I think it is a big contrast to the Australian mentality where you really have to earn selection in the squad let alone making it on court, (particularly in the Norma days)! Does it undermine what it means to be an English Rose?
I also wonder about what it does for team morale when you don’t have much experience on court guiding you in your first international. Then you wonder how useful the whole “blooding” experience is for the future anyway if it is a drubbing and if you don’t have incumbent players there to uphold team standards and culture?
I have nothing against the players selected and I hope they prove everyone wrong and perform really well, but it seems overkill. It isn’t even close to a 50/50 mix of experience and green players. Players do need to be rested from time to time, but not all at once!
As has been said I really don’t think it helps the game and it’s broader perception. Think of all the amazing NZ v Australia games over the years outside of world cups and CWG – can you imagine if one of the sides did this for a whole series and took away the intensity and contest that fans were expecting to see?
