Slick Stu to ease Andy’s pain
15 Mar 2006
England coach Andy Robinson has looked to South African-born Stuart Abbott, among others, to give England that winning feeling again in Saturday’s Six Nations final round match against Ireland.
England, humiliated by France and beaten by Scotland, can not win the tournament, but they can end on a high and Robinson has shown no mercy to those who flopped in Paris.
He has booted six of the squad and opted for more guile in the midfield, where former Western Province, Stormers and SA under 23 midfielder Abbott replaces veteran Mike Tindall.
Another South African, front rower Matt Stevens, will start at tighthead.
Fullback Josh Lewsey, Tindall, scrumhalf Matt Dawson, hooker Steve Thompson, prop Julian White and lock Danny Grewcock – all members of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning squad – have been shown the door.
Lewsey does not make the squad, but Robinson has still included the others in the match 22.
Flyhalf Charlie Hodgson is injured.
“I felt it was right to reward players who have been playing well and to look at a number of players and give them the opportunity, particularly at home,” Robinson said. “Stuart gives us that extra bit of creativity, I think he’s only ever had one game at home for England and it’s right that he’s given that opportunity to perform.
“There were some distraught people in the squad and rightly so. When you lose a couple of games, you expect it to happen. It’s human nature but it doesn’t affect my resolve, it strengthens it. I have faith in myself and what we are trying to achieve. We are all passionate about England and everyone’s focus is on Ireland and improving hugely on the performance we had last week.”
ENGLAND: 15-Tom Voyce; 14-Mark Cueto, 13-Jamie Noon, 12-Stuart Abbott, 11-Ben Cohen; 10-Andy Goode, 9-Harry Ellis; 8-Martin Corry (captain), 7-Lewis Moody, 6-Joe Worsley, 5-Simon Shaw, 4-Steve Borthwick, 3-Matt Stevens, 2-Lee Mears, 1-Andrew Sheridan. Subs: 16-Steve Thompson, 17-Julian White, 18-Danny Grewcock, 19-Lawrence Dallaglio, 20-Matt Dawson, 21-Dave Walder, 22-Mike Tindall.
37 Comments
15 Mar 2006, 21:28 pm
Hope he breaks a leG
15 Mar 2006, 21:29 pm
mmmm, England also look to have a problem in the lock department.
Bothwick and Shaw………very ordinary, quite frankly, I’d rather have Kleinjan Tromp.
As for the backs…..I’d only want Mark Cueto out of that bunch.
This is without a doubt the year the Boks will beat the Poms, they should be lucky that they don’t turn up at Ellis with that side because a full strengh Bok side would hurt them badly at altitude.
Lets just hope our boys have matured enough to play the game and play the opposition and stop crapping themselves at the sight of Twickenham.
15 Mar 2006, 21:29 pm
where is StMich these days?
15 Mar 2006, 21:35 pm
Knesboy
I think he topped himself.
15 Mar 2006, 21:38 pm
He is too full of spite to top himself.
15 Mar 2006, 21:39 pm
Whats happened to Rasputin?
15 Mar 2006, 21:41 pm
You go get’m Stuie ma bojtie!
Another legend outa Bishops stock, god help us!
15 Mar 2006, 21:46 pm
Duiwel
Rasputin spends most of his on the other website these days.It’s not a bad site……it’s awefully nice,if you understand my meaning.
And that’s the reason I still visit Keo….I like to antagonize and piss people off
:evil:
Rasputin was asking after you the other day actually.
15 Mar 2006, 21:48 pm
Oh Fuzzybear….please don’t tell us that you that you are another stuck up,snotty nosed, straw hat wearing bloody toff?
15 Mar 2006, 21:50 pm
Last throw of the dice Andy, should make for a good game.
15 Mar 2006, 21:50 pm
Duiwel
How has the snow been in France this year, I usually try and get down to St.Anton in the Alberg.
Not lately though……I’ve seen enough snow to last a life time.
15 Mar 2006, 21:51 pm
StP liked your work on St Mich on the other site.
15 Mar 2006, 21:53 pm
I agree Coffee….looks like the fat lady is on in 5.
Although, he’ll probably keep his job regardless….I’d imagine that it is far to close to the WC now to change coaching staff.
Can’t be more than 12-15 test matches before now and the WC kickoff for England.
You have to ask what exactly have they been doing with all this “time” that a WC is supposed to afford you.
15 Mar 2006, 21:54 pm
Yes…well it wasn’t far off the mark was it?
15 Mar 2006, 21:58 pm
nope I thought you were spot on StP,
I think Eng are still hungover from the WC win, you know 1966 and all, it will probably become as famous…Remmember03 ahhh we were good back then lol
15 Mar 2006, 22:48 pm
so i see jako is gonna be a stormer
16 Mar 2006, 03:59 am
When all is said and done, and every mocking insult delivered, there remains two claims that England rugby can still make with considerable pride.
ONE: They currently have the Webb-Ellis RWC in their trophy cabinet at Twickenham. (They don’t have to harp vaingloriously on about having once won it a distant decade or two ago). England are the reigning World Champions.
TWO: The IRB second-ranked Springboks have never ever beaten England at any time this century.
16 Mar 2006, 06:00 am
hollow comment Tackler
16 Mar 2006, 08:17 am
Tackler, how longs a century in your book. Your step 1 is so true when it comes to the AB’s.
Keo thanks for the report above, rather late than never.
Good to see Stuart in the squad, surprised Matt wasn’t dropped after last weeks performance. I still can’t believe WP & SA let Stuart go to the mudlands.
16 Mar 2006, 08:19 am
when last have the blacks won the wc?
16 Mar 2006, 08:48 am
Tackler remember: 17 June 2000, Loftus Versfeld,
SA 18 England 13.
Any relevance to you???????
16 Mar 2006, 09:03 am
StP
SACS wears straw hats.
16 Mar 2006, 09:06 am
What have i missed what other site?
warren@tdf.co.za
please kindly let me in lol
LMFAO Tackler so what does that say about NZ rugby? BWHAHAHA you doos.
16 Mar 2006, 09:58 am
from bad to worse, dropping lewsey and White. The inclusion of Abbot is a good idea, but England have such crappy halfbacks its really a tough decision. I’d probably recall Heally at scrumhalf. There is no-one else. Dawson is a carthorse and Ellis would’nt make the stellenbosh 4th side.
Varndell, Cueto and Lewsey as the back 3. Voyce is horrendous. Abbott is more creative, but both he and Noon on defense could be a catastrophe.
Still lets face it, Ireland have this in the bag.
16 Mar 2006, 10:05 am
I look so forward to seeing this English side play in SA. Does anyone know exactly when that will be?
16 Mar 2006, 12:33 pm
“Tackler so what does that say about NZ rugby?”
That they are not the reigning world champions.
Nor is South Africa.
England is.
16 Mar 2006, 12:35 pm
“Tackler remember: 17 June 2000, Loftus Versfeld..”
You DO know, of course, that the 21st century officially starts on 1 January 2001, don’t you?
So SA have never beaten England this century.
Like I said.
16 Mar 2006, 12:57 pm
Tackler, where do you come with this ****, man?
This century begins on 1st Jan 2000 and ends on 31st Dec 2099.
Your “1 Jan 2001″ reference has to do with the fact that there was never a 0000 AD i.e. we are now in the 2005th AD and has nothing to do with the century we are in.
16 Mar 2006, 13:13 pm
Tackler, you moron.
The year 1 started at the moment when 1 year had been completed.
The year 2000 therefore started at the moment when 2000 years had been completed.
16 Mar 2006, 13:26 pm
You’re wrong. The new century began on 1 Jan 2001. Now that’s simply a fact. It’s a common misconception that the century began on 1 Jan 2000, but it’s a misconception all the same.
Do some proper research and see for yourself. And by proper research it doesn’t mean “Vra vir broer Frik – hy lieg net so baie soos ik.”
16 Mar 2006, 13:31 pm
“What is the last year of the 20th century A.D.?
The A.D. (Latin, Anno Domini, In the Year of Our Lord) system was
devised before “origin 0 counting” was invented, and the starting
year was accordingly numbered 1. So the 1st century was 1 to 100,
the 2nd was 101 to 200, the 20th is 1901 to 2000 inclusive…”
So there!
16 Mar 2006, 13:40 pm
Tackler, it took you a while though.
16 Mar 2006, 13:47 pm
I got it right first up! How much faster can you be than to have got it right from the very beginning?
So, are we all agreed that the Boks have NEVER beaten England yet in this century?
Or is there still some tooth-gnashing frustrated old flat-earther bittereinder out there who wants to fight a hopelessly lost battle?
16 Mar 2006, 13:53 pm
Until the 18th November, so enjoy it. England have also never played SA in SA this century.
16 Mar 2006, 14:10 pm
Tackler, we haven’t beaten NZ this century outside SA. And England haven’t beaten us at home either this century.
16 Mar 2006, 22:25 pm
who cares what tacklepoes says!
BTW Abbot is SA born raised bred fed nurtured trained and developed until the age of 20 + something; not just SA faken “born”
17 Mar 2006, 02:28 am
Wow! South Africa have never beaten England HOME OR AWAY this century! And England is now getting very close to squaring the deficit they have in the historical test ledger . (Of course, NZ have already overtaken SA and now have a substantial credit balance in that historical test ledger.)
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