Aviva Premiership 15/16 - Playoffs

[FLOBALOB]

Delighted for Exeter, but a bit annoyed as I'd have liked to see Slade and Ewers turn out for England next week

How Slade and Ewers perform next week in the final v Saracens carries much more weight and relevance than anything they possibly did in the England reserves friendly next week, as with all the players taking part. I think they will both be in the 23 for first aussie match.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I don't think it does, to be honest.
A week with the England coaches, and playing in a full cap test will move them up in the selectors eyes more.
I think Slade has a good chance of making the England 23 (if Farrell is injured), Ewers I think will only make the Saxons tour as the England management don't seem to rate him

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I don't think it does, to be honest.
A week with the England coaches, and playing in a full cap test will move them up in the selectors eyes more.
I think Slade has a good chance of making the England 23 (if Farrell is injured), Ewers I think will only make the Saxons tour as the England management don't seem to rate him

Ewers was in the original EPS squad for 6n's i believe.

 

[FLOBALOB]

I would hazard a guess that most ,if not all, those players in the squad for the wales match would happily swap places with the Saracens/Exeter players., even if it meant giving up their chance of a attaining a solitary cap. I do think some are giving the wales match an inflated importance. The Australia squad is named tomorrow so its not like its having any bearing on whos selected.Its a glorified friendly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ewers was in the original EPS squad for 6n's i believe.

I thought he was in as injury cover?

Happy to be wrong, in this case. He really is some man.



Also: I didn't see the game, but what was Farrell's injury/how bad was it?

Would be pretty crazy if Wiggy and Charlie line up at 9 and 10 for Sarries in the final - 10 years on from when they did that for Sale.
Gotta be some sort of record, that.

I would hazard a guess that most ,if not all, those players in the squad for the wales match would happily swap places with the Saracens/Exeter players.

Nor arguments from me, my point is that (at least for the first test) the coaches are going to be more swayed by what they see in front of them in training and in the England set up, than at the players clubs.
This is only for new caps, mind. If Itoje has a stinker in the final but if Launchbury trains well and plays a blinder vs Wales I don't think he'll overtake him, but Clifford/Harrison vs Ewers? I can see him favouring Clifford/Harrison in that situation.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Nope Ewers was injured during the first 4 games or so of the 6N's Kvesic was his replacement.

Forwards
Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Paul Hill (Northampton Saints)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby) *injury replacement for Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Matt Mullan (Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby) *injury replacement for Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Backs
Chris Ashton (Saracens)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby) *injury replacement for Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs) *injury replacement for Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ahahaha, Kvesic: Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Bet he's regretting not declaring for Germany or Croatia (think those are the other two he's eligible for?) now.