[2023 Six Nations] England Squad

[Geordie]

Absolutely...but to totally contradict myself...i also think Ludlum is a cracking player and a gritty one...who could excel in what will be a confrontational battle...

 

[LIONSxv]

Absolutely...but to totally contradict myself...i also think Ludlum is a cracking player and a gritty one...who could excel in what will be a confrontational battle...

A Ludlam/Willis flank combination could work nicely. Tbf it's such a area of strength I can think of half a dozen combinations that would work well

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Will Evans has the most this season according to an article I just found,

No idea who's 2nd 3rd etc. as rugby is stuck in the stone age and doesn't make collated stats available to everyone so you've gotta just hope Opta, or some random journo, blesses you with a tidbit

Or you could just try the Prem website…..

Earl 2nd with 21, 4 ahead of Reffell and same as the Currys combined. Last season Earl topped the tackle count by a mile although is lower down this year.

Player Stats

Which player leads the try scoring charts? Who has scored the most points? Which player is a tackle machine and leads the charts in tackles?...

www.premiershiprugby.com

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Or you could just try the Prem website…..

Earl 2nd with 21, 4 ahead of Reffell and same as the Currys combined. Last season Earl topped the tackle count by a mile although is lower down this year.

Player Stats

Which player leads the try scoring charts? Who has scored the most points? Which player is a tackle machine and leads the charts in tackles?...

www.premiershiprugby.com

I'm surprised to see Earl that high. I admittedly don't watch a ton of Sarries but the way people talk about him you'd think all he did was carry and hang out in the wide channels.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Will Evans has the most this season according to an article I just found,

No idea who's 2nd 3rd etc. as rugby is stuck in the stone age and doesn't make collated stats available to everyone so you've gotta just hope Opta, or some random journo, blesses you with a tidbit

He's also been crocked most of the year...

 

[Scotty]

Or you could just try the Prem website…..

Earl 2nd with 21, 4 ahead of Reffell and same as the Currys combined. Last season Earl topped the tackle count by a mile although is lower down this year.

Player Stats

Which player leads the try scoring charts? Who has scored the most points? Which player is a tackle machine and leads the charts in tackles?...

www.premiershiprugby.com

Tom Pearson has some impressive stats, 1st on tackles made, 3rd on turn overs and 3 tries scored. Not saying pre world cup but he is worth a look.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Tom Pearson has some impressive stats, 1st on tackles made, 3rd on turn overs and 3 tries scored. Not saying pre world cup but he is worth a look.

I'm a big fan of Pearson's. He's just been quietly going about his business for a couple of seasons now and looks to be improving week by week.

But, as far as young LI back rowers go, CCS looks to have a real bit of X Factor about him. Got the ball handling/line running that makes Dombrandt so good while also having the physicality and athleticism that I think he lacks. I think he could become a real option at 8 in the not too distant future.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Or you could just try the Prem website…..

Earl 2nd with 21, 4 ahead of Reffell and same as the Currys combined. Last season Earl topped the tackle count by a mile although is lower down this year.

Player Stats

Which player leads the try scoring charts? Who has scored the most points? Which player is a tackle machine and leads the charts in tackles?...

www.premiershiprugby.com

That must be new!
I guess rugby has progressed to the bronze age now
Jono Ross doing alright on the tackles chart considering it feels like he's barely played this season

But, as far as young LI back rowers go, CCS looks to have a real bit of X Factor about him. Got the ball handling/line running that makes Dombrandt so good while also having the physicality and athleticism that I think he lacks. I think he could become a real option at 8 in the not too distant future.

Don't think he's eligible for a few more years - He moved here in Feb '22 so that'd be Feb '27 (unless he got an English granny tucked away somewhere, but you'd have thought the media would have mentioned that with how well he's been playing)

 

[Crash Hamster]

CCS is playing for England U20s, so not sure how that stands with eligibility.

And he's still 19, too. SOme player.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

CCS is playing for England U20s, so not sure how that stands with eligibility.

There's no eligibility rules for the u20 6N, only the junior world cup (so I guess we'll see if he's eligible when that rolls round - think it's every year?)

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Don't think he's eligible for a few more years - He moved here in Feb '22 so that'd be Feb '27 (unless he got an English granny tucked away somewhere, but you'd have thought the media would have mentioned that with how well he's been playing)

Oh wow, I had no idea that he'd only just moved here. That's disappointing.

I just had a quick look and Les Kiss has mentioned in an interview before that Pearson and CCS are spoiling Borthwick for choice. Seems an odd comment to make if CCS wasn't eligible, but maybe he was just being forgetful.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Jono Ross doing alright on the tackles chart considering it feels like he's barely played this season

I imagine approximately half of them ended in him being sent off.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Oh wow, I had no idea that he'd only just moved here. That's disappointing.

I just had a quick look and Les Kiss has mentioned in an interview before that Pearson and CCS are spoiling Borthwick for choice. Seems an odd comment to make if CCS wasn't eligible, but maybe he was just being forgetful.

Yeah I saw the same - it also feels like an odd move for a 19yr old to make if he didn't have some sort of ties to the country (joining an academy on the other side of the world) - either family living here or an eye on representative rugby

Like when Nic Dolly joined our academy it's cause his grandparents are English and he moved in with them and started playing amateur rugby
Similar story with Hartley joining Worcester

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

29-man squad retained.

No Willis, Hill or Murley.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

View attachment 15996
29-man squad retained.

No Willis, Hill or Murley.

#BarfwickOut.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Interesting...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

A few notable things:
- Genge, Vunipola, Cole and Sinckler confirmed as the 4 props in the 23.
- Ribbans has leapfrogged Hill after being a late call-up to the squad.
- Willis not in the 23 as a certain very intelligent TRF member predicted.
- With Smith x2 and Faz all being retained I would be amazed if Faz doesn't start at 12.
- Borthwick sees Malins above Murley in the wing pecking order which is pretty crazy.
- George and Watson both retained so presumably fit to play.
- I could be reading into it too much but to me it looks like the squad is much more balanced if Chessum is in as a lock rather than a back row. If Chessum is a lock then it's 4 locks, 5 back rowers (essentially the amount needed for a 23, plus one spare in each position). If not then it's 3 locks, 6 back rowers (no spare locks, 2 spare back rowers). Hopefully this means that Chessum will be at lock.

My predicted 23 now:
1. Genge
2. George
3. Cole
4. Itoje
5. Chessum
6. Ludlam
7. Curry
8. Dombrandt
9. Van Poortvliet
10. Smith
11. OHC
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. Watson
15. Steward

16. Walker
17. Vunipola
18. Sinckler
19. Isiekwe
20. Earl
21. Youngs
22. Marchant
23. Freeman

 

[will311293]

Willis not being selected is hugely frustrating and irritating. Hugely talented and feel like we may lose both to France now.

Realise we have to select Manu or Farrell at 12 because of Slade and Kelly injuries but not keen on the idea.

 

[LIONSxv]

View attachment 15996
29-man squad retained.

No Willis, Hill or Murley.

Bizarre in my honest opinion
Not sure what game SB is watching if thinks Ludlam over Willis and Freeman/Malins over Murley is the way forward
Not fussed about Hill as needs a kick up the back side anyway

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Genuine question to those who are saying that leaving out Willis is bizarre:

Back when Sarries were relegated everyone was calling EJ a madman for picking players that were lacking game time in top flight rugby. Willis has amassed 5 starts this season, and only 2 since the AIs. Why does Willis get a pass and they didn't?

I get that Willis is liked, very talented, etc. but it simply cannot be denied that the man is lacking game time and has missed half the training camp. Is he really so much better than Curry, Earl and Ludlam that those things can be ignored just to get him in? I guess that's subjective, but in my opinion, he is not.

If anything this demonstrates that Borthwick has picked his flankers on form rather than reputation; something we were all begging that EJ do.

Murley being left out is **** though.