[2019 Six Nations] England Squad

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

That is a massive loss. As I said before though, could be a blessing in disguise come World Cup time.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Mako out for 10 weeks,

Presume Moon start, Genge bench...Hepburn called up?

Probably, Boyce has been in camp as well before, but hes a bit meh tbh

 

[Scotty]

Robson did well against france in his limited time, dont remember and bad passes or major mistakes but do remember him putting in some decent tackles and didnt he produce a great touch finder? If we do manage a healthy lead then i totally think he should be coming on at 60 min mark.

I agree with Ireland team with injury swaps, Big Joe on the bench for ashton.

I hope Wales can challenge our kicking game forcing us to not kick as much and go with our running game because although we have shown its there but we havnt used it enough to fine tune it. With the ball carriers in the team we can make metres and with the pace out wide we can really break this welsh team down and with slade and farrell as split playmakers, our team is strong in every way.

Thats on paper the real test is how long we keep up the intensity and not get complacent.

 

[Scotty]

That is a massive loss. As I said before though, could be a blessing in disguise come World Cup time.

Yeh few month to let his body heal and be fit and not overworked come world cup time amd gives us a chance to develop Genge.

Genge George Sinks is still pretty damn strong. Genge needs to take this with both hands and prove himself in big games, luckily he has the well next .

Are players been released for club games this weekend?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Are players been released for club games this weekend?

Robson has been, but not the other Pests. Not seen others but I'd guess that only those short of game time will be released.

 

[BPM]

I don't really get the situation with Robson?

I know we have another week and half until the Wales game, but when there are only two scrum halves in the squad it seems very odd to release one of them?

Essentially, why bother calling him up if you don't trust him?

I thought he might get a bit more of the benefit of the doubt after a decent cameo on his debut.

 

[Which Tyler]

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/spor...3XbTTl9YSouNEZJbIDwBa6nlk8zQckOXevfj8mtiVtPpw

"Beno Obano is now fully training with the squad at Farleigh House and has been doing live scrummaging following the multiple knee ligament injury he suffered last May.
Blackadder said we could see him in action by the end of the month, if not in March."

"Anthony Watson, who has been out for 11 months with an Achilles' tendon injury, has done some contact work and some dynamic, resistance sprinting. He doesn't have a return date yet, however. "

 

[TW27BA]

Surely its too late for EJ to consider Watson as a viable player for the RWC?
He'll have had hardly any games under his belt to get up to speed and conditioning.
He could well get broken again in any England training GTGs as well.
It's not like we are short of options at wing and FB

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

EJ brought T'eo back into the squad after 29 minutes of rugby, so if EJ considers him the right option he goes the plane (not that I agree with that).

 

[martinspoonboy1]

I can't see Watson working his way back in before the World Cup. He's been out for a very long time now and I can't see him reaching good enough form to displace the incumbents. His form pre-injury wouldn't justify him replacing May, Daly, Nowell or an in form Joe.

May be proven wrong but I don't think big Joe is going to be the star that some think. Physical specimen for sure but I think he'll be exposed in the air and position ally if targeted by quality opposition. Might be a bit of a banahan. Just my hutnch. Certainly wouldn't pick him over May, Nowell, Watson, Daly or even Rocko.

 

[Scotty]

May be proven wrong but I don't think big Joe is going to be the star that some think. Physical specimen for sure but I think he'll be exposed in the air and position ally if targeted by quality opposition. Might be a bit of a banahan. Just my hutnch. Certainly wouldn't pick him over May, Nowell, Watson, Daly or even Rocko.

I know what you mean and maybe a few years away from being the player he could be. This world cup is to soon for him to overtake anyone for a starting place in big games.

On the Watson issue, he will be taken to the world cup and prob used in the lesser games as its short turn arounds between some games and as a squad player or injury cover but not sure he will make it to first choice winger ahead of the other options unless he comes back very strong very quickly.

 

[Chief Pete]

May be proven wrong but I don't think big Joe is going to be the star that some think. Physical specimen for sure but I think he'll be exposed in the air and position ally if targeted by quality opposition. Might be a bit of a banahan. Just my hutnch. Certainly wouldn't pick him over May, Nowell, Watson, Daly or even Rocko.

Think Joe's ceiling is a lot higher than Banahan's ever was TBH, it's raw potential yes but it is there...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Jim Mallinder's going to coach England XV against the Barbarians in June while EJ oversees the squad.

Looks like he's EJ's apprentice being groomed to take over in 2021.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hope not,

He's currently head of the performance development pathway with the rfu so hopefully just an extension of that role

 

[Which Tyler]

May be proven wrong but I don't think big Joe is going to be the star that some think. Physical specimen for sure but I think he'll be exposed in the air and position ally if targeted by quality opposition. Might be a bit of a banahan. Just my hutnch. Certainly wouldn't pick him over May, Nowell, Watson, Daly or even Rocko.

Coka is nothing like Banahan apart from being big.

He's far more agile, and far quicker, he's also a much harder worker than Banahan was at the same stage of his career. On top of that, he probably started playing rugby outright earlier than Banahan; certainly will have been since the age of 5 or so; almost entirely on the wing; rather than converting from hockey as a late-teen; then playing lock for a bit, wing and then centre.
Banas is a big lad who's fast for his size, and not terribly agile.
Coka is a big lad, who's genuoinely fast (fastest in the Bath squad - though I suspect that was omitting JJ and AW who were injured), who's very agile, and knows what he's doing where he is; just inexperienced at the top level.

Jim Mallinder's going to coach England XV against the Barbarians in June while EJ oversees the squad.

Looks like he's EJ's apprentice being groomed to take over in 2021.

Nah - it's a RWC year; Eddie's got better things to be doing, and doesn't want to distract the RWC squad; or himself from their prep.s

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Forwards

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Brad Shields (Wasps)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)

Backs

Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Ollie Devoto (Exeter Chiefs)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)



Devoto is a weird choice

 

[Which Tyler]

I'd rather Devoto than Te'o.
He probably wants them both in training, fighting for a spot.

This is, presumably, just the squad he's retaining for this weekend, not necessarily his squad for Wales

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd rather Devoto than Te'o

Aye, absolutely
I just would've expected Joe C to be in the mix rather than another centre

I suppose this is a week out 25man rather than week of 25man, so doesn't necessarily represent the finalised match day squad + reserves

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Aye, absolutely
I just would've expected Joe C to be in the mix rather than another centre

I suppose this is a week out 25man rather than week of 25man, so doesn't necessarily represent the finalised match day squad + reserves

I'd imagine he wants Coka to get some game time for Bath this weekend rather than keeping him in camp.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Apparently Callum Braley is Italian now, been called up into their squad