Just Gr8!

8 Tigers have been named by England supremo Stuart Lancaster for the 4 match Autumn International series.  There are 4 forwards: Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Thomas Waldrom and new inclusion Tom Youngs as well as the awesome foursome of Ben Youngs, Toby Flood, Anthony Allen and Manu Tuilagi in the backs.  That foursome have only lost 2 of over 30 games played together at club level, surely it is time to see if they can cut it at international level too?  

England will play Fiji, Australia, South Africa and then New Zealand.  The 8 players are in line to miss 5 Tigers games: 2 LV cup games, the Maori game, as well as Wasps away and Bath at home in the Premiership.

These 8 bring the number of Autumn calls on the Tigers to 13, including 4 props, as Mulipola (Samoa), Ayerza (Argentina), Castrogiovanni (Italy), Mafi (Tonga) and Goneva (Fiji) are also missing.  I'm sure the national press will remember that when we inevitably struggle in the international window.

Congratulations to Dan, Geoff, Thomas, Toby, Manu, Anthony and most of all Ben and Tom brothers in arms.  Hopefully they will emulate the Underwoods and enjoy many England games together (a few grand slams wouldn't go a miss either!) and create a life time of happy memories for all those family Christmases of the future.

England
Forwards (17)
Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
James Haskell (London Wasps)
Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Tom Palmer (London Wasps)
Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Backs (15)
Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Ashton (Saracens)
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Jonathan Joseph (London Irish)
Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)