Flanker: Roy Winters
Winters is by all accounts a Bristol legend and an all-around good egg. He was usually a lock but made his international debut on the flank, so that’s where he fits in – and he’s selected for many of the same reasons as his old club-mate Darren Crompton. Solid bloke, yes, but international quality? Not by a long shot.
Flanker: Andy Hazell
Gloucester stalwart Hazell had the unenviable task of filling the retired Neil Back’s shoes. We can assume that Robinson’s thought process was, “He’s small, he’s aggressive, he’s just like Neil Back”, but unfortunately it didn’t really work out like that. Making his international appearances exclusively through 2004-05, Hazell became known as a bit of a penalty machine.
Number 8: Alex Dombrandt
While excelling as a remarkable player for Harlequins, his tenure wearing the England jersey has been far from impressive. The English team has suffered defeat in six out of the last eight matches in which Dombrandt has participated. His performance at the international level has consistently demonstrated a struggle to adapt and compete effectively.
