Bad idea. It has been tried before.

The arrogance of this thread is astounding. How very dare you.

George Ford is hopeful that his decision to leave Leicester Tigers will lead to more regular rugby next season.

Ford is reportedly on the verge of joining Bath Rugby ahead of next season and he is hopeful that the move away from the Tigers, where he frequently found himself on the bench with Toby Flood starting, will pay dividends. "It is difficult when you are on the bench and you are coming on for 10 or 20 minutes each game. Playing a full 80 minutes is what I need to be doing really," Ford told Press Association Sport. "Like any young player, you need to be playing and the more you play the better you get.

"For any young player who is willing to learn and progress in their career they need to be playing as much as they can. It was one of the toughest decisions I have had to make and I didn't take it lightly. Young players need to be playing to learn and develop. It (my situation) is no different to any young player."

The Irish would have got to 50 pages by now. Wouldn't have mentioned rugby once, mind

How the fudge does squeaky survive.

The Tigers approach does not suit everyone, even if you're regularly playing.

True, but going to Bath who already have several 10s instead of a team like Saints (who really need a good 10) does seem to be a case of running to Dad (who will probably play Banahan at 12).

Bath have a couple 10s but one of them is the biggest waste of money in the AP and the other is not as good as Ford.

Ultra-competitive Harlequins flanker Luke Wallace believes he could provide the long-term answer to England’s search for a genuine openside.

And he has put Quins team-mate and current England captain Chris Robshaw on notice that he aims to usurp his place for both club and country.

As debate rages over England’s reluctance to deploy a specialist No.7, Wallace believes a gap in the market is ready to be exploited.

But in order to follow in the footsteps of his hero, New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw, Wallace must make it his business to depose Robshaw.

“It’s tough being behind Chris and my aim isn’t to get him out of the England team, it’s to push him to No.6,” Wallace, 22, told The Rugby Paper.

“No.7 is where I like to play and it’s where I see my future, so Conor (O’Shea, Quins director of rugby) might have to make the first move there.

“But I think he’s open to it and if I’m playing well enough and pushing hard to get in the side, hopefully I can push him to make that decision.”

There is no wavering from Wallace over which position suits him best.

While some back rows will happily switch between positions, the former Haywards Heath junior shows a healthy determination to stand by his chosen trade.

Citing his admiration for McCaw and Australia’s Michael Hooper, Wallace explained: “The way the rules are at the moment I think it’s open for a specialist No.7, someone that’s good on the ground and really looks to keep the ball moving.

“Richie is the obvious one to look at, isn’t he, and I pay close attention to what he and the other No.7s do by going through international games.

“What I’m taking from Richie at the moment is how well he wraps his arms around people in the tackle. He doesn’t miss many and is very solid.

“Our back row at Quins is very competitive and there’s a lot of experience there, but the key is to show that I offer something a bit different.

“That’s been the case for me over the last couple of years and I’ve got to keep showing what I contribute in keeping our ball fast and slowing their ball down is different to what the other boys offer in their carrying capabilities or whatever.”

“What I’m taking from Richie at the moment is how well he wraps his arms around people in the tackle.”

pwhoar

Stuart Lancaster keeps ‘gutted’ Tom Varndell in loop

Tom Varndell got the phone call he had been expecting last week and again he was left out in the cold – but his record-breaking response was a clear message to Stuart Lancaster and he has vowed it will not be the last.

At first there was the familiar feeling of rejection but soon Varndell came to see Lancaster’s phone call on the eve of his EPS announcement in a positive light – after all it brought to an end years of radio silence from the England selectors.

The gist of Lancaster’s message was: close but no cigar. But, after ten tries in 11 Premiership appearances this season to drag Wasps back into the top four, Varndell can count himself unlucky to not even make the Saxons squad.

David Strettle and Chris Ashton are the only out-and-out wingers in the senior squad and have just four Premiership tries between them this term while Saxons quartet Tom Biggs, Charlie Sharples, Ugo Monye and Christian Wade have 13 – six from the latter, Varndell’s partner in crime at Wasps.

And Varndell readily admits his Amlin Challenge Cup hat-trick inside the first 13 minutes against Mogliano – a competition record – was borne out of rage, not that he intends to sulk about his latest snub.

“I was gutted, I’m not going to lie, I was very, very disappointed, I really thought that my form this season was the best of my career and that I had done enough,” said Varndell. “It took about half an hour to get over the initial disappointment and to realise that it was a good thing to get the call from Stuart and for him to tell me that I’m very close to the England set-up.

“There wasn’t anything specific he told me he wanted me to do, just that I’m very close but I know that I need to be consistent, there’s no point doing it every now and then.

“And that’s what I wanted to show against Mogliano. I wanted to prove a point, I was playing angry and I wanted to get the ball in hand and show what I can do and what my strengths are.

“I know that I have to keep doing that. I want to play for England and I haven’t given up on it, it’s as simple as that. I know that there could be injuries between now and the end of the Six Nations and I could get my chance.

“My goal is now to make sure I’m in that squad for the summer tour to Argentina.

“Stuart told me that there’s going to be 40-man squad and I believe I can be a part of it.”

The last of Varndell’s four England caps came in New Zealand in 2008, having made his debut against Samoa in 2005 but it is the two appearances in 2006 in Australia for which he is best, and unfavourably, remembered after butchering two chances in the first Test and having his defensive naiveté exposed by Lote Tuqiri in the second.

In all, Varndell managed three England tries but he has found the reputation of ‘pace to burn but much to learn’, difficult to shake off.

By his own admission, it has taken Varndell longer than most to learn his trade, but he is adamant he is now far from a one-trick pony.

“I admit that when I first starting playing I was a sprinter playing rugby but I have no doubt that I am now a rugby player,” added Varndell, who announced himself in 2004 with a 13-minute hat-trick for Leicester against Worcester.

“And I admit I’ve been quite slow at improving the other aspects of my game but I don’t think I’ve still got the reputation of just a fast finisher.

“I’ve been working very hard on my all-round game and I’ll continue to do so to make sure I keep that level of consistency that’s required for international rugby.”

How is Luke Wallace getting on? heard a lot about him last year.. not so much this year.

Still looking handy?

He's been fine. Played very well in certain games this year. I think the key thing will be if and when they get him into the starting XV at Quins, and whether he has 6 on his back and plays like a 7, or Robbo moves to 6 to accomodate Luke. Rest assured whilst Maurie's around it won't be easy either way.

Twelvetrees aims to seize chance

Billy Twelvetrees is determined to lay permanent claim to the England inside centre jersey after being awarded his Test debut against Scotland.

The 24-year-old has been called up in place of the injured Manu Tuilagi and he will partner Brad Barritt in a rejigged midfield for England's RBS 6 Nations opener at Twickenham.

Barritt will revert to the outside centre role he filled on his own Test debut in last year's Calcutta Cup win at Murrayfield, with Twelvetrees operating between him and Owen Farrell.

Tuilagi is expected to be fit for England's second appointment of the championship, away to Ireland a week on Sunday, but Twelvetrees is out to prove he is here to stay.

"You have to back yourself and what you can add to the team - otherwise there is no point being there," Twelvetrees said.

"I am very aware of Manu not being there but it is a great opportunity for me. Playing for England is a huge honour and I want to take every chance I am given.

"Players get their opportunities through injuries sometimes. I have to make the position my own.

"I have got to impose myself on the game and get my hands on the ball - otherwise there is no point being there.

"I want to show everyone what I can do.

"In a weird way I have always really enjoyed being nervous. You have to relish it. This is the biggest stage you can be on. I have always dreamed of it and I can't wait to run out."

The England management have long been fans of Twelvetrees, who offered what Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Davies described as a complete package of qualities at inside centre.

Twelvetrees is a powerful defender and a strong ball-carrier but he also offers a more natural kicking and passing game than Barritt.

Ultimately, Stuart Lancaster's selection choice for England's future midfield combinations may well come down to which of Twelvetrees or Barritt will partner Tuilagi in midfield.

"I coached him with the Saxons in the Churchill Cup and I could see then he had lots of potential and physicality," Lancaster said.

"I have always wanted ball-players in the back line, as well as people who can carry as well as pace and physicality.

"Billy has the opportunity to demonstrate that he has all three.

"I have every confidence in him going into the game.

"Sometimes opportunities present themselves in different ways. We know Manu is going to be fit for next week and we hope Billy puts a marker down this week and gives us another headache."

If Twelvetrees does succeed in cementing his place in the England midfield, his relationship with Farrell will become crucial - the modern day Jonny Wilkinson and Will Greenwood.

"We have been working on that relationship this week," Twelvetrees said.

"I looked up to those sort of players when I was growing up, whether it was Wilkinson and Mike Catt or Wilkinson and Greenwood.

"Sometimes those partnerships are under-estimated. You have to understand your fly-half and I think that will grow between me and Owen."

Twelvetrees made his Leicester debut in a Heineken Cup fixture against the Ospreys in 2009 at just 10 minutes' notice and emerged as man of the match.

Although he won Saxons recognition under Lancaster, he struggled for regular game-time and his summer move to Kingsholm has been key to his rise into the England ranks.

"Self-confidence and self-belief comes from playing regular rugby, game understanding and decisions under pressure," Lancaster said.

"He has an excellent kicking and passing game."

The only other change Lancaster has made to the England side that beat New Zealand in December was also injury-enforced, with Joe Marler replacing Alex Corbisiero at loosehead prop.

Tom Youngs has retained the hooker's jersey ahead of the more experienced Dylan Hartley, who missed the autumn series through injury.

Ben Youngs held off the challenge from Danny Care to keep the scrum-half position and Alex Goode returned from a shoulder injury in time to retain the full-back berth.

"We are happy to stick with the team that did so well against New Zealand," Lancaster said.

"We always had self-belief but what that win did was confirm to those outside the team that we have a group of players who will fight for the shirt.

"It was a tight call at hooker. Tom played very well in the autumn. Dylan comes back into the equation but I need to reward the player who is in the shirt.

"It's not a given but Tom has been outstanding since the New Zealand game for Leicester, both in the Premiership and in Europe."

The presence of Hartley, Care and Toby Flood among the replacements means that England's bench (230 caps) is more experienced that the starting team (191 caps).