Slick Rik

Join the Sky Sports Debate on the England elite squad

Last updated: 2nd July 2008

Leicester v Wasps Josh Lewsey Riki Flutey

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Martin Johnson has begun his reign as England manager by naming Riki Flutey in his elite squad for the coming season.

The New Zealand-born centre is not eligible to play for England until September, however he has been fast tracked into the squad.

Nick Kennedy, Jordan Crane and Dylan Hartley are also called up but Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson are among the biggest casualties.

Johnson has also gambled on naming only one recognised fly-half - with Ryan Lamb overlooked for the senior squad.

So what do you make of the squad? Is Flutey the man to get England's backs motoring or should he not have been selected as he was born in New Zealand?

Who do you view as the winners and losers following the announcement?

Join the Sky Sports Debate and let us know your views by filling in the form below...

Comments

James Williams says...

sheridan batty stevens palmer kennedy haskell rees ward-smith ellis wilkinson ojo flutey tait sackey cipriani

Posted 17:43 7th August 2008

Harry Venning says...

When everyone is fully fit: 1.Sheridon2.Mears3.Stevens4.Borthwick5.Kennedy6.Haskell7.Moody8.Crane9.Ellis10.Wilko12.Flutey13.Hipkiss14.Sackey11.Strettle15.Cipriani 16.Hartly17.Payne18.Palmer19.Lipman/Rees/Croft20.Care21.Simpson-Daniel22.Tait With these back line options we have cover for 10 with Flutey and Cipriani.We have a solid centre pairing to put us over the gain line. Abundance of pace outwide and plenty on the bench tait as reserve 13/15 and Simpson-Daniel 13/14. And lastly please please please let us bleed Danny in slowly, the southern hemispheres have shown(with Carter,Giteau,and Steyn) it works, plus with the new ELVs a good kicker at 15 will be vital

Posted 17:16 5th August 2008

Joel Luke says...

I think Haskell should now be playing No.8 hes big enough and hes got dallaligo as a role model he could be a world class 8. So with that in mind, 1sheridan 2mears (hartly lacks experience) 3stevens 4borthwick 5kennedy 6Lipman 7Rees (who needs a specialised blindisde they can play right and left(its worked before)) 8Haskell (captin) 9ellis 10wilkinson (hes only had a bad year) 11Strettle 12fluty (hes NZ so wot its amazing in all aspects) 13tait (just coz hes not as beefy as noon or tindall he tackles just as well and can still slice defences) 14simpsondaniel (why overlooked so much) 15(i vote stealing paterson but not gonna happen) but Lewsey is solid even if abit old (why was brown even given a chance) bench= hartley payne(not sure who else really) shaw croft care cipriani (no experience ease him in to international) gerity. Not sure on replacements but i think this still contains hard hitting ruff english rugby as well as some flair and pace.

Posted 23:47 1st August 2008

Mike Pope says...

1.sheridan 2.hartley 3.stevens 4.borthwick 5.kennedy 6.lipman 7.haskell 8.crane 9.ellis 10.cipriani 11.strettle 12.barkley 13.tait 14.simpson-daniel 15.foden .... eeeeaasssyyy!

Posted 19:55 27th July 2008

Matt England says...

Of course he should play for England. Are bsome of you really suggesting the likes of Catt, Lipman, Stevens et al, should never have played for England purely because they weren't born here? New Zealand have been poaching the cream of the Pacific Islands for decades, and no-one bats an eyelid! If he is eligible, he is eligible, end of story. And I have to say, Flutey, Cipriani and Harry Ellis in an England backline?????? It's a no brainer!

Posted 23:55 17th July 2008

Mark Synnott says...

I dont see how any of you can leave out cipriani out of any england team ! he clearly ran the game against ireland and wilkinson in my opion is way past it in far too one dimensional. cipriani offers much more than him and is jst as good in the kicking game ! hes clearly the best young talent you hav and should start every game he can for england also the partnership he has with flutey at wasps is deadly and can rip any defence open why not start them with england ! o driscoll and d arcy could handle them thou !

Posted 12:16 16th July 2008

Ed Mclaren says...

sheridan, hartley, stevens, shaw, kennedy, croft, rees, haskell, ellis, cipriani, banahan, flutey, hipkiss, simpson-daniel, ojo replacements :- paice, payne, c.jones, crane, care, barkley, tait nuff said!!!!

Posted 00:40 16th July 2008

Ian Laing says...

Flutey is about as English as Vainakolo i.e. not at all, and if we continue to find new ways to select foreigners for England eventually it won't be England any more. It's sad an English legend like Martin Johnson appears happy to go along with a concept that will eventually completely destoy the whole point of international sport. England first needs to re-discover it's pride if it's ever to win anything again.

Posted 19:24 14th July 2008

Simon Porter says...

It makes me wonder about the wisdom of some "pundits" when they can't even get Sackey and Varndell's wings correct, Sackey is a right wing, varndell a left. I think the England side should be as follows: 1. Sheridan, 2. Mears, 3. Stevens, 4. Palmer, 5. Kennedy, 6. Guest, 7. Lipman, 8. Haskell, 9.Care, 10. Wilkinson (but give Cipriani a chance to show he IS international class), 11. Banahan, 12. Flutey (Gerehty until sept), 13. Tait, 14. Sackey, 15. Lewsey or Simpson Daniel. Players not to include: Varndell - rubbish defence, Shaw - Past it (wasn't good enough in 2003 - have we nobody better), Rees - far too injury prone - need consistency, Noon - One dimensional. Sorry about litle bit of Bath bias.

Posted 14:05 14th July 2008

Lisa Corcoran says...

England has plenty of young home grown talent not to have to resort playing people who are about to gain of have gained British Citizenship. I believe that a National side should be made up of players that have grown up in a country ie those whose Primary passport is that of the country they grew up in, not those that qualify because they have been here for a few years. If anyone who lived in a country for a few years and was granted citizenship were to become eligible to play for the country of that choice then, we would be in danger of becoming England with very few Englihmen playing in the side.

Posted 12:36 12th July 2008

Rojat Michel says...

for me the best english selection : 1 sheridan 2 hartley 3 stevens 4 kennedy 5 borthwick 6 haskell 7 rees 8 crane 9 care 10 cipriani 11 ojo 12 wilko ou barkley 13 Tait 14 strettle 15 lewsey ou abendanon

Posted 12:22 12th July 2008

Kyle Boo says...

1.sheriden 2 hartly 3.stevens 4 shaw 5 borthwick 6 haskell 7 rees 8 crane 9 care 10 fluety 11 sacky 12 barkly 13 tait 14 simpson daiel 15 lewsey cipriani at 10 and fluety to 12 when fit wilkinsons gr8 but has had his day time to change the way we play young fresh exciting players woud like to see foden at 15

Posted 18:54 11th July 2008

Paul Michael says...

1.Sheridan 2.Hartley 3.Stevens 4.Palmer 5.Shaw 6.Haskell 7.Rees 8.Crane 9.Care 10. wilkinson 11.Sackey 12.flutey 13.simpson-daniel 14.varndell 15. Lewsey

Posted 00:49 11th July 2008

Paul Hammond says...

dream on ,the welsh are not strong theyre lucky,thing is the more they win the luckier they get,face facts england are in serious trouble

Posted 16:22 10th July 2008

Denis Leahy says...

Sorry but England should be picking English born players only. The reason is at present they are being hypocrits when we accuse the NZers of picking islands players. Unfortunatley that would leave England as an also ran side. Oh sorry they are already are that.

Posted 13:31 10th July 2008

Alain Hinder says...

Welsh are so lucky ( last 6 nations ) ; they are not strong !!! they are stranded on their own way ; England's side will be better ! England team should be : 1 sheridan 2hartley 3 stevens 4 kennedy 5 shaw 6 haskell 7 narraway 8 crane 9 ellis 10 wilkinson 11 sackey 12 flutey 13 noon 14 varndell 15 tait

Posted 12:46 10th July 2008

David Mears says...

Bring on the six nations. Flutey? Noon? Wilkinson? Cipriani?..... it doenst really matter, wales will give you a hiding at the millenium whoever dons the rose.

Posted 21:17 9th July 2008

Craig Yemm says...

The England Team should be; 1.Sheridan 2.Hartley 3.Stevens 4.Borthwick 5.Shaw 6.Haskell 7.Rees 8.Crane 9.Care 10. wilkinson 11.Sackey 12.flutey 13.simpson-daniel 14.varndell 15. Lewsey, this should be the squad as of sheer power in the front 3 clever ballplay and lineout ability of both 4 And 5, 6,7&8 basically speak for themselves, from 9, 10 and 12 u expect great rugby brains, defensive ability and the fluency of teh three should make marvilous rugby, and even tho simpson-daniel dosent play centre i av seen him play there and he is sheer dynamite, varndell and sackey speak for themselves so to speak.. and lewsey should be at 15 due to his experiance, tackerling ability still quick for his age and the fact that he has had every possible scenario thrown at him apart from robinson, hes the second best fullback i have ever seen well thats what i think it should be lark.

Posted 18:35 9th July 2008

Edward Taylor says...

His form has been outstanding for Wasps this year, and if he qualifies to play for England then I really don't see the problem. If its within the rules and the player is deserving of the call (which Flutey is) then so be it. He is a great inside center, and would definatly help to heal some of the defensive problems England have had in the past. So lets not get struck up and say that one nation is worse than another when it comes to calling up players who don't actually originate for New Zealand or England for example, its good for the game that the best players are p[laying on a world stage, and in Flutey we have that. 1)Sherdian 2)Mears 3)Stevens 4)Kennedy 5)Borthwick 6)Haskell 8)Narraway 7)Lipman 9)Care 10)Wilkinson 12)Flutey 13)Noon 14)Strettall 11)Varndell 15)Tait SOLID TEAM

Posted 16:09 9th July 2008

Jack Green says...

starting team 1. Sheridan 2. Hartley 3. Stevens 4. Kennedy 5. Borthwick 6. Haskell 7. Rees 8.Crane 9. Ellis 10. Wilkinson 12. Flutey 13. Hipkiss 14. Sackey 11. Varndell 15. Tait Bench 16. Mears 17. Vickery 18 Palmer 19. Moody 20. Care 21. Barkley 22. Simpson-Daniel

Posted 16:06 9th July 2008

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