Australia vs England (2nd Test) - 09/07/22

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Messing Marchant about just ****** me off. He's consistently good for England (and a much better player han Porter IMO) but continually gets shafted by Eddie. What a load of crap.

He came out top in Eddie's random blame generator most likely

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I mean it might just be a spot of rotation though.

Like most of the squad who has played 13 outside of 2 players during Eddie Jones time recent time? (Slade and Marchant)

It's just a shame Eddie didn't look into it earlier

 

[BPM]

IMO, Marchant has been better than Slade in defence and attack. If we're persisting with Farrell at 12, they should be building upon that partnership, not 'experimenting' for no good reason. I'd have been less annoyed with Dingwall, but Porter is just a head-scratcher for me.

What makes it worse is that it'll probably be different next week and then Slade will probably be bought back in for the 6 Nations to create the 0 threat midfield with Farrell.

I've tried to be pretty measured up until now, but I've fully lost patience. If we lose this game, I'm good with pulling the plug.

 

[Grizwald]

Meh the kind of random knee jerk reaction I've come to expect from EJ.

I don't think anyone really deserved to be be dropped out of the 23 altogether. Marchant getting dropped is laughable. I wasn't a huge fan of Joe Cokanasiga's selection mostly due to his lack of game time and form for Bath but he worked hard last weekend and had little to work with.

Think Danny Care dropping to the bench is odd too. England got very bogged down in the ruck which was down to the forwards. JVP is one for the future throwing him to a test start cauldron could backfire. Smith was off last weekend dropping his team mate isn't going to improve his game I'd have thought.

Underhill doesn't surprise me, reckon we needed more of a jackaling threat at 7.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

13 is not a problem position, or if it is it's down to what's happening at 9, 10 & 12. Marchant and Slade are both good options with Marchant my no1 choice now. Daly could do a job, there's the spectre of Manu if fit. Heck even Joseph could fill in in an emergency. The priority here is surely to get game time into Marchant and get him working with Farrell who will presumably be at 12 until hell freezes over or Manu is fit, whichever comes first.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

IMO, Marchant has been better than Slade in defence and attack. If we're persisting with Farrell at 12, they should be building upon that partnership, not 'experimenting' for no good reason. I'd have been less annoyed with Dingwall, but Porter is just a head-scratcher for me.

What makes it worse is that it'll probably be different next week and then Slade will probably be bought back in for the 6 Nations to create the 0 threat midfield with Farrell.

I've tried to be pretty measured up until now, but I've fully lost patience. If we lose this game, I'm good with pulling the plug.

Welcome to the dark side….let the hate run through you

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Dropping Joe makes sense, he did nothing last week and nothing vs the Barbarians, he's been poor for his club and has been injured for the almost the whole RWC cycle
He shouldn't have toured, frankly, and Freeman has been tearing up trees for Saints and was one of the few bright sparks in the Barbarians game

Porter's a very good player - I prefer him to Dingwall tbh,
I don't see this as him ahead of Marchant per se, just getting a look at him, like Tigs said - with Atkinson ******** the bed vs Barbarians and Manu perpetually injured we've got to have a look at who the next cab off the ranks is because they'll be going to the RWC. Last time we took 4 centres (not inc. Farrell), if we have the same squad make up this time round it's Slade, Marchant......no one else has played

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Dropping Joe makes sense, he did nothing last week and nothing vs the Barbarians, he's been poor for his club and has been injured for the almost the whole RWC cycle
He shouldn't have toured, frankly

And therein lies the rub.

That was screamingly obvious to everyone else. Jones made a very poor call to pick him and Joe has now had a couple of poor games and will be disheartened at both his form and being dropped.

The smart man management would have been to put an arm round him, say he brings something different, is definitely in his plans but right now it would be best if he spent the summer getting himself right.

 

[Wasps92]

Eddie the clown strikes again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Eddie the clown strikes again.

What clownery has he pulled?


Like I'm a card carrying member of the Anti-Eddie club, don't get me wrong, but I don't see anything majorly wrong with this side with the exception of no Marchant (which is justifiable when you consider depth at centre)

 

[Which Tyler]

I mean it might just be a spot of rotation though.

We also know there's covid in the camp

 

[EdBirch]

Glad for Freeman is in, surprised JvP has been given a shot, happy with it though. Not surprised Underhill included.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

If Smith needs a 9 that is his club mate to hold his hand should he be in a international set up?

IDK players like Porter and Freeman are the type of players squads need come RWC due to versatility might as well see if they sink or swim now.

I don't see Porter being viewed as the answer to 13 Marchant and Slade both seem nailed on but I can see Porter being a bench player potentially.

The whole Dingwall v Porter is a odd one as both play in teams that are very different styles. (Leicester structure is more similar to international rugby though imo)

 

[Welsh Exile]

I don't get the fuss about Marchant personally. Think he's pretty average. Much prefer Slade.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

If Smith needs a 9 that is his club mate to hold his hand should he be in a international set up?

It's a structure and style thing first and foremost I think.

If you want Smith to play his natural game, you need a 9 like Care and a big carrier somewhere in the backline - if you want Farrell to play his natural game, you need robots with no brain or emotion that will run the exact structure faz emails to them the night before and not do anything different.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

I don't get the fuss about Marchant personally. Think he's pretty average. Much prefer Slade.

Interesting. I'd say Marchant is much easier to see the benefits of than Slade, personally.

Marchant is much stronger and more athletic, although both are good in defence. He also beats Slade for speed and in the air. The advantages Slade brings - a better rugby brain, kicking, playmaking - don't benefit England enormously due to the two fly-half system.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

It's a structure and style thing first and foremost I think.

If you want Smith to play his natural game, you need a 9 like Care and a big carrier somewhere in the backline - if you want Farrell to play his natural game, you need robots with no brain or emotion that will run the exact structure faz emails to them the night before and not do anything different.

Well I mean JVP plays in a pretty attacking way and Porter is a bigger ball carrier than Marchant then.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Interesting. I'd say Marchant is much easier to see the benefits of than Slade, personally.

Marchant is much stronger and more athletic, although both are good in defence. He also beats Slade for speed and in the air. The advantages Slade brings - a better rugby brain, kicking, playmaking - don't benefit England enormously due to the two fly-half system.

It's coz I'm a ******* rugby genius that knows the better player and appreciates rugby IQ.

Nah, not saying Marchant is bad or nothing but I think Slade is class when on form. Perhaps a bit inconsistent though.

 

[BPM]

Yep. @Duck a l'Orange. That's a pretty good summary.

I'd also add consistency. Slade occasionally puts in a top performance interspersed with a lot of crap. Marchant puts in good - very good performances all the time.

 

[Geordie]

Why is it always about the WC?

Why cant we just focus on each upcoming tournament or set of games. Play our strongest side and then evolve the side as players come through.