Alfie in the Eddie Training Squad

[Neils]

No other Wasps

[Rossm]

Forwards

Alfie Barbeary (Wasps, uncapped)

Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)

Ollie Chessum, Leicester Tigers, uncapped)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 31 caps)

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 36 caps)

Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 4 caps)

Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)

Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps)

Jamie George (Saracens, 61 caps)

Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)

Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)

Maro Itoje (Saracens, 51 caps)

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 90 caps)

Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 10 caps)

Joe Marler (Harlequins, 74 caps)

Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)

Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps)

Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 47 caps)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 15 caps)

Backs

Mark Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)

Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby, uncapped)

Owen Farrell (Saracens, 94 caps)

Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, uncapped)

George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)

Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish, uncapped)

Max Malins (Saracens, 10 caps)

Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 7 caps)

Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 69 caps)

Luke Northmore (Harlequins, uncapped)

Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)

Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)

Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 2 caps)

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 43 caps)

Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 5 caps)

Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)

Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 112 caps)

I suppose it was probably inevitable. Congratulations, Alfie.

[Westy68]

So disappointed Alfie has been picked, that’s 7 weeks of no rugby and just carrying tackle bags

What will the squad size be after the training, does it go down to 32

[matelot22]

Not sure that Ludlam is particularly deserving of a place given the embarrassment of riches available across the back row. I don't think Rodd is anywhere near international standard either from what I've seen of him.

[13thWarrior]

Not surprised, he has been in brilliant form and it would be criminal if Jones ignored any young player doing that well. Yes, its not ideal for us if we want access to our best players, but we want young English players here, and want them to be playing well, so this is inevitable.

Also, lets be honest, be a bit embarrassing is we had no one in the squad.

[Raggs]

Not sure that Ludlam is particularly deserving of a place given the embarrassment of riches available across the back row. I don't think Rodd is anywhere near international standard either from what I've seen of him.

Ludlam at first I'd agree, but he's one of those that has clearly worked on all aspects of their game. He's a real glue player in my mind. I don't think he'll be starting, maybe on the bench, but someone you could drop in and not be too concerned about.

Rodd is an interesting one for me. He doesn't look big, but he's clearly good in the scrum, and gets around a lot. Very handy for a mobile game. He's also the 3rd choice loosehead and only 21, so plenty of time to develop even more.

[mike909]

A number of selections that suggest slight lack of focus and that Farrell will have to play, meaning that the backline will struggle....What did Nick Isiekwe do? Run over jones' dog?

Happy for Alfie - but given he's now played less than 5 whole games in a year and has had long term injury issues - I worry about the outcomes...

As for the longer term project plays ...the RWC is not far off, I'd have hoped we'd have an idea of our preferred 23 already. This selection doesn't give confidence.

[Raggs]

A number of selections that suggest slight lack of focus and that Farrell will have to play, meaning that the backline will struggle....What did Nick Isiekwe do? Run over jones' dog?

Happy for Alfie - but given he's now played less than 5 whole games in a year and has had long term injury issues - I worry about the outcomes...

As for the longer term project plays ...the RWC is not far off, I'd have hoped we'd have an idea of our preferred 23 already. This selection doesn't give confidence.

There's still 18 months before the world cup warmups isn't there? Better those projects come in now than for the world cup camp as tyro's. If it doesn't pay off, you've still got time to change your mind.

That's not the squad I'd have picked, but now I'm trying to imagine that someone's just handed that team sheet to me and told me that I picked it, but now I have to work out why. I can see the sense behind it, it's just not necessarily the sense I'd have used personally.

[baldpaul101]

The important thing, whether he plays or not, is that he doesnt get injured & that England coaches listen to the Wasps S&C and don't over train him.
Fingers crossed for him that he gets on the pitch at some point.

[matelot22]

Not sure that Ludlam is particularly deserving of a place given the embarrassment of riches available across the back row. I don't think Rodd is anywhere near international standard either from what I've seen of him.

Ludlam at first I'd agree, but he's one of those that has clearly worked on all aspects of their game. He's a real glue player in my mind. I don't think he'll be starting, maybe on the bench, but someone you could drop in and not be too concerned about.

Rodd is an interesting one for me. He doesn't look big, but he's clearly good in the scrum, and gets around a lot. Very handy for a mobile game. He's also the 3rd choice loosehead and only 21, so plenty of time to develop even more.

I see where you're coming from re Ludlam, but I just think there are a number of players ahead of him in the pecking order ATM.

Rodd, given EJ likes behemoths in the tight 5, I find him a bit baffling. Yes, he's very mobile, not sure with "good" in the scrum. I'd be more along the lines of "okay", but it depends which way Eddie is going I suppose, if he wants a more mobile side, I'm all for it rather than the sterile dross England have been prone to playing of late.

[Rossm]

The important thing, whether he plays or not, is that he doesnt get injured & that England coaches listen to the Wasps S&C and don't over train him.
Fingers crossed for him that he gets on the pitch at some point.

With Underhill dropped and some obvious candidates to be RTU, then I expect he will get on the pitch.

[matelot22]

ANother mystery to me, I'm not sure Furbank is in the top 3 EQP full backs, but Freeman as well? Isn't he primarily a FB?

[baldpaul101]

re the rest of the squad, England have any number of decent players who can perform at international level, but its all about how Eddie wants them to play thats important.
No more "teams that kick the ball win" rubbish!

we'll see come February

[Raggs]

re the rest of the squad, England have any number of decent players who can perform at international level, but its all about how Eddie wants them to play thats important.
No more "teams that kick the ball win" rubbish!

we'll see come February

Haven't wasps just had two big wins off the back of lots of kicking?

And England were playing some exciting rugby in the autumn, and the summer, and even though our discipline was dire, we were playing really quick ruck ball in the last few games of the six nations too.

[WonkyWasp]

I just hope he comes back in one piece, in mind and in body.  He is one tough character I think.