Stuart Lancaster has assured fans that England will play with attacking flair on Saturday against Wales, despite picking a midfield of players renowned for their strength and power over their sleight of hand.
With Jonathan Joseph injured, Lancaster has turned to defensive sergeant Brad Barritt and ex-Rugby League powerhouse Sam Burgess in the centres, while the more pragmatic Owen Farrell has been picked ahead of the mercurial George Ford.
Lancaster, however, insists fans can expect England to stick to the attacking gameplan that paid dividends so handsomely in the Six Nations.
“Don’t assume that because we’ve picked the backline that we have that all we’re going to do is play route one. I’d be disappointed if we spent all this time over the last 12-18 months developing our attacking game to just tuck it up our jumpers and try to smash our way over the gainline.
“There’s got to be some subtlety in there because Wales are too good defensively to break down that way.”
Loading ...Lancaster also praised the way Burgess has performed from the bench, saying the former South Sydney Rabbitoh is more than ready for his starting spot.
“My confidence has grown on the way he has come on and contributed off the bench. We scored two tries at the end of the game against Fiji and they were a lot to do with Owen Farrell and Sam Burgess. I do appreciate the point that we haven’t got loads of loads of (rugby union) games to go back on.
“It is not a gamble. People said it was a gamble to put him in the squad. But day by day, week by week, he is proving people wrong.”
Lancaster also paid lip service to George Ford and spoke of the disappointment the Bath fly-half was feeling at being left out. Ford was instrumental in leading the line during England’s Six Nations campaign, during which they garnered much praise for the verve with which they attacked.
“George was disappointed. You would want him to be. He wants to play every game. He has dealt with it brilliantly and he knows he has a big role to play, not just this week but next week and in the future of English rugby.
“If I was replacing Ford with someone who had no international experience, you would say yes [it is a risky selection]. But putting an in-form and confident Owen Farrell in the team isn’t a risk.”
Video credit: Rugby Media
Burgess, meanwhile, insists he is ready to be thrown in at the deep end. He went on to say that he was taking little heed of those that claimed his inclusion is a gamble, given he has only been playing the sport for 10 months.
“I believe in myself. I feel like I have the respect of my teammates and the staff. That is the opinion that counts for me. I have played a lot of rugby at 12 in the last few months and I feel ready.
“I don’t believe what people say. I believe in Stuart (Lancaster) and what he has picked. My job is to deliver in the job he has given me. The exterior talk is that we move on and believe in ourselves.”
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Someone doesn’t know who salvidor dali is but the look of things
So…. where is the subtlety coming from..? I’m confused.
SalvAdor Leon SALVADOR DALI! Write it out.
Righting the wrongs!!!!!!!!
DDD
“Pacific not Aran!”
Righting the wrongs – fighting for justice – KAAPOW!
To be fair to Burgess, he looks like he can hit a decnet line and off-load well. Am njot sure that consitutes subtlety though
Perhaps Lancaster’s subtlety is so subtle that it can’t actually be seen by any observer other than the England coaching set-up
Is he taking the p*ss?
Look I like Farrell, but creative he is not. His best games for England were when he had 12t providing another option. Why oh why is Slade not at 13.
Honestly can’t believe he’s come out and said this. How will he look on Sunday if (when!) we’ve spent 80 minutes playing route one rugby? He could be out of a job by the time we hit November.
The worst thing is, a Farrell, Burgess and Slade midfield could be class. Great combination of vision, power and game management.
I’ve always liked the balance in the Kiwi line with the big fella who can off-load at 12 and the more creative player at 13 which is exactly what Burgess and Slade would give us
Does Ford, Burgess, Slade not sound even better though?
And longer term – Slade, Burgess, Joseph/Daly
This also being a combination that actually played (very well) together Vs France (behind a beaten pack). The perfect preparation for Sat!
The Sunday quote will be “as I said in the week, it would have taken some subtlety to beat Wales, still we have a losing bonus point due to excellent 60 minute defensive effort and are still alive in the group”
If seeing if our Bomberball can better their Warrenball is the game plan then put all the chips in and pick a stronger tight 5.
Sadly,no Benjit, he isn’t. The only positive(?) angle I can put on this is that if Slade had been selected we would all be wondering if he could live with the pressure and expectation. For the record,I think ,yes he would.
Is it me or does bomber look like he’s absolutely mucking himself in this interview? I wonder why?
Utterly depressed. Two diesel bulldozers and a 10 who thinks flair is something to do with trousers and the gain line is a few yards back from wherever you start. Ford, Eastmond, Cipriani, Burrell, Slade, Goode, all have a bit of something extra, but it is quite clear that Lancaster will never trust any of them. This team might possibly be just about good enough to bash a few holes in an injury hit Wales, but there is no way it has enough wit or guile to win the tournament.
Think you may have mistakenly included Goode in that list.
Unless the something different you’re referring to is his uncanny knack of getting turned over after doing that weird little stuttering run that fools exactly no one
Think Salvador Dali is the best analogy – Creatively he was very much “fur coat and no knickers” A technically proficient illustrator with an ego gone mad! Ireland will prove themselves to be the Velasquez of World Rugby as opposed to the Catalan buffoon!
DDD
” Stille nie Aran ! ”
Die verkeerde regmaak – veg vir geregtigheid – KAAPOW !
Wow. I think it’s fair to say that Stu is under more pressure than ever now. The media for the first time in his tenure are starting to turn. Excerpts from the Evening Standard:
“It doesn’t matter how England try to spin their decision to ignore the running talents of Henry Slade and Jack Nowell in the No13 role, they have deliberately limited their attacking threat in the hope that the rugby mantra “defence wins World Cups” is proved right again on Saturday.
It is a major gamble at this stage of the tournament and to defend the changes by insisting that the new midfield has looked good in training is fatuous. The fact the news of this selection leaked out on Tuesday night has only increased anxiety around the camp.”
Lancaster has betrayed hus principles and mark my words this single selection will come back to haunt him. If he doesn’t win, he’s toast, but even if he does he has some major wounds to heal in this squad.
What is worse is that he has put added pressure on the likes of Farrell and Burgess who are now seen as beneficiaries of favouritism. A coach should deflect criticism away from the team not increase the scrutiny.
Is a Wales fan allowed to intrude?! I think the sense of dismay amongst England supporters is understandable, but not really merited. SL partly had his hand forced by the untimely injury to JJ, his most potent midfield attacker. So he’s changed tack; try to negate the threat of the Wales midfield, and rely on his really dangerous back three to do the business. BUT – he’s got to make sure they get some decent ball, and that’s where the problem might emerge (or so Wales will hope). It is really fascinating though, you’ve got to admit. Genuinely too close to call, and I veer in my view of the outcome roughly every ten minutes! In the end, it’s down to the packs, and I’m worried about the Wales front five – disrupted preparation, rookie on tight-head. England’s scrum may not have been going too well, but the England trio have enough experience to give them a very hard time. What a game we have!
Is a Wales fan allowed to intrude here?! I think the dismay among England supporters is unmerited. SL had his hand forced by the injury to JJ, and has changed tack somewhat to try to negate the Wales attack in midfield, and rely on the dangerous back three to do the damage. BUT they have to get the ball to them, and that may be where the problem lies!
Fascinating though – impossible to call, and I veer in my view of the outcome approximately every ten minutes! In the end it will come down to the packs; and my concern is that the Wales front five are underprepared, with a rookie at tight-head (though he’s a great prospect). I know the England scrum hasn’t been going well, but they should have enough experience to cause Wales real problems there. What a game we have!!
Taliesin
Your comments are much appreciated, wish you had been commenting on the wales team or the England team – a sensible voice amongst all the English negativity(not mine) Fully agree the game is too close to call, hope it is not a very boring kicking game but one to merit the talent both sides have. Obviously hope it is England & really wish Slade was in there. Good Luck & may the best team prevail.
Take your point about fate intervening Taliesin but only to a point. It still comes back to initial selection. Bomber has brought pressure on himself and the team by omitting Burrell from the squad,and not selecting Slade for this game.
My other worry is Farrell’s short fuse, which you can be sure Gatland is well aware of anmd the supine nature of some of England’s forwards ,most noticeably Cole and Lawes ,who can consider himself VERY lucky to be in the line up.
apologies didn’t mean to post twice, tech problems.
That’s really rubbing our noses in it. The most upbeat Englishman on this board is a Welshman! Just joking Taliesin – interesting to hear it from the other side as it were, in a balanced opinion. I think that we’re all fearing the worst due to the importance of this game. Injuries all round, inexperienced players coming in – who knows what’s going to happen. I think Wales have the better team, but we’re at home, so it really is going to be too close to call. Mind you I called it close in 13 before the game………! Aaarrghh the demons! Not going to have any finger nails left by Saturday!
The joys of the big game seems we’re all overlooking Australia if we both beat them we’ll qualify lol
So in the spirit of perspective, I have read a few Aussie based articles, and the general feeling is one of pessimism after their game with Fiji.
The general feeling on this board seems to be that whichever teams loses tomorrow, is out of the RWC. However, that is not necessarily the feeling from down-under.
They are very concerned about the inability of the Aussies to achieve the 4 tries against a tiring Fiji, in fact, to even look efficient against a tiring Fiji. Plan A, drive from a lineout, Plan B, get the ball to Israel.
Pocock/Cooper is great in the loose, but it means that they cannot play Will Skelton, which affects their ball carrying and scrum. Skelton coming on against Fiji seriously weakened their lineout, so it may be that we don’t see the “Pooper” show against England and Wales.
So, I think England will win tomorrow. I would prefer Ford and Joseph to be starting, but they’re not, and in their place I am quite happy with Farrell/Burgess/Barritt. I am really looking forward to it.
Slade is a great prospect, but he would make me nervous in a game of this size. In the same way I would be nervous with Simpson/Cipriani/Eastmond/Daly and Wade. All seems very exciting/dazzling, but would it really work?
The scrum bothers me.
I don’t think anyone, even Cheika, has a clue what will happen when Aus play England and Wales – they are a better team than the one that lost 3/4 in the Autumn tour. But they are also a team with issues –
1. Their scrum seems to have improved whilst their line out has got worse.
2. Moore is not looking at his best and he is integral to their efforts
3. People have seen the ‘Pooper’ in action now and will have plans to combat it (whether they can or not is a different matter)
4. They don’t seem to have clue who they want at scrum half and fly half
5. Their goal kicking can be wobbly
However – when they get going, they have a fantastically deadly set of backs and in Pocock they have a match winning player. God alone know what will happen
As for England Wales, all selection disputes aside, I am getting seriously excited now!
I was listening to McGeechan last night talking before the Kiwi vs Namibia game, and he made some good points about the England attack with this line up. He was very positive about the partnership of Farrell and Burgess, and talking about the other players tracking them and the opportunities the back three could get etc.
My point is McGeecan has been one of the best rugby directors/coaches in the Northern Hemisphere for quite a while, and if he can see it as a positive move, I’d rather believe him than any of you guys. COME ON ENGLAND!!
Geech was also part of the panel that chose SL, and has always been v positive, so it is possible that he is merely trying to justify his choice in appointing such as inexperienced head coach