Tag: Easter

Easter urges England Rugby boss Lancaster to select Armitage

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Harlequins FC number eight and former England international Nick Easter has urged England Rugby boss Stuart Lancaster to move away from his stance of not selecting overseas based players and pick Steffon Armitage for the England team.

Easter has said that Lancaster can create a destructive pairing in the middle of the park with Armitage and club mate and England skipper Chris Robshaw as they look to go on an all out assault for the Rugby World Cup on home soil in the summer.

The 34 year old said that at this moment, Lancaster has no other option but go down that route, ending the long Test exile of the Toulon. Armitage has not played for the England Rugby first team since his move to French Top 14 side Toulon in 2011, with England’s policy of not selecting players based overseas blocking any chance of a return to the national team fold. Continue reading “Easter urges England Rugby boss Lancaster to select Armitage”

Easter still has England Rugby future

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Nick Easter has been told he still has an outside chance of making Stuart Lancaster’s England Rugby team for next summer’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Easter was the last England man to lift the Six Nations Championship for the country and although he has been out of the national team picture ever since Lancaster took charge of the side after the country’s disastrous performance in the 2011 edition of the event in New Zealand, Easter still has the chance of securing his place for the event at the ripe old age of 37 years.

The former England man remains a key player in the Harlequins FC side and was instrumental in the team’s success in the Aviva Premiership in 2012. He remains a key part of the plans of boss Conor O’Shea for the foreseeable future as well.

However, the 47 cap player has had to swallow several snubs from the England Rugby squad following 2011. But things could change dramatically for the notorious bad boy of English rugby, according to his club boss.

Conor O’Shea stated that Lancaster hasn’t completely rules Easter out of the reckoning for a place in the Rugby World Cup squad. He added that the team is keeping a close watch on his development and form and if he manages to maintain this form and if his presence is a must in the side, then he will not be overlooked for selection.

O’Shea also mentioned that Easter fears he will not be able to maintain his form till then but he has no doubt he can and he will make the England Rugby squad for next summer’s extravaganza.

According to the Harlequins FC boss, Easter is extremely driven and ambitious and these qualities will make him a key part of the England team.