England vs Barbarians

[Peej]

Goode versus Brown makes this quite interesting!

[Puja]

Some very daring selections there. Singleton over McGuigan and Buchanan is bold, as is Earle over Yarde. Should be a fun game.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

I thought Ellis was mainly a flanker too? Alongside two more flankers on the bench?

He is but he came through age group primarily as a lock (I think) and can play there. Jones also sees Beaumont as an option at lock.

Yep, he came through as a lock, but last summer dropped 2 stone and worked on his flexibility to become a specialist flanker; where he's been used on both sides of the scrum. At Bath he's about 3rd choice of our backrows who fill-in-at-lock (behind Garvey and Douglas) - making him 7th choice lock?

I'd have though Beaumont is covering an injury at lock, with Ellis cover BSF or any changes needed in the last 5-10 minutes.

[Puja]

Ah, Buchanan, Schonert and Yarde are all not considered through injury - that explains that. Also not considered because of injury was Mills, but I don't think that changed the XXIII at all.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Just noticed something - co-captains.... now where have I seen (and derided) that idea before?

[Tigersman]

Is Ellis really behind Douglas @ 6?

He has really impressed me this season.

[fivepointer]

BARBARIANS (v England, Twickenham, May 28, 3pm)

15 Alex Goode (Saracens & England) 21 caps
14 Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji) 24
13 Yann David (Toulouse & France) 4
12 Frans Steyn (Montpellier & South Africa) 53
11 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Bordeaux-Begles & Australia) 116
10 Ian Madigan (Bordeaux-Begles & Ireland) 30
9 Kahn Fotuali’i (Bath Rugby & Samoa) 31
1 Mikheil Nariashvili (Montpellier & Georgia) 41
2 Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales) 41
3 Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa) 59
4 Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina) 57
5 Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand)12
6 Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France, captain) 80
7 Steffon Armitage (Pau & England) 5
8 Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina) 25

Replacements

16 Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa) 10
17 Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand) 47
18 WP Nel (Edinburgh & Scotland) 15
19 Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa) 34
20 Gillian Galan (Toulouse)
21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa) 88
22 Robbie Fruean (Bath Rugby)
23 Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina) 63

That's as good a BaaBaas side as we've seen in this fixture for a number of years.

[Scrumhead]

Oof ... that's one hell of a side for such a green team to be taking on!

[Puja]

BARBARIANS (v England, Twickenham, May 28, 3pm)

15 Alex Goode (Saracens & England) 21 caps
14 Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji) 24
13 Yann David (Toulouse & France) 4
12 Frans Steyn (Montpellier & South Africa) 53
11 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Bordeaux-Begles & Australia) 116
10 Ian Madigan (Bordeaux-Begles & Ireland) 30
9 Kahn Fotuali’i (Bath Rugby & Samoa) 31
1 Mikheil Nariashvili (Montpellier & Georgia) 41
2 Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales) 41
3 Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa) 59
4 Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina) 57
5 Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand)12
6 Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France, captain) 80
7 Steffon Armitage (Pau & England) 5
8 Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina) 25

Replacements

16 Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa) 10
17 Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand) 47
18 WP Nel (Edinburgh & Scotland) 15
19 Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa) 34
20 Gillian Galan (Toulouse)
21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa) 88
22 Robbie Fruean (Bath Rugby)
23 Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina) 63

That's as good a BaaBaas side as we've seen in this fixture for a number of years.

Not as scary as it could have been though. Also, don't they have two tightheads on the bench? Can one of Nel or Franks play 1?

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Is Ellis really behind Douglas @ 6?

He has really impressed me this season.

No, he's behind Douglas at lock; sorry if I was unclear on that.

[jngf]

Robshaw and Underhill playing left and right?

[Scrumhead]

Robshaw and Underhill playing left and right?

Basically yes ...

Let's see how Underhill lives up to the hype. I would have preferred to see Ben Curry.

[Scrumhead]

Our entire starting XV has 250 caps. AAC has nearly half of that on his own!!

[Banquo]

I fucking love that backrow and midfield, which feels slightly weird to say about an England team.

Who is captain?

Robshaw'n'Ford

[Mikey Brown]

Robshaw and Underhill playing left and right?

Or, you know, just playing in the positions they are in... where they both play all the time.

How is it you've already written off Underhill as not being seveny enough?

[Banquo]

Robshaw and Underhill playing left and right?

Or, you know, just playing in the positions they are in... where they both play all the time.

How is it you've already written off Underhill as not being seveny enough?

[morepork]

Baabaas squad so far:
Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Bordeaux Begles & Australia), Yann David (Toulouse and France), Will Genia (Stade Francais & Australia), Maxime Medard (Toulouse & France), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa), Charles Piutau (Ulster & New Zealand).

Forwards: Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina), Steffon Armitage (Pau & England), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France), Corey Flynn (Glasgow Warriors & New Zealand), Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina), Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa), Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa), Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand).

Not a bad selection of players, I suppose. I suspect that this will be one of those years where we get a tonking from the Baabaas.

Puja

There are some old legs in that side.

[fivepointer]

Changes to England bench -
TEAM UPDATE | Will Spencer and Tom Curry have been called up as replacements in place of Tom Ellis and Ben Curry

[Puja]

Huh. Shenanigans, do we think? England's initial teamsheet did show a 10 man bench - maybe they were trying to negotiate that with the Barbarians and couldn't get it through?

Puja

[Peat]

Exciting team to watch but think they might be on the wrong end of a lot of pain if the Baabaas are taking it seriously.

[Which Tyler]

Given eddie's history - probably injured in training

[Peat]

Just realised Ellis Genge is the only tight five starter not to be at least 10 years younger than his opposite man.

[TheNomad]

Yikes

[Banquo]

Yikes

[TheNomad]

Goode versus Brown makes this quite interesting!

Goode vs. Evil?