[2015 Six Nations] England

[TRF_Olyy]

Burgess starts at 13 against Tigers.

Wasn't expecting that!

Notoriously the hardest position to defend in, and Burgess' positioning at 12 has left a lot to be desired.....going to be interesting!

I do think, if he's staying in the backs, that 13 is where they should use him (alongside Eastmond) but I wouldn't throw him into the deep end starting at Welford Road against a Tigers side out for blood after the shaming of the start of this season!

 

[Irishkid]

It could be disaster or great success especially if Matt Smith playing for the Tigers.

 

[j'nuh]

All aboard the hype train. Please keep your hands out of your trousers for the duration of the journey.

I personally believe his best position is prop. In rugby league.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

All aboard the hype train. Please keep your hands out of your trousers for the duration of the journey.

I personally believe his best position is prop. In rugby league.

Nah, I can see where Ford's coming from, I always liked him playing 13........in league

 

[goodNumber10]

13 actually makes sense to me for a couple of reasons...

Over the last few weeks anytime he has come to the line he has been either gang tackled or used as a decoy... either way he pulls men into the contact zone so you run a slide around him at 13 and you're suddenly in space, or if he carries and pulls 3 tacklers in you've got quick ball in your C channel, also 13 is closer to 6 breakdown wise than 12. He will clear out, carry and look to jackal the 12's tackles.... it could be quite interesting.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Especially with Eastmond inside him, he will be good at putting him into space or exploiting any that Burgess opens up, especially if he can get the offload. Still it's a big game to be trying him out in a new position for but I look forward to it.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I feel the desperation to have him involved has gone too far. There's a danger of him getting seriously exposed defensively, and I also think it'll be a key postion in attack as we'll want to attack them wide, just like Northampton did successfully.

 

[goodNumber10]

he may just enjoy the extra space.... then again, he's marking Goneva.

 

[McTallshort]

he may just enjoy the extra space.... then again, he's marking Goneva.

Yeah but gonava is useless in defense and I mean useless someone like burgess running at him snarling away will be too much for him to cope with

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Sam Burgess is going to impregnate the entire press box if he scores a try the day after tomorrow.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Would certainly be impressive... considering the game is on Sunday.

Almost as impressive as how far out Corbisiero shifts his hips out when scrummaging and driving early.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

ermmm I put day after tomorrow.

That Edit was for something else.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Corbs really needs to scrummage straight or his reputation as a great scrummager could be lost, same as happened to the Welsh scrum.

 

[Maverick1987]

Would certainly be impressive... considering the game is on Sunday.

Almost as impressive as how far out Corbisiero shifts his hips out when scrummaging and driving early.

No need for the snide comments about wether the game is tomorrow or Sunday that's not really what the post was about.

If everyone did that the whole forum would be about grammar mistakes .....

 

[Maverick1987]

Corbs really needs to scrummage straight or his reputation as a great scrummager could be lost, same as happened to the Welsh scrum.

Why does he need to do that ? As long as he's clever enough to straighten up if a referee pings him for it . He rarely gets called on it by any referee so they obviously see he's doing nothing wrong .....

Just play the game to the limits of the referees whistle . At the moment his scrummaging wins more penalties than it gives away .

Ritchie McCaw pushes the limits its part the reason he's been one of the best players in the world for over a decade ...

 

[Patchey]

I really really really hope that Burgess doesn't end up doing a Benji Marshal because his transition is portly handled. Bath have brought a number of league players into union successfully but I fail to see much logic in what they've gone so far to be honest...

 

[j'nuh]

Why does he need to do that ? As long as he's clever enough to straighten up if a referee pings him for it . He rarely gets called on it by any referee so they obviously see he's doing nothing wrong .....

Just play the game to the limits of the referees whistle . At the moment his scrummaging wins more penalties than it gives away .

Ritchie McCaw pushes the limits its part the reason he's been one of the best players in the world for over a decade ...

Cuz once you're identified as a dishonest scrummager, it's easy to spot.

 

[ratsapprentice]

No need for the snide comments about wether the game is tomorrow or Sunday that's not really what the post was about.

Snide?

Really?

Cuz once you're identified as a dishonest scrummager, it's easy to spot.

Bingo. Once the cat is out of the bag you're done until you do it straight. Refs (particularly at international level) have been better at recognising it, and you can be sure as **** that the opposition will point it out to whichever ref is in charge.
He is becoming increasingly blatant too.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Cuz once you're identified as a dishonest scrummager, it's easy to spot.

He hasn't though, at least not by referees.
I say he keeps doing what he's doing until he starts getting pinged for it - it's like Maverick says, you play the whistle and if he was a 7 who was going offside/off his feet but winning penalties doing so, then people would be applauding how streetwise they are.

 

[ratsapprentice]

There's a fine line between respecting a player's ability to bend the rules, and being completely dumbfounded at the officials' collective inability to spot flagrant infringements.

However, he is starting to get pinged for it.