[2023 Six Nations] England Squad

[TRF_Olyy]

Scrum and lineout were the best in the 6n.

Blew my mind when I saw those stats - I remember our setpiece being decent but not best in the comp. Certainly had some ropey moments

 

[Geordie]

Blew my mind when I saw those stats - I remember our setpiece being decent but not best in the comp. Certainly had some ropey moments

Yeah defo!
But it means theres a solid base(and even that can be improved) that we can work off.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Sod off Armitage.

I think the RFU and England as a whole need to re-look at the overseas player rule. I'm not convinced it is working as intended. It may actually be better for the health of the premiership and national side if some of our top players are being exposed to a different league and the financial burden also rests with that league. Ok we may have a little less coordination with the national side, but the RFU already has **** all control over the clubs as it is anyway. Until there are central contracts and the RFU really starts to control the players throughout the year, I fail to see why it matters which clubs they are with. Having players overseas hasn't really hurt other teams and the premiership is creaking under the burden of trying to keep up with higher player wages but with much worse revenues than French clubs get.

Do we really benefit from keeping players here if the financial burden is destroying clubs and the national side is suffering from potentially sub-par club games? The top players going to France could also potentially open up more games to younger players.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Depending on how many took it up (and I think a fair amount would) it'd damage their 4th AI game - they'd have to price it like the England XV/Saxons games if they're not able to put out their best players

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Depending on how many took it up (and I think a fair amount would) it'd damage their 4th AI game - they'd have to price it like the England XV/Saxons games if they're not able to put out their best players

Would that be such a bad thing? It could force England to look at younger / fringe players in at least some of the internationals. Personally I'd like to see a bigger role for the Saxons too (in fact I'd like to see the club and international windows completely separated). Also, even though there are no rules internationally about release windows, unless there is something in the French domestic league, I don't see why players couldn't attempt to negotiate extra release dates? Sure it might be rejected but I don't think the Premiership has the resources to keep all the players here.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Would that be such a bad thing? It could force England to look at younger / fringe players in at least some of the internationals. Personally I'd like to see a bigger role for the Saxons too (in fact I'd like to see the club and international windows completely separated). Also, even though there are no rules internationally about release windows, unless there is something in the French domestic league, I don't see why players couldn't attempt to negotiate extra release dates? Sure it might be rejected but I don't think the Premiership has the resources to keep all the players here.

I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing but the RFU will view it as realistically ticket sales/prices are number 1 on their list of concerns

I'm on record as being very against allowing players overseas to play for England, though, so I'm biased

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing but the RFU will view it as realistically ticket sales/prices are number 1 on their list of concerns

I'm on record as being very against allowing players overseas to play for England, though, so I'm biased

Bath still fill out the stadium so I think if fans will still pay our extortionate fees for the absolute dross we produce, the rest of the league need not worry about ticket sales.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

RFU asleep at the wheel again.

Tackle height stuff is a joke, sacking Eddie debacle was a joke (too late and then letting him coach in Australia), clubs struggling but as long as twickenham is full of Barbour wearing non rugby fans everything is ok.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

.

Blew my mind when I saw those stats - I remember our setpiece being decent but not best in the comp. Certainly had some ropey moments

Haven't seen the stats, but assume this is own ball stuff? Don't recall us really mullering anyone else's scrum or particularly threatening opposition line outs.

 

[Jimbo]

Four years is ages tbf - think it's 76 test matches?

You've got young players making their club breakthrough atm who could be 50cap test match animals by then

I get that to some extent but if a lot of these players are part of youth squad setups which are struggling at their WCs it suggests there's still a gap in the immediate future, I was thinking it would probably have to come from players a little younger.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Interesting take by Lancaster on what Ireland are doing right and England are not. In hindsight, it's amazing what the England coaching team before Jones have gone on to achieve. It seems all of them have gone on to some success and proven their credentials. Maybe for the lot the England job was just too early and we should look for coaches with proven pedigree in future rather than throwing in people who have not been at the top level that long? Lessons we clearly have not learned yet.

 

[ncurd]

Interesting take by Lancaster on what Ireland are doing right and England are not. In hindsight, it's amazing what the England coaching team before Jones have gone on to achieve. It seems all of them have gone on to some success and proven their credentials. Maybe for the lot the England job was just too early and we should look for coaches with proven pedigree in future rather than throwing in people who have not been at the top level that long? Lessons we clearly have not learned yet.

I've always said they built a very solid foundation. England were a good team 2011-2015. Their issue is they made a complete horlicks of the world cup playing a rugby league player at center with no real experience and not being able decide on the fly half combinations. Coupled with the absolutely braindead on field decision to not go for posts in the Wales match.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I've always said they built a very solid foundation. England were a good team 2011-2015. Their issue is they made a complete horlicks of the world cup playing a rugby league player at center with no real experience and not being able decide on the fly half combinations. Coupled with the absolutely braindead on field decision to not go for posts in the Wales match.

Look at the difference between NZ in 2007, who retained their coaching team despite their QF exit. Allowed them to learn from their mistakes. RFU kicked out Lancaster and co straight after 2015.

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Look at the difference between NZ in 2007, who retained their coaching team despite their QF exit. Allowed them to learn from their mistakes. RFU kicked out Lancaster and co straight after 2015.

And if they'd been knocked out in the group stage?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Look at the difference between NZ in 2007, who retained their coaching team despite their QF exit. Allowed them to learn from their mistakes. RFU kicked out Lancaster and co straight after 2015.

It probably was too early for all, but the main problem was that while Lancaster is a fantastic hands on coach working with players, he simply wasn't head honcho material at that level. No shame in that, but we as fans could see it, so the players and coaching staff would have known as would Lancaster himself.

Lancaster seemingly got railroaded into the Burgess fiasco by his RFU paymasters. Say what you like about Jones, but it's hard to have seen that happening on his watch unless he'd actively wanted it.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

And if they'd been knocked out in the group stage?

Yet to lose in the pool stage at a RWC, but might happen later this year. All winning runs eventually come to an end.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

It probably was too early for all, but the main problem was that while Lancaster is a fantastic hands on coach working with players, he simply wasn't head honcho material at that level. No shame in that, but we as fans could see it, so the players and coaching staff would have known as would Lancaster himself.

Lancaster seemingly got railroaded into the Burgess fiasco by his RFU paymasters. Say what you like about Jones, but it's hard to have seen that happening on his watch unless he'd actively wanted it.

Apparently there was no exit interview with Lancaster by RFU which is just unforgivable.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Eddie's success with England is actually all down to lancasters ground work. The last 3 years show that Eddie was never a good coach in the first place.*




* this is a joke

 

[BrokenWing]

Can't remember which podcast it was, might have been Haskell, said that statistically to stand a chance at a WC the team needed around 800 caps between them.
According to him, Lancaster was looking past 2015 WC to the next one as the team by then would have around that number, and what happened in 2019?
For me the biggest **** show at 2015 was the Burgess shambles which had all the hallmarks of the blazers interfering, and then Lacaster carrying the can when it didn't work (I also thought Burrell was a decent player who got underservedly shafted by it all)
EJ has a podcast atm called EDDIE if you haven't heard it where he alludes to the blazers interfering in selection issues (Such as Marcus Smith v France)

 

[Crash Hamster]

Just seen that VRR is having knee surgery and is out for the season; that's lousy luck.

Injured Gloucester trio out for rest of season

Gloucester's Albert Tuisue, Val Rapava-Ruskin and Giorgi Kveseladze will miss the rest of the season because of injury.

www.bbc.co.uk