Borthwick will skipper Poms
26 Jan 2010
Steve Borthwick will remain as England’s captain for their Six Nations opening game against Wales next month.
There was speculation that head coach Martin Johnson would axe Borthwick as captain following a series of poor results, which include eight defeats in their last 14 Tests.
Johnson, however, confirmed that Borthwick will lead the side in their Six Nations opener.
‘England team manager Martin Johnson has confirmed Steve Borthwick (Saracens) will captain the team,’ read a RFU statement.
Meanwhile, Johnson has called-up five players to his Six Nations squad to provide cover for injuries.
Worcester’s Matt Mullen and Leicester’s Dan Cole were called into the Six Nations squad as cover for injured props Andrew Sheridan and Julian White, while Wasps No 8 Dan Ward-Smith, Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw and Leicester scrumhalf Ben Youngs will also be in reserve.
England Six Nations squad:
Backs: Delon Armitage, Chris Ashton, Matt Banahan, Danny Care, Mark Cueto, Harry Ellis, Toby Flood, Ben Foden, Riki Flutey, Shontayne Hape, Dan Hipkiss, Paul Hodgson, Ugo Monye, Mathew Tait, Jonny Wilkinson, Ben Youngs.
Forwards: Steffon Armitage, Steve Borthwick (c), Jordan Crane, Tom Croft, Louis Deacon, Nick Easter, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Lee Mears, Lewis Moody, Tim Payne, Simon Shaw, Andrew Sheridan, Steve Thompson, Julian White, David Wilson, Dan Ward-Smith, Chris Robshaw, Matt Mullen, Dan Cole.
20 Comments
26 Jan 2010, 07:10 am
I don’t rate this Dragon!
26 Jan 2010, 07:14 am
Look – it’s difficult to explain but when i see the Poms, Ausies & A4Y’s i don’t struglle to decide wich i “hate” the most……..
maybe part of my DNA… not sure…..
26 Jan 2010, 09:58 am
Frankenstein doesn’t have any other choice…he hasn’t won in so long he can’t even separate the kak players from the performing players.
26 Jan 2010, 10:22 am
That Steff Armitage was woeful for L.Irish vs Leinster on the w/e. There was a sense of anticipation every time the h-ball went up and he never failed to disappoint. How can players without that basic skillset get so far on the promise of 1 nice run every now’n'then. Does the ability to break 1 or 2 tackles qualify for the Test level now ?
Basic skill set for a FB =
1. catch highballs
2. make last-line-of-D tackles
3. kick out of D.
26 Jan 2010, 11:59 am
How much punishment can this man’s nose take.
26 Jan 2010, 13:02 pm
Steff Armitage is a flank so don’t know why he should need the skill set of a fullback!??
26 Jan 2010, 13:23 pm
Too many Pensioners in the Forward Pack.
England needs a brave new face. One without links to the past.
One who owes, no one, a free lunch.
26 Jan 2010, 13:55 pm
@bok4eva:
simple mistake. I meant Delon, his brother.
26 Jan 2010, 15:47 pm
# 7 CANE….Too many Pensioners in the Forward Pack.
Really???? I agree with one or two players,being over the hill,but
Chris Robshaw-23
James Haskell-24
Dylan Hartley-23
Steffon Armitage-24
Tom Croft-24
David Wilson-24
Courtney Lawes-20
Jordan Crane-23
Louis Deacon-29
Dan Cole-21
Pensioners?????
26 Jan 2010, 16:28 pm
@Black Panther: it was Delon, he’s two games back from a dislocated shoulder.
@cane:
@ the nose
if anything I’d prefer to see a few of the older guys back, they can actually do the business.
26 Jan 2010, 17:43 pm
@Big Hit:
A dislocated shoulder might be an excuse to a missed tackle but not necessarily to a non-contested highball.
Noone is picked unless theyre fit to play these days. Too many agent scum floating around these days to take risks otherwise.
26 Jan 2010, 17:46 pm
@cane:
Name ONE successful Engl team withOUT Pensioners in it.
Every pack worth its salt should have 2-3 disgruntled OAPs ready to do some time at the coalface.
26 Jan 2010, 17:53 pm
@Black Panther: @ 11 I didn’t see the non-contested high ball but Armitage is quality. He is fit to play but he’s not back to full sharpness.
@Black Panther: quite right, Dad’s army won the world cup, granddad’s army reached the final. Great-grandad’s army will win it again in ’11
26 Jan 2010, 18:07 pm
@Big Hit: LOL
I think Borthwick is becoming better and you can see that at Sarecens, but his squad doesn’t have the exp. yet for pressure like World Cup quarters or finals.
But I think England will be there again not to far from now, the wheel turns as it always does.
26 Jan 2010, 18:23 pm
@Big Hit:
I cant understand this preoccupation with age as a form-pick, its just the risk of injury that makes them more prone to missing key games.
Age ergo experience, particularly in the pack, is absolutely vital.
26 Jan 2010, 18:32 pm
@Black Panther: this is what pissed me off BP, elementary handling errors…
26 Jan 2010, 18:34 pm
I always prefer the word “hence” or “thus” or even “therefore” as oppose to “ERGO”
Just a personal preference I suppose…
26 Jan 2010, 18:46 pm
I always forget that here on keo if smileys are not used posts are regarded as hostile.
Take it ezzy fellas.
26 Jan 2010, 19:00 pm
@Sheriff:
Safas I know use “thus” regularly, even in conversation.
Its like theyre in the Roman Senate.
‘Therefore’ and ‘ergo’ seem more appropriate in written prose only.
26 Jan 2010, 19:01 pm
@Sheriff: @18
E N C O R E !
or
as a Sth African once told me
“and thus someone finally spoke sense”
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