[2021 Six Nations] England Squad

[Vieux Talonneur]

Chill everyone, Fra 23 is in the bag, Manu's on his way back! Salsa dancing FFS, the game's gone soft.

Tuilagi learns salsa for injury recovery

England and Sale centre Manu Tuilagi has taken up salsa dancing to aid his recovery from an Achilles injury.

www.bbc.co.uk

Ref Barbeary, the great unknown is his set piece ability. He's always said he wants to be a hooker and if the set piece stacks up then with his other attributes he's potential world class there. Don't think his ceiling's quite as high at 8. But either way he surely has a heck of a future.

On locks I'm generally a fan of the bigger and horribler the better - a good big one will always beat a good little one. Attwood's always been a big unit with a bit of an edge, the kind of aggression you can't teach. But he's also evolved his game at Bristol and is playing some fantastic stuff. Definitely one of the form players in the country. Far worse players have picked up far more caps.

 

[TommiG88]

Ribbans has been added to the squad for the rest of the 6 nations.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

So our smug 4 world class locks have morphed into Itoje, Hill, Ribbans, Ewels and maybe Martin?

The Irish and French are not going to be trembling at that lot.

 

[Jashay]

I doubt any facet of England's penalty-riddled game is causing them to tremble, but I'd say that's a decent set of lock options for a team that's down three world-class players in the position.

 

[Geordie]

Do you think they want that lineout option at 6...

Would they be considering:
4 Hill
5 Ewells
6 Itoje

Im not sure the French would be fearing that...

 

[Welsh Exile]

Let's be real, I don't think anyone is ******** the bed about any of the England team at the moment.

No doubt that will change later this year/next year though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Do you think they want that lineout option at 6...

Not this again

 

[LIONSxv]

Interested to see what people take on Englands best XV should be ( ignoring Eddie's dogma!!) . If everyone was fit and available based on form /ability

I'd go
Mako
LCD
Sinks
Itoje (c)
Kruis
Underhill ( more of a six for me)
Curry
Billy/Dombrandt ( I'd love to see Simmonds but it would mean dropping one of Curry/Underhill to accommodate a bigger unit)
Spencer/Robson
M Smith ( I honestly think this lad has the lot)
Farrel initially to help with transition, then moved out for a proper inside centre
Manu
Watson
May ( will need replacing before next WC imo)
Malins or even steward

 

[Jashay]

Says a lot about our midfield problems when even your fantasy team has a placeholder at 12 saying 'find a proper inside centre'!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Team to face France:

1 Mako
2 George
3 Sinkler
4 Ewels
5 Ribbons
6 Itoje
7 Martin
8 Hill
9 Robson
10 Ford
11 Young's
12 Daly
13 Farrell
14 Earl
15 May

Then Jones can moan that Robson didn't perform that well in a fully functioning team, also proves Farrell is needed at 12.

 

[LIONSxv]

Says a lot about our midfield problems when even your fantasy team has a placeholder at 12 saying 'find a proper inside centre'!

We haven't a proper centre imo since Will Greenwood

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Might be a popular take or a unpopular take but Tuilagi has been IMO England's best ever centre.

 

[Reiser99]

For me simply Tuilagi is too fragile to be relied upon. If he's fit and available great, but he's spent too much time injured to be a permanent solution. Planning around out of form players is one thing, but planning for a player as fragile as Tuilagi is just insane. This is what makes it so frustrating that England have lost players to other countries, because it limits our options.

Also simply we shouldn't be looking for a like for like replacement. Tuilagi at his best was one of the best in the world. You're not always going to have a player of that calibre available and doing the things he does. Instead England should be planning around the resources (however meagre) they have.

 

[TW27BA]

Might be a popular take or a unpopular take but Tuilagi has been IMO England's best ever centre.

Controversial
Tuilagi as a bosher, Greenwood/Guscott for skill

 

[TW27BA]

Jack Nowell has another injury.
Lawes out for 12 weeks

Nowell suffers fresh injury blow

Exeter's England winger Jack Nowell suffers a further injury setback which could scupper his chances of a second Lions tour.

www.bbc.co.uk

England's Lawes out for three months

England lock Courtney Lawes' British and Irish Lions hopes could be in doubt after he was ruled out for three months.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Interested to see what people take on Englands best XV should be ( ignoring Eddie's dogma!!) . If everyone was fit and available based on form /ability

I'd go
Mako
LCD
Sinks
Itoje (c)
Kruis
Underhill ( more of a six for me)
Curry
Billy/Dombrandt ( I'd love to see Simmonds but it would mean dropping one of Curry/Underhill to accommodate a bigger unit)
Spencer/Robson
M Smith ( I honestly think this lad has the lot)
Farrel initially to help with transition, then moved out for a proper inside centre
Manu
Watson
May ( will need replacing before next WC imo)
Malins or even steward

Started typing a massive missive about how this might look for RWC 23. But gave up in despair when I realised in just how many positions we need change now / don't have a clear succession plan / need to get proper experience into back ups.

Concluded that there's plenty of talent around though.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

For me simply Tuilagi is too fragile to be relied upon. If he's fit and available great, but he's spent too much time injured to be a permanent solution. Planning around out of form players is one thing, but planning for a player as fragile as Tuilagi is just insane. This is what makes it so frustrating that England have lost players to other countries, because it limits our options.

Also simply we shouldn't be looking for a like for like replacement. Tuilagi at his best was one of the best in the world. You're not always going to have a player of that calibre available and doing the things he does. Instead England should be planning around the resources (however meagre) they have.

Agreed.

Manu was one of a kind. But we do need someone in the midfield who can generate a bit of go forward when needed. I'm sure Lawrence can do that given the chance, Devoto probably too. Both offer a lot more than straight running. As with all units it's about the best blend of players not necessarily just accommodating the 'best' players.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Jack Willis' knee rehab journey to be captured in documentary

The Wasps and England flanker is planning to document his recovery from injury suffered on Guinness Six Nations duty against Italy

www.google.co.uk

 

[Geordie]

Started typing a massive missive about how this might look for RWC 23. But gave up in despair when I realised in just how many positions we need change now / don't have a clear succession plan / need to get proper experience into back ups.

Concluded that there's plenty of talent around though.

IF the summer tour of USA and Canada still goes ahead (which is probably unlikely) it would be interesting to see what squad went...