[2014 Mid-Year Tests] England

[Peat]

Sinckler is on the radar. Like, not inside knowledge, but simple logic. He has to be.

Patchey, when is Collier due back? He could find himself on the plane ahead of both if he returns in time...

Henry Thomas should be pooping bricks tbh.

 

[Patchey]

Best guess I've seen is 'tail end of the season' which is now so should be very soon...

I guess as it was his neck things are never going to be certain when it comes to recovery time.

I think Thomas being dropped for the Quins game is indicative of where things are going for him. Too many scrum penalties and yellows for his loose work to make up for.

If the Youngs guys step up our depth on that side could looks something like:

Cole
D Wilson
Sinckler
Scot Wilson
Collier
Brookes


No way Thomas gets close to a cap if that happens and he doesn't learn to scrummage.

 

[goodNumber10]

This weekend is going to be great - the three games BT are showing are all crackers.

Do you know if you can watch the BT channels on line, ala sky go?

 

[ratsapprentice]

If you have BT sport (either as a standalone sub or free through a BT broadband deal) then you have access to their online service - I've never used it before though.
TL : DR - yes.

Quins may have relaxed their ETA's on Collier now that Sinckler has stepped up - they would have been ****ting themselves if he hadn't.

I also think Rokoduguni is very likely to be involved.

 

[Patchey]

I think thats exactly what has happened. No use risking bringing Collier back early when Sinkler will do nicely.

I'm not sure about Rokoduguni though. Yes on form he is good enough but the list of wing options, most of whom will not be involved in the final, is pretty long. Yarde, Nowell, May, Watson, Foden are all, going on selection this season, in the running for a start on the wing. Can Rokoduguni get past all of them? Not sure.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think Thomas being dropped for the Quins game is indicative of where things are going for him. Too many scrum penalties and yellows for his loose work to make up for.

He hasn't been dropped, really - he's not been first choice for us for a year or more now. Cobilas starts when fit, Thomas gets in when he's injured or in dead rubbers.

 

[goodNumber10]

Can Rokoduguni get past all of them? Not sure.

In my opinion absolutely.

The guy is a monster. The way he stands people up and turns them on a sixpence is fantastic, then has the pace and power to get through.

He is unrivalled in my mind.

For me he's a complete winger.

 

[Tony Manx]

If you have BT sport (either as a standalone sub or free through a BT broadband deal) then you have access to their online service - I've never used it before though..

I use it like that all the time.....

 

[Patchey]

He hasn't been dropped, really - he's not been first choice for us for a year or more now. Cobilas starts when fit, Thomas gets in when he's injured or in dead rubbers.

Ah, my bad. Cobilas must have been injured a fair bit this season though? Because I was sure Thomas had got a load of game time. Or maybe its just he's so exasperating when he is on the pitch he stands out more.

In my opinion absolutely.

The guy is a monster. The way he stands people up and turns them on a sixpence is fantastic, then has the pace and power to get through.

He is unrivalled in my mind.

For me he's a complete winger.

I hear you, but I still think its a tough beat. Presuming Foden is out of contention for the first test due to the Prem final then Roko still has to get past three of Yarde, Nowell, May and Watson. I think he gets picked ahead of Watson easily but the other three? Nowell has certainly done nothing to indicate he'll be dropped so its a choice between a returning Yarde (by Lancaster's own admission one of his preferred two wingers if fit), Roko and May. I think he makes the plane/mid-week squad but will need an injury to get a full cap.

Still, this time a year ago our wing options would have been Ashton, Brown, Strettle and a load of untested youngsters. I prefer how it is now!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah, my bad. Cobilas must have been injured a fair bit this season though? Because I was sure Thomas had got a load of game time. Or maybe its just he's so exasperating when he is on the pitch he stands out more.

The latter.
Cobilas hasn't be injured a particularly large amount, certainly not more than your average #3, but he did miss the opening rounds of the season (or at least was only fit enough for the bench) and was rested in all the LV= Cup games and a few of the Amlins. He has 17 starts to Henry's 7.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Rokoduguni is top draw in every department - he has deceptive pace (he has a very rigid, upright sprinting style so he looks like he's barely putting any effort in), has a lot of power now, he has the best kick-chase of any of our wingers and his right foot step is so lazy it's embarrassing.

He's a right winger and will be competing with Nowell, Wade and Ashton realistically.
Wade isn't going to be fit and I don't think Ashton will be considered for the test side.
Roko and Nowell are both fairly similar - Roko is faster and more powerful, but Jack is probably better in the air and has a better boot.
Roko may actually have a phenomenal boot... I just haven't really seen him kick very much.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I can kind of guess the answer to this but quins fans where is j doran-jones? Very promising TH who didn't do too well at ours (saints). I really thought he would improve given more game time but I just haven't seen him play for quins at all? Is he injured or just not moved on from 5 years ago?

 

[ratsapprentice]

He's a poor journeyman - not quite sure how he ended up getting senior caps.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

He's a poor journeyman - not quite sure how he ended up getting senior caps.

He got caps when he was young and had a lot of potential. I was excited about him when he joined us but he seemed lazy around the pitch and never really kicked on.

As you say he is a journeyman and I can see quins letting him go as soon as possible because he must have come over a wack of the salary cap at the time!

 

[Mumbles119]

Just watching a recording of BT's Rugby Tonight from earlier this week.

Great interview with Kyle Eastmond (I am biased as a big fan of Kyle). He is wearing a Bath training jersey with squad number 14 on it. Anything to look into with this?

Could he do a job at wing for Bath and/or England?

 

[ratsapprentice]

He played half of last season on the wing.

 

[Mumbles119]

He played half of last season on the wing.

Yes, you're right. Thanks. I had forgotten about that.

If he can cover wing that could be useful for England. But I think he needs the ball in his hands as much as possible. So playing 12 for gain line running and distribution is definitely working for him.

 

[Peat]

He's a poor journeyman - not quite sure how he ended up getting senior caps.

We had a huge shortage of TH props and Rowntree plucked him out of Glaws reserves. He looked solid at that level.

Since then, it's all been downhill.

 

[Patchey]

I can kind of guess the answer to this but quins fans where is j doran-jones? Very promising TH who didn't do too well at ours (saints). I really thought he would improve given more game time but I just haven't seen him play for quins at all? Is he injured or just not moved on from 5 years ago?

He has been rubbish.

Based on his performances I'd say the only thing keeping him in the 1st team squad is our lack of fit props...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

At the time PDJ could do a job at 1 and 3, which helped with the limited bench spots.