England 2021/22

[TRF_Olyy]

What have Willis' injuries been? I know the last was the horrific one was by another player wasnt it? Is he injury prone like manu or just gets his head in bad places and gets hurt?

He's had borderline-career-ending injuries in both knees, now

So it's not the same as having a dodgy hammy, or whatever, but I can't imagine they're as strong as they were before the numerous surgeries etc. (I think Josh Beaumont had a very similar injury to Willis' most recent knee injury)

 

[Scotty]

He's had borderline-career-ending injuries in both knees, now

So it's not the same as having a dodgy hammy, or whatever, but I can't imagine they're as strong as they were before the numerous surgeries etc. (I think Josh Beaumont had a very similar injury to Willis' most recent knee injury)

Oh fair enough, still id have him in, he is a class player in pretty much every way as he tackles well, carries well and is great over the ball, him and curry together(dombrandt has his moment) will give the opposition hell at the breakdown and hopfully is a syep up in attacking rucks for fast ball(for youngs to slow down)

If he was counted as only a 7 he is the only player that i think would make Curry sweat about his starting spot( inc his brother).


Also TWillis cant be far off the convo. TWillis vs Dombrandt is interesting, id say Willis is more a all round 8 as a better carrier(into contact and getting stuck in) but Dombrandt has that xfactor and smart running lines and offload so id say its pretty close. Dombrandt wins because he has the shirt and there isnt time to change 2 thirds of the back row.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah I'd still take Jack regardless of injury history,

I'd also take Tom, not sure who drops out for him though - Simmonds was better than Dombrandt in the 6N but I feel like Dombrandt has the higher international ceiling/is more suited to the international game
EJ seems to like Simmonds more, though

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Dombrandt has always struck me as a quite smart player and one you could use to run more complex moves off in a way you couldn't with Billy for example. I think he has the most to gain from being part of a good team chemistry, especially with Smith at 10.

 

[BPM]

Yeah I'd still take Jack regardless of injury history,

I'd also take Tom, not sure who drops out for him though - Simmonds was better than Dombrandt in the 6N but I feel like Dombrandt has the higher international ceiling/is more suited to the international game
EJ seems to like Simmonds more, though

Not sure I agree TBH. Simmonds played a bit more but didn't really stand out. I thought Dombrandt looked more effective in the fairly limited game time he got.

Weird that Eddie now likes Simmonds considering he's having his least effective season in a while. Although on second thoughts, that's actually classic Eddie.

Barbeary seems to be preferred to Tom Willis at the moment. I think Barbeary has the potential to be a special player, but right now I feel like Willis is the better number 8 and it seems unfair that his development is being de-prioritised to see if Barbeary can live up to the hype.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Simmonds played a bit more but didn't really stand out.

Thought they were both poor, tbh, but Simmonds got more game time so it probably is just that standing out more in my memory
I don't remember Dombrandt looking very effective, but I have blocked out most of the tournament tbf

Wasn't exactly a 6N to stake your claim on the shirt, though - don't think anyone came out smelling of roses

 

[Geordie]

Dombrandt is getting a bit of stick because England's attack was dire...an area he is supposed to excel, but I actually thought he showed up well in the not so pretty stuff...and got some turnovers etc. If he can continue to work on that aspect of his game and then play his attacking game when England finally sort their attack out then he'll be a very good 8.

I prefer Tom Willis to Barbeary at the moment but we'll see how they both develop.

 

[BPM]

Yep. Exactly this. Dombrandt is underrated at the breakdown. He's a very decent jackal and has definitely upped his game away from the highlight reel stuff he was known for. His work rate is now very good.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Yep. Exactly this. Dombrandt is underrated at the breakdown. He's a very decent jackal and has definitely upped his game away from the highlight reel stuff he was known for. His work rate is now very good.

Dombrandt got more turnovers than any other back rower this 6N. Pretty mad stat considering how little game time he got.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yep. Exactly this. Dombrandt is underrated at the breakdown. He's a very decent jackal and has definitely upped his game away from the highlight reel stuff he was known for. His work rate is now very good.

Yes agreed, he's becoming a more complete player.

But for all the work rate his point of difference is his running lines and he can't pick those if he's buried at the bottom of a ruck. The team structure / selection has to allow him to do what got him picked in the first place. As ever there's a balance to be struck.

 

[BPM]

Of course. Although, I'd argue that the main reason for not selecting him previously was a perceived lack of appetite for dog work. He's very clearly worked on finding ways to still be influential when he's not getting his hands on the ball as much he might like which suggests his attitude and application are on point.

Ideally, we find a way to get the best out of him in attack, but while that is happening, there shouldn't be any reason not to select him because he's now doing the stuff he supposedly wasn't so good at.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Was sort thinking about England coaching and found myself wanting a coaching ticket of
Head: Farrell
Forwards: McFarland
Attack: Catt

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Was sort thinking about England coaching and found myself wanting a coaching ticket of
Head: Farrell
Forwards: McFarland
Attack: Catt

Has there ever been a case of a team bringing back in 2 of the coaching stuff they so unceremoniously kicked out previously?

 

[BPM]

The answer is probably no, but TBH I don't think anyone could have expected to survive going out of a home RWC at the group stage. Also 8yrs (post France) is a pretty long time.

McFarland is an interesting one. He's done well at Ulster, but I don't know if he can take them much further. They have the potential to win a URC ***le and get to the SFs in the European Cup, but I'm not sure they can actually go beyond that without the IRFU seriously backing them. He's also got some international experience with Scotland which would tick another of the RFU's boxes. If he's keen, I could see him being considered as part of a wider team for sure.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd forgotten McFarland was English

We're saying where are all the English coaches - the IRFU has snapped them all up!

 

[Which Tyler]

I do not want Farrell anywhere near the coaching set-up whilst his son is in contention.
Same goes for Mike Ford, or Stuart Lancaster, or anyone else.

I'd be delighted for Owen to announce his international retirement after RWC23, opening the door for Andy, however; thought that's harsher on Owen personally than I would like; the upsides of that "deal" would outweigh the downsides for me.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Stuart Lancaster

Dan Lancaster is not in contention in any world so that's really not an issue imo

 

[Which Tyler]

Dan Lancaster is not in contention in any world so that's really not an issue imo

Yet

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Yet

Meh, he's good but he's not so good that we should be putting coaches out of contention in the future

 

[Which Tyler]

I disagree, he could easily become a premiership regular, in which case, his father shouldn't be coaching England.

And, of course, he could just bloom with game time and be better than you or I anticipate; and be an actual contender, aged 20, we just don't know.