[2021 Six Nations] England Squad

[Wendigo7]

That yesterday was disgusting. Utterly rancid performance.

Is the Wasps coach available?

I couldn't think bar maybe Curry a single good performance in that match. First time I've looked at Youngs and Farrell and thought, even with the plus' you've brought for a decade, it's first time that they don't outweigh the negatives anymore and it's really hurting us. Secondly, give Itoje the captaincy, drop 8, 9, and 10. Billy Vunipola hasn't had a good game since late 2016/early 2017. No one has the guts to say it though.

 

[Which Tyler]

No one has the guts to say it though.

Have you missed all the posts of people saying it?

 

[higgik]

Never going to happen (and probably missed some obvious players). But my dream current match day squad (and ages)

1. Genge 25
2. Cowan-Dickie 27
3. Sinklar 27
4. J Hill 26
5. Itoje 26
6. Dombrandt 23
7. Underhill 24
8. S Simmonds 26
9. Spencer 28
10. J Simmonds 24
11. May 30
12. Lawrence 21
13. Slade 27
14. Nowel 27
15. Mallins 24

1. George 30
2. Mako 30
3. Stuart 24
4. Lawes 31
5. J Willis 24
6. Randel 23
7. Smith 21
8. Watson 26

Nice team.

Maybe Dombrandt or Simmonds, but got to have Cunderhill in the team, they work so well together. Underhill dominating tackles and Curry picking up the pieces. I would probably prefer Dombrandt as he has better hands, although you are sacrificing pace.

Those 4 plus Willis are the mix, just try to work out how to mix them.

The backline looks far better as there are 2 strong carrying options in Lawrence and Nowell.

 

[Wendigo7]

Btw - Lawrence is bang average and won't make it.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Btw - Lawrence is bang average and won't make it.

Hmmm Farrell and Young's are bang average and have more caps than they should? Same for Noon, Te'o etc.

There is a lot to be said by being the only option even if you are average.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Btw - Lawrence is bang average and won't make it.

Based on what?

 

[Reiser99]

Based on what?

Based on the fact that he hasn't kicked Farrell out the way, grabbed the ball and then run 60 yards to score.

 

[Wendigo7]

Based on what?

Haven't much liked what I've seen from him. He's a bit soft. Being a good passer and big historically gets you in trouble with most international setups regardless of anything else.

He's ok, can cut a gap and has a good boot, but let's be clear he's big set and looks puff in the contact. That's a major negative. If genuinely is being seen as the new Tuilagi, he really, really isn't that.

For what it's worth Slade has been no great shakes at 13 either. Actually, even when got the ball he's been pish mostly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He's a bit soft. Being a good passer and big historically gets you in trouble with most international setups regardless of anything else.

He's ok, can cut a gap and has a good boot

Ollie Lawrence??

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Ollie Lawrence??

Lol what I was thinking too. Lawrence who can't kick and is as hard as Olyy was when Sale actually won the premiership!

 

[Jashay]

I keep trying to type out a response about things I noticed on rewatch, but whatever I start writing ends up circling around a central theme; Faz was utterly terrible. He's in the team for decision making, passing, and kicking. His decision making and passing were absolutely awful. His kicking was mediocre.

All my other complaints basically come back round to Faz in some way. So when it comes to 'what would you change about the squad'; Faz. Everything else might be alright! Pack was fine, backs might be fine if they ever got the ball, May and Daly might not be tested so much if we didn't keep giving our opponents loads of time and space on the ball from poor kicks.

He was so bad. Gah.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Love to kick the ball on a 6 on 2 with three of fastest people on the pitch in that 6

 

[Reiser99]

View attachment 9232

Love to kick the ball on a 6 on 2 with three of fastest people on the pitch in that 6

Brilliant picture, sums up the situation with Farrell perfectly. Could probably get a few more of those from the Autumn or even the same game. Question we still need answering though, is this EJ's tactics or is it Farrell actually not having a clue. I think both. You've clearly got players there to support the break. George is not slow (though maybe a bit slower at the moment) and should be able to clear out any tackle.

 

[higgik]

Farrell has not got any vision. At Sarries, and I keep saying it, he has very vocal players around him who would have been screaming at him to pass. This England team are all too scared to tell him what to do. Even Ford does what Farrell says.
Slade job there is to be screaming at Farrell to go to Lawrence, but he isn't.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah I think it's definitely orders from EJ but then combined with Farrell being deadset focused on that and not willing/able to read what's in front of him

 

[ncurd]

Brilliant picture, sums up the situation with Farrell perfectly. Could probably get a few more of those from the Autumn or even the same game. Question we still need answering though, is this EJ's tactics or is it Farrell actually not having a clue. I think both. You've clearly got players there to support the break. George is not slow (though maybe a bit slower at the moment) and should be able to clear out any tackle.

Clearly there's a tactic to kick but like many people I absolutely refuse to believe the coaches are telling them to do it when there's an overlap. In fact I wouldn't be half surprised if coaches are think 'it didn't need to be said'.

But this is Faz's career in a nutshell for me I've never been a fan of his vision occasionally he'd do something good but he now can't even spot the obvious stuff. I honestly don't think he has an intelligent rugby brain at all and if he isn't told to do something by the coaching staff he can't think for himself.

It mus be utterly demoralising playing 11-14 in this team.

 

[Reiser99]

Is Faz seen as untouchable and if you criticise or stand up to him then you get dropped?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Guess it depends on what kind of environment EJ has built in camp - Farrell is the captain: Have players got the remit to challenge his ideas, or is the environment one that the captain is the head honcho and you do what he says?
Same with the coaching - is it "what I say goes" or does everyone have input?

As mentioned above (or maybe in the match thread?) our backs are like shrinking violets compared to historically:
Can't imagine guys like Greenwood, Lewsey, Cohen etc. being happy with touching the ball once and not raising that

In a way you kind of want an arsehole like Ashton in there to kick up a fuss

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Brilliant picture, sums up the situation with Farrell perfectly. Could probably get a few more of those from the Autumn or even the same game. Question we still need answering though, is this EJ's tactics or is it Farrell actually not having a clue. I think both. You've clearly got players there to support the break. George is not slow (though maybe a bit slower at the moment) and should be able to clear out any tackle.

I can't believe that any coach would want their side to ignore overlaps. That's got to be a player malfunction.

But whatever, the buck stops with Jones. If he's got the tactics wrong / is so prescriptive that the players are frightened to go off plan then that's wholly his fault. If he's setting up the team OK but the players aren't executing / off the pace / out of form then it's more of a selection issue and selection is also entirely in Jones gift. Personally I think it's a bit of both and this tailspin may be harder to reverse than 2018.

In the papers this morning he was compared to Sven Goran Ericsson. To the best of my knowledge not because he's intimately acquainted with Ukrika, but because he's inherited a 'golden generation' who have only intermittently shown what they're capable of. Interesting comparison but I don't think there's much argument that the current squad has had the most potential since 03.

 

[ncurd]

You have to ask what mentality as Captain Farrell is bringing into the side we've had dressing room rebellions in the past when coaching has been ******** but Farrell appears to breeding a culture of mindless yes men. Its rare to for a FH, goal kicker to be captain but looks at the past. If Wilkinson ever got the yips like Farrell did in the ANC final with two other kickers on the pitch nobody would of gone up to WIlkinson and gone 'look mate today's not your day why don't you late Daly/Ford take em from now'. Then I also belive Wilko would of owned up to it and given the tee to someone else as well. But not a single player was willing to turn around to Farrell and 'look skip I think you need to bench yourself'