[2017 Six Nations] - England

[ratsapprentice]

Quins are the only rugby team you'll see fans of around the city.

Notably - even though they have the reputation of being quite toffy, they have the most working class fans from what I've seen.

 

[Mumbles119]

Cheers mate, found that very interesting. How huge are these guys, though?

Haha yes they are. I met Courtney Lawes just at the top of the stairs, and I actually looked down at my feet to see if I still had another step to come up. I didn't, I am a hobbit

 

[Peat]

Thanks for the info Mumbles and Rats - and Mumbles, that sounds a really cool experience.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Quins are the only rugby team you'll see fans of around the city.

Notably - even though they have the reputation of being quite toffy, they have the most working class fans from what I've seen.

I was meaning more in terms of forging links with community clubs, although I guess doing that will lead to an improved support base. Interesting observation though, not something I've ever picked up on, although I try to spend as little time as possible in the smoke.

 

[Scotty]

Sinkler
George
Mako
Launch
Itoje
Hask
Clifford
Hughes
Care
Faz
Watson
Teo
JJ
Nowell
Daly

My XV vs Italy not sure about bench yet

What you guys think?
Mako sinkler and george is powerful front row esoecially against a weaker side like italy

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

My XV:
1. Marler
2. George
3. Sinckler
4. Launchbury
5. Lawes
6. Itoje
7. Haskell
8. Hughes
9. Care
10. Farrell
11. May
12. Te'o
13. Joseph
14. Nowell
15. Daly

16. Hartley
17. Vunipola
18. Cole
19. Williams
20. Clifford
21. Youngs
22. Ford
23. Watson (To come on fairly early at FB, shifting Daly to 13)

 

[Scotty]

My XV:
1. Marler
2. George
3. Sinckler
4. Launchbury
5. Lawes
6. Itoje
7. Haskell
8. Hughes
9. Care
10. Farrell
11. May
12. Te'o
13. Joseph
14. Nowell
15. Daly

16. Hartley
17. Vunipola
18. Cole
19. Williams
20. Clifford
21. Youngs
22. Ford
23. Watson (To come on fairly early at FB, shifting Daly to 13)

Mako and watson need to start IMO. Like hask they need game time and i think need to play 70 min. May...just no now watson/nowell combo is back with daly aswell then all 3 can cover back 3 well and may is not good enough in comparrison IMO. JJ full game he has a good record against the italians. Prefer itoje as lock tbh but yeh good team wouldnt be disappointed if EJ picked it...bar may id have sladey in instead

 

[Scotty]

Oh and in my XV appologies if i got 1s and 3s mixed up and any others, easily done when half asleep

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Time for arrogant English mode, I hope Jones is really on the players backs telling them just a win isn't acceptable, even a bonus point win isn't acceptable, England must look to utterly annihilate Italy.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I honestly think he will.
He's not one to pull punches with saying what he thinks, and we really should be looking to run up a big scoreline.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Mako and watson need to start IMO. Like hask they need game time and i think need to play 70 min. May...just no now watson/nowell combo is back with daly aswell then all 3 can cover back 3 well and may is not good enough in comparrison IMO. JJ full game he has a good record against the italians. Prefer itoje as lock tbh but yeh good team wouldnt be disappointed if EJ picked it...bar may id have sladey in instead

I agree that the players you mention need game time, but only the England medical team know if they are ready for it.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Mako and watson need to start IMO. Like hask they need game time and i think need to play 70 min. May...just no now watson/nowell combo is back with daly aswell then all 3 can cover back 3 well and may is not good enough in comparrison IMO. JJ full game he has a good record against the italians. Prefer itoje as lock tbh but yeh good team wouldnt be disappointed if EJ picked it...bar may id have sladey in instead

I see no point in risking Mako and Watson against the Italians by starting then, give them each a good 30 mins off the bench to get back into the mix of things so that they can start against Scotland.

I've put May in as I think he should be on that wing to stay. Watson should be replacing Brown at FB and Daly's not a winger.

I've suggested JJ coming off as we already know we he can do, he doesn't need a full game vs the Italians to show it. I think getting Daly a good 1/2 hour at 13 would overall be much more beneficial to the team and to our depth.

I too prefer Maro at lock but it seems that this Six Nations he's going to stay at 6, and I think vs the Italians is a real opportunity for him to gain some confidence there.

On Slade, I'd like to see him in but I don't know where. In my mind he's a 12, and I'm more interested in seeing what Te'o can do with a start than what Slade can. Going for an all new look midfield by putting him at 13 also seems too risky. Maybe the 22 shirt, but I can't see it happening.

 

[Scotty]

I agree that the players you mention need game time, but only the England medical team know if they are ready for it.

Agreed, if they arnt ready then they arnt ready. Take them off but i hope they are ready for a 70 min game.

 

[Scotty]

I see no point in risking Mako and Watson against the Italians by starting then, give them each a good 30 mins off the bench to get back into the mix of things so that they can start against Scotland.

I've put May in as I think he should be on that wing to stay. Watson should be replacing Brown at FB and Daly's not a winger.

I've suggested JJ coming off as we already know we he can do, he doesn't need a full game vs the Italians to show it. I think getting Daly a good 1/2 hour at 13 would overall be much more beneficial to the team and to our depth.

I too prefer Maro at lock but it seems that this Six Nations he's going to stay at 6, and I think vs the Italians is a real opportunity for him to gain some confidence there.

On Slade, I'd like to see him in but I don't know where. In my mind he's a 12, and I'm more interested in seeing what Te'o can do with a start than what Slade can. Going for an all new look midfield by putting him at 13 also seems too risky. Maybe the 22 shirt, but I can't see it happening.

I disagree, mako played 70 for sarries at the weekend i think he should start due to the week off to recover before the scots game.

Watson. Yeh fair point not proved his fitness i can underdtand that

I just dont rate may very highly . watson(speed, flare) and nowell(stong, good tackler and high workrate) on the wings were such a great team but yeh without watson at fb who replaces Brown. Maybe its just cos i like seeing jj scire tries for fun but yes i agree daly to 13 is proper position to get some game time.

Teo picks some amazing lines but only really seen him against tired defence, cant wait to see what he does against the italians

Slade if he is in i like him as a 12 yet as a 13 he is very good at bringing the wings into play with a long flat pass, depends who comes of cant have ford faz slade but can have ford teo slade but that means watson playing a full game which i dont see if he starts and also daly at 15 full game also dont see

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think try this back line

10 Farrell
12 Slade
13 JJ

We need to keep the same game plan of a distributor at 12 so Slade gives us that option. I think Teo would change the game plan too much and he lack a kicking game.

 

[Peat]

From what Eddie's saying, the whole point of Te'o is to see how things go with a different game plan.

 

[Raggs]

I'd start Mako, he can come off for the reliable Marler when he's tired. Give him as long as he can do. If we started Marler, and brought Mako on for 30, what if he's blowing out his arse after 20? I doubt it would happen, but still start Mako, so Marler (who can do 80 if absolutely needed) is the cavalry.

I'd only start Watson if I saw him as first choice. Guess it depends on whether Eddie wants Watson + Nowell, or May + Nowell (assuming Daly at 13). Watson at fullback could happen I guess.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

From what Eddie's saying, the whole point of Te'o is to see how things go with a different game plan.

He should just ask Wales. It may look great against a tier 2 team. It will never bother the top teams.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I honestly think he will.
He's not one to pull punches with saying what he thinks, and we really should be looking to run up a big scoreline.

Agreed.

We can probably put out 4 or 5 XVs that would beat this Italian side. I hope Eddie is looking towards Scotland and Ireland and starts with as close as possible to the likely XV for those games, possible exception being at hooker. Despite two wins we haven't been convincing yet and I think the starting XV needs more game time together. By all means bring on the cavalry early and give Sinkler etc a good run. Hask should start, Mako should bench.

No idea on the back 3 at all. Would be easy to play any 3 of Watson, May, Daly and Nowell for this game. But I think the reality is that EJ will want Brown for the later 2 matches, so he stays. I'd be inclined to start with Nowell and May on the wings with Watson coming on at 15 from the bench. Very harsh on Daly, but he's not a specialist winger and I think could be badly exposed in the air against the Irish.

 

[Peat]

He should just ask Wales. It may look great against a tier 2 team. It will never bother the top teams.

Used to bother us when Roberts was good and had a gainline 10! New Zealand didn't do too badly with Nonu either.