Lancaster: 'It's a new dawn'
England acting head coach Stuart Lancaster proclaimed the dawn of a new era for English rugby after naming his first squad on Wednesday.
World Cup winner Mike Tindall and fellow 2011 squad members Nick Easter and Mark Cueto were amongst the high-profile casualties when Lancaster announced his 32-man party for the upcoming Six Nations.
Fullback Delon Armitage was another big name to miss the cut as Lancaster preferred Mike Brown and made 15 changes from the August 2011 senior squad, with nine uncapped players included.
Uncapped Saracens centres Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt were both named in the party for the first time, along with Northampton’s in-form scrumhalf Lee Dickson and young flank Calum Clark.
And the Scarlets’ Ben Morgan, the much talked about No.8, was rewarded for opting for England ahead of Wales with a first international call-up.
Lancaster was able to make 10 changes over and above the international retirements of England great Jonny Wilkinson, former captain Lewis Moody and another 2003 World Cup winner in hooker Steve Thompson.
After England’s wretched World Cup campaign in New Zealand last year when they were knocked out in the quarterfinals and attracted controversy off the pitch, with Tindall’s alcohol-fuelled exploits in a Queenstown night club among several unwanted headlines generated by the squad, Lancaster insisted he was desperate to get the side back on track.
“Today is a new era for English rugby,” Lancaster told reporters at West Park Leeds Rugby Club.
“I always felt that January 2012 was going to be a defining moment,” added Lancaster, who has been handed the England job on a temporary basis following the post World Cup resignation of former manager Martin Johnson.
“It is about where we are going in the future.
“We want to use the Six Nations to develop our players. We are very excited and the players are very excited.
“Lots of players have been putting their hands up and there were some tough calls to make,” Lancaster, formerly in charge of the England Saxons – the national A team – explained.
“However, in line with the selection philosophy about starting new era for English rugby, we have taken the chance to make changes and give players opportunities to be part of the journey towards 2015 [when England stage the next World Cup].
“We have lost some great players who have worn the England shirt with pride and distinction – Lewis, Steve and Jonny – and we should thank them for all they did.
“Others haven’t been selected and I have met them and explained the reasons why as we look for the next player to step up in that position to take us forward,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster also named his Saxons squad and demoted World Cup back Matt Banahan to that group along with Armitage.
Bath second row Dave Attwood, Saracens fullback Alex Goode, Leicester lock Geoff Parling and Gloucester centre Henry Trinder will join the senior squad from the Saxons as temporary replacements for the injured Courtney Lawes (knee), Toby Flood (knee), Louis Deacon (hamstring) and Manu Tuilagi (hamstring).
Lancaster is determined to take England back-to-basics and has replaced a proposed training camp in Portugal with one at the junior club West Park Leeds, in the north of England from January 23.
The new coach will name his captain for the Six Nations at the end of the five-day camp, with Northampton flank Tom Wood leading the running.
Lancaster added: “We have a group of leaders that have been in the squad for a little while and they need to step up. In Ben Youngs, Toby Flood, Tom Wood and Ben Foden we have people who have experience.
Reigning Six Nations champions England begin the defence of their title away to Scotland on February 4.
AFP
