2014 QBE Internationals [EOYT] England

[TheSaffycen]

And you can take that all the way back to the aviva prem thread Longbottom will not be mentioned in these lands anymore.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

just going to leave this here re: Longbottom

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>(2/3)... Matt Mullan <a href="https://twitter.com/Yenz_2">@Yenz_2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kmanlongbottom">@kmanlongbottom</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pato_mjsp">@pato_mjsp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Dmjattwood">@Dmjattwood</a> Kalamafoni <a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanFisher6">@JonathanFisher6</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Toottankwaldrom">@Toottankwaldrom</a> &amp; in the backs...</p>â€" BT Sport Rugby (@btsportrugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/514386196555108352">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What the hell have you just posted?

 

[Peat]

It's Opta's team of the week, based on stats, which includes Kieran Longbottom.

If he's in some form of statistical team of the entire first six weeks or something, I might pay attention.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Based on the first rounds of the season I would play against New Zealand
1.Corbisiero 2.Webber 3.Wilson 4.Attwood 5.Lawes 6.Ewers 7.Robshaw 8.Haskell 9.Care 10.Ford 11.May 12.Eastmond 13.Tuilagi 14.Roko 15.Foden
16.Hartley 17.Marler 18.Brookes 19.Launchbury 20.Vunipola 21.Simpson 22.Cipriani 23.Yarde

 

[Peat]

Would you pick the same team remembering past performances in an England shirt?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Youngs out for 3 months.

 

[TheSaffycen]

From who I selected only Eastmond and May have been poor for England, from what I remember. This is just based on what we have seen this year, if I was to select and I had to base it on previous performances
1.Corbisiero 2.Webber 3.Wilson 4.Attwood 5.Lawes 6.Haskell 7.Robshaw 8.Morgan 9.Care 10.Farrell 11.Yarde 12.Barritt 13.Tuilagi 14.Nowell 15.Brown
16.Hartley 17.Marler 18.Brookes 19.Launchbury 20.Vunipola 21.Dickson 22.Ford 23.Foden
Though I would like to include the likes of Ewers, Simpson, Slade, Cipriani, Eastmond, May and Roko but when results matter I dont blame Lancaster for picking the tested guys.

 

[Peat]

Nah, there's no one I'd really slag off - Eastmond had a nightmare last time out but was highly effective in his three appearances before that, May's taken a little long to find his feet but definitely has something, it's been a little while since Foden made me feel excited about him in an England shirt - the point is more that are those guys really in flying enough form to break up established partnerships? edit: Which judging from your post seems to be not many.

Also, I'd drop Lawes before I dropped Launchbury. And I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!

edit: Acid dropping backline of the day

10. Ford 11. Tuilagi 12. Eastmond 13. Barritt 14. Nowell 15. Brown

There is madness to this madness... although also method. Barritt adds defensive reinforcement through his organisation skills and his attacking game at 13 has been ok-ish. Allows you to field the best attacking 12. Tuilagi on the wing is a bit of a waste, but if the centres provide enough line breaking threat, you can afford it and god knows he could be deadly there...

 

[TheSaffycen]

It's hard really because I was thinking of putting Eastmond and Slade together but then I was like 'would I actually lose Manu ?' then just lost my balls and put him in. So when Lancaster announces a squad i'm not immediately like why hasn't he picked Slade over Barritt or Ewers over Croft or Wood because the guys have done well for him in the past so why would he risk losing all the games by picking youngs kids who could **** themselves over having the England shirt against the All Blacks.
Also the reason I would bench Launchbury is because if Robshaw or Woods got injured I would prefer to have Launchbury at 6 fresh than if he was already on the pitch tired. Though he does have an engine.

Also, I'd drop Lawes before I dropped Launchbury. And I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!
edit: Acid dropping backline of the day
10. Ford 11. Tuilagi 12. Eastmond 13. Barritt 14. Nowell 15. Brown

There is madness to this madness... although also method. Barritt adds defensive reinforcement through his organisation skills and his attacking game at 13 has been ok-ish. Allows you to field the best attacking 12. Tuilagi on the wing is a bit of a waste, but if the centres provide enough line breaking threat, you can afford it and god knows he could be deadly there...

Barritt is okay as a 13 with a distributor inside him, when we played Scotland him and 36 looked great but when Farrell was at 12 we looked so bad it was horrible. I wouldn't have Tuialgi at 11 just because he will get exploited by kicks in behind because his lack of playing there, he reminds me of Nalaga so much as he looks great going forwards but I can't rely on him going backwards. Nowell and Brown might combat this, and having two full backs should be great as we do have problems with teams kicking. Overall I wouldn't like to see that backline against New Zealand but against Aus or Samoa it could work.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Also, I'd drop Lawes before I dropped Launchbury. And I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!

So would I - you do see a lot of people say the opposite though.

 

[Peat]

I have no idea who'd organise a defence out of Eastmond and Slade. I don't want to see another England defence where I can't work out who's bossing it. I think that's my main objection to seeing Eastmond and Tuilagi tried again.

I don't know who's running the crash line out of Eastmond and Slade either. Little too similar for my tastes in retrospect.

That's a semi-reasonable reason for benching Launch, so I'm not going to punch you... today...

 

[TheSaffycen]

You don't always need a crash in the centres, you could have Roko and Yarde on the wings who can hit up. With Farrell at 10 he could be a defensive organiser, I thought the big problem was Eastmond and Burn's relationship, and that Eastmond would not trust Burns I felt. Though you would have alot of ball playing players like what Ireland used in the 6 nations.

 

[Geordie]

Was it just Eastmond having a mare in the last test or was it a collection of poor performances by many of the team aswell as Eastmond being specifically targeted by the AB's.

Him and Manu looked very good together in the first test and he has been very good in the prem...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Without knowing England's defensive system for that game as it was prescribed to the players it's hard to tell.
It certainly wasn't just his fault though - the system broke down completely, for which he has to take some blame, but was he at fault any more than Burns or Manu...? Hard to say.

 

[Peat]

It's pretty easy to point at mistakes from Burns and Tuilagi in that game. The whole unit was getting it wrong.

I'd be very wary of loading Farrell with the defensive organiser role in addition to running the offensive game plan and doing the goal kicking. That's a huge workload that will alter his natural game (he can't hunt the hit in the same way) and, unless I'm mistake, running the defence is nothing something he often does.

And a centre who can run the crash line might not be something you need, but it is something you want imo...

 

[Geordie]

Do you go for balance?

Farrell hasnt looked all that so far this season...is he suffering his injury from last season? Is he not fit. What ever it is...his competitors are playing better - For and Cips in particular (though Ford is getting an armchair ride)

The problem is then do you need to put a bruiser at 12 to cover the FH's defensive deficiencies...? That would mean Barritt or Burrell.

Would a Ford / Cips / Burns and Eastmond/ Allen 10 -12 axis be too lightweight.

Is Slade the answer? Does he mix the playmaker and more physical 10's mould nicely...but is he ready? He's looking good but ready to start for England? Not sure.

 

[goodNumber10]

Farrell has only had one start this season and a short cameo in the Wasps game - think he's been rested by Sarries to manage his playing load.

To be fair he came off the bench against Wasps and tore into them, he didn't seem too out of sorts on Saturday.

Until he's getting some game time i don't think it's worth even saying others are in pole position.

 

[goodNumber10]

Without knowing England's defensive system for that game as it was prescribed to the players it's hard to tell.
It certainly wasn't just his fault though - the system broke down completely, for which he has to take some blame, but was he at fault any more than Burns or Manu...? Hard to say.

I think there were issues rigth through - but he certainly lost his head and started panicking. If you're unsure of what's going on why not zone up and just hold your channel? Rightly or wrongly he was stepping in onto Burns man and leaving Tuilagi and Ashton badly expose.

To be perfectly honest i think that was just a superb bit of analysis by Ian Foster who noticed Eastmond stepping in on the first test, they exploited that and England were not prepared to adjust on the fly.

***sorry double post***

 

[TheSaffycen]

Roko and Yarde come off the wings and Slade can take over goal kicking ? So who is everyone else looking at for the squad ? I think the front row is pretty safe, Corbisiero Hartley Wilson with Marler Webber Brookes. Second Row Launchbury, Lawes are definates and I would put Attwood right up there but I wouldn't say nailed on YET, then you have Slater, Parling, Kitchener, Kruis, Matthews, Stooke. Back Row Robshaw and then maybe Wood, Haskell, Kvesic, Fraser, Fearns. Vunipola is nailed on then you have Morgan, Ewers, how many 8's will they bring; and is Burgess ready then ? Scrum half and it's Care, no if's or but's he is our 9, then you have Dickson, Youngs, Simpson, Wigglesworth lets hope Care isn't injured. Fly half we have Farrell and know his faults and good points, should we not use him in the AI's ? Let's see Cipriani, Ford, Burns and Slade on the international stage. Give Slade the Samoa game and and rotate the other 3 on the big guys. Centres well **** knows. You have Eastmond and Tuilagi's contrasting games v New Zealand. You have Barritt who is safe but boring. Twelvetree's club form makes it hard for him to put his hand up, Slade can play here but we have no idea what position he will play when the end of the year comes around. Burrell will be in and around at 12 or 13. Sam Hill is playing amazingly at the moment. Jospeh and Trinder are outside shots but could easily break in, even if Trinder is out. And is Burgess ready then ? Wingers we have are Wade, Yarde, May, Roko, Nowell, Varndell, Monye, Ashton. I would go for Yarde, Wade, May, Roko. At fullback we have Brown, Foden, Goode, Nowell, Tait. Then you have the versatile guys like Daly, May, Slade, Tait, Watson...

 

[Maverick1987]

I think there were issues rigth through - but he certainly lost his head and started panicking. If you're unsure of what's going on why not zone up and just hold your channel? Rightly or wrongly he was stepping in onto Burns man and leaving Tuilagi and Ashton badly expose.

To be perfectly honest i think that was just a superb bit of analysis by Ian Foster who noticed Eastmond stepping in on the first test, they exploited that and England were not prepared to adjust on the fly.

***sorry double post***

Maybe but is it going to be a recurring problem or can other few weeks with Farrell get it sorted ? It's certainly not a reason to finish his england career over unless it continues to happen over and over

He doesn't seem to have the same problem with bath to be fair