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History ensemble member Nick Asbury on a crucial decider between England and France.
Gearing up for battle
Well it's Tuesday and thoughts naturally stray towards the big day on Saturday...
 After a sluggish start and an enforced back to the wall situation from very early on in the campaign England finally take on France in a crucial decider. After stirling work in the last 3 games Rob "MacMorris" Carrol keeps his place in the front row alongside Forbes "Chorus" Masson at Hooker and Clive "Daddy" Wood, who retains his place at loose-head despite not training with the team for the last 6 weeks claiming exhaustion. In the power house second row Luke "Gloucester" Neal and Tom "Westmoreland" Hodgkins renew their successful partnership from the previous match. Paul "Gower" Williams, Patrice "Warwick" Naimbana and Julius "Bardolph" D'Silva comprise a formidable back row blending experience to the solidity of Hamilton with the fiery Naimbana and the hard hitting D'Silva.
Jon "Fluellen" Slinger wins his place alongside playmaker Geoffrey "Hal" Streatfield at Outside-half. An untested combination, each have shone individually in the past, but Head Coach Michael Boyd said: "In practice and various training drills, they've shown a remarkable empathy with one another." It remains to be seen whether specialist backs coach Roger Watkins agrees, although it will be his job to oversee that the growing understanding between Nick "Pistol" Asbury at Inside Centre and Lex "Williams" Shrapnel, at Outside Centre, continues to prosper. With the ever dependable Chris "Bedford" McGill flying up the right wing and the young but talented Wela "Peto" Frasier on the left it will be Asbury and Shrapnel's job to get it to these boys as quickly as possible with the full back Miles "Exeter" Richardson, who will be winning his fiftieth cap, coming into the line and punching a hole wherever possible. The newly minted captain Streatfield is not expected to use his formidable kicking attributes but has been told by Boyd and Watkins to play a passing game. Although with Slinger finding those probing little gaps in and around the contact area and Hamilton on hand to pick up any scraps, the battle may well be fought in midfield with high balls aplenty and Frasier and McGill ready to run on to them.
Whilst speculation runs high in the press of Streatfield and Alexia "Kate" Healy's impending marriage and how this could effect both sides, Nick "Pistol" Asbury is reportedly distraught at the news from England that his wife Maureen "Nell" Beattie is very ill back at home of the Malady of France.
The French line up is as expected with Sandy "King" Neilson naming an unchanged side. At fly-half John "Dauphin" McKay will be providing his touches of flair, whilst the sensation in the last two games, Keiron "Orleans" Hill, at flanker will prove a tough proposition for the likes of Streafield and Asbury in midfield. Jimmy "Scroop" Tucker, having left the English camp earlier in the year and now qualifying for France controversially, will be looking to settle a few scores on the wing where it will be an interesting tussle between the light toes of McGill and the dancing feet of Tucker. The seasoned Anthony "Constable" Bunsee at full-back will be challenged under the high ball of Streatfield but in his last two outings was able to offload in the contact area with impunity. Matt "Bastard" Costain at scrum-half will swing high and low to scrabble for any loose ball at the back of the scrum where Slinger's efforts will be be threatened also by Anthony "Cambridge" Shuster (another defector from the great schism early in the year at the training ground in Southampton) who will be certain to restablish his credentials as a flanker with great ball handling skills.
Sources from within the French camp report a worrying insouciance, believing all they have to do is turn up and they will win on Saturday. And, frankly, who can disagree. Their strength in numbers at the contact area will, I fear, be too strong. Indeed, Streatfield himself warned "It is true, we are in great danger" and exhorted his troops to "summon up the blood". Dunphy pulled up with a stiffened sinew, but is reported to be back to full training. But can this band of brothers succeed? With Keith Bartlett as forwards coach for the second year running, their tactics should be strong, but as Boyd pointed in his latest post match interview: "We must dare to fail."
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About blogger Nick
Likes: Cricket and music. Fields and dark pubs with no music
Dislikes: Lager, crowded streets and light bars with music |
