[2021 Six Nations] England vs Italy (13/02/21)

[Which Tyler]

Not this again.
I've no time for anyone saying that Watson can't play FB for whatever reason - there's no arguing with stupid.
However, I'd put Malins there. We've been playing Daly at FB for long enough now, and built a team structure and gameplan around an ersatz centre at FB - Malins can actually play that role properly at FB, in a way that Daly has only ever managed on paper. If we switch Watson to FB, then we've changed the shape of the team and the way we're trying to play - or we're asking someone to "play like that guy" instead of like themselves - that's never a good idea.
Don't pick Hughes and ask him to play like Billy.
Don't pick Farrell and ask him to play like Tuilagi.

Beyond that, of course, you look at the options and see which is preferable, and for me Malin at FB > Odogwu at wing

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

That's fair, but it's not really pace that's Odogwu's calling card - it's his burst of speed/power/agility to break the gainline

Hah! Nowell argument mark 2.

Very true though. Part of the reason Odogwu was moved inside was due to concerns about his defensive positioning. They're only going to get more exposed at international level.

And talking of Nowell someone who pops up all over the place and tries to make things happen feels like a good idea at the moment.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Official 6N stats. Some useful info not there and again the metres carried seem inflated.

Stats

 

[Reiser99]

Official 6N stats. Some useful info not there and again the metres carried seem inflated.

Stats

Biggest thing for me there is it sums up that Farrell did basically nothing outside of placing kicking and even then he nearly ****** that up by running into a ruck and with a potential late tackle. For both, I've seen similar given yellow cards in the premiership.

 

[Reiser99]

Also from ESPN.

Billy made 7 carries for 1 metre.

Daly made 0 tackles and missed 2 tackles.

Only stat I can't get is how many passes Youngs ****** up.

 

[ncurd]

Also from ESPN.

Billy made 7 carries for 1 metre.

Daly made 0 tackles and missed 2 tackles.

Only stat I can't get is how many passes Youngs ****** up.

How many rucks were there whilst he was on the pitch? Should get an accurate number from that.

Should say someone suggested Farrell at 9, well after the Robson break he did prove he was learning speed of service from Youngs by the looks of things.

 

[Jashay]

Jonny May making the top 3 of Dominant Tackles; is there anything he can't do?

I'm not sure where people have got this idea that Malins was shaky; he basically had nothing to do apart from tackle Mori after Ford and Slade both failed... which he did. Perhaps you could argue he should have done more to stop the offload, but he already made more successful tackles than Daly did that game at FB.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I think this game might be a positive for England. They got maximum points but also surely it makes Jones finally make some of the hard decisions to cut some players who aren't preforming?

 

[Reiser99]

I think this game might be a positive for England. They got maximum points but also surely it makes Jones finally make some of the hard decisions to cut some players who aren't preforming?

Don't tease us. Please.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Don't tease us. Please.

Surely Jones can't be that stubborn that he still picks his favourites after that game.......... Right?

 

[Wendigo7]

Surely Jones can't be that stubborn that he still picks his favourites after that game.......... Right?

Yes.

 

[Jimbo]

I didn't think Odogwu looked slow, all I can find is a PB of 11.2 that doesn't seem slow to me, the likes of JM and LRZ are just crazy quick not really the prerequisite speed to play wing, also believe he has very good acceleration so really speed is only going to be a factor over longer distances, very few are catching ^ off a line break.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah Odogwu is significantly faster than Nowell, ha
He is not slow at all

I don't think he got moved to 13 because of his poor defence, but because of wasps injury crisis in the centres - it wouldn't even make sense as 13 is notoriously the hardest position to defend in

 

[ncurd]

Yeah Odogwu is significantly faster than Nowell, ha
He is not slow at all

I don't think he got moved to 13 because of his poor defence, but because of wasps injury crisis in the centres - it wouldn't even make sense as 13 is notoriously the hardest position to defend in

Tell Daly that.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I didn't think Odogwu looked slow, all I can find is a PB of 11.2 that doesn't seem slow to me, the likes of JM and LRZ are just crazy quick not really the prerequisite speed to play wing, also believe he has very good acceleration so really speed is only going to be a factor over longer distances, very few are catching ^ off a line break.

I've never really trusted public 100m times for players like that too much and from reading a couple of articles it seems like at the time he recorded that number he was focusing very heavily on athletics so he will have packed on a significant amount of weight since to play pro rugby.

I wouldn't be at all averse to giving Odogwu a go on the wing with Watson at 15 but personally would feel safer with Malins at the back than I would with Odogwu on the wing.

 

[Jimbo]

Tell Daly that.

Wasps were not exactly renowned for their quality defence more their ability to out score most opponents.

 

[Jimbo]

I've never really trusted public 100m times for players like that too much and from reading a couple of articles it seems like at the time he recorded that number he was focusing very heavily on athletics so he will have packed on a significant amount of weight since to play pro rugby.

I wouldn't be at all averse to giving Odogwu a go on the wing with Watson at 15 but personally would feel safer with Malins at the back than I would with Odogwu on the wing.

I couldn't agree more, Unless the game plan changes Malins is the only option what Watson brings is quite different.
I was only just pointing out that Nowell is heavily criticised for his lack of pace, but in fairness to him he has very good defensive position and ability to read the game so doesn't get caught out as much as you would think, I simply don't think Odogwu falls into this slower wingers bracket.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeah Odogwu is significantly faster than Nowell, ha
He is not slow at all

I don't think he got moved to 13 because of his poor defence, but because of wasps injury crisis in the centres - it wouldn't even make sense as 13 is notoriously the hardest position to defend in

I read it was part defence and part to get involved more.

I haven't seen enough of him to say one way or the other but it's all academic as he's not going to get a game.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Really in most games the ability to rapidly change speed and direction (or velocity for those who are scientifically minded) is more important than outright pace 9/10 times. People like Kolbe, Shane Williams and Robinson were fast but their top end speed wasn't outstanding, it was the ability to rapidly change from 0-100 that really made them so good.

 

[ALJ]

Official 6N stats. Some useful info not there and again the metres carried seem inflated.

Stats

Farrell - 8 passes for a player who acts as I/C and second first receiver?