England 2021/22

[Vieux Talonneur]

I've just seen the Arundell try v Toulon. Stuff ethics, sign him up!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'm not in favour of capping players off the back of first season performance but I also don't want Jones ******* about playing stupid games and making him think he has no chance of England caps. Bring him into the training squad, play him in an uncapped game and make it abundantly clear he is a strong contender if he continues to put in good performances. If he goes off to another country because Jones convinces him he is **** and won't be getting a look in for England, I'll lose my ****.

 

[BPM]

I've just seen the Arundell try v Toulon. Stuff ethics, sign him up!

There isn't an ethical issue here for us though. He's born and raised in England to English parents and his entire rugby education has been with LI and the England age grades.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I'm not in favour of capping players off the back of first season performance but I also don't want Jones ******* about playing stupid games and making him think he has no chance of England caps. Bring him into the training squad, play him in an uncapped game and make it abundantly clear he is a strong contender if he continues to put in good performances. If he goes off to another country because Jones convinces him he is **** and won't be getting a look in for England, I'll lose my ****.

100% this.

He's obviously fantastic when the sun's out and there's a broken field, but we don't yet know what he's like on a wet Tuesday at Stoke.

Incredibly early days but it would be daft not to show some interest. Not a fan of apprentices generally, but something along those lines might be appropriate here.

 

[BPM]

I hear what you're saying but other than May or Watson, who else has really demanded selection? Arundell just looks like he has game-breaking talent which I'm not sure we can say about the other options right now.

Here's my take:

Daly - no thanks.

Malins - mixed bag. At times he's looked good on the wing but had a poor 6N. Not helped by the fact he's not really a winger.

Cokanasiga - seems to be tentatively feeling his way back after injury and life challenges. Playing a bit part role in a very poor Bath side isn't helping his cause.

Radwan - bags of talent but suffering from a dip in form and playing in a poor side.

Hassell-Collins - arguably the form pick. Has some great attributes, but still a fair bit to work on in terms of game sense. He often keeps the ball when he should pass etc.

Murley - another form pick who is scoring plenty of tries as well as looking very solid in defence (he often comes up with critical turnovers for example). Massive work rate and wouldn't let anyone down, but doesn't have top end gas.

Thorley - still a good player but not scoring tries or coming up with the big moments he was a couple of seasons ago. I'm a fan, but hard to justify picking him right now.

Arundell - electric going forward. Probably not enough evidence on the defensive aspects of his game yet.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I'm hoping Murley can turn out to be Nowell without the injuries.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

There isn't an ethical issue here for us though. He's born and raised in England to English parents and his entire rugby education has been with LI and the England age grades.

With that background chances are he may well opt for Eng making this all moot.

But there still is an ethical angle for us.

We know he has these choices. If we cap him prematurely to keep him out of the clutches of others, he is entering a system that has player numbers and conveyor belts of talent the others simply don't have. If it doesn't work out - and the world is full of young shooting stars who didn't cut it - we shrug our shoulders and wait for the next one. He is left with maybe regrets and bitterness at our actions. I'm not saying he can't / shouldn't make it with Eng just that the odds of making it elsewhere are probably better and he has to weigh up all these factors, no matter how 'English' he instinctively feels.

If we think he's the best in his position currently available to us that's another matter. With so few games under his belt we can't really say that though.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I hear what you're saying but other than May or Watson, who else has really demanded selection? Arundell just looks like he has game-breaking talent which I'm not sure we can say about the other options right now.

Here's my take:

Daly - no thanks.

Malins - mixed bag. At times he's looked good on the wing but had a poor 6N. Not helped by the fact he's not really a winger.

Cokanasiga - seems to be tentatively feeling his way back after injury and life challenges. Playing a bit part role in a very poor Bath side isn't helping his cause.

Radwan - bags of talent but suffering from a dip in form and playing in a poor side.

Hassell-Collins - arguably the form pick. Has some great attributes, but still a fair bit to work on in terms of game sense. He often keeps the ball when he should pass etc.

Murley - another form pick who is scoring plenty of tries as well as looking very solid in defence (he often comes up with critical turnovers for example). Massive work rate and wouldn't let anyone down, but doesn't have top end gas.

Thorley - still a good player but not scoring tries or coming up with the big moments he was a couple of seasons ago. I'm a fan, but hard to justify picking him right now.

Arundell - electric going forward. Probably not enough evidence on the defensive aspects of his game yet.

Not a position of real strength but there's a lot of love for Murley while Radwan, OHC and Lynagh are all unproven but have been in or around the squad. Marchant could do a job although I prefer him at 13. And whatever you think of Daly, he's still been a test Lion on the wing. And then there's a pair of proven internationals in Watson and May to be back in consideration.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't think any of Nowell, May or Watson will be fit to tour, so should open the door for someone else
(or 11. Daly, 14, Malins, 15, Steward, 23. Marchant - which feels pretty likely tbh)


Barbarians side could (hopefully) be pretty audacious though - same weekend as the Prem final so imagine no one from the top 4 will be available so plenty of spots available (especially as they usually use a lot of fringe players for this game anyway)

 

[Reiser99]

Lots of discussion around selection, but for me the issue is coaching and tactics. Selections almost seem irrelevant at this point.

 

[Geordie]

Meh so he skipped passed a few tired players, a second row and a prop....

But what's his defence like...

 

[Scotty]

Meh so he skipped passed a few tired players, a second row and a prop....

But what's his defence like...

No idea what his defence is like and thats very important, as is his high ball defence. But damn it our wingers in the 6n couldnt skip past a second row or a prop!!!

 

[BrokenWing]

Lynagh has a much much worse haircut though, so there's only really one winner

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

View attachment 13917

Dwayne Dibley

 

[Lé Ddanno]

View attachment 13917

Is that one of those Bleaky Pineders off the telly?

 

[Scotty]

When is the summer tour squad announced?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

When is the summer tour squad announced?

I know there's a training camp from 22-25 May, but not a clue about the squad. Still. Probably after the camp, innit

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Any Prem clubs looking for locks wouldn't do badly with trying to pick up Kopku, another player that got massively hyped up way to soon but starting to show his promise.

 

[Scotty]

Any Prem clubs looking for locks wouldn't do badly with trying to pick up Kopku, another player that got massively hyped up way to soon but starting to show his promise.

I think he'll be straight back to Sarries

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I think he'll be straight back to Sarries

Really?
I don't, Honestly I could see someone like Exeter getting him.