Joe Ogden caught up with Mike Tindall, to get his views on how far England will go at the World Cup, why Matt Banahan should still be in the squad and what the players can expect over the next few months.
Joe Ogden: Who do you think was unlucky to miss out on Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad?
Mike Tindall: Christian Wade. In general I think Lancaster has got it right but it’s tough on Wade. The one issue with the back three is that they lack physicality and that’s why I completely back the decision to bring David Strettle in, he brings real strength in that area.
I played with and against him [Strettle] numerous times and he is one of those guys that I never liked defending. He often didn’t know where he was going which makes it impossible for a defender to track.
I also think Matt Banahan would be a real weapon for this England team because, like Strettle, he brings physical dominance but they have obviously chosen not to include him. If Strettle doesn’t make the final cut then I’ll be looking at Marland Yarde and Jack Nowell to step up over the warm up games and become England’s dominant ball carriers.
JO: Which outsiders have a good chance of making the final squad?
MT: The Barbarians game will be a big one for outsiders like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly and Henry Slade. How those players perform in that game will determine how far they go in this World Cup camp. Lancaster and his staff know 90% of their squad, the remaining spots will be fought over in the next few weeks.
Sam Burgess still has a good chance of making the final squad. He is a back row for me because I think he needs the freedom to roam which he doesn’t get at centre. He definitely has the ability to make the World Cup, he just needs the opportunities to show what he is capable of.
JO: Will Manu Tuilagi’s absence have a big impact?
MT: Not really. Manu hasn’t been part of the set up for so long now and other guys have stepped up in that time. A fit and healthy Manu is an unbelievably tough player to deal with but England aren’t in any worse of a position than they were in the Six Nations.
JO: Who would be your starting centre partnership?
MT: Not Brad Barritt and Jonathan Joseph. If it was my choice then Kyle Eastmond and JJ would start outside George Ford. I genuinely believe this team needs a distributor at 12 but if they do that then they need to change up their wingers to bring in a more physical ball carrier.
If not Eastmond then Luther Burrell could also do the job at 12 but only if he finds the form of a couple of years ago when he was outstanding. Billy Twelvetrees also ticks all the boxes for the player they want at 12, but only if he is in form.
JO: Having been part of a few World Cup squads yourself, what can the players expect over the next few months?
MT: It’s not easy. Lancaster’s mantra is hard work and the boys will be made to work harder than any pre-season they have been part of.
In the few weeks off that players have before the camp begins you really need to switch off and forget about rugby. They will keep themselves ticking over physically on the rowing machine or cross trainer but won’t touch a rugby ball.
Once they finally all get together it will be incredibly full on, the intensity is huge and every training session is so competitive.
JO: Finally, how do you think will England get on at the tournament?
MT: England will reach the final and New Zealand will be joining them there. Beyond that I really don’t know! It will come down to who turns up on the day.
England will finish top of their group. If I’m wrong and they finish second then every game from then on is going to be very tough. Overall, this team is in a good place and Lancaster and his staff will get them where they need to be for September.
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
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That Tindall didn’t know where Strettle was going to run says nowt about Stretts; it simply reminds how stupid Tinds was, and is.
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nah lets be fair to tinds, he was a spanner from time to time but he could defend and organise a defence
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Yeah, kinda makes you wonder why England picked Tindall for, what, 10 yrs or so?
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Bit rich of Tindall to say that Brad Barritt shouldn’t be picked and instead a ‘ball player’ should play in the centres. Tindall is the only centre to have achieved 70+ caps with no discernible passing ability, no pace, no kicking game and tits for hands.
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Love it just spat out half a mouthful of tea on my desk
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Tindall played in an England squad that had a forward pack that dominated the World and arguably the best kicker the world has ever seen, for a large part of his career. All that was ever really expected of him was to crash the ball up and defend. England are now playing in a time where more points are scored more than ever, and you need a backline that will get you tries, that is the difference. Also it seems a bit pointless playing a fly half like Ford at 10 and then putting a much less creative player at 12. If you’re gonna play Barritt you may as well play Farrell at 10 instead of Ford. Finally, its not really rich of him as he never selected himself or publicly said that he should have been picked, Woodward and Brian Ashton picked him.
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But in fairness he played outside ball playing inside centres in Catt and Greenwood. Even Wilkinson/Flood/Barkley at times.
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Not sure how Nowell and yarde can be classed as big physical ball carriers or Strettle for that matter.I agree that Banahan should be in the 50 as he is exactly that and he plays for Bath so no major adjustment would be needed by Eastmond or JJ.
Surely Burgess just has not got the experience to be chosen for this W Cup? He’ll only be 30 in 2019 and by then should have nailed down a position!
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Well, I never particularly rated Tindall due to his lack of creativity as alluded to by Tregs, but as was also pointed out, he usually had Greenwood outside to compensate for him.
That’s an issue for England as I see it. England never really replaced Greenwood (better than Guscott IMO who ran across too much & concertinaed his wingers), who had guile as well as the ability to carry the ball into contact.
However, Lancaster has an issue in midfield as 12trees doesn’t really cut @ In’tal level. Too hare brained @ times & has butchered tries. Burrell, is in the ‘big’ mould that seems to suit the English psyche, but he doesn’t penetrate the best defences. Barritt is the defender in the Conrad Smith vein, but he can’t breach top ‘D’s’ either. Don’t get me wrong, triers all, but is that enough?
So the ? is, ‘will Lancaster pick Eastmond of the fancy feet from a try scoring Bath back line as Tindall recommends’? Unlikely, but he could have done worse than watched Bath cut Leicester to ribbons last week & then consider using their backs in concert for England as well. He’ll probably look @ Eastmond’s lack of size & be afraid of his defence being compromised by his lack of stature.
However, as I have previously mentioned, he needs to make Eastmond a BETTER DEFENDER by helping him practise his tackling technique & positioning – over & over till he gets it right. That’s partly what coaching’s about isn’t it? Look at what the guy can do, not what he can’t do & make make him a better, rounded player.
Thinking of Jason Robinson for a moment (I know he was a winger/fb), but he was no giant was he? Would any now suggest that he ought not to have played for England… esp in Sydney, 2003?
As Tinders states; ‘England need a ball player at 12 – ideally Eastmond’. Yep.
PS Be my guest & pick the ‘nuanced nonsense’ (you don’t 1/2 like your alliteration do you?) out of that then Blub.
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It seems daft talking about all these inside centre options who have one thing but not the other when there has been an option who literally has it all available and in form. Henry Slade has it all – good defender, great footwork, brilliant distribution, real pace, stands flat with superb vision and he’s a left-footer so compliments Ford at 10. I was a huge fan of Lancaster but he really has dithered with regards inside-centre and I fear Slade will be parked for the RWC2019 campaign which is ridiculous.
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You know Slade better than me. I’ve limited exp of seeing him play, although I’ve seen others echo yr opinion, so bow to yr knowledge. Hope for England’s sake that he’s as good as you say.
As you seem to fear however, will Lancs give him a look in for the WC? Hope so, but also have my doubts.
I opted for Eastmond as I’ve seen how he can play in a Bath back line. He seems to play without fear & is more likely to scare the opposition than another ‘basher’ IMO.
Maybe both Slade & Eastmond will get in, but methinks it’s too radical a step for Lancaster. @ heart I see him as conservative & his ‘youth’ policy as something of a smokescreen; ‘outing’ the ‘old’ for the ‘new’ seemingly regardless of their abilities.
Agree that it’s no good having players sitting on the bench. Ask Cipriani about that.
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