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« England's neglected youth | | Clogged up »

November 18, 2009

Posted on 11/18/2009

Confusion reigns

David Hands runs the rule over Martin Johnson's latest England side in The Times.

"While there will be applause for Ayoola Erinle's good fortune at winning his place in England's starting XV against the All Blacks, it is hard to resist the suggestion that an under-fire management is no nearer knowing their best side at the finish of the autumn series than they were at the start.

"Granted, they have been hamstrung by injuries that have removed an entire side, many of them players on whom England invested so much time last season as the graph edged slowly upwards. But having fixed on the players available for the three matches in the Investec Challenge series, there should have been more evidence by now of what they are required to do.

"An opportunity was lost against Australia and it took an age to see off Argentina last weekend. Even New Zealand are not as strong as they usually are but they will start as rank favourites because they have a mastery of the basics that has, thus far, eluded England. This is an England side picked for one reason only, to win the next game by any hook or crook and buy time for a rethink, or for injured players to recover in time for the 2010 RBS Six Nations Championship."

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