I'm not sure that a young Alex Murphy and Lewis Jones at halfback could make our threequarters a serious threat.
Yet again we have a pack that is much vaunted but misses tackles up the middle and does nothing much to help the backs by providing dummy runners and hard running out wide. We also have a backline which is shambolic to say the least.
I do understand the idea of England playing it tight to keep the score down, and if the weather is in our favour (i.e. p*ssing it down and cold) this may be the best option. However, even though that may be the sensible thing to do, I for one would prefer to see England lose by going all out and at least showing they can play the game.
We need all these youngsters to get over their 'nerves' and try to enjoy themselves with the ball.
Things I'd change......
Put someone who can attack at fullback. Briscoe is Wellens revisited. I'd put Smith there and Ellis in the centres for size. I'd also put Eastmond in the centres as he at least is some kind of threat, and have Roby and three props on the bench. I don't want Lee Smith in the team at all, but he's in the squad and he's a cocky git who likes the big games and can actually beat a man when running the ball. He'll never be a top quality centre in a million years as he's simply not big enough.
Danny McGuire needs to stop hiding behind Sinfield and put himself front and centre as he did against NZ last year - demand the ball, push Sinfield out of the way if he has to. Sinfield should be playing outside McGuire - his role should be as kicker and as a runner/tackler who helps make overlaps out wide. As soon as you put him into the backline as a playmaker he slows it down and McGuire goes into his shell. The only other way to possibly make this happen would be to move McGuire to scrum half and bring in Tomkins. I agree that a Myler/Tomkins partnership could be disastrous for the lads at this stage.
Otherwise I don't think there's a lot that can be done with this side. Having a go at Tony Smith is fair enough, but without the troops nobody could do much more IMO, and England's outside backs as a unit are worse than I've seen in 30 years.
