[2019 Six Nations] England vs Italy (09/03/2019)

[TRF_Olyy]

VS

Twickenham Stadium
16:45, 09/03/2019​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Treat it as a bounce game in preparation for a having a crack at France. No gimmicks please, just solid defence and a little bit of ambition whenever we get near the halfway line.

 

[Scotty]

I want to see England use their running game rather than kicking all the time.

I want players that need game time to get it such as Robson, genge and LCD ect.

Maybe right time to try faz manu jj. But id be happy with faz manu slade again get abit of continuity, Not faz teo manu i hope.

My ideal team

Genge
LCD
Williams
Itoje(if fit)
Launchbury
Wilson
TCurry
Billy

Robson
Faz
May
Manu
Slade/JJ
Big Joe
Daly

George
Moon
Sinkler(or cole to rest sinks for scotland)
Kruis
Hughes(i know but im not seeing many better choices really, shields. Robshaw)
Youngs
Ford
JJ/Slade or Nowell

A team that respects an improving Italy side yet gets key player needed game time and keeps continuity

 

[FLOBALOB]

I want to see England use their running game rather than kicking all the time.

I want players that need game time to get it such as Robson, genge and LCD ect.

Maybe right time to try faz manu jj. But id be happy with faz manu slade again get abit of continuity, Not faz teo manu i hope.

My ideal team

Genge
LCD
Williams
Itoje(if fit)
Launchbury
Wilson
TCurry
Billy

Robson
Faz
May
Manu
Slade/JJ
Big Joe
Daly

George
Moon
Sinkler(or cole to rest sinks for scotland)
Kruis
Hughes(i know but im not seeing many better choices really, shields. Robshaw)
Youngs
Ford
JJ/Slade or Nowell

A team that respects an improving Italy side yet gets key player needed game time and keeps continuity

Thats what i want to see ,except i'd have Cockasinga in for May instead of Nowell (FB cover) and JJ on bench. Hope LCD starts or at least gets 40 mins.

 

[ncurd]

After Cardiff I'd like to see EJ put some faith in Ford/Robson but ultimately what difference does it make against Italy? Anything less than a BP win will always be considered a 'failure' until they drastically improve.

Scotland we'll be back to Youngs/Faz and I'll be shocked if the others get a proper run out. We missed our opportunity for our subs to work and we won't know what EJ will do probably until the RWC and if makes the same mistakes again.

 

[Jashay]

Eddie hasn't made sweeping changes to his squads to face Italy previously, so I doubt we'll see much now.

In 2018 we played Italy first, but the only differences to the team compared to the Wales match the week after were that JJ started instead of T'eo and Youngs was injured so we played Care.

In 2017 he swapped Youngs, JJ and Clifford for Care, T'eo and Haskell

In 2016 he swapped Care, Launchbury and Marler for Youngs, Itoje and Mako

I suppose there's some reasonable hope that we'll see JJ and Robson start, based on that. If I had to wish for a third non-injury change I'd want Ford starting too. Not as a knee-jerk 'Faz sux, drop him', but we really need to see how our back-up fly half is doing these days.

 

[spartan32]

Surely for this one Robson has to get a proper run? Otherwise what's the point? Unless he's only there to wind Care up and get him to raise his game before the RWC.

Big Joe could also do with a decent run to show what he can do.

Need to keep the back row and 10,12,13 the same for continuity and game time together. Although I think Ford should get a longer stint on the pitch.

Agree that we must run with ball in hand. No more of this kicking game. We know it works now, in the right conditions, but we need to demonstrate a clear plan B, and Italy are a good team to run at, mostly because their counter attacking ability is very limited so more risks can be taken.

We really need to BP this game to put extra pressure on Wales. But you just can't take Italy for granted. Yes a win is assumed, but not always a jolly romp. We need to be brutally clinical for this one.

 

[Scotty]

Surely for this one Robson has to get a proper run? Otherwise what's the point? Unless he's only there to wind Care up and get him to raise his game before the RWC.

Big Joe could also do with a decent run to show what he can do.

Need to keep the back row and 10,12,13 the same for continuity and game time together. Although I think Ford should get a longer stint on the pitch.

Agree that we must run with ball in hand. No more of this kicking game. We know it works now, in the right conditions, but we need to demonstrate a clear plan B, and Italy are a good team to run at, mostly because their counter attacking ability is very limited so more risks can be taken.

We really need to BP this game to put extra pressure on Wales. But you just can't take Italy for granted. Yes a win is assumed, but not always a jolly romp. We need to be brutally clinical for this one.

Agree on all, its simple, keep continuity with minor changes to give players that need gametime a chance. Show we can play with ball in hand. One change i can see is JJ for Slade, not punishment but giving JJ a chance now back from injury. Although tbh id prefer Slade with JJ on the bench.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

To encourage us to actually play some running rugby I'd be very tempted to bench May to take away that kick-chase option.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think this will be the game where Italy finally are on the end of a hammering. I'd love to see them stay in the game again though, their improvement from the last two years has been fantastic and it's all been without their three best players in Negri, Polledri and Minozzi.

 

[ncurd]

We really need to BP this game to put extra pressure on Wales.

Due to Wales lack of BP's in the first three games they don't really put pressure on Wales. They need to pick up 2 out of a possible 3 to even level with us. Wales lose a match and they very probably won't win the championship.

We need them to actually be more worried about Ireland, (Scotland and France who could still technically do it) and are far closer to us in the BP race.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Itoje's limped out of training https://sport.bt.com/news/england-sweating-on-the-fitness-of-maro-itoje-S11364343016531

Let him sit this one out. We don't need to rush him back.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Agree that we must run with ball in hand. No more of this kicking game. We know it works now, in the right conditions, but we need to demonstrate a clear plan B, and Italy are a good team to run at, mostly because their counter attacking ability is very limited so more risks can be taken..

Know what you're saying, but just running and running against Italy will prove as little as just kicking and kicking against France. We can do both, but the questions are more whether we can mix it up or change horses mid stream, neither of which we which we did against Wales.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Know what you're saying, but just running and running against Italy will prove as little as just kicking and kicking against France. We can do both, but the questions are more whether we can mix it up or change horses mid stream, neither of which we which we did against Wales.

I'd say the Ireland game showed we could do both, is just or running game was Warrenball style crashball and we haven't yet skewed an ability to manipulate space for overlaps

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

From the 27-man squad I'd go for:
1. Genge
2. LCD
3. Sinckler
4. Launchbury
5. Kruis
6. Wilson
7. Curry
8. Vunipola
9. Robson
10. Farrell
11. Cokonasiga
12. Tuilagi
13. Slade
14. Nowell (If fit, if not then May start and Thorley on the bench. Don't think Thorley's good enough to be capped but we need back three cover on the bench)
15. Daly

16. George
17. Moon
18. Cole
19. Ewels
20. Shields
21. Youngs
22. Ford
23. May

Genge and LCD in for experience.
Sinckler remains because he could do with a bit more time in an international shirt to hopefully sort his head out and Cole's in no need of experience.
I wouldn't risk Itoje so Launchbury and Kruis remain in the row.
Underhill's the only player that could challenge the current back row come RWC time and as he's unavailable we can't swap him in. Therefore just let the current back row gel.
Robson needs experience.
Midfield needs time together, especially with ball in hand.
Cokonasiga in for experience, May benched so that we actually have to play some running rugby rather than kicking to him all the time.

 

[Dai Yorkshire]

Italy are now a physical side, also their fitness is up there too, Don't underestimate them,

 

[curtbob7]

Good to see Cole back ahead of Williams

 

[Scotty]

Does anyone else think on round 4 there should be friday/saturday games meaning every team has at least a 7 day turn around, doesnt seem fair on the teams playing sunday.

Not fair on this year ireland and france, but what ever team plays that fixture has a short turn around to super saturday.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I look forward to the games against Wales for weeks. I love the build up, the anticipation. I love that rugby matters so much to them and can alter the mood of the nation. Above all I love that the matches are invariably competitive dust ups.

This one's the polar opposite, almost to the point of indifference. Pay them all due respect and all that but, regardless of our selection, if we don't absolutely wallop Italy Dublin will start looking more exception than rule.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Italy are now a physical side, also their fitness is up there too, Don't underestimate them,

Bare minimum standard.

People say they're improving, but so's everyone else and results still say they're crap.

If we are remotely serious about Japan we shouldn't look at this as any more than a speed bump in the road.

Arrogant? Possibly, but a) It's my English birthright and b) arrogance is a key ingredient of any top sportsman; they've all got it, sometimes overt and on display, sometimes hidden. But always there. Irrespective of the PR fluff our players will know what the outcome ought to be.