2014 QBE Internationals [EOYT] England

[ratsapprentice]

Rats, you sure that's right for Haskell?

It is and it isn't.
The stats aren't available for the Wasps vs Newcastle game for some reason.
He's actually played 400mins, but I took 80 off (the Newcastle game) so the averages are in fact correct.
The actual stats are right though!

Any requests for stat roundups on individuals/positions?
Will probably do the centre options later, I can't see much point in doing anything else, it's all fairly settled other than that...

 

[brumtom]

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Wilson
4. Launchbury
5. Lawes
6. Wood
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola
9. Care.
10. Farrell
11. Watson
12. Twelvetrees
13. Burrell
14. Ashton/Yarde
[FONT=Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif]15. Brown[/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif]For me, I understand the Barritt effect but in hindsight and having a think today - it's more likely that Burrell and 12Trees continue, they proved themselves in the 6nations - they are more dependable in my opinion, if we go on form though 12Trees may not be up there as a dead certainty but it's a safer bet and not a bolt choice. [/FONT]

 

[Wendigo7]

Substitute Ford as the 10, Roko at 14 and it's not the worst side in the world.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lund made 22 tackles and missed none vs Munster.

He's better than Tom Wood.

 

[goodNumber10]

Do you genuinely find Brad's attacking "highlights" in that video impressive? Bearing in mind the vast, vast majority of them are either from the AB game, which was clearly an anomaly, or the game against a weak Fiji side.

Am I claiming they are, I'm pointing out that his carrying isn't as ineffectual as people are making out.

Could he do more in attack, yes of course, but i'm not sure that's entirely down to him, i'd be really interested to see him play outside Ford - he looked happy outside Cipriani in the summer, and he does a lot more in the Sarries set up than he ever did with England especially when playing off Hodgson - and Sarries game has evolved a lot over the last couple of seasons from big defence to attacking rugby.

I reckon Sarries are the closest to the style of play England favour, so i think he might look a bit different if given a shot.

 

[Big Ewis]

"ineffectual", fk, that's a word ?! Caught my attention in the latest post feed, had to come check it out to see if it was real. Damnzers..the English language has so many words that mean exactly the same thing while stemming from the exact same root...

Hey has David Wilson become a bigger attraction than Dan Cole overtime since the prolonged absence of the latter ? Seems he's picked his spot in the hearts of the English fans. Gotta be his better scrummaging...God, how long has it been since England or France produced a dominant Tighthead..

 

[j'nuh]

I find those stats on Wood very interesting:
1. He doesn't carry much, nor for many meters
2. He doesn't offer much in the breakdown (are those breakdown stats right though? I'm surprised by how few turnovers are being won by backrowers)
3. He doesn't seem to make that many tackles, and has a relatively bad tackle completion rate compared to the rest

Is he like, amazing at clearing out or something? What is impressive about Wood?

I'm also very surprised by Haskell's poor carrying stats.

 

[ratsapprentice]

"Turnovers" are exactly that - anything that leads to possession changing hands in open play. They are not necessarily "jackals".

Examples...

Turnovers won - Diving on a dropped ball, charging down a kick and getting control of the ball, ripping a ball in the tackle... I'm unsure as to whether intercepts count.

Your third point is quite an important one - because ruck stats aren't published, because of the difficulty of defining them.
He does seem to hit a lot of rucks, he's pretty good there - better than average, not quite a monster though.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Those stats certainly make a strong case for Roko being on the wing.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Wood hits rucks and is a brilliant line out option. I would struggle to pick him though. My team after the first ERC week-
1.Marler 2.Hartley 3.Wilson 4.Launchbury 5.Lawes 6.Robshaw 7.Fraser 8.Vunipola 9.Care 10.Cipriani 11.Nowell 12.Barritt 13.Tuilagi 14.Rokoduguni 15.Brown
16.Webber 17.Barrington 18.Sinkler 19.Attwood 20.Ewers 21.Youngs 22.Eastmond 23.May/Foden

A few points. Barritt and Cipriani both worked well in the summer, why not try it with even more threat outside. On the wings both are competent in defence and attack. Back row can tackle and carry and off the bench we have even more power. I haven't got a 10 on the bench as Care is a very good goal kicker, I have heard, I am also very confident in Eastmond's ability to be the first reciever.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I wonder whether Wigglesworth might have moved up the pecking order a bit?
Youngs is sh*t, and the one or two good games he has a season, while very good, aren't enough to get him into the England 23. Care is clearly first choice, and IMO Wigglesworth does a better Dickson than Dickson does. He may not be lighting around the rucks but he's got a quick accurate pass and the best kicking game of any English 9.
He's not a long term option, but a viable option to hold the fort until Lancaster brings Robson through.

 

[TheSaffycen]

The problem I think he has is he's normally oblivious when the ruck isn't stable. What I mean is that you can see the ball has to get out quick or he needs to help secure it. If he gets quick ball the 10 will have the ball in his hands and his left boot is a good contrast to Ford/Farrell. Also showed vision for Strettle's first try at the weekend.

 

[Wendigo7]

It is and it isn't.
The stats aren't available for the Wasps vs Newcastle game for some reason.
He's actually played 400mins, but I took 80 off (the Newcastle game) so the averages are in fact correct.
The actual stats are right though!

Any requests for stat roundups on individuals/positions?
Will probably do the centre options later, I can't see much point in doing anything else, it's all fairly settled other than that...

Props at Scrum time would be an interesting one. LH and TH to see who are and aren't having a big effect at scrum time.

Fly half performance is another. Looking at all sorts of things. Not just defensive tackles, but the amount of yards given away in the tackle. That would really take a look at the 3 contenders outside Farrell to see where each are. Goalkicking and the difficulty of each kick in order would be a good one too.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Unfortunately there aren't really any stats available for scrums other than a binary won/lost - really, you have to watch the scrummages themselves in order to analyse them.

The amount of metres conceded in a tackle isn't recorded either, so short of me trawling through every game and figuring out an accurate measurement for that stat then we aren't going to get that info.
I'm nerdy as ****, but that is even beyond me!

Goalkicking stats are available from this site: http://www.goalkickers.co.za/

 

[Peat]

Youngs is sh*t, and the one or two good games he has a season, while very good, aren't enough to get him into the England 23.

That's news to me.

I sometimes think scum-half is the position I'd most like to hear coaches talking about. It seems a lot of coaches are going on with options that draw tons of ire from fans. Are we underrating how difficult some skills are to execute? Do we place different priorities to the positions than they do? Are we just going through a global period of low quality?

In any case, I find your logic persuasive, but my guess of what we've seen of Lancaster the answer is "lol no mate".

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's news to me.

"Shouldn't be enough" I should've said

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Lund made 22 tackles and missed none vs Munster.

He's better than Tom Wood.

You can have Seymour or Lund not both!

Make your pick?

Btw Haskell way better player than lund

 

[TRF_Olyy]

You can have Seymour or Lund not both!

Make your pick?

Btw Haskell way better player than lund

Lund, but only because that's more likely/he'd slot straight into the England set-up.
Haskell would be my first choice 6 come the AIs, but Lund would be who I'd look at to come in for Johnson in the wider squad.

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/29682970

...He's comparing himself to BOD. Wow.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Rumours are that Clark could be involved in the EPS which would really **** me off.

Would rather have Seymour, Lund, Ewers, Fraser, Wray and Gibson ahead of him. (although I am really biased against him.

But if He is ahead of the likes of Lund, Ewers, Fraser and Seymour then I would really be annoyed with Lancaster and his homers.