Josh Lewsey out of England squad?

Question

Does anyone else agree that this is a crazy decision? I have no idea why he has been left out...Tait has no experience there (and was c**p for newcastle last weekend) and as for Balshaw...give me a break...

Answer 1

Think Lewsey has a bit of a reputation as a mouthy so and so...and he appears to create a lot of controversy..It's always a danger that if you pis off the coach or bad mouth him..the coach will pick someone else.

Answer 2

Tait will be fine. Loads a talent. Give the boy a run. He did all right at the WC sevens, he will do the job nicely.

Answer 3

i think the rumor is true

Answer 4

I think england are going to really struggle against wales

Answer 5

well firstly i'am not English and i agree that Lewsey should be retained if not for a starting place then at least to have a back 3 replacement on the bench. if the argument is that we need to look forward to the world cup lets get real, the world cup is 4 years away. if this is the reason lets pick all 21 or 23 year olds, if this was done over half the team would be axed.

i agree, just like in the situation that ireland now face, is to

get a balance between youth for the future and the old reliables. ireland have not - or more to the point eddie o'sullivan is not willing to risk his job - at mixing this balance on the team and this is shown by ireland (eddie) dropping stringer to the bench for redden of wasps as a token to appease the irish media. have no worries come 55 or 60 minutes against france stringer will be brought on and because of his ''excellent performance'' will start against france the following week.

lewsey is Aston's stringer make announcement that he is looking to the future drop arguably one of the top performers in the priemiership because he will be to old come 2011. its an easy way to make you look like you have the eye on the future but in reality its a no brainer for a coach make a token look to ''change'' the media back off and if you lose you can say ''this team was picked with an eye to developing young english talent''. my question is if he is sincere about change Tom vardell should be in after playing out of his skin against harlequins 2 weeks ago but where does his place go - to the highly over rated Dave Strettle.

also the out half position, no one argues that Wilko on his day is one of if not the best out half in the world. but at the moment he is playing poorly while Cipriani has been amazing for wasps in the priemiership and H-cup. let's see quality use of the young players and give Cipriani a chance, no to mention Tobby Flood at number 12. the old reliable falcons 10 and 12.

this squad just looks remarkably like ireland squad. it shows the same lack of ingenuitey and immagination from the coach. reason being none of them want to get the sack. A loss for Ashton against wales and he's gone. he maybe gone already if the twickenham suits could find a decent replacement. this is a same ramshackle squad that ireland have picked plenty of expeirence but it doesnt matter if they dont play well at the moment its just an easy pick for troubled coaches who have nothing to gain in the short term but everything to lose if either coach slips up this weekend. judging by wales's inclusion of 13 ospreys it should be an easy win for england, a club team versus an international team. good to see the same imagination for coaching exists in ireland, england and wales

England: 15 Iain Balshaw (Gloucester), 14 Paul Sackey (Wasps), 13 Mike Tindall (Gloucester), 12 Toby Flood (Newcastle), 11 David Strettle (Harlequins), 10 Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle), 9 Andy Gomarsall (Harlequins), 8 Luke Narraway (Gloucester) 7 Lewis Moody (Leicester), 6 James Haskell (Wasps), 5 Steve Borthwick (Bath), 4 Simon Shaw (Wasps), 3 Phil Vickery (Wasps) (c), 2 Mark Regan (Bristol), 1 Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks).

Replacements: 16 Lee Mears (Bath), 17 Matt Stevens (Bath), 18 Ben Kay (Leicester), 19 Tom Rees (Wasps), 20 Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), 21 Danny Cipriani (Wasps), 22 Lesley Vainikolo (Gloucester).

Answer 6

You do realise Tait isn't in the squad don't you? He's been dropped and replaced by Balshaw.

Answer 7

Crazy decision especially with the loss of all that experience in Catt, Corry, Billy Whizz, Lol etc. He needs a balance of youth and experience, I guess he is counting on Tindall and Wilko to provide that for the whole back line.

Personally would rather have Lewsey at full back and Tait at 13 instead of Tindall.Tindall lacks finese, at least Tait has good feet and can carry the crash ball when necessary not all the time.

Arguably Lewsey and Tait were the inform players in the world cup the whole way through.

Weird decision but if England win it will all be forgotten, if not Ashton will be criticized up hill and down dale, but hey that's sport - every knows better than the guy who is chosing.

Answer 8

It was a bit weird, the only thing I can think of is his age. He will be 35 at the next world cup and he may not have the pace or the step any more by then. Tait, Sackey, Vainikolo, Balshaw, Cueto and Strettle are all younger, the the oldest of them are 28. I think Ashton has chosen the ones who he still thinks will have top form for the next world cup.

But then Balshaw and Cueto have not been great over the last year or so and Tait does not have the experience (I think he is more of a 13 anyway). The places on the wing and at fullback will be very hotly contested by the guys in the squad as they are all very good.

Personally I would have put Lewsey on the bench and I would never have taken Balshaw.

Answer 9

Maybe Ashton wants to see him being tackled by Gavin Henson again...........LOL:)

On a serious note though.........it does seem strange that he has been left out!

A bad decision there me thinks, Lewsey is a better player by far!