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Elliot daley?
But collectively, all of the 12s will find it more difficult against international opposition. I don't necessarily think that Eastmond will hold his own in defence on the international stage, I just don't think there's enough evidence to discount Eastmond presently. He has shown himself to be perfectly adequate at Premiership level - we should not overturn months of evidence that he is a competent defender on the basis of one match in a losing team. Especially just by quoting weights. When he comes back to form, I'd like to see another run out for him.
I am still in favour of Twelvetrees overall, although I am very open at this stage to many players - Eastmond, Barritt, Burrell, Allen, Hill, Devoto etc.
I think there's also a case for bludgeon/rapier by moving Tuilagi inwards. We may have to accept that England do not have the distributing/playmking skills to make any use of a distributor/playmaker axis at 10-12. Fofana finds plenty of gaps from 12. Perhaps Tuilagi can hit the same gaps (except with more power), and we can use pace out wide (which we certainly do have). I'm just not sure who the rapier would be. I thought Joseph would be it for a long time; it's a shame he has gone a whole load of nowhere.
Other way round, actually.I think there is definitely merit in trying or at least experimenting with Farrell at 12, which is the position he played until he was pushed into 10 for club because of injuries. I heard that distribution and vision was a major strength of his when he was playing there as well.
I've never liked when Farrell has moved into the centres. When Lancaster first took over and we had Hodgson-Farrell-Barritt we where bloody dire in attack. Maybe he would be better now because he does take the ball to the line and makes these breaks, Cips-Farrell-Tuilagi could be interesting but i doubt we will see it.I think there is definitely merit in trying or at least experimenting with Farrell at 12, which is the position he played until he was pushed into 10 for club because of injuries. I heard that distribution and vision was a major strength of his when he was playing there as well.
He just needs to stop poncing about and settle on one position.
Other way round, actually.
He only played 12 when there was another 10 that they wanted to play (i.e. with Ford at u20s, pairing him with Hougaard/Hodgson when Barritt was injured). He wasn't very good at 12, either.
Farrell played his first few games for England at 12 IIRC (or at least when Hodgson came on), he's fine there but he's not international class - he's a world class 10 why play him elsewhere?
Daley would make a good 12, he's got the footwork and used to play 10, he's also got a huge boot. He'd probably be less exposed at 12 than 15 and has the size to play there as well.
He just needs to stop poncing about and settle on one position.
Anyway........
I prefer the bosh at 12 and the razor at 13 - with both able to distribute - so the thought of the set-up I mentioned above has me very excited.
Jesus wept!
of course it's not an exact science, but it's highly likely that given an even skill set the bigger heavier guy will win out - certainly in defence or in collision management - which is what this entire discussion is about.
Rugby is a game of momentum, attackers trying to gain it, defenders trying to stop it, if a defender consistently lets the opposition gain momentum then he is ineffective - certainly at elite level. Smaller guys will the majority of the time give the opposition team momentum, that's just a fact of the game. You can all claim it doesn't matter but it does.
Here is a question, who would you rather have defending in a one on one against Nonu 5 out form the line? Tuilagi or Eastmond, and why?
13.
This season, with Leiua at 12 and Miller at 15.
The gap between the centres was the same when Tuilagi was next to Yarde, but it might have been in Tuilagi's mind when defending next to Ashton.Would the same have happened if Nowell or Foden took Ashton's place ? (That's right I'm blaming Ashton ! Get back to writing your book on your 1 decent thing in international rugby you scrote)
When I have watched the replays it looks to me like Tuilagi is out of position a lot in the wide channel .