought it'd be such a massively polar squad selection? I find myself disappointed that Hartley didn't get a Lions selection now (alongside George). How weird is that? No Taylor is a huge surprise. As is a Cockasinga. It does indeed look like the previous "caps must be earned" mantra has been sidelined.

[Tigersman]

If Robson becomes another Wade I will go crazy.

[bitts]

Just thinking about it. Is Jones just saying that young English players of the last 7 years have been massively mismanaged and he's better of starting again.

If so, we really have been world class at wasting talent.

[Mellsblue]

Good summary.

Sam James might be a bit underwhelmed by his review.

Not really a lot specific to take away for Marchant either

Also agree about Beaumont, he'd have surely added something alongside being very versatile.

Looking at the positives, there are some incredibly exciting line ups you can draw up from up. They'd be raw as hell and probably mullered by a good side, but I'm glad they'll be getting some exposure

Marchant was in the last EPS so I think that was just a generic quote the journalist attributed to Marchant.
The Beaumont thing suprises me. He's not had his best season but he's a bloody good player.

[baldilocks]

Bemused re: Taylor, Haley and Robson...and a few others. Strange

Otherwise exciting

Haley doesn't bother me so much - he's been very very average for Sale this season. I think he might've just been in a good run of form last year and not be as good as hoped.

Same with Robson and Spencer - they've not been turning in dominating performances and have not looked like internationals in waiting. I don't blame Eddie for skipping to the next generation.

Taylor, on the other hand, is massively unlucky.

Puja

Haley seems to have turned it around over the last few weeks and is coming back into some very good form, before that though, I'd agree with your assessment.

Beaumont still hasn't hit the same form he was in last season, however. Still think he's got huge potential though, Id just like him to be a little nastier and get stuck in more

Btw, does anyone know if there been any clarification on Carl Fearns' move yet? Always rated him, and an ex pat friend of mine was telling me he is looking superb over in France. If he is eligible, he'd be a great option to have.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Realy like that squad. It's bold as fuck. Like proper bold. Yes you could argue Wade, Robson etc. but this is proper interesting. It's got serious development written all over it, rather than writing players that have 'missed out' off.

Some serious experience to help some very, very green players. For example who better for the over exuberant Curry's to learn from than Robshaw; and to be fair Haskell when it comes to professionalism, and dropping the cheap shots.

Maunder with Care. Earle and Cokanasiga with May and Solomona (but he's not English waaaaaah!). Isiekwe too is superb!!

Yeah I wouldn't pick Hartley, Brown, Wood and some others, but if I wanted grit and experience for a bunch of kids I'd probably have them first.

Oh and the 20's may have lost 4 'stars' but have fuck loads of depth across the board. Also challenges them to lose four players and still challenge, rather than walk it and learn little.

[p/d]

Even having a Piers in the squad doesn't ease the pain of seeing that league turncoat listed

[Mikey Brown]

I'm wondering if the idea here is to let the less impressive squad incumbents (Hartley, Wood, Haskell, Hughes, Care, May, Brown) retain their spots for now but show them there is a whole raft of young talent looking to replace them that have a lot of potential and 10 years + more rugby left in them.

It's definitely a theory with holes in it, but there you go.

[Scrumhead]

I'm wondering if Fearns being left out is tacit confirmation that he's not heading to Gloucester? Eddie was allegedly in touch with him to try to convince him not to back out of the move and if that's true, I would have thought he had the intention of selecting him?

I'm confused, concerned and excited by the squad all at the same time. Not what I was expecting, that's for sure.

[Puja]

I'm wondering if Fearns being left out is tacit confirmation that he's not heading to Gloucester? Eddie was allegedly in touch with him to try to convince him not to back out of the move and if that's true, I would have thought he had the intention of selecting him?

I'm confused, concerned and excited by the squad all at the same time. Not what I was expecting, that's for sure.

A quick google shows Gloucester still making bold pronouncements that they have built their squad around Fearns, they expect to see him for pre-season training, and that they will accept no financial inducement to cancel the contract. The last statement was from Humphreys yesterday.

Frankly, I'm not impressed with Fearns over this - a contract is a contract and, while I can understand having an enquiry to Glaws when Lyon made a new offer, that enquiry should end after the resolute "No". Well done to Gloucester for sticking by their guns!

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Even having a Piers in the squad doesn't ease the pain of seeing that league turncoat listed

[Dubai7]

Interesting that Danny Cipriani has neither been selected for the touring squad nor even been mentioned in this thread ... and I feel desperately sorry for Christian Wade - the leading try-scorer in the Prem.

[Banquo]

Interesting that Danny Cipriani has neither been selected for the touring squad nor even been mentioned in this thread ... and I feel desperately sorry for Christian Wade - the leading try-scorer in the Prem.

both fair points, and similarly Freddie Burns.

[Rich]

I'm wondering if Fearns being left out is tacit confirmation that he's not heading to Gloucester?

More like its a statement that Fearns' time has come and gone.

[Puja]

Interesting that Danny Cipriani has neither been selected for the touring squad nor even been mentioned in this thread.

I think it was the Guardian whose headline to the squad announcement was "Cipriani left out of England squad". It's ridiculous how much he's overrated without actually doing anything.

If Robson becomes another Wade I will go crazy.

I think it's more likely that he'll become another Cipriani - lauded by some for a magical game-breaking talent that shows up far too rarely to be of any use at international level.

I'm wondering if Fearns being left out is tacit confirmation that he's not heading to Gloucester?

More like its a statement that Fearns' time has come and gone.

He has blossomed fairly substantially in France. If he wasn't currently engaged in trying to frantically backpedal out of coming back to England, then I would have expected him to tour.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

I guess everyone has accepted that his time has gone for whatever reason. Sad that Wade, Attwood, Kvesic (and Burns I've just realised) have surely gone the same way.

Managed to fit DC in this side for you. Not such a shabby team right? I could see that doing our "first XV" for Arg some damage.

1. Rapava-Ruskin
2. Taylor
3. Cooper-Wooley
4. Attwood
5. Kitchener
6. Ewers
7. Kvesic
8. Beaumont/Chisholm

09. Robson
10. Burns
11. Wade
12. Devoto
13. Yarde (bit of a stretch I know... Trinder?)
14. Roko
15. Caipirinha

[Rich]

Anyone with a proposed starting XV for the 1st test V Argentina ?

[Mikey Brown]

I would imagine we'll get

1. Mullan/Genge
2. Hartley
3. Williams/Collier
4. Launch
5. Ewels
6. Robshaw
7. Hask
8. Hughes

9. Care
10. Ford
11. May
12. Slade
13. James/Marchant
14. Solomona
15. Brown

Surely? With Lozowski, Underhill or another winger for May as the only likely alternatives for the first test. Or do we see him being a bit more adventurous than that?

[Scrumhead]

I guess everyone has accepted that his time has gone for whatever reason. Sad that Wade, Attwood, Kvesic (and Burns I've just realised) have surely gone the same way.

Managed to fit DC in this side for you. Not such a shabby team right? I could see that doing our "first XV" for Arg some damage.

1. Rapava-Ruskin
2. Taylor
3. Cooper-Wooley
4. Attwood
5. Kitchener
6. Ewers
7. Kvesic
8. Beaumont/Chisholm

09. Robson
10. Burns
11. Wade
12. Devoto
13. Yarde (bit of a stretch I know... Trinder?)
14. Roko
15. Caipirinha

I think Attwood, Roko and Yarde will be hard pressed to get back in to the squad, but I do think a number of the others you listed there have a chance.

I'm disappointed that Rapava-Ruskin was overlooked this time, but given that our top 4 props aren't available, I'm not surprised to see Mullan going instead. Genge, Williams and Collier have one cap between them so we needed a more experienced prop somewhere. Same goes for LCD over Taylor really ...

Ewers is unlucky. He's looked good since he came back, but he's only played a handful of games. I might be overly optimistic, but I also think the move to Exeter will re-ignite Kvesic. He was never going to be picked now after being left out all season at Gloucester but I'm looking forward to seeing how Baxter gets him playing.

Chisholm has only really broken through this season so as much as I'm disappointed he's not in, I don't think missing out on this squad means he's been written-off already.

[Peat]

Will be interesting to see how many of the kids get game time in the Autumn, I can easily see Jones culling the majority of them at that stage. The existence of so much quality outside of the squad makes it very easy for him to do that with underperformers without touching the Lions players at all.

[Mikey Brown]

I guess everyone has accepted that his time has gone for whatever reason. Sad that Wade, Attwood, Kvesic (and Burns I've just realised) have surely gone the same way.

Managed to fit DC in this side for you. Not such a shabby team right? I could see that doing our "first XV" for Arg some damage.

1. Rapava-Ruskin
2. Taylor
3. Cooper-Wooley
4. Attwood
5. Kitchener
6. Ewers
7. Kvesic
8. Beaumont/Chisholm

09. Robson
10. Burns
11. Wade
12. Devoto
13. Yarde (bit of a stretch I know... Trinder?)
14. Roko
15. Caipirinha

I think Attwood, Roko and Yarde will be hard pressed to get back in to the squad, but I do think a number of the others you listed there have a chance.

I'm disappointed that Rapava-Ruskin was overlooked this time, but given that our top 4 props aren't available, I'm not surprised to see Mullan going instead. Genge, Williams and Collier have one cap between them so we needed a more experienced prop somewhere. Same goes for LCD over Taylor really ...

Ewers is unlucky. He's looked good since he came back, but he's only played a handful of games. I might be overly optimistic, but I also think the move to Exeter will re-ignite Kvesic. He was never going to be picked now after being left out all season at Gloucester but I'm looking forward to seeing how Baxter gets him playing.

Chisholm has only really broken through this season so as much as I'm disappointed he's not in, I don't think missing out on this squad means he's been written-off already.

That was a slightly misleading way of posting that side. It wasn't to suggest that all these guys' international careers are over. It was really just a team of what is left behind as a Saxons team even after the Lions, which is kind of impressive.

Pretty much agreed on your individual assessments though.

[Rich]

I would imagine we'll get

1. Mullan/Genge
2. Hartley
3. Williams/Collier
4. Launch
5. Ewels
6. Robshaw
7. Hask
8. Hughes

9. Care
10. Ford
11. May
12. Slade
13. James/Marchant
14. Solomona
15. Brown

Surely? With Lozowski, Underhill or another winger for May as the only likely alternatives for the first test. Or do we see him being a bit more adventurous than that?

Roughly what I was thinking...except Underhill for Haskell

[Scrumhead]

I would imagine we'll get

1. Mullan/Genge
2. Hartley
3. Williams/Collier
4. Launch
5. Ewels
6. Robshaw
7. Hask
8. Hughes

9. Care
10. Ford
11. May
12. Slade
13. James/Marchant
14. Solomona
15. Brown

Surely? With Lozowski, Underhill or another winger for May as the only likely alternatives for the first test. Or do we see him being a bit more adventurous than that?

Roughly what I was thinking...except Underhill for Haskell

Yep. More or less what I'm thinking although I think Eddie will use the time in training to see who earns a shot in the 7 shirt.

Let's not forget that's there's also the Barbarians game before the tour. Obviously it's a non-cap game, but I think a few of the youngsters will get the opportunity to impress in that game to try to win places in the match day 23 for the first test in Argentina. God knows what we'll be doing for locks though if it's a Wasps vs. Sarries final ...

[fivepointer]

I would imagine we'll get

1. Mullan/Genge
2. Hartley
3. Williams/Collier
4. Launch
5. Ewels
6. Robshaw
7. Hask
8. Hughes

9. Care
10. Ford
11. May
12. Slade
13. James/Marchant
14. Solomona
15. Brown

Surely? With Lozowski, Underhill or another winger for May as the only likely alternatives for the first test. Or do we see him being a bit more adventurous than that?

Fitness permitting, I'd be very surprised if this wasnt the side Eddie picks. Some new players but with a core of experience. Actually looks a decent side, one that wouldnt fill me with apprehension.

Obviously this means LCD, Isiekwe, Maunder are certs for the bench. Add in Underhill, Loz and AN Other?

Problems come if we lose players to injury either pre test or during it. in some areas we really are stretched dangerously thin.