37 names selected for training camp next week. 32 players from 12 Swedish Clubs and 5 from abroad. Pretty obvious that a large number of given starters have said no.
Rugby is an amateur game in Sweden and players gradually get more and more other commitments. The joys of going for a long weekend to the Ukraine become less attractive. And that seems to have happened here. Unless my judgement is hopelessly wrong there must be at least 7 – 8 key players who have not made themselves available. I make it at least 5 Exiles, possibly more, all seasoned internationals who are not on the list. Enköping have no players, probably for the first time in the history of the club. The two players selected for Europe last week, Robin Fransson and Fredrik Enstad, are not included. Robin has increasing external commitments, that´s why he went back to Enköping and Fredrik is, I believe, heading for Scotland.
A pity because without these 7 – 8 players I don´t think we will be good enough to beat Ukraine and Lithuania and gain promotion. But we can´t blame the coach or the SRF for that.
Another issue relating to non-appearance is the question of money. In the past many players have been infuriated by the demands that they pay for training camps, their own travel etc. Can Pasi give us the facts about the money required from potential players? I would hate to think that our team is weakened by the SRF repeatedly favouring female teams at the expense of male ones.
Of the 37 players selected, I would say there are about half a dozen who shouldn´t be there. Then there are another half a dozen younger players who are worth being given a chance to show what they can do. Arthur Marini and Tom Milner are new names, presumably with Swedish grannies.
Of the players in the 37 who were not on my list of 23 I would have no objection to James Campbell, Armir Kozhani, Alex Melander and Richard Nunstedt. Flanker Anders Nilsson from Blackheath has shown up well before and hooker Tore Osterlund from Södertälje probably played himself into the team by virtue of his excellent performance for Hammarby last week. Flanker Neex T. was the only Exile not on my list, mainly because the number of Exiles was getting embarrassing. But he became eligible for Sweden last year and has of late been regarded by many as Exiles´ best forward.
The list shows 18 players from Allsvenskan and 14 from lower divisions. Allsvenskan provides at least some games which approach our international level. I doubt if the same can be said for the other divisions.
I echoed a worry before that we were short of big hard men, especially in the second row. I can´t see that problem being resolved by the presenr selection. I don´t know everyone in the squad and I know newcomer Arthur Marini is a lock, but I fear we will be going backward at speed for yet another season of scrums.
Here is the squad (age in brackets)
PINGVIN
James Campbell 25
Oscar Larsson 25
Erik Sjöbeck 25
Alfred Meitmann 23
Andreas Persson 36
Noel Strandquist 17
EXILES
Matt Mitchell 33
Chris Bradley 30
Rikus van Niekerk 28
Theodor Karlsson 19
Neex Thamaphongsa 31
Erik Sandberg 22
HAMMARBY
Christofer Sidgwick 20
Ehsan Fadaker 35
Sebastian Pihlainen 24
Robert Persson 24
TROJAN
Jonas Zengler 32
Sebastian Nockmar 30
GÖTEBORG
Jonathon Edwards 30
Christoffer Vannerberg ?
Christoffer Andreasson 23
KALMAR SÖDRA
Adam Christersson 24
Sebastian Karlsson 24
Armir Kozhani 23
WEXIÖ
Alex Melander 19
Anthony Rafael 19
MALMÖ
Samuel Ahlbeck 20
Jonathon Elamzon 28 (Pingvin)
DIVERSE SVERIGE
Richard Nunstedt 19 (Vänersborg)
Antoine Cooposamy ? (Erikslund)
Carl Lindblom 24 (H.-borg/Pingvin)
Tore Österlund 26 (S-tälje/H.-by)
DIVERSE UTLANDET
Arthur Marini (Paris University)
Jack Duffy (Landsdowne)
Tom Milner (Ilkley)
Anders Nilsson (Blackheath)
Oscar Lindqvist (Oaklands College)