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[2019 Six Nations] England Squad

Itoje out, but tbh I don't think we need him, especially with Scotland's injury list which just keeps getting bigger. Give him a good long rest.
 
Meanwhile at Cips house


Thought that would be at Smith's house as he didn't see or hear anything of DC yesterday.
I still cannot believe he is not is squad, DC with all those running options would be lethal.
 
No it was at the end of a London Irish v wasps game when Catt went to shake his hand and Cips snubbed him completely.

OK fair enough, but why declining to shake Mike Catt's hand the same as blowing your international opportunity ?
 
Cips in line for a Stephen Donald moment. It's written in the stars.

Can't blame him at all if he now buggers off to France for the cash. Will be very disappointed in Manu if he does likewise after the RWC though. Tigers have shown great loyalty and it's not exactly like he's badly paid. Would Tigers salary + England money exceed what a French club could pay? Maybe that all boils down to whether he can back himself to stay fit.
 
OK fair enough, but why declining to shake Mike Catt's hand the same as blowing your international opportunity ?

Not the same.
Just he's been his own worst enemy for most of his career, in regards to having a ego that coaches are not that happy with. He was beginning his international career and he already was being petulant.
Difference between being arrogant like Farrell and egotistic, and whilst I think he has matured the Jersey incident still shows that is still their.

Manu was in a similar situation back in 2015, maybe not 100% ego but had other vices, and with his injury time off he has development his character more.

Cips is THE most talented attacking rugby player in England (and Europe IMO) but @31 he no one else to blame but himself.
(Also his constant media talk about England a couple seasons ago ****** Eddie off, same with Fearns, Eddie doesn't like players using the media to try and pressure a coach for selection).
 
Spencer is class, to be fair.
Probably the most well rounded 9 we have,
Great pass, deceptively quick and only 2nd to wigglesworth as a box kicker in the country

Should have been involved a long time ago (same as Robson, really)
 
Robson is out because of illness apparently, I was about to rant about Jones messing him about. Happy with Spencer TBH and agree he should have been getting a look in (along with Robson) at least last year if not earlier.
 
Tbh any SH getting game time for England is good at this point as we are completely reliant on Youngs. No idea what Jones is playing at. He's ignored other players since he took over and when he finally drops one he either takes the oldest SH in the premiership or refuses to bring on anyone else.
 
Stooke and Ewells in the 26 man squad, but I'm expecting Hughes on the bench over them,

I'd hope Wilson comes straight back in at 6.

Be interesting to see what happens with the 13/23 shirt - Does Slade come back into the centres? Does Teo take the 23 shirt if so? Which one of Nowell/Joe C misses out if so?
 
Stooke and Ewells in the 26 man squad, but I'm expecting Hughes on the bench over them,

I'd hope Wilson comes straight back in at 6.

Be interesting to see what happens with the 13/23 shirt - Does Slade come back into the centres? Does Teo take the 23 shirt if so? Which one of Nowell/Joe C misses out if so?
Reckon Joe C may get dropped, his defence is kinda shaky tbf
 
I don't think Joe's defence was as bad as people are making out; I thought he defensive line as a whole was way too narrow and he was being forced to move in rather than that he was individually poor. Regardless, I think what he offers in attack makes up for shaky defence. I'd hope for Ewels (Stooke's been in better form IMO), Hughes and Te'o to get dropped, but I think it'll be Ewels, Stooke and Cokonasiga with Te'o and Tuilagi remaining in the centre.
 
Te'o shouldn't even get the 23 shirt for Worcester let alone England. Tbh I should probably be more angry with Jones than Te'o because it's Jones' fault that he hasn't given Te'o time to rest or recover some form and keeps picking him when clearly he shouldn't.
 
Seriously Robson is out! I know illness and thats no what annoys me. What annoys me is we have youngs who is clearly first choice and Care who is out of favour both over 30. Wiggs who is old. And that is our experience at scrum half.

Robson could have had 60 min off the bench and his first start in these last 4 games to get a real show what hes about. Instead we know very little. 20 min v italy and 3 min vs france.

Robson and spencer have 2 caps each a handful of minutes against tear 2 nations.

Its just a massive failure on eddies part IMO.

As for big joe his defecive issues could get shown up by scotland but at the same time his power and offloads could be what we need. He is raw atm and a handful of games to see what he can do with gametime. With Nowell as cover.

Manu slade centres, both can swap round in attack. And played well together in defence.

Teo can go suck a fat one.

My back line for Scotland. Split playmakers both with a big lad outside them. Daly and May with real pace. Definatly our strongest balanced backline, and scotland like to go wide so its a great test of Joe's defence chance to get some experience.

Youngs Faz May Manu Slade Joe Daly

Spencer Ford Nowell
 
Seriously Robson is out! I know illness and thats no what annoys me. What annoys me is we have youngs who is clearly first choice and Care who is out of favour both over 30. Wiggs who is old. And that is our experience at scrum half.

Very true. I'm sure Care and Wiggles will go to Japan though. They're both experienced and offer different things. Care has become a finisher who can up the tempo and chase the win. Wiggles is more percentages who can close out a game. But neither are ideal starters / first choices and the big question is what happens if Youngs gets hurt or is out of form. Spencer / Robson only likely to get a look in if one of the others gets injured.

Like your suggested back line and bench for Scotland.
 

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