Another Tour From Hell

[GB72]

Am I the only one thinking that England are going to be on the wrong side of a right hammering against New Zealand on Saturday. Aside from the fact that an on form New Zealand are more than capable of hammering most teams at home, this tour seems unwise to say the least. 14 players from the Premiership final last week are unavailable and when they can play they must be totally battered and exhausted. To expect the Saracens players to play the Heineken Cup Final, the Premiership Final and then play New Zealand in 3 weeks in madness, they should have been left at home. The rest of the players are at the end of a long and tough season and this seems a step too far. Tests away in New Zealand are no place to blood inexperienced youngsters.

I know that there are political agreements in place (we play them here in November and go there in the Summer) but in the build up to a World Cup, this was a summer where the players could have done with a break or had an easier tour to give new caps some test experience.

I can only see this match going one way and being potentially damaging both physically and mentally.

 

[Foxholer]

Or - a touch of reality and a view of where the bar has been set!

I can see some bruised egos as well as bodies!

I hope Cipriani makes a good show, though I fear he's going to be on the back foot whenever he gets the ball - if he gets on to get it!

Slightly OT. While I respect Lancaster's public approach to non-domestic players, it seems daft to me to leave probably the best back-rower in Europe out of consideration simply because the RFU wants to manufacture protectionism for their clubs!

 

[fundy]

Yep, hiding to nothing. All the Sarries and Saints players shouldnt be going at all imho, but cupboard way too bare without them for it to have been a realistic option. What happened to the directive from a few yrs ago controlling how many games players could play each yr?