2013 EOYT

[kiap]

So disappointing. Seems like Corbisiero is out for 3-4 weeks.

Northampton prop forward Alex Corbisiero is an injury doubt for England's upcoming autumn internationals.​

Coach Stuart Lancaster will name his squad today for the trio of matches against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.​

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And The Times reports that Corbisiero is believed to have suffered a recurrence of a knee injury during Northampton's Heineken Cup loss to Castres in France last Saturday.​

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The 25-year-old, who played in both of the Lions' Test victories over Australia in the summer, is set to be sidelined for three to four weeks.​

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That would mean he would miss the clash with Australia on 2 November and may also have to sit out the matches against Argentina and New Zealand on the two subsequent weekends.​

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However, the Times report adds that Corbisiero is still likely to be named in the squad and that he will work on his recovery with the England medical team.​

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If he does miss out, Mako Vunipola of Saracens and Joe Marler of Harlequins may vie for the spot at loose-head.​

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England are already without centres Manu Tuilagi and Brad Barritt, both regular starters, plus key back row forward Tom Croft.​

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http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_8974728,00.html​

 

[JSRF10]

Gives Australia a huge advantage, although his influence has been severely limited from his Lions peak this season due to the new scrum laws

 

[No4918]

Full England squad (from BBC)

Forwards (17):

Props: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
Hookers: Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
Locks: David Attwood (Bath Rugby), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers),
Back-rows: Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).

Backs (17):

Back three: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Alex Goode (Saracens), Christian Wade (London Wasps), Marland Yarde (London Irish)
Centres: Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), Joel Tomkins (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Fly-halves: Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
Scrum-halves: Danny Care (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Corbisiero included, no Tuilagi, 3 uncapped centres.

Is it odd that their squad is bigger than what Link is sending over?

 

[RoffsChoice]

They are at home, they don't need to travel. Much easier to name a bigger squad.

 

[Tomikin]

I guess Leo is out of the squad now that his having ankle surgery who will replace him ? I know Harris is there but who gets the tour spot..

 

[Braveheart81]

Maybe Pete Betham if they're still taking both Tomane and CFS and don't want to increase the size of the squad.

 

[Slim 293]

I guess Leo is out of the squad now that his having ankle surgery who will replace him ? I know Harris is there but who gets the tour spot..

Wasn't he having (possible) ankle surgery after the EOYT?

 

[en_force_er]

As a Heineken Cup and occasional Aviva Premiership watcher, it's a shame England haven't been able to include either of 2013's electric numbers 8s (Sam Dickson of Northampton and Dave Ewers of Exeter) due to their Elite Playing Squad rules.

They're both walking highlights reels. They're not the finished products yet, but lord knows they're better than England playing blokes out of position at 8 (whist they did in last year's Spring tour) or playing the out of form Morgan. Vunipola has been reasonable so far this year I guess.

 

[Tomikin]

Wasn't he having (possible) ankle surgery after the EOYT?

Your a smart man seems it's after the EOYT, I just assumed because his out this week they have found it worse then expected and get him the surgery.. But looks like they said an OP in December..

 

[JSRF10]

Looks like Brian O'Driscoll is struggling to be fit for the November Internationals. He tore his calf a couple of weeks ago and noising are beginning to emerge that he is a doubt for the Irish games.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Well we've had:
10 Cooper
12 Lilo

and

10 To'omua
12 Lilo

and
10 Cooper
12 To'omua

Looks like we need to have
10 Lilo
12 To'omua

for the complete set. It could work.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Well we've had:
10 Cooper
12 Lilo

and

10 To'omua
12 Lilo

and
10 Cooper
12 To'omua

Looks like we need to have
10 Lilo
12 To'omua

for the complete set. It could work.

Think we will see 10 Lilo, 12 To'omua, but probably not until the Brumbies next year.

 

[Muttonbird]

I'm concerned the ABs will drop a game between here and the end of the year. It's just about impossible for any team to run at 100% for 14 test matches in a row and the flat patch started to show itself last night. With this 3rd Bledisloe sandwiched between the RC and EOYT there is really no break for NZ and AUS. The only respite for the senior AB players is that they go straight to France while the dirt-trackers fill the NZRU coffers in Japan.

If the ABs are going flat (understandable) and are to drop a game away this season then I hope it is the Paris one because losing twice in a row to England would be unbearable. Ireland will not be a problem either way because they are beaten before they run out.

 

[USARugger]

France would have to turn their form on it's head for that to even be a remote possibility. Then again, it's Les Bleus, so this is probably pretty likely.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I thought the definition of French Rugby was unpredictable, never the same team twice. Plus, NZL v FRA is always a big game.

 

[USARugger]

I thought the definition of French Rugby was unpredictable, never the same team twice. Plus, NZL v FRA is always a big game.

I think they've lost their way a bit because I haven't seen the 'good' Frogs since RWC.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Flip a coin 100 times and you might still get heads 100 times.

 

[Zander]

I think they've lost their way a bit because I haven't seen the 'good' Frogs since RWC.

They played two decent matches in the WC. They were poor against Canada and Japan and lost to Tonga. Smashed against NZ in the pool stages and then beat a wayward England side, we all know what happened in the semi and then faced NZ who played their final the week before.

 

[USARugger]

@RoffsChoice

I don't think that's a fair comparison. There are easily dozens of potential variables at play in the recent performances of France, a coin only has two sides.

@Zander

Hence the air quotes. They've been squeaking by on moments of individual/unit brilliance and a forward pack that can hang with anyone if you make them angry enough.

 

[lpd]

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...-spring-tour-sos/story-e6frfkp9-1226743284087

anyone see this happening? Fingers crossed he can quickly get back to the excellent form he showed earlier this year