[2019 Six Nations] England Squad

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Was Mercer lying in an interview then? 'Eddie told me im third choice 8 at the moment, behind Billy and Nathan'.

I think hes including Earl purely for apprentice/learning with absolutely no intention on putting him in the 23. If Nathan and Billy were to get injured then Mercer would be called up and Earl probs still not in the actual 23.

I listened to that interview too; I doubt it actually means Mercer's 3rd in line for the 8 shirt. When listing players in their respective positions, Mercer is probably 3rd at 8, but Wilson would be moved from 6 to 8 with Shields coming in at 6 before Mercer was given the 8 shirt. Similarly, Earl could be moved from 6 or 7, whatever Eddie sees him as, into 8 before Mercer. I thought about the apprentice argument but it's not like Mercer's an internatiomal veteran; he's just as in need of international experience as Earl is. To me it seems as though Earl is legitimately classed above Mercer by EJ. For what reason, I don't know.

 

[Scotty]

The conversation over the last few days has highlighted to me that we now have two full XVs that could make a case for winning against almost all other nations' 1st XVs. Assuming every player was fit, we also have a 3rd choice team that is a few positions away from probably beating most sides other than probably NZ, Ireland, Wales and SA:

Mako
George
Sinckler
Kruis
Itoje
Wilson
T. Curry
Billy
Youngs
Farrell
May
Tuilagi
Slade
Nowell
Daly

Genge
LCD
Williams
Lawes
Launchbury
Shields
Underhill
Simmonds
Robson
Ford
Cokanasiga
Te'o
Joseph
Watson
Brown

Moon
Hartley
Cole
Ewels
Isiekwe
Robshaw
B. Curry
Hughes
Care
Cipriani
Thorley
Devoto
Lozowski
Ashton
Goode

Even the 3rd team has alot of experience and caps, i wouldnt put it past it beating some tear 2 nations. Our depth put like that is pretty epic. But its the 23 on the day that matters.

 

[Scotty]

Agree with this. Not sure who misses out to fit Ben Earl in the next 2 years let alone 18 months?

Curry twins are 20, Underhill is 22, Big Bill is 26, Simmonds is 24, Shields is 27

Wilson is the oldest back row we have at 29 and he looks the sort that will play well into his 30s.

So, with that being said, who are you dropping?

Dont forget tom willis, jack willis and ted hill all of which will be fighting ben earl for that sport along with the rest.

 

[Tayga]

I listened to that interview too; I doubt it actually means Mercer's 3rd in line for the 8 shirt. When listing players in their respective positions, Mercer is probably 3rd at 8, but Wilson would be moved from 6 to 8 with Shields coming in at 6 before Mercer was given the 8 shirt. Similarly, Earl could be moved from 6 or 7, whatever Eddie sees him as, into 8 before Mercer. I thought about the apprentice argument but it's not like Mercer's an internatiomal veteran; he's just as in need of international experience as Earl is. To me it seems as though Earl is legitimately classed above Mercer by EJ. For what reason, I don't know.

 

[Tayga]

Earl is more dynamic than Mercer but Does not provide a line out option . Also Earl is a bit under the radar screen and people have not really seen much of him as he does not play often for Sarries and he is still finishing his degree. But he has captained every England under age side and his performances for Sarries Leave you in no doubt of the potential - he was in the summer squad for South Africa and he is getting further Padawan time in the six nations squad - other than the fact that he is not a line out option he has great allround potential - problem is I don't think anybody is shifting Curry or Underhill from the open side -anytime soon as these guys are both young and in form as well !!

 

[Nudger]

Really strange. I get bringing in Cole, but not dropping Genge. Moon isn't any better at scrumtime than Genge, both on par for me.

Looks like we're gonna attack the French scrum, we didn't once attempt to move forward against Ireland, even with their replacements and Healy on the pitch.

I think his just rotating world cup squad players

 

[Nudger]

The conversation over the last few days has highlighted to me that we now have two full XVs that could make a case for winning against almost all other nations' 1st XVs. Assuming every player was fit, we also have a 3rd choice team that is a few positions away from probably beating most sides other than probably NZ, Ireland, Wales and SA:

Mako
George
Sinckler
Kruis
Itoje
Wilson
T. Curry
Billy
Youngs
Farrell
May
Tuilagi
Slade
Nowell
Daly

Genge
LCD
Williams
Lawes
Launchbury
Shields
Underhill
Simmonds
Robson
Ford
Cokanasiga
Te'o
Joseph
Watson
Brown

Moon
Hartley
Cole
Ewels
Isiekwe
Robshaw
B. Curry
Hughes
Care
Cipriani
Thorley
Devoto
Lozowski
Ashton
Goode

Name your 4th team

 

[Scotty]

Name your 4th team

Ill have a go

Hepburn
Singleton
Collier?
Attwood
Stooke
Ewers
Kvesic
Dombrandt(hask still doesnt make it)
Spencer
Smith
Earle
LJames
SJames
Ibitoye
Woodward

Thats my attempt at a 4th
How many till it gets really stupid england wise? As a few of them have potential or were fringe players once. Hepburn Ewers dombrandt spencer woodward.

 

[BPM]

Name your 4th team

I'll bite on that ...

1. Obano
2. Dunn
3. Thomas
4. J. Hill
5. W. Spencer/Stooke
6. T. Hill
7. J. Willis
8. Morgan/Dombrandt
9. B. Spencer
10. Smith
11. Earle
12. Mills
13. Marchant
14. Rokoduguni/Yarde
15. J. Simmonds

Admittedly some creative license there with Joe Simmonds, but he has played there recently for Chiefs.

 

[BPM]

Two different teams in as many minutes.

Can't believe I forgot Hepburn, Kvesic and Woodward. All pretty obvious choices.

 

[higgik]

Just shows the power of the Premiership. The balance between overseas and EQP is about right.

 

[BPM]

Yep. Quite a few not mentioned too.

Funny how the clamour for Armand has died to nothing and how Clifford, despite actually being in the current squad isn't included in any of the squads!

Tommy Taylor's not really on the radar either these days (mostly through injury).

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I don't think England have ever really struggled with depth or absorbing injuries, what we've struggled with is relatively low ceilings for our players. We could pump out tons of 7/10 players but seemed to miss the ones that could regularly hit 8-10. Especially with the U20 conveyor belt seeming to churn out talent at a good rate now, we should always be up there but it is worrying how our extremely good U20 performances so frequently fail to translate to similarly impressive senior performances. The argument that the English players are just bigger at U20 simply isn't true either. Sometimes they are but sometimes they aren't. Many times they have won games through skill rather than brawn.

I think the Premiership is too conservative and that hinders the national team. Rather than finding the stars, it submerges them in a team. I think reforming the training and playing of the Premiership is the final step that England must address or we will always be stuck punching below our weight.

 

[Scotty]

Two different teams in as many minutes.

Can't believe I forgot Hepburn, Kvesic and Woodward. All pretty obvious choices.

I never thought of thomas, JHill/spencer. Mills/marchant.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Trying to remember enough Prem players to name a fourth team is well beyond my brain, I admire all of you for giving it a shot.

A bit of me kind of hopes Eddie does something totally off the wall with his selection, is that mad? Maybe now is the time to give Jack Nowell the 7 shirt

 

[Scotty]

Trying to remember enough Prem players to name a fourth team is well beyond my brain, I admire all of you for giving it a shot.

A bit of me kind of hopes Eddie does something totally off the wall with his selection, is that mad? Maybe now is the time to give Jack Nowell the 7 shirt

Between me and BPM we pretty much did a 4th and 5th lol.

And yeh he looked good in the scrum at the weekend so why not lol

 

[curtbob7]

dropped Nowell for Ashton, interesting.

Cole and Moon to the bench

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Kind of understand Ashton for Nowell; Nowell brings much more impact from the bench than Ashton and now that we actually have some carrying threats, Ashton's support lines will be useful from the start.

 

[Mumbles119]

I would guess it is not about dropping Nowell. But more like Nowell did exatxhky what Eddie wanted him to in the Ireland game. Roam off his wing, extra link play, rucks and carrying.
I would guess this is in the bank now.
So now it's time to see a difference in Ashton. I think Eddie might be banking his plans for the World Cup campaign.

 

[Which Tyler]

Trying to remember enough Prem players to name a fourth team is well beyond my brain, I admire all of you for giving it a shot.

A bit of me kind of hopes Eddie does something totally off the wall with his selection, is that mad? Maybe now is the time to give Jack Nowell the 7 shirt

If it helps, there's always the squad lists here: https://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/2018-19-match-day-squads.41648/page-5#post-913914