[2021 Six Nations] England Squad

[ncurd]

Burgess worked? Are you off your rocker?

 

[EdBirch]

Could Smith, Devoto, Lawrence work?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Always thought he didn't look 134kg tbf

Aye, when someone mentioned before how our tight 5 was going to be huge with him in I was like.....really?
He is a lot taller than I realised, so he's naturally heavier because of that, but he's not a super huge beefcake or anything

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

There are so many crap stats around rugby. I wish Wiki was right about Hill, but suspect Chiefs website is closer to the mark:

Wiki - 2.05m and 134kg

Chiefs - 2.01m and 112kg

Yeah he's nowhere near 134. I know he's been listed as 112 by Chiefs for years now without being updated (Chiefs hardly ever update the player stats) but definitely looks like he's gotten bigger to me in that time. I'd guess he's up to ~116 but I have no idea where 134 came from.

 

[Jashay]

Aye, when someone mentioned before how our tight 5 was going to be huge with him in I was like.....really?
He is a lot taller than I realised, so he's naturally heavier because of that, but he's not a super huge beefcake or anything

Yeah, that was me I think. I just grabbed the numbers off the wikipedia articles and didn't do due diligence. I must hang my head in shame.

But regardless of how chunky he is, he's had a fantastic couple of games. If he keeps it up through the 6N I reckon Launchbury's going to have a fight on his hands for that shirt.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Burgess worked? Are you off your rocker?

To be fair to him, Burgess really wasn't that bad. It's more how he waltzed right in to the world cup squad and then buggered off the second things got rough that really ruined his reputation. Double whammy for use Bath fans which I think has coloured our perception of him even more. At 6 he was handy if a bit bad when it came to the nuance of the game and in the world cup he kept Roberts in his pocket all game, England started collapsing when he came off. Had he stuck at it I think he could have been a very good player but the whole saga highlighted his sole goal was world cup glory, he had no interest beyond that.

 

[BrokenWing]

Bit of a kick in the balls to Burrell too, who I thought was playing well at the time.

 

[higgik]

Burgess worked? Are you off your rocker?

Just watched the game v Wales prior to RWC. He was good.

Issues arose when Ford Sr realised that George might miss out so refused to play him in centre for Bath.

Not saying him per se, but Slade works well with a bigger IC, that he can fade in behind.

Just watch him for Exeter how he drifts in behind creating width to the attack.

 

[higgik]

Bit of a kick in the balls to Burrell too, who I thought was playing well at the time.

Yes, and Burrell was dropped because Ford Sr caused a stir.

 

[ncurd]

What utter....

 

[ncurd]

Let's just be clear most of what ragerancher said is correct. However the stuff about Ford Sr. is utter ******** (in this regards). Why would Burgess playing at center harm Ford chances of playing fly half? Considering at the time England hadn't played the Ford/Farrell combo except at U21's? Some people were calling for it but reality was Farrell wasn't considered to play 12 at the time.

Add into it Burgess's best position was flanker and was never center and was obvious to anyone who watched Bath at the time.


Look Ford Sr. was clearly a **** but he also wasn't some grand wizard behind the curtain.

Burgess was also a glory seeking asshole who thought he could change codes easially and never showed interest in putting the hard yards in.

 

[Fuzzy du Plessis]

Issues arose when Ford Sr realised that George might miss out so refused to play him in centre for Bath.

I've seen this a few times since Burgess started going public and it doesn't seem right to me. If Ford Sr's priority was getting George in the England squad surely it would've made more sense to play Burgess at 12 to establish a partnership with Jr? At the time 10. Ford 12. Farrell wasn't a realistic option (I think it was used only once by Lancaster against Samoa) so removing Burgess from 12 wasn't going to see Farrell moved over to accommodate Ford. It was a simple shootout between them at 10 and if anything having Ford play alongside the guy being talked up by England management as a 12 before even playing a game of Union would only have increased his chances of starting.

Honestly though Ford Sr seems to be far too egotistical to put his son's England career ahead of his own job at Bath. I also don't think the idea that Burgess was a better 6 than 12 is a bad one. Certainly not bad enough to believe that there must've been some shady ulterior motive for playing him there.

Edit: Great minds and all that...

 

[Which Tyler]

Sorry, the MFord mastery over Burgess is pure crap. Utter crap. Honestly, Covid being created by 5G masts makes more sense.

Anyone who watched Burgess play rugby union could see he was a far better prospect at flanker than centre. Anyone who knows anything about rugby knows that Burgess' position in a rugby pitch would make absolutely no difference whatsoever to GFord's chances of selection at FH

 

[ncurd]

Here's as near as close to how I understand things occured.

Mike Ford is a known ****.
Burgess sees an opportunity to increase legend in his home nation by playing in a home world cup.
Burgess talk to England rugby they can't garuntee anything but want the League fans tuning in so encourage him.
Bath with thier tons of money put the investment in to bring him in, he tells them he wants to play union long term (he might be telling the truth).
Bath buy into this and beging training him they identify his best position long term is 6.
They start him at center to get him game time but make is clear they'll love him to the flanks once he's ready.
It's fairly obvious the entire team are behind him and this in his first game flanker there is a huge celebration when he wins his first turnover. Clearly everyone has bought into this.
The world cup happens it's a mess, Burgess gets selected and he isn't ready. But that's not the real problem the coaching staff have no clue who their starting 15 is and most that stems between the Ford/Farrell issue. Lancaster seamed to be in two minds those two minds could be called Andy Farrell and Mike Catt.
England bomb out a home world cup, Burgess plays okay but doesn't light it up either.
Somehow he is blamed even though nobody actually blames him (litreally trying to find an article doing so is impossible). Everyone blames the lack of consistent selection in knowing their team Burgess is shown as example but not the reason.
Burgess who possibly never really was interested in going at long term decides it's too tough and buggers off back the League.
Union fans and especially Bath fans treat his name as dirt for running off.
Burgess tries to improve his standing by blaming Mike Ford known **** who probably was a **** whilst he was there and probably didn't react well.when told he was leaving.

Sam Burgess also legally a known ****

Sam Burgess: Ex-Rugby League star guilty of intimidation in Australia

The ex-England captain has been convicted of intimidating his former father-in-law in Australia.

www.bbc.com

 

[Welsh Exile]

So, what 14 players do you think can do the job against Wales?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I think it will be Mr Farrell in the 22 with a shoulder.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

So, what 14 players do you think can do the job against Wales?

Any.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Any.

Tbh, I'm fully expecting a Welsh player to get sent off at some point. I feel that in England games we never get the rub of the green but I would say that. Lol.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I think it will be Mr Farrell in the 22 with a shoulder.

Genge is a good shout off the bench. Swinging arm.

 

[ncurd]

Tbh, I'm fully expecting a Welsh player to get sent off at some point. I feel that in England games we never get the rub of the green but I would say that. Lol.

Didn't someone get a stat that said no Welsh player has ever got a red card in the 6 nations?

I dunno if I would ever stop laughing if it was AWJ