[2020 Six Nations] England vs Ireland (23/02/20)

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Either way you still don't need 5 locks ffs. Although sticking Lawes at 9 wild speed up the game, maybe Ewels at 12 as he offers more or a crash ball than Farrell (only just though) and maybe Itoje at 8 because we'd hate to have an 8 playing 8.

 

[klitarris]

Given the forwards to backs ratio another 6-2 split seems likely.

I'd guess at

1. Genge 2. George 3. Sinckler
4. Kris 5. Itoje
6. Ludlam 8. Curry 7. Underhill
9. Youngs 10. Ford
12. Farrell 13. Tuilagi
11. Daly 15. Furbank 14. May

16. LCD 17. Marler 18. Stuart
19. Launchbury 20. Lawes 21. Earl
22. Heinz 23. Slade

Although he does seem to hate the idea of dropping Joseph from the 23 so possible we'll see him in instead of one of the forwards, probably Launchbury. Or he could drop Ford and start Slade. Or he could swap Marler/Genge and Youngs/Heinz. I don't know and it is Eddie so who knows really.

Either way, I think we have just about enough to beat that team away, they're roughly equal in the tight 5 imo and I'd give us the edge over that backrow (unless we're unlucky and Earl starts at 8 with Curry at 6, in which case I'd very much back the English backrow over ours.

No one is particularly delighted about their 9s and I'd give Sexton the edge at 10, we should have physical enough centres to limit Manu's impact even if he's fully fit, and our back three is made up of good players in form. That's an optimistic reading of things it's mot going to be easy, but bottom line I think we can win, although I wouldn't be surprised if England beat us, and quite comfortably at that.

My understanding is that Slade is in the squad for training but is not considered match fit, so I expect that the only change from the 23 you've put up will be JJ in for Slade.

It will be interesting to see who he goes for at 9, it'll be a firm indication of whether Youngs is out of favour or whether his performance against France is considered a one-off. IMO he shouldn't be there unless he speeds up his service, which he is capable of - against the ABs in the world cup he was pretty quick. However most of the time, as we all know, he is painfully slow!

 

[Reiser99]

My understanding is that Slade is in the squad for training but is not considered match fit, so I expect that the only change from the 23 you've put up will be JJ in for Slade.

It will be interesting to see who he goes for at 9, it'll be a firm indication of whether Youngs is out of favour or whether his performance against France is considered a one-off. IMO he shouldn't be there unless he speeds up his service, which he is capable of - against the ABs in the world cup he was pretty quick. However most of the time, as we all know, he is painfully slow!

I think Youngs will be back because EJ loves a 9 who can kick well and Heinz struggled a bit in the weather against Scotland, where as Youngs came on and kicked well allowing EJ to say that the France game was a one off.

Unfortunately due to the weather, the reality is that it was the Scotland game that was the one off and in better conditions Youngs just holds us back.

 

[Groundhog]

@The Alpha Bro is fat and he's a clown Bill, a fat clown for all the world to see!

 

[duncanb]

Only thing to conclude as 27 announced at this stage.
Marler Genge are loose heads
Sinks and Stuart are tight heads
Youngs and Heinz are 9s
Farrell and Ford are 1Os
Furbank and Daly are the 15s.
so these 10 will definitely be in match 23 other 14 up to coaching team obviously 4 have to drop out 1 is definitely a hooker 1 is definitely a second row.
Forecast looks fair with a slight breeze so can see a 5 3 split rather than a 6 2 so for me 2 locks drop 1 hooker and 1 of JJ,Slade , Thornley.
Stick my head above parapet and say Dunn Ewels Launchbury and Slade drop out or Manu if fails fitness.
With Manu in team we definitely go 5 3 if out we may well go 6 2 which couldn't include Slade owing to time out.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

My understanding is that Slade is in the squad for training but is not considered match fit, so I expect that the only change from the 23 you've put up will be JJ in for Slade.

What's the point in having a travelling reserve who's not match fit, especially given the odds of Manu breaking while making a cup of coffee on Sunday morning?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What's the point in having a travelling reserve who's not match fit, especially given the odds of Manu breaking while making a cup of coffee on Sunday morning?

Presumably he's in there for rehab, not as a reserve - we usually name a 25man squad at this point, not 27 - the extras are likely so the RFU medics can assess where they're at rather than sending them back to their clubs.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Presumably he's in there for rehab, not as a reserve - we usually name a 25man squad at this point, not 27 - the extras are likely so the RFU medics can assess where they're at rather than sending them back to their clubs.

The guy hasn't played in a couple of months, which is precisely no basis to play internationals from, so if he's rehabbing why is he with Eng and not his club?

Actually don't answer that. There are probably contractual reasons that I really don't care about. I'll just keep my powder dry until I can moan about the chosen 23.

 

[duncanb]

Possibly due to new attack coach so different systems of play so learning them through rehab process rather than coming in and having a shorter period of time.

 

[klitarris]

Given the forwards to backs ratio another 6-2 split seems likely.

I'd guess at

1. Genge 2. George 3. Sinckler
4. Kris 5. Itoje
6. Ludlam 8. Curry 7. Underhill
9. Youngs 10. Ford
12. Farrell 13. Tuilagi
11. Daly 15. Furbank 14. May

16. LCD 17. Marler 18. Stuart
19. Launchbury 20. Lawes 21. Earl
22. Heinz 23. Slade

Although he does seem to hate the idea of dropping Joseph from the 23 so possible we'll see him in instead of one of the forwards, probably Launchbury. Or he could drop Ford and start Slade. Or he could swap Marler/Genge and Youngs/Heinz. I don't know and it is Eddie so who knows really.

Either way, I think we have just about enough to beat that team away, they're roughly equal in the tight 5 imo and I'd give us the edge over that backrow (unless we're unlucky and Earl starts at 8 with Curry at 6, in which case I'd very much back the English backrow over ours.

No one is particularly delighted about their 9s and I'd give Sexton the edge at 10, we should have physical enough centres to limit Manu's impact even if he's fully fit, and our back three is made up of good players in form. That's an optimistic reading of things it's mot going to be easy, but bottom line I think we can win, although I wouldn't be surprised if England beat us, and quite comfortably at that.

My understanding is that Slade is in the squad for training but is not considered match fit, so I expect that the only change from the 23 you've put up will be JJ in for Slade.

It will be interesting to see who he goes for at 9, it'll be a firm indication of whether Youngs is out of favour or whether his performance against France is considered a one-off. IMO he shouldn't be there unless he speeds up his service, which he is capable of - against the ABs in the world cup he was pretty quick. However most of the time, as we all know, he is painfully slow!

The guy hasn't played in a couple of months, which is precisely no basis to play internationals from, so if he's rehabbing why is he with Eng and not his club?

Actually don't answer that. There are probably contractual reasons that I really don't care about. I'll just keep my powder dry until I can moan about the chosen 23.

Potentially it's because if he wasn't going to play for England then Exeter would play him/

 

[Scotty]

Only thing to conclude as 27 announced at this stage.
Marler Genge are loose heads
Sinks and Stuart are tight heads
Youngs and Heinz are 9s
Farrell and Ford are 1Os
Furbank and Daly are the 15s.
so these 10 will definitely be in match 23 other 14 up to coaching team obviously 4 have to drop out 1 is definitely a hooker 1 is definitely a second row.
Forecast looks fair with a slight breeze so can see a 5 3 split rather than a 6 2 so for me 2 locks drop 1 hooker and 1 of JJ,Slade , Thornley.
Stick my head above parapet and say Dunn Ewels Launchbury and Slade drop out or Manu if fails fitness.
With Manu in team we definitely go 5 3 if out we may well go 6 2 which couldn't include Slade owing to time out.

You mean drop 0 locks 2 back rowers, 1 hooker and 1 of those 3? Remember this is EJ and in EJ we trust....to pick as many locks as possible

 

[big ginger 8]

LCD has benched for 19 of his 22 caps, Sean Cronin much?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Jamie George holds the world record for bench appearances - 17 before he got a start.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

LCD has benched for 19 of his 22 caps, Sean Cronin much?

Wow, just googled that - 10 starts in 72 caps! Lucky it's not the good old days, Graham Dawe got just 5 caps and was on the bench 34 times without getting on.

 

[big ginger 8]

Jamie George holds the world record for bench appearances - 17 before he got a start.

That is mad.

Cronin made his first Six Nations start last year in his 68th cap. It was also only his 10th start and his 33rd 6Ns game.

 

[big ginger 8]

Wow, just googled that - 10 starts in 72 caps! Lucky it's not the good old days, Graham Dawe got just 5 caps and was on the bench 34 times without getting on.

Yeah it was rough before subs could be freely used. Gatland had it fairly bad sitting behind Fitzpatrick, never won a cap but played 17 uncapped games apparently.

 

[Jashay]

Ben Obano called up as cover. Glad to see him involved, not happy with the implied circumstance that Marler or Genge has picked up a knock in training

 

[Leinster Fan]

Ben Obano called up as cover. Glad to see him involved, not happy with the implied circumstance that Marler or Genge has picked up a knock in training

Surely that's more to do with Mako than anything.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Surely that's more to do with Mako than anything.

Well you say that.....but there's a Grauniad article referencing unspecified "injury doubts" over Marler and Genge......

But I never know what to believe on Planet Eddie.

 

[FLOBALOB]

Wow, just googled that - 10 starts in 72 caps! Lucky it's not the good old days, Graham Dawe got just 5 caps and was on the bench 34 times without getting on.

What's more is that there was an 8 year gap between cap no. 4 and cap no 5. Essentially waiting 8 years for one final cap.
He must have wanted to kill Moore.