2014 QBE Internationals [EOYT] England

[Ragey Erasmus]

If Cipriani misses out to someone as ****ing beige as Myler I'm going to **** my pants with rage.

Beige pants time

 

[Tony Manx]

If Cipriani misses out to someone as ****ing beige as Myler I'm going to **** my pants with rage.

It would be a travesty but then can you ever see Lancaster taking a "risk" as he obviously but wrongly sees Cips as?!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It would be a travesty but then can you ever see Lancaster taking a "risk" as he obviously but wrongly sees Cips as?!!

Yeah, I agree it's about his perception of Cips.
Ford's as much as a "risk" as Cipriani, but they can't wait to throw him in at 10 (Eastmon the likely starting 12 does help here, though).

 

[Peat]

Apparently there's some Q&A thing somewhere. Talks about resurrecting Ford&Farrell as 10 and 12, and says it's too late to experiment and it's all about 4 from 4...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[ratsapprentice]

That was from an hour long interview he did with SSN yesterday morning.

He was specifically asked about it, he didn't bring it up.
His response was "they did it as juniors and that went OK, we did it for 20 mins against Italy and that was OK"
I certainly didn't take it to mean "Faz and Ford are my boyzzz".

In fact - all of the "quotes" from Lancaster in the DM article are taken from said hour long interview.

 

[Peat]

Cheers Rats. Hadn't clicked on the Daily Mail article as it's the Daily Mail.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Good interview with Flats, goes through his England team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_1pztyAxrI

Lancaster interview (only parts of it, as I say, it was a looong interview):

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/rugby-union/9515454/lancaster-twitter-q&a
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/rugby-union/9515411/future-excites-lancaster

 

[Patchey]

As the move has fallen through I don't have to join in the ranting about how Steffon waltzing into the EPS when he had essentially tried to twist the RFU's arm int picking him/trained with the French squad/isn't really suited for England/might not bring much anyway. But just imagine I had.

As for the rumours surrounding 10 selection. While I'm not dead set on Cipriani being in the match day 23, the idea that he's suddenly plummeted below Myler in the pecking order is utterly ridiculous. I mean how does he go from playing against the All Blacks to fourth or even fifth choice so quickly? And particularly when its Steve Myler who may be our 'back up', Yikes.

 

[Wendigo7]

It's a tactical decision.

You have ford who's controlling and attacking,Myler somewhere in the middle and Farrell more defensive.

 

[Peat]

That would make sense if Myler is test standard, and I can't say I've seen him suggest he is all that often.

 

[welshglory]

What do you guys think about trying Eastmond on the wing?
Don't get me wrong i rate him very highly as a midfielder, however it seems that his size is always going to be a hinderance at international level in the midfield, and you'll have to fit players around him in order to have a good balance.

Now of course if you play him in your typical winger role then he will most likely be wasted, instead I would have him in a similar role to Shane Williams. A roamer and attacking spark. Shane wasn't your typical winger, obviously he was an incredible stepper and had brilliant acceleration, similar to Eastmond. However what truly made him a great player imo was his vision, again like Eastmond except his running passing ability ****s on Shane's and when he matured as a player and gained confidence in his ability he would come off his wing and acted as a creative catalyst for both the Ospreys and Wales.

Now the biggest problem could be his out and out pace and running ability/confidence. I haven't seen him attacking too much from a wing position in Rugby or even League.

Just curious. Of course it could go horribly wrong if thrown straight in but if he was given time to learn wing, i think he could be very useful there and it could solve some problems.

10.Ford
11.Eastmond
12.Burrell
13.Tuilagi
14.Nowell/Rokoduguni
15.Brown

??

 

[nickdnz]

Surely Christian Wade would be even better in that role...he's certainly set up a fair few tries for Wasps and scored some crackers (admitedly I'm not sure how he's been since his return from injury - some don't seem to be rating him though..).

 

[TheSaffycen]

What do you guys think about trying Eastmond on the wing?
Don't get me wrong i rate him very highly as a midfielder, however it seems that his size is always going to be a hinderance at international level in the midfield, and you'll have to fit players around him in order to have a good balance.

Now of course if you play him in your typical winger role then he will most likely be wasted, instead I would have him in a similar role to Shane Williams. A roamer and attacking spark. Shane wasn't your typical winger, obviously he was an incredible stepper and had brilliant acceleration, similar to Eastmond. However what truly made him a great player imo was his vision, again like Eastmond except his running passing ability ****s on Shane's and when he matured as a player and gained confidence in his ability he would come off his wing and acted as a creative catalyst for both the Ospreys and Wales.

Now the biggest problem could be his out and out pace and running ability/confidence. I haven't seen him attacking too much from a wing position in Rugby or even League.

Just curious. Of course it could go horribly wrong if thrown straight in but if he was given time to learn wing, i think he could be very useful there and it could solve some problems.

10.Ford
11.Eastmond
12.Burrell
13.Tuilagi
14.Nowell/Rokoduguni
15.Brown

??

I wouldn't mind in a way apart from when he started out they tried him as a winger. He wasn't intl' level. He struggled at prem level sometimes and is now a great centre so I wouldn't move him personally, Shane Williams was a great finisher and had a wingers brain (even though he started at 9) which made him such a legend. Eastmond learnt how to play on the wing and it just wasted his play making talents.

Surely Christian Wade would be even better in that role...he's certainly set up a fair few tries for Wasps and scored some crackers (admitedly I'm not sure how he's been since his return from injury - some don't seem to be rating him though..).

Going forwards he is incredible, maybe the most dangerous stepper in the world and 1 on 1 I wouldn't want anyone else on the wing. But defensively he is a liability, not because of his size but his decision making and positioning is dreadful. Still I would have him in the squad and he can't do any worse than Ashton.

 

[Mumbles119]

What do you guys think about trying Eastmond on the wing?
Don't get me wrong i rate him very highly as a midfielder, however it seems that his size is always going to be a hinderance at international level in the midfield, and you'll have to fit players around him in order to have a good balance.

Now of course if you play him in your typical winger role then he will most likely be wasted, instead I would have him in a similar role to Shane Williams. A roamer and attacking spark. Shane wasn't your typical winger, obviously he was an incredible stepper and had brilliant acceleration, similar to Eastmond. However what truly made him a great player imo was his vision, again like Eastmond except his running passing ability ****s on Shane's and when he matured as a player and gained confidence in his ability he would come off his wing and acted as a creative catalyst for both the Ospreys and Wales.

Now the biggest problem could be his out and out pace and running ability/confidence. I haven't seen him attacking too much from a wing position in Rugby or even League.

Just curious. Of course it could go horribly wrong if thrown straight in but if he was given time to learn wing, i think he could be very useful there and it could solve some problems.

10.Ford
11.Eastmond
12.Burrell
13.Tuilagi
14.Nowell/Rokoduguni
15.Brown

??

I think Eastmond would be wasted on the wing. Watch back the firs few games he has had for Bath this season, and you can see his main strength - passing in attack.
I agree as above, Wade is a more suitable option and is a finisher not a creator.
Watching some of Eastmonds passing this season has been like rugby porn! If I had the ability and knowledge to link videos I would, sorry

 

[welshglory]

That's why i say still use Eastmond as a passing option, but have him on the wing.

I know he didn't really flourish there for Bath, but i sense that he will never truly become a permanent fixture for England as a midfielder.

 

[Peat]

What Saffycen said mostly. I wouldn't mind seeing the Eastmond winger experiment tried again but it's hard to see Bath wanting to go with that, his presence is 12 is absolutely huge for them, and there's no guarantee it would work.

I think I'm leaning towards Farrell-Eastmond-Tuilagi. The defensive issues scare me, but what's a defence coach for? Two of the players it's difficult to see Lancaster picking anyone else, the last is the form player and a man who on paper compliments them very well except for the need for a defensive organiser. Up to Farrell snr to make that happen.

 

[TheSaffycen]

What Saffycen said mostly. I wouldn't mind seeing the Eastmond winger experiment tried again but it's hard to see Bath wanting to go with that, his presence is 12 is absolutely huge for them, and there's no guarantee it would work.

I think I'm leaning towards Farrell-Eastmond-Tuilagi. The defensive issues scare me, but what's a defence coach for? Two of the players it's difficult to see Lancaster picking anyone else, the last is the form player and a man who on paper compliments them very well except for the need for a defensive organiser. Up to Farrell snr to make that happen.

I don't think it would be too much of an issue with Farrell there. Not because he is a defensive organiser but because not many teams will run stuff down his channel. I still want Ford-Barritt-Eastmond with Barritt and Eastmond moving from 12-13 in defence and attack. Added with Rokoduguni and Nowell/May on the wings to add carrying strength outwide
or move Manu there.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I don't think it would be too much of an issue with Farrell there. Not because he is a defensive organiser but because not many teams will run stuff down his channel. I still want Ford-Barritt-Eastmond with Barritt and Eastmond moving from 12-13 in defence and attack. Added with Rokoduguni and Nowell/May on the wings to add carrying strength outwide
or move Manu there.

Are there any other teams that have players swapping roles for attack and defence?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Kyle could do a job there, but he lacks the top end pace to be a winger. As has been said - it completely wastes his playmaking ability, which is second to none in England.