Jones would be mad if that happens, but knowing Jones that is perfectly likely. If he ditches his current stupid game plan and plays to Ford's strength, England could have a much better attack and Smith plays closer to Ford's natural style than he does to Farrell. Farrell is ultra conservative playing in an ultra conservative gameplan and still fails to deliver. If a player can't succeed in a gameplan that is supposed to be built around his style then he simply isn't good enough. If we get more back to running rugby with some cute passing, Ford and Smith are the 2 players to execute that. Couple that with Randall and Robson at 9, a more dynamic 8, a solid 15 and a 12 that is actually a 12 and I think England could have a very good foundation to build on.If anything it's the end of Ford's international career
Honestly I'd take either with the other on the bench and down to a coin toss. Bench player gets 30mins first test unless the starter has a stormer and the better of the two gets to start the second test.snip
I was going to say that the top level athletes should be a bit clever to not get caught but then remembered SA has had a two in the past few years.Wonder if they will have a propper juice test for this group(suddenly Eben has to go to Russia for family emergency)
1. Sutherland 2. Cowen-Dickie 3. Sinckler 4. AWJ 5. Itoje 6. Bierne 7. Watson 8. Faletau
9. Price 10. Russell (Bigger if not fit) 11. DVDM 12. Henshaw 13. Daly 14. Adams 15. Hogg
This is what i'm hoping for, think Sinckler brings the balance to the pack with ball in hand and will allow Watson and Bierne to just do the grunt work that needs doing against the Boks.
I know DVMD and Adams are left wingers but i think both need to play, they have both been the best wingers on the tour so far.
Centres is going to be the hardest choice for Gatland, there are so many combinations that make sense, but i guess daly and Henshaw is a good blend of pace and power and obviously Daly's long kicking may be the difference on the day, so i'd be surprised if he doesnt get picked.
What's Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.
I don't know about team selections but I've enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.
If only they could test whether someone has ever juiced, because once you've juiced you can maintain muscle that you could never have grown in the first place. Sure, its better if you continue juicing, but…Wonder if they will have a propper juice test for this group(suddenly Eben has to go to Russia for family emergency)
Then they'd have to ban the entire SA team.If only they could test whether someone has ever juiced, because once you've juiced you can maintain muscle that you could never have grown in the first place. Sure, its better if you continue juicing, but…
Realistically if they start testing properly there's not a pro rugby player in the sport that's making it onto the pitch
Everyone will be on something, be it banned painkillers or something to aid in recovery or something to aid in cardio or just straight up growth hormone or whatever
I think the only reason SA has a bad rep is because Craven week is far more popular/is a more direct line into pro rugby than schools rugby in the rest of the world - they also don't have the teams of sports scientists advising them on the best "supplement" regime, so it's just stuff bought off the dark web/dodgy bloke down the gym, which is easier to test for - if you compared some of the physiques of pro-academy players (/the transformations of kids going into an academy/a season or two later) then they'd look just as suss
I'm not in the rugby is completely clean crowd but that is a ridiculous statement. Not a chance every player is on a banned substance. Over 50 quite possibly/probably but saying that every single player is on a banned substance is as ridiculous a statement as saying none of them or on anything.