[2022 Six Nations] Scotland vs England (05/02/22)

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

I remember him being pretty good on the wing.

Yeah he was pretty decent for a couple years. It's a case of that time being marred in people's memory by the calamity at 15 tbh

 

[BPM]

best is obviously not a measure of how good a performance is. Your best can still be shite. I seem to remember Daly being a liability at wing, out of position very often defensively, poor when competing in the air to the point he got red carded. I don't see what he brings in attack that a specialist winger doesn't as well. Simple fact is he has always been a centre and was emergency cover in the back 3 at best. Problem was Jones's obsession with having playmakers across the backfield and trying to make every player capable of playing everywhere. For me that experiment has failed miserably. Instead he should be focusing on picking players in position with a focus on identifying players who are specialists in their positions and bring something extra. Not trying to force players into positions they aren't suited for just because he wants them to play. I said when Tuilagi was put on the wing that Jones keeps acting like a 12 year old on Fifa trying to put his favourite players into one team. This has been the problem for the last few years, we haven't had any consistency because we keep playing players out of position and eventually they are exposed and Jones is forced to change them when he could have picked a specialist player there in the first place and got them experience.

I remember him being pretty good on the wing.

Your 'simple fact' of him being a centre and only centre has been ignored by Eddie, Gatland and Mark McCall.

I'd agree that the experiment of playing at 15 was a failure and one that went on for way too long, but I just don't recall it the same way re. his time on the wing.

With all that said, I'd always prefer specialists over messing around with people out of position.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He played his best rugby, for England, on the wing but he still had some clangers on defence - not necessarily the one on ones, but positioning etc.

 

[will311293]

Not sure we will see Hill. From Genge's insta story, Hill is in a boot. Maybe this is only precautionary but not a great sign...

 

[TommiG88]

If Hill is out I would really like to see Isiekwe in the 2nd row with Itoje and then a back row of Barbeary, Curry and Dombrandt!

 

[Scotty]

So

If Hill is out I would really like to see Isiekwe in the 2nd row with Itoje and then a back row of Barbeary, Curry and Dombrandt!

With Genge LCD and Sink in the front row that is the exact pack i want to see.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

We all know it's going to be curry at 8 and Dombrant at lock! Jones will be Jones.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Squad update
Eddie Jones has retained 29 players ahead of England's opening Guinness Six Nations match this weekend. Courtney Lawes will remain with the squad as he continues to progress through return to play protocols.

Forwards

Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)
Ollie Chessum, Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 31 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 36 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 4 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 61 caps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 3 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 51 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 10 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 74 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 47 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 15 caps)

Backs

Mark Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 52 caps)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 77 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish, uncapped)
Max Malins (Saracens, 10 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 7 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 2 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 43 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 5 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 112 caps)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

So 3 backs to be dropped and 3 forwards (my guess Rodd, Blamire and Ludlam)

 

[Reiser99]

So released are:

Heyes, Hill (so confirms he's not fit), Barbeary, Quirke, Bailey, Northmore, Lynagh and Radwan
Lawes also not fit, but still with squad.

Bit disappointed Barbeary still isn't an option and Quirke going, though realistically he is young and will get another chance soon.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Prob a fitness thing.

 

[Reiser99]

Ok so my team: (and yes I know this isn't what EJ will pick)

Genge
Cowan-Dickie (close with George, neither have really stood out for me this season, so guess shirt is Cowan-Dickie's to lose.)
Sinckler
Isiekwe
Itoje
Ludlum
Curry
Dombrandt
Randall
Smith
Malins
Slade
Marchant
Hassell-Collins
Steward

George
Marler
Stuart
Chessum
Simmonds
Youngs
Ford
Atkinson

 

[Wasps92]

What the hell does Jones do to our players in training? Feel like before every big game we lose two or three.

 

[NickBD]

Starting to look like we might see an 8 actually play 8.

 

[Scotty]

Ok so my team: (and yes I know this isn't what EJ will pick)

Genge
Cowan-Dickie (close with George, neither have really stood out for me this season, so guess shirt is Cowan-Dickie's to lose.)
Sinckler
Isiekwe
Itoje
Ludlum
Curry
Dombrandt
Randall
Smith
Malins
Slade
Marchant
Hassell-Collins
Steward

George
Marler
Stuart
Chessum
Simmonds
Youngs
Ford
Atkinson

Id be pretty happy with that, i wonder if he will use Furbank at 22 instead of Ford.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

What the hell does Jones do to our players in training? Feel like before every big game we lose two or three.

Who did we lose?

 

[Jimbo]

Ok so my team: (and yes I know this isn't what EJ will pick)

Genge
Cowan-Dickie (close with George, neither have really stood out for me this season, so guess shirt is Cowan-Dickie's to lose.)
Sinckler
Isiekwe
Itoje
Ludlum
Curry
Dombrandt
Randall
Smith
Malins
Slade
Marchant
Hassell-Collins
Steward

George
Marler
Stuart
Chessum
Simmonds
Youngs
Ford
Atkinson

Really like that, Slade and Marchant does feel a little light weight might be tempted to start Atkinson then bring Slade on later for Marchant.

 

[BPM]

Who did we lose?

No-one. Lawes and Hill arrived injured and still are. Slade did too but seems OK.

Marler and Marchant tested positive for covid but look like they're going to be available.

 

[duncanb]

No-one. Lawes and Hill arrived injured and still are. Slade did too but seems OK.

Marler and Marchant tested positive for covid but look like they're going to be available.

Young T Freeman picked up a hammy injury during training.
Probably never a realistic choice in final 23.

 

[will311293]

Barbeary is a shame but he hasn't played a huge amount of games for Wasps since his return so will be working on his fitness. Jones has also always stated he see Chessum as a natural heir to Lawes in terms of type/style of player so not surprising he's picked