[2015 Six Nations] England

[Every Time Ref]

Kicking stats are relatively acceptable though. (Problems creep in if you're a long or short distance kicker.)

To that I'd add ambition in selection ... depending on the style of play, I'd generally like a kicker to take on some ambitious ones which might be 50/50, rather than playing it safe, which will bump up your stats without necessarily benefitting your team. Related to this, teams with a specified kicker should expect their main kicker to have better stats as they aren't required to take on as many of the tough ones

 

[TheSaffycen]

To that I'd add ambition in selection ... depending on the style of play, I'd generally like a kicker to take on some ambitious ones which might be 50/50, rather than playing it safe, which will bump up your stats without necessarily benefitting your team. Related to this, teams with a specified kicker should expect their main kicker to have better stats as they aren't required to take on as many of the tough ones

Indeed, it was one of the main reasons that I wanted Daly, 60m out and he stands a chance. The problem with Ford, Farrell and Cips is that anything over 45 is pushing their boundries. This to me is a problem when a lot of your game revolves around getting points by the opposition creating mistakes and playing without the ball.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I think Farrell's got five metres or so more distance than the other two, no? He can hit the 50m ones on a good day, Ford certainly has a solid line at about 45m which is clearly the edge of his range, and he can't get them. Farrell on an average day is similar to Ford, Farrell on a good day can cover more ground and starts to look like a distance kicker, to me. The Wales game in the last 6N, for example, from memory I feel like he hit a couple of real long-range ones, matching Halfpenny for distance.

 

[Wendigo7]

If were arguing over who's the 2nd kicker... Then we aren't good enough in general play to get the job done!

 

[j'nuh]

Play Ford and Slade. Makes Farrell entirely redundant when it comes to goal kicking.

Ford-Slade-Joseph
Ford-Eastmond-Slade
= two best combinations

 

[yaboyjj]

Play Ford and Slade. Makes Farrell entirely redundant when it comes to goal kicking.

Ford-Slade-Joseph
Ford-Eastmond-Slade
= two best combinations

I really hope Slade gets a run out, Slade-Joseph would be fast, good defensively, have good distribution and give an extra kicking option. What's not to like.... I guess the only drawback is the lack of bosh. Pending the return of Tuilagi (who I assume will slot straight back into the team when fit), should it be a straight shootout for the 13 shirt with Tuilagi playing inside centre, or does Slade take the 12 shirt and Tuilagi resumes at outside centre? (all hypothetical of course).

 

[Irishkid]

The only worry with slade and Joseph is we're is the go forward going to come from.

 

[j'nuh]

The only worry with slade and Joseph is we're is the go forward going to come from.

The pack.

When did it become so necessary to have a backline full of players that can pass off as forwards? I'm more than happy with the forwards boshing and the backs exploiting space tbh. A fit-form Tuilagi wouldn't go amiss, but I'm alright with smaller centres in general.

 

[yaboyjj]

Well in principle you would be picking at least one sizable winger who would come in looking for work (Yarde or Roko) who could shoulder some of the responsibility. It would rely on good footwork, good distribution, pace and a pack that is moving forward. Pretty much how Bath operate. IMO this is mostly conjecture though since one of Barritt/Burrell (unfortunately) will play until Tuilagi comes back in.
^ I agree with the above somewhat though- Ireland more than survived with O'Driscoll/D'arcy for a fair while, the AB's have coped with a Crotty/Smith axis, get some front foot ball and all is fair weather.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Burrell-Joseph would be my preference. Barritt-Burrell is my best guess though. I guess the back three is likely to remain the same, May-Brown-Watson. Don't think Roko will have another chance for a while I'm afraid

 

[yaboyjj]

Burrell-Joseph would be my preference. Barritt-Burrell is my best guess though. I guess the back three is likely to remain the same, May-Brown-Watson. Don't think Roko will have another chance for a while I'm afraid

Bit of a shame that really, I think May/Watson is a bit same-ish and a guy like Roko/Yarde partnering May is a better balance. I would like to see Watson on the bench and given some time at full back- he always seems to run some lovely lines from there.

Burrell/Joseph I would take in midfield, Barritt/Burrell is just cringe though. It seems to me like a maths equation where one side cancels the other side out to give a sum of 0. Burrells defensive mishaps undermine Barritts 'good positioning', and Barritts lack of pace/distribution/anything in attack, cancels out any threat Burrell might pose....

 

[Every Time Ref]

I agree with the above somewhat though- Ireland more than survived with O'Driscoll/D'arcy for a fair while, the AB's have coped with a Crotty/Smith axis, get some front foot ball and all is fair weather.

We're not the All Blacks though, and neither of our centres is O'Driscoll. I don't disagree that two smaller centres can be a great combo in the right side but we're not that side. The way we play (and especially given the shortage of carriers in the pack), I think we want a target in the midfield.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Bit of a shame that really, I think May/Watson is a bit same-ish and a buy like Roko/Yarde partnering May is a better balance. I would like to see Watson on the bench and given some time at full back- he always seems to run some lovely lines from there.

I also like a big-small wing pairing, neither Roko nor Yarde are in great form right now though. At least Lancaster seems to be picking wings on form, unlike some areas.

 

[yaboyjj]

I also like a big-small wing pairing, neither Roko nor Yarde are in great form right now though. At least Lancaster seems to be picking wings on form, unlike some areas.

I think Yarde may be getting back into some sort of form, just re-watched some of the summer tours games in NZ...Yarde was showing real promise, especially in the last game he gave the AB's some real problems (defense was a bit suspect though), it's a bit disappointing he hasn't yet kicked on from that.
Do you know if the Roko injury is serious by the way? (a re-occurrence of the thigh strain from the Autumn I'm assuming?)

Nowell could be in with a shout if he counts as big (ish) wing!

 

[Every Time Ref]

Agree about Yarde, he did look a fair bit sharper against Tigers ... he scored quite a good try, didn't he?

Roko's ruled out for the weekend, that's all I know.

 

[TheSaffycen]

The pack.

When did it become so necessary to have a backline full of players that can pass off as forwards? I'm more than happy with the forwards boshing and the backs exploiting space tbh. A fit-form Tuilagi wouldn't go amiss, but I'm alright with smaller centres in general.

Our pack isn't South Africa's though, it can't bully a side. It can stifle another teams advantages but can't really impose on top packs. Also when Slade and Joseph go up against Roberts and Davies you will have two guys trying to just stop the other two, whilst the others can knock back the other centres.

 

[goodNumber10]

The pack.

When did it become so necessary to have a backline full of players that can pass off as forwards?

1991

 

[yaboyjj]

Our pack isn't South Africa's though, it can't bully a side. It can stifle another teams advantages but can't really impose on top packs. Also when Slade and Joseph go up against Roberts and Davies you will have two guys trying to just stop the other two, whilst the others can knock back the other centres.

Well Slade and Joseph are two of the best defenders in the league.

An article in the Telegraph is touting Kitchener as good enough to be an All black (from none other than Brad Thorn).
Given there are 4(?) lock places in the six nations squad, he's probably fighting for a place with Kruis, with Atwood, Lawes and Parling as the other 3? I think though that he probably offers a bit more than Kruis or Parling because of his speed/athleticism as well being a big unit and a very good line-out option.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I don't buy the big centres argument. The top teams don't rely on them and I can't think of any team besides Wales who place that much emphasis on size in the centres and wings. Joseph may not be the largest centre but he is easily one of the most mobile for his size. As long as the opposition centres can't smash clean through then we don't need to worry, we don't need to always be hitting the opposition back in every tackle in every position on the pitch. If we can simply stifle the opposition until they are forced to kick then we have control.

 

[McTallshort]

Barrett and Burrell end of