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

[spartan32]

Well Temanu was always going to happen. It will probably lead to some predictable bosh up ball, especially when you add in Big Joe (but glad he's in). Although they may make lots of space for May and Daly.

Like all the rest, glad of Genge and Joe, lock cover, or lack there of, seems daft to me, Shields gets another chance to show that he's not as good as the other options in a game where it shouldn't matter so I'm not fussed.

Again Robson, WTF! Why is he there?! Poor guy thought he would get his chance and he's just being mugged off by Jones. If we are seriously saying he's not good enough to start against Italy, the he's surely not good enough period? Surely you rest Young's and give him his shot? I just don't get it?

Anyway. We better get a proper job done on Saturday, BP at the very least, and play more than a single gameplan.

 

[Scotty]

With the boshers in the centres and big joe then we need daly and may loocking for work probing the gaps between them. This could work well but as ive always said, Teo if he has to be im the squad then is best from the bench.

I actually didnt see about robson until now. I mean what the actual! So youngs clear first choice, care has stuff to work on but will go WC. Are we saying robson isnt trusted as a starter, so what wigs would be called up and robson and care are only finishes?. Robson had a short chance against france to show what he can do. He made some good tackles, and nothing wrong. We know Youngs is first choice and we know thats not going to change...we also know that we learn nothing playing him, if anything put him on the bench with ford.

Its big Joe's defensive positioning im interested in, we all know what he can do going forward if giving the right pass, but to be a real contender at the world cup or regular starter it he need to not rush up to much in defence and make the right decisions.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I bloody love that England selection. Teo! A real chance to escape without getting royally horsed. Their wingers could possibly walk past the Italian backline though, but the Italy selection is designed for a solid defensive effort, with little in the way of creative flair.




Italy: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Edoardo Padovani, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Angelo Esposito, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 ***o Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Braam Steyn, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Dean Budd, 4 Federico Ruzza, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Andrea Lovotti

Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Cherif Traore, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 David Sisi, 20 Jake Polledri, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Ian McKinley, 23 Tommaso Castello


England by 19

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Joe can't be given a free pass in defence. We know he's not the finished article, but his attacking is potentially so exciting that I want to see him given a shot on the basis of what he can do and not worry too much about what he can't. An exception to my usual rule, but May's shown what can happen if you back someone with a match turning trick.

All presumes that he actually sees the ball.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Don't beat around the bush - tell us what you really think!

I genuinely think 99% of England fans could pick a better team than Jones.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Italy: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Edoardo Padovani, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Angelo Esposito, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 ***o Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Braam Steyn, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Dean Budd, 4 Federico Ruzza, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Andrea Lovotti

Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Cherif Traore, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 David Sisi, 20 Jake Polledri, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Ian McKinley, 23 Tommaso Castello

Don't know whether to laugh or cry at those classical Italian names Jayden, Braam, Dean, David, Jake and Ian. Couldn't they at least shove a vowel on the end for authenticity?

 

[The5thOfficial]

Be interesting to know who's doing the England pep talk this week.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Be interesting to know who's doing the England pep talk this week.

Paolo Di Canio

 

[The5thOfficial]

Paolo Di Canio

lol init!

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

Don't know whether to laugh or cry at those classical Italian names Jayden, Braam, Dean, David, Jake and Ian. Couldn't they at least shove a vowel on the end for authenticity?

Yeh, not at all like our through and through Englishmen! Vunipola, Te'o, Tuilagi and Cokanasiga, just need a Smith to complete the Best of Britain Surname Compendium.

Not sure what the equivalent stick a vowel on would be though, maybe double-barreled?

William Vunipola-Butterscotch
Benjamin Tidsworth-Te'o
Manusamoa Tuilagi-Baggins
Joseph Cokanasiga-Cockerill

 

[spartan32]

Is there any team in international rugby at top flight that hasn't got at least one imported player? It's just the way the game is these days. We are the biggest rugby nation in the world and we still can't resist the temptation of having some ringers. Give it a few more years and countries will all be represented by teams that look more like clubs than countries. Wonder if that really matters? Although I wonder what world rugby would look like if you could only field players who were actually
Born in that country? Could really help the likes of Tonga, Fiji, etc who get poached all the time.

I do also wonder how dedicated some players are to their adopted countries. Will Brad Shields give as much to England as he would to NZ. Will Manu chose Country over Cash? I guess we will never know. Although I don't blame Italy for grabbing players from all over, otherwise they'd be in all sorts of strife.

 

[Chetto4]

I mean, the fact the non-italian names are more noticable doesn't change the fact that the same thing happens in all NT, in some more than in others but it still happens.
Let's consider Scotland for a second (nothing against Scotland, it's just the easier team to use as an example). Dell, Nel, Strauss, Sam Johnson, Grigg (just to name a few) are all non born-and-raised in Scotland. Some play for Scotland because of residency and some beacause they have scottish roots. Exactly tha same situation of Polledri, Sisi, Steyn and the others. I don't see any difference to be honest but maybe I'm wrong. And again, Scotland is just an example, Aki and Stander aren't exactly irish, Anscombe and Parkes didn't spend their whole life in Wales and sure Atonio and Willemse are not french.
Anyways, I hope more italian born-and-raised guys will prove to be ready to play for the NT soon and I think it will happen in the next few years.

 

[MikeTheNative]

At top level rugby you have to pick your best team and sometimes that involves a few players that aren't born or didn't even spent their youth there. The world is truly global these days and some people can stake a claim to a number of countries and still have affinity for all of them.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeh, not at all like our through and through Englishmen! Vunipola, Te'o, Tuilagi and Cokanasiga, just need a Smith to complete the Best of Britain Surname Compendium.

Not sure what the equivalent stick a vowel on would be though, maybe double-barreled?

William Vunipola-Butterscotch
Benjamin Tidsworth-Te'o
Manusamoa Tuilagi-Baggins
Joseph Cokanasiga-Cockerill

Yeah but at least Billy, Ben and Joe "sound" English!

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I do also wonder how dedicated some players are to their adopted countries. Will Brad Shields give as much to England as he would to NZ.

Well if he is, it explains why NZ didn't cap him.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Yeah but at least Billy, Ben and Joe "sound" English!

Billy's actual first name is Viliami, Joe's name is a bit of a mouthful, Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Billy's actual first name is Viliami, Joe's name is a bit of a mouthful, Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga.

Can you just imagine him going "My name is Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga but you can call me Joe."

 

[MikeTheNative]

Can you just imagine him going "My name is Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga but you can call me Joe."

There is no way that would have fit on the school register.

 

[spartan32]

Can you just imagine him going "My name is Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga but you can call me Joe."

Big Man, Big Name

 

[Which Tyler]

He didn't want anyone thinking he was related to Chris Ratu!