[2023 Six Nations] England Squad

[Scotty]

Six Nations: England's Henry Slade available for tournament as red card overturned - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64309594

Doesnt help Chiefs but happy for Slade that he doesnt get a ban for something that shpuldnt have been a red

 

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah that red had to be overturned. It was an outrageous decision. A yellow would’ve been ridiculous. Slade is a weird one, he’s class and should really be a top 3/5 outside Center in the world but he perhaps lacks a bit of consistency at international level. Maybe a change of coach can change that. He’s definitely got the ability.

 

[ncurd]

Yeah that red had to be overturned. It was an outrageous decision. A yellow would’ve been ridiculous. Slade is a weird one, he’s class and should really be a top 3/5 outside Center in the world but he perhaps lacks a bit of consistency at international level. Maybe a change of coach can change that. He’s definitely got the ability.

Slade's issue has long being forced to work with Farrell at 12. Its a combination that has never really worked in the way Ford,Farrell,Joseph/Manu did because Slade is never really a ball carrier to break the gainline either through agility or brute strength.

Whether he's required to England really matters if we decide to stop playing Farrell at inside center. If we continue down that path I really don't see how we'll legitimately improve from EJ.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Slade's issue has long being forced to work with Farrell at 12. Its a combination that has never really worked in the way Ford,Farrell,Joseph/Manu did because Slade is never really a ball carrier to break the gainline either through agility or brute strength.

Whether he's required to England really matters if we decide to stop playing Farrell at inside center. If we continue down that path I really don't see how we'll legitimately improve from EJ.

Comfortably Slade’s best games for England were in the 2019 6N when he was outside of Manu.

Give him a 12 who will actually hold defenders for a second and he’ll perform.

 

[Geordie]

Well hopefully he'll have Kelly at 12...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Well hopefully he'll have Kelly at 12...

Suspect only if Manu’s injured

Don’t think Slade’s a total shoo in though. I’d be giving very serious consideration to Daly.

 

[Geordie]

Ah OH...im honestly done with this Manu business. Hes not the Manu of old and hes not got the creative handling skills to cope etc

Time to move many of the old guard out and bring in the talent kids.

Just play
10 Farrell
12 Kelly
13 Slade / (or Daly as you say)

with some exciting wingers and score tries!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'm also on board with not relying on Tuilagi. He simply isn't available enough and not good enough to merit simply walking in / assuming 12 is his any more.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Borthwick i think is the most likely of recent coaches to not pick Manu

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ah OH...im honestly done with this Manu business. Hes not the Manu of old and hes not got the creative handling skills to cope etc

Time to move many of the old guard out and bring in the talent kids.

Just play
10 Farrell
12 Kelly
13 Slade / (or Daly as you say)

with some exciting wingers and score tries!

I’m not disagreeing and I’ve said many times on here that we shouldn’t build a team around him.

Definitely not the force of old. But he’s fit and been selected. Hopefully Borthwick will call it as he sees it as Tigs suggests, but he’ll know that a decision to drop Manu will attract headlines and that it’ll be thrown back in his face if Kelly or whoever doesn’t work out.

 

[Scotty]

With Faz Kelly Manu the 3 options at 12 its funny because they could play together as 10 12 13.

But i actually wouldn't mind if we had
10 Faz 12 Manu 13 Slade, 23 Kelly giving him time off the bench rather than starts, then start him vs Italy.

For the record im not on the the Manu must start if fit band wagon, im saying domt throw Kelly in at the deep end and on Borthwicks first game. Manu is the best of him or Faz.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

How I rank the 10/12 options.
1. Faz/Manu - I understand the criticisms of Manu but he's been able to put a good run of games together recently and is in good form. This axis has worked very well in the past, particularly with Slade at 13.
2. Faz/Kelly - I wouldn't be at all upset to see this option. Kelly is a class young player and I think he'll be the England 12 for a long time to come. That said, right now I think that Manu is the slightly better option.
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10. Smith/Faz

 

[Scotty]

How I rank the 10/12 options.
1. Faz/Manu - I understand the criticisms of Manu but he's been able to put a good run of games together recently and is in good form. This axis has worked very well in the past, particularly with Slade at 13.
2. Faz/Kelly - I wouldn't be at all upset to see this option. Kelly is a class young player and I think he'll be the England 12 for a long time to come. That said, right now I think that Manu is the slightly better option.
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10. Smith/Faz

What about Smith Manu? Given Faz is on good form people assuming he will start but we could end up with this and Faz benching.

allowing smith to play like he does woth Esterhuizen at quins, could even have Marchant at 13. Though i do agree with your point 1 on Manu Slade.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

What about Smith Manu? Given Faz is on good form people assuming he will start but we could end up with this and Faz benching.

allowing smith to play like he does woth Esterhuizen at quins, could even have Marchant at 13. Though i do agree with your point 1 on Manu Slade.

Since Faz is still captain I’m taking it as a given that he’ll start.

 

[Reiser99]

I think the reality is that as Borthwick can only change a limited number of players permanently and with the WC in 9 months there is very little point in completely overhauling the squad. There needs to be some consistency and it makes sense to have Farrell as an established captain, especially as the only other candidate is Lawes. Also, unless England have a terrible 9 months, Borthwick is not going to lose his job. He knows he'll have a chance post world cup to develop his own squad.

 

[LIONSxv]

You could argue the most talented and complementary trio would be Smith, Kelly,Marchant or Smith, Manu, Slade

 

[Geordie]

But surely if you are playing Farrell at 10 and Slade at 13...then thats a wealth enough of experience to allow the inexperienced kelly to slot in at 12?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I’m just not a huge fan of the idea of a Kelly-Slade pairing. I know that neither Kelly nor Slade are exactly slouches with ball in hand, but that’s two centres who I would say are primarily distributors. The balance just looks off to me.

Kelly would be better off paired with Marchant, Daly, or if he was in the squad, Lawrence.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I’d like to see a Mako/Slade combo in midfield. No cap.

 

[Ddanno]

I’d like to see a Mako/Slade combo in midfield. No cap.

No wonder Wales exiled you