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[2018 Six Nations] England Squad

I like that side a lot but i really don't think you can justify Williams over Sinckler for reasons other than his temperament.

Sinck makes a big impact off the bench but I think he's just a better tighthead, So I'd rather 60mins of the better starter over 20mins of the better impact.


Gonna be interesting to see what happens with loosehead when genge is back. Despite marler and mako being ever present in the 23 I can't help but feel Genge is gonna come straight in for one of them.
 
TRF_Olyy said:
I like that side a lot but i really don't think you can justify Williams over Sinckler for reasons other than his temperament.

Sinck makes a big impact off the bench but I think he's just a better tighthead, So I'd rather 60mins of the better starter over 20mins of the better impact.


Gonna be interesting to see what happens with loosehead when genge is back. Despite marler and mako being ever present in the 23 I can't help but feel Genge is gonna come straight in for one of them.
Click to expand...
On Sinckler vs Williams, frankly I'm not hugely bothered about which one starts and which one finishes as I think either way would be significantly better than starting Cole. My argument for Williams to start would mostly be that I think he offers a lot more at the breakdown, and as you said Sinckler does have that temperament which can't just be ignored, but I'm not gonna be complain if it is 3. Sinckler 18. Williams.
 
While I agree there are some players who need to be rested or dropped, I also think there is a wider issue with England's tactics. I think they worked well 2 years ago and caught teams out, but now that we have not developed or changed them since, teams know how to beat us and we are relying on moments of brilliance and lucky wins which have now started to turn into losses. Without a change in tactics it's only going to get worse.

The biggest issue is obviously with the ruck and it's brought about by trying to have as many players on their feet ready to act as decoys and give the half-backs as many attacking options as possible. However it clearly hasn't worked this year and has been shown that if teams attack the breakdown it puts England under pressure and disrupts their whole attack. England need to change this quickly because as Guscott said I think, you can't keep relying on one person to make a perfect defense of the breakdown. At one point, Mako and someone else went completely past the ruck and the French just went and put their hands on the ball with Care throwing his arms in the air. I also think many English players are quite slow to present the ball compared with other nations and means the ball stays closer to the opposition.

On the opponents rucks I think our tackling is completely wrong if we want to slow the ball down and get turnovers. Our tackling is based on hitting hard and hitting backwards, which works well in pushing teams back from the gain line. However other teams tackle in 2's quite often with the second player staying on their feet and pulling the ball carrier towards them, releasing and then going over the ball. It works well and is far more effective personally than our smash tactics which can push teams back, but if they offload or we miss can really open us up as players are usually flying up. Again for me England need to adjust depending on who is in front or the state of the attack. It's the one size fits all defence that is worrying.

Next the actual attack was very predictable, with lots of wrap arounds or forwards just charging ahead. I think the only real break came towards the end (though I may have forgotten the few good bits). It was at that point that it felt like England had just said **** it, our tactics aren't working and started running straighter and at holes. For the majority of the game England ran into a blue wall and many passes were made based on our pre-match tactics rather than who was defending in front. No real attempt to have the backs get to the outside shoulder of a slower forward, no real attempt by the forwards to target the smaller backs. This year it has felt that England have had their plans and been told not to deviate. England need to vary their attack to keep the opposition guessing and they just aren't.

The kicking has been pretty average to just woeful at times. Often it has gone straight to the opposition with little gain and has again been predictable. It's been used as part of pre-planned tactics more than seeing the space and putting the defence on the back foot. While some players do attempt to compete or be ready to hit the player catching, it always feels that England are so lethargic rather than putting real pressure on the opposition. Against Ireland I dread to think what will happen, because they are so strong in the air.

The final biggest issue is less tactics themselves, but the leadership on the field that means we don't change tactics. I've already said that I don't know what Hartley brings other than loud noises because last year against Italy he was clueless, this year we didn't change anything whilst playing Scotland and were losing. Against France I felt things only changed on 70 minutes and by then it was too late. As others have said no one is really standing up and saying this isn't working let's try something else. It's pathetic that international players can't think for themselves. Eddie Jones has consistently said he wants England to play heads up rugby, but personally all evidence points to the contrary with England becoming robots who follow a set pattern and plan regardless of what goes on around them.
 
I can't see anyone getting called up, or if they are anyone making the 23.
I think it'll be lawes/Robshaw/Simmonds with kruis and Haskell on the bench
 
My 23 to face Ireland:

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Sinckler
4. Launchbury
5. Itoje
6. Robshaw
7. Haskell
8. Simmonds
9. Care
10. Ford
11. Daly
12. Farrell
13. Joseph
14. May
15. Watson

16. George
17. Vunipola
18. Williams/Cole
19. Kruis
20. Lawes
21. Wigglesworth
22. Te'o
23. Brown
 
Going forward to the AI's, is there a place for Tuilagi to compete with Teo at 13?
Has Slade got any chance or is he like Teimana Harrison, a few cap wonder?
 
Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins)*, Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens).

Forwards
Don Armand (Exeter Chiefs), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens).
 
Tigs Man said:
Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins)*, Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens).

Forwards
Don Armand (Exeter Chiefs), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens).
Click to expand...

ARMAND! A backrow of Robshaw, Armand and Simmonds would be strong. But for all we know, he won't even make the match day... EJ teasing
 
Pleaaasssseee EJ swap Armand straight in for Lawes. If EJ's finally recognising Armand as an international player then for me at least he makes the regular starting XV.
 
Presumably Haskshaw & Simmonds with Armand on the bench?
Could do worse, though I'd start Armand for Haskell
 
Fearns putting his hand up for England on twitter.
Honestly he would be perfect for Eddie currently BUT he knows the rules and made hi choice.
6. armand, 7. Simmonds, 8. Fearns would be an interesting back row.
 
Yep.

He needs to decide, live in France or play for England... which do I want more?
 

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