Re: International game : Fri Oct 02, 2015 6:11 am
The Changing Man wrote:
All the blame lies with the selection. The continued comments referring to Burgess in the article can all be traced back to the initial premise that 'he was promoted too early"...it;s not his fault!
Burgess has taken no more or less flack than the rest of the England side in the press. A few click-baiters have published inflammatory that is designed to drive traffic, which we gleefully respond to but the reality is that Sam Should never have been played at Centre nor against Wales.
SBW played a bit part in RWC 2011....17 minutes including 10 in the bin for the QF/SF & Final. He was used as a sub in the pool game v France too but played against Tonga and Japan. The AB's knew that they needed SBW, but as an impact player.....not as their key centre!
Burgess has taken no more or less flack than the rest of the England side in the press. A few click-baiters have published inflammatory that is designed to drive traffic, which we gleefully respond to but the reality is that Sam Should never have been played at Centre nor against Wales.
SBW played a bit part in RWC 2011....17 minutes including 10 in the bin for the QF/SF & Final. He was used as a sub in the pool game v France too but played against Tonga and Japan. The AB's knew that they needed SBW, but as an impact player.....not as their key centre!
The original premise you speak of is wrong. This premise was made by people who resented Burgess being in the squad and who laid blame in totally the wrong direction. Hence my argument about an agenda from certain former players who are pals with the second rate "experienced" centres who were not picked. These same centres have had plenty of chances to prove they should have been in the squad but they are at best mediocre.
This premise of yours is flawed because the England defeat was not the fault whatsoever of Burgess who had done everything expected of Barritt had he played inside centre. With him on the field England twice had a 10 point lead in the second half which would have been greater had the "experienced" England players not given away silly penalties within kicking distance. It was after Burgess was subbed that the wheels fell off. The "experienced" Barritt making a schoolboy error to let in Roberts for the first time in the game. Followed by a penalty from Brown and failure to take the chance of a draw or win in the last minutes.
Plenty of culprits to choose so why choose one who put in a good performance?
Your SBW analogy proves that he had to overcome some anti league sentiments too. It took NZ a long time to warm to his skills and he was only a sub in their first match in this WC.