Crazy I forgot all about Watson
Watson
Malins
Steward
Would be great combo all 3 can cover 15 but worry is May sticks in for Malins
Watson
Malins
Steward
Would be great combo all 3 can cover 15 but worry is May sticks in for Malins
Don't see the point of Underhill on the bench tbhAlso IMO Lawes has nailed down that number 6 spot.
Which is brilliant but suddenly our bench lock options drop massively.
IF England can get Kruis and Launchbury back in and fit would be massive
1. Marler, 2. Cowan-Dickie, 3. Sinckler
4. Itoje, 5. Kruis
6. Lawes, 7. Curry, 8. Someone honestly Vunipola was playing well again he would be massive if he could return in form
9. Youngs, 10. Smith
12. Slade, 13. Marchant
11. Watson, 14. Malins, 15. Steward
16. George, 17. Genge, 18. Cole
19. Launchbury, 20. Underhill
21. Quirke, 22. Farrell, 23. Tuilagi
I'm being realistic re Faz and Youngs
Don't see the point of Underhill on the bench tbh
I hope Jack Willis comes back strong, as I think he'd be a perfect fit.I would normally agree but at Tigers we had Van Staden start at 7 and he went full out made like 26 tackles then Reffell came on and won turnover after turnover.
IDK I think in this day and age with how important the breakdown is a 7 on the bench isn't the worse thing.
Potentially more a horses for courses thing against a team like SA Underhill, against someone like NZ a number 8
Depressingly there's literally no one elseAlso happy no one is questioning TH sub
Smith is ready to start tho - him and Quirke aren't in remotely similar boatsI wouldn't be firm in the timelines; but yes; Ideally, I want youngsters being integrated alongside the older heads, mostly from the bench, until they have the bank of experience and performances at international level to deserve the starting shirt.
When that point comes though, they should transition to starting, with the older head on the bench until there's a new youngster ready to take their place there.
So for now (for example), I'd have Youngs and Ford starting, with Quirke and Smith on the bench. That changes when it's ready to change.
You'll have to point me to Smith's "bank of experience and performances at international level"Smith is ready to start tho - him and Quirke aren't in remotely similar boats
I agree with this. I'd have Ford as the starting 10 and Smith with significant time off the bench and Smith starting in some of the "easier" games. I think Smith is definitely ready, it's more I want to retain a 2nd Flyhalf and want Ford back in the team so there is no excuse for having Farrell as a 10 option. I think if Ford is given the freedom to play his natural game again, he can be every bit as good as Smith and the pair could compliment each other very well, with whoever comes off the bench upping the pace and maybe having the benefit of seeing stuff from the sidelines. Kind of similar to the arrangement we had when Care and Youngs were our 9's in the early years of Jones. Whoever came on would invariably perform better than who started.You'll have to point me to Smith's "bank of experience and performances at international level"
Not that I have a particular problem with him starting, but he simply doesn't have that. Equally, Ford is no-where near to Youngs in terms of us needing to move on from him and get his successor up to speed ASAP.
Ford and Youngs aren't in remotely similar boats.
Yes, yes, I know there are people, even on this forum, who look at the triumvriate of Youngs Ford Farrell and think the one who's holding us back is Ford - but they're... wrong. just plain wrong.
I'm still not quite sure why anyone wouldn't pick Premiership winner, England international, British Lion and 12/12 kicker in the Autumn internationals (including the nerveless winning kick against the World Champions) Marcus Smith (22) as England's starting fly half.
Everyone keeps suggesting that he's 'yet to make the next step up', but he keeps making them and keeps playing well.
He does plenty of the unglamorous stuff too.
It is just possible that he is the unicorn player that England have lacked for all my rugby-watching life. I reckon most countries would build a team around him and I can't understand why England don't.
(I'm not suggesting Ford can't play, he's clearly international standard and free of Farrell, he would undoubtedly be even better. I just can't see what he brings that Smith doesn't. It's also interesting to observe that everyone's raving about Freddie Steward (20) and no-one's suggesting he should be given 30 mins off the bench behind Elliot Daly.)
Smith is a premiership winner, a lion and has been a starting prem 10 for years now - Quirke is great but has been around for like a year...You'll have to point me to Smith's "bank of experience and performances at international level"
Not that I have a particular problem with him starting, but he simply doesn't have that. Equally, Ford is no-where near to Youngs in terms of us needing to move on from him and get his successor up to speed ASAP.
Ford and Youngs aren't in remotely similar boats.
Yes, yes, I know there are people, even on this forum, who look at the triumvriate of Youngs Ford Farrell and think the one who's holding us back is Ford - but they're... wrong. just plain wrong.
A what?British Lion
I really can't wait to see these 2 in particular on the international stage. Have the feeling they are the sort who could force their way into the first team almost immediately.I expect come six nations.
Ford in for Furbanks
Marchant in for Freeman
Daly in for Atkinson (Maybe Manu depending how bad he is)
Billy in for Simmonds
Mako for Davison
George in for Dolly
Jack Willis in for Ludlam
Tom Willis in for Chick