Aviva Premiership 16/17 - Round 19

[Vieux Talonneur]

Some good rugby for the neutral this weekend.

Best piece of skill - a gorgeous pop up pass from Banahan to Watson for his 2nd try, we'd be raving if Ford had done that. Some of the Sale handling was wonderful too.

Few thoughts from an England perspective:

Watson should stay in the 15 shirt - for club and country. Been banging on about that for ages.

Some very good moments from Beaumont. Is he back to his best?

I could understand some of the Wade reservations a while back, but the bloke has magic in his feet and knows his way to the try line like no other. Isn't his game more rounded now? Surely worth a proper look?

And finally, Mallinder. A mixed bag, but when he was good, he was very good. His ceiling is very high and he really could develop into the answer for the 12 shirt. Get him involved, make it very clear what he needs to improve on - there's plenty - and see how he responds. Worth investing in - let's not wait til he's "ready".

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Mallinder needs to sort out his **** defending before England come for him.

Saxons yeh sure just a shame that there isn't a Saxons tour this year.

 

[BPM]

Mallinder needs to sort out his **** defending before England come for him.

Saxons yeh sure just a shame that there isn't a Saxons tour this year.

Agreed on both points but a Saxons tour was never going to happen in a Lions year. Hopefully they do one next year. It would be an ideal opportunity to run the rule over some bolters/possibles in the run up to Japan.

I'm most excited by the Currys. Considering their age, their level of performance and the quality of their decision-making really is excellent. Up until now, I've said Argentina is too soon and that I'd prefer to see them in the U20 World Cup, but I'm beginning to think "f**k it, why not?". If you'd asked me a month ago, I would have gone with Underhill and either Jones or Fearns alongside Robshaw and Haskell, but AFAIK, Jones is still injured, Fearns' move is looking like it may not happen and the Currys are performing considerably better than Underhill in a more competitive league.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Mallinder needs to sort out his **** defending before England come for him.

Very true, Tigs. But maybe he needs to hear it from Eddie rather than his Dad. I think there's too much potential there just to leave it to the club.

it would be so good to see some Saxons fixtures.... there must be a way of making it happen.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Why couldnt England have a Saxons tour during Lions we have the depth.

Say we lose during the lions at most.
1) Mako, Marler
2) Hartley, George
3) Cole
4) Launchbury, Kruis
5) Itoje, Lawes
6) Robshaw
7) Haskell
8) Vunipola
9) Youngs
10) Farrell, Ford
11) Watson
12)
13) Joesph, Daly
14) Nowell
15)

Could have Argentina tour team of
1) Genge, Hepburn, Catt
2) Taylor, Cowan-Dickie, Haywood
3) Sink, Williams
4) Attwood, Barrow
5) Ewels, Symons
6) Williams, Ewers
7) Underhill, Jones/
8) Hughes, Beaumont
9) Care, Robson
10) Loz, Burns
11) May, Yarde
12) Slade, T'eo, James
13) Thompkins, Marchant
14) Roko, Wade
15) Brown, Woodwar

and a Saxons team of
1) Auterac, Boyce
2) McGuigan, Walker
3) Thomas, Hill,
4) Slater, Kitchener
5) Gaskell, Stooke
6) Ellis, Chisholm
7) Thacker, Conan
8) Simmonds, Morgan
9) Townsend,
10) Cips, Burns
11) Earle, Woodburn,
12) Devoto, Mallinder
13) Hill, Purdy
14) Addison, Lewington,
15) Haley, Marshall

and a U20 squad that includes the likes of Evans, Curry 1, Curry 2, Odogwu, Mercer, Shillcock, Malins, Maunder, Isiekwe, TBC, Coksa.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That really is a disgusting amount of depth

Maybe it's inability to find opposition?
Usually a Saxons side would be playing tier 2 sides, but with Wales touring the PIs and the Eastern European sides playing the North Americans it doesn't leave a lot spare.

Bring back the Churchill cup, I say, That was quality

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Wades style of concede one try through shaky defence and score two through sublime attack is very unlikely to translate to anything good at international level I'm sorry to say. Defenses at international level are SO much better.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

That really is a disgusting amount of depth

Maybe it's inability to find opposition?
Usually a Saxons side would be playing tier 2 sides, but with Wales touring the PIs and the Eastern European sides playing the North Americans it doesn't leave a lot spare.

Bring back the Churchill cup, I say, That was quality

Churchill cup indeed was great. Maybe England should look to start it again during the summer and then once established again move it around?

TBH I don't see why we couldn't play an Aus or SA A team similar to last year.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

We played a mid week game against some sort of cobbled together South American barbarians team made up of semi pro and amateur players last time, didn't we?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yep pretty poor game.



Some reason i can't stop laughing at Billy 3rd try. Basically our pack won the game.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Wades style of concede one try through shaky defence and score two through sublime attack is very unlikely to translate to anything good at international level I'm sorry to say. Defenses at international level are SO much better.

You may well be right, but it would be nice to find out one way or another. Nearest thing we've had to Jason Robinson and just feels a waste that he hasn't had a chance.

BPM, Ben Curry couldn't have dreamed of a better impact from the bench.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yep pretty poor game.



Some reason i can't stop laughing at Billy 3rd try. Basically our pack won the game.

Hahaha that's class, the least interested barge over try you'll see. Almost looked embarrassed and wanted someone else to have it

 

[BPM]

Why couldnt England have a Saxons tour during Lions we have the depth.

Say we lose during the lions at most.
1) Mako, Marler
2) Hartley, George
3) Cole
4) Launchbury, Kruis
5) Itoje, Lawes
6) Robshaw
7) Haskell
8) Vunipola
9) Youngs
10) Farrell, Ford
11) Watson
12)
13) Joesph, Daly
14) Nowell
15)

Could have Argentina tour team of
1) Genge, Hepburn, Catt
2) Taylor, Cowan-Dickie, Haywood
3) Sink, Williams
4) Attwood, Barrow
5) Ewels, Symons
6) Williams, Ewers
7) Underhill, Jones/
8) Hughes, Beaumont
9) Care, Robson
10) Loz, Burns
11) May, Yarde
12) Slade, T'eo, James
13) Thompkins, Marchant
14) Roko, Wade
15) Brown, Woodwar

and a Saxons team of
1) Auterac, Boyce
2) McGuigan, Walker
3) Thomas, Hill,
4) Slater, Kitchener
5) Gaskell, Stooke
6) Ellis, Chisholm
7) Thacker, Conan
8) Simmonds, Morgan
9) Townsend,
10) Cips, Burns
11) Earle, Woodburn,
12) Devoto, Mallinder
13) Hill, Purdy
14) Addison, Lewington,
15) Haley, Marshall

and a U20 squad that includes the likes of Evans, Curry 1, Curry 2, Odogwu, Mercer, Shillcock, Malins, Maunder, Isiekwe, TBC, Coksa.

Who is Conan? I'm assuming you don't mean The Barbarian or Jack?

The depth is 100% there but when you consider that a chunk of those are currently injured (at least 5) and also factor in the U20 World Cup, there's no way the clubs would allow it.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Who is Conan? I'm assuming you don't mean The Barbarian or Jack?

The depth is 100% there but when you consider that a chunk of those are currently injured (at least 5) and also factor in the U20 World Cup, there's no way the clubs would allow it.

Meant Conlon auto correct changed it.

Also I did factor U20 hence why I didn't include any U20's.

Who are the ones injured?

 

[BPM]

Ah OK. I couldn't figure it out.

Injured players are Hepburn, Jones, Thomas, Walker and Addison.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ah OK. I couldn't figure it out.

Injured players are Hepburn, Jones, Thomas, Walker and Addison.

Okay replace them with Mullan, Thompson, Cooper-Wooley, Neild and Solomona

 

[BPM]

To be fair, you could probably make another competitive XV of players not mentioned there.

I'm all for the Saxons, but as I said before, I suspect our challenge would be the clubs and as Olyy said, finding suitable opposition.

With more tier 2 Nations such as Germany and Spain showing signs of improvement, I think the opposition is there, but I'm not sure the appetite is there from the RFU.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I don't think the clubs have a say in it, do they?
It's an international side playing in the international window.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I don't think the clubs have a say in it, do they?
It's an international side playing in the international window.

It's not in the club season anyway is it?

 

[Timbo]

And what would be the point of flogging a bunch of knackered players, most of whom won't get within a mile of international caps, against second rate opposition? Would we learn anything?