[2021 Six Nations] England Squad

[TRF_Olyy]

Surely there's always space for another Saracen and Goode at FB?

Let's go old school: Steffon Armitage at 7?

wasn't so long ago he was a GS winner

Iain Balshaw is a world cup winner

 

[ncurd]

Watson is a Lions test starter whos great under high ball, electric pace and could step you in a phone box. Adams is solid and a good finisher. There's no comparison
LRZ is a man with potential, but he scored a great try at the weekend because of the 14 men, and the extra space it provided let him get on the outside. Jonny May has barely any weaknesses, and has been leading winger in northern hemisphere for a few years now

This, if Gatland isn't thinking May/Watson in the match day squad he clearly is completely bonkers. Like you I'd have Watson at fullback but hey that's clearly crazy talk actually TBF it should be Hogg but Gatland will find a way to play a welshman.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Let's go old school: Steffon Armitage at 7?

Does teflon Steffon count as "one who got away"? Master of the art of supporting his body weight by resting his gut on a player on the floor.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I get what you're saying about these makeshift teams, but they do hint as to where someone sees the strengths and weaknesses in their team, and by this reckoning, you think Wales are massively superior

Watson is a Lions test starter whos great under high ball, electric pace and could step you in a phone box. Adams is solid and a good finisher. There's no comparison
LRZ is a man with potential, but he scored a great try at the weekend because of the 14 men, and the extra space it provided let him get on the outside. Jonny May has barely any weaknesses, and has been leading winger in northern hemisphere for a few years now

Full back, Wiliams 100%, though I do enjoy the thought of watson, LRZ and May in same team

Tomos Williams and Ford Halfback, centre maybe Scott Williams and slade would have a nice balance

Back Row for me is comfortable, Curry, Underhill (He was in the squad, Im taking him) and Faletau
Itoje, AWJ
SInckler, LCD, Mako

Yeah that's all fair but with these things I'm mainly going on form (not for all the players though) rather than past glories (Adams being the main exception as he hasn't played)

Which is why I said barely any Welsh would be in a combined 15 a couple of months ago but now it looks a little different. I think England have an abundance of brilliant rugby players, both attacking a defensive minded ones but have I been wowed by any of them these past 2 weeks. **** no. Half of England's tries against Italy should been chalked off and they've been pretty dire.

That doesn't mean to say I think we're far superior or anything like that which is why I think these combined teams are useless pretty much as it's all about team dynamic. I take your point though.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I get what you're saying about these makeshift teams, but they do hint as to where someone sees the strengths and weaknesses in their team, and by this reckoning, you think Wales are massively superior

Watson is a Lions test starter whos great under high ball, electric pace and could step you in a phone box. Adams is solid and a good finisher. There's no comparison
LRZ is a man with potential, but he scored a great try at the weekend because of the 14 men, and the extra space it provided let him get on the outside. Jonny May has barely any weaknesses, and has been leading winger in northern hemisphere for a few years now

Full back, Wiliams 100%, though I do enjoy the thought of watson, LRZ and May in same team

Tomos Williams and Ford Halfback, centre maybe Scott Williams and slade would have a nice balance

Back Row for me is comfortable, Curry, Underhill (He was in the squad, Im taking him) and Faletau
Itoje, AWJ
SInckler, LCD, Mako

I like this post and even find myself nodding my head when reading it but I assume Scott Williams was a typo?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Props have to be whoever the best scrummagers are. Possibly Sutherland and one of the Irish THs with Mako and Sincks on the bench.

Hooker - will be English. George probably, but wouldn't discount LCD.

Locks as above. I'd probably go for Launchbury and Gray.

6. Itoje
7. Underhill
8. Faletau

9. Welsh - Williams probably, but they all seem interchangeable to me.

10. I'd like to say Ford or Russell, but half of me's thinking Biggar as this is unlikely to be an orgy of running rugby. I must stop that. Probably Sexton.

11. May. Although I can see Gatland liking van Der Merwe who will at least know his way around.

12. Henshaw

13. If fit I can totally see Tuilagi being picked. If not then Ringrose.

14. Watson

15. Hogg (c)

 

[ncurd]

snip

Not bad,

Hooker I'd go LCD in current form.
I'd move Itoje to 2nd row, Launch didn't go last time so I can't see him going this time. Lawes or Gray to join him.
I think we'll likely see a back row of some combination of Tipuric, Curry, Underhill and Faletau
10 I think it will be Biggar or Farrell probabl Farrell for who knows what reason.

Lastly captain, I think its pretty much a given it's likely to be Itoje if the press are to be believed absolutely won't be back and definitely not Hogg.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

probabl Farrell for who knows what reason.

fizzikalluty

Gatland's never really been subtle with his backs play

 

[ncurd]

Half of England's tries against Italy should been chalked off and they've been pretty dire.

Does that include the one Nigel Owens made up laws for?

 

[ncurd]

fizzikalluty

Gatland's never really been subtle with his backs play

more subtle than we are currently....

 

[Welsh Exile]

Does that include the one Nigel Owens made up laws for?

Care to elaborate my friend.

 

[ncurd]

Care to elaborate my friend.

Look up the match day thread but basically Owens made up some **** about your not allowed jump away from a tackle when there no such law (there isn't a law that says you can't jump into one either just its covered by dangerous plays laws).

 

[Jakedood]

fizzikalluty

Gatland's never really been subtle with his backs play

To be fair, I'll say two words. Rob Howley

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Lastly captain, I think its pretty much a given it's likely to be Itoje if the press are to be believed absolutely won't be back and definitely not Hogg.

I know about the symbolism of Itoje / Kilosi and that Johnson will get thrown back in my face but Itoje's a big risk for captaincy in my book.

He seems to have the raw attributes but it's just his complete lack of experience at senior level and as we've seen with Faz there's a massive difference between being a leader and the leader. In addition to on field decision making which is difficult enough in a high pressure series, there's all the off field stuff too and he'll be in demand everywhere. It's a short tour and if he doesn't get things right to start with then it's a hell of an ask to pull it round, especially without any leadership experience to draw on.

Hogg's a bit of a curve ball but he seems to have matured as a person (that's what moving to England does for you...), he's captaining Sco without his form being overly affected. And having seen the Russell situation close up will have only helped him to understand some of the off field dynamics. I'm not saying he's a shoe in, but I definitely think Gatland will be taking serious soundings.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Look up the match day thread but basically Owens made up some **** about your not allowed jump away from a tackle when there no such law (there isn't a law that says you can't jump into one either just its covered by dangerous plays laws).

I saw him give a good breakdown on this. Basically you're not allowed to jump to avoid a tackle as its impossible to defend against which is why you're not allowed to jump over a ruck that's a meter out from a try line as it's impossible to defend and therefore not a level playing field.

If you think May is making a legitimate attempt of jumping to score the try then fine but if you think he was jumping to avoid the tackle so he could score the try then that's not allowed.

 

[ncurd]

I saw him give a good breakdown on this. Basically you're not allowed to jump to avoid a tackle as its impossible to defend against which is why you're not allowed to jump over a ruck that's a meter out from a try line as it's impossible to defend and therefore not a level playing field.

If you think May is making a legitimate attempt of jumping to score the try then fine but if you think he was jumping to avoid the tackle so he could score the try then that's not allowed.

Except none of that is the laws and if you could point to them please do so. Which is why the the on day referee, touch judges and television official didn't even question it.

EDIT: Just to be clear your actually allowed to jump over a ruck, the problem is if you land on (which you almost certainly will) you'll be diving into a ruck and hence instant ping and why nobody (sane) doe it. (Was done legally in a Scotland V Argentina game once)

 

[ncurd]

England should stick with Farrell - Care

England captain Owen Farrell should not be dropped for his performances in this year's Six Nations, says former international team-mate Danny Care.

www.bbc.co.uk

Danny Care talking nonsence but they finally found someone to back him up for balance.

 

[Reiser99]

England should stick with Farrell - Care

England captain Owen Farrell should not be dropped for his performances in this year's Six Nations, says former international team-mate Danny Care.

www.bbc.co.uk

Danny Care talking nonsence but they finally found someone to back him up for balance.

"Only last year everyone was loving Owen Farrell," he said.

Really?

 

[Welsh Exile]

Except none of that is the laws and if you could point to them please do so. Which is why the the on day referee, touch judges and television official didn't even question it.

EDIT: Just to be clear your actually allowed to jump over a ruck, the problem is if you land on (which you almost certainly will) you'll be diving into a ruck and hence instant ping and why nobody (sane) doe it. (Was done legally in a Scotland V Argentina game once)

So if you're allowed to jump over a ruck that's a meter out from the try line in order to score a try why do you think it is that we never see tries scored like that?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I've seen some guys try it, but fail - happened in the Sale vs Bath game on the weekend
Think you're underestimating the vertical/horizontal leap required to jump over a ruck (and how easy that'd be to stop considering the guards at the ruck etc. - you'd just get caught in mid-air)