England 2022/23

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

But didn't shields play for England before his wasps contract start? Or maybe I'm remembering incorrectly.

On another note, why ever was shields drafted in then dropped like that. Stupid really.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

But didn't shields play for England before his wasps contract start? Or maybe I'm remembering incorrectly.

Yeah, good point - forgot he joined Wasps after the season started because Super Rugby runs later. Maybe there's a nod and a wink that say they can be called up from the summer series of the season that they move, or something


My guess is they'll call him up next summer, even if they could justify doing it early as he's already signed for Gloucester. They won't want to set a precedent of calling up players abroad who have signed for an English club for the following season, otherwise it could just open the door to guys doing something like signing for a Japanese side for a season but also signing a new contract at their current club for when they return (like the sabbaticals Aus/NZ players go on)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I mean he might get called up for the AI's got to remember England have zero rights to call him up for training whilst in France as we don't have a contract with them

 

[Crash Hamster]

What's peoples thoughts on Nowell?

He's clearly a very good rugby player and doesn't seem to have any major weaknesses. He'd be ideal if we had no absolute X factor wingers...

...but we do.

Watching Leicester at the weekend, the commentators rightly pointed out that Nadolo is defensively naive, turns like a battleship and has dodgy defensive positioning to start with... but what a strike runner.

England could call on OHC, Murley, Radwan, Lynagh, all of whom have different qualities but all of whom could score tries (probably at international level.) Nowell produced a neat draw of the last man and offload to a goal-hanging forward at the weekend, but I just don't see Nowell skinning another winger one on one to score a WC-winning try. The others I've mentioned? Yep.

Meanwhile, we sit and look at LRZ and wish we had someone similar. If only there was a way of developing such a talent at international level, eh Eddie?

 

[Geordie]

He's clearly a very good rugby player and doesn't seem to have any major weaknesses. He'd be ideal if we had no absolute X factor wingers...

...but we do.

Watching Leicester at the weekend, the commentators rightly pointed out that Nadolo is defensively naive, turns like a battleship and has dodgy defensive positioning to start with... but what a strike runner.

England could call on OHC, Murley, Radwan, Lynagh, all of whom have different qualities but all of whom could score tries (probably at international level.) Nowell produced a neat draw of the last man and offload to a goal-hanging forward at the weekend, but I just don't see Nowell skinning another winger one on one to score a WC-winning try. The others I've mentioned? Yep.

Meanwhile, we sit and look at LRZ and wish we had someone similar. If only there was a way of developing such a talent at international level, eh Eddie?

Couldnt have summed up my opinions better. Hes like another flanker these days...more like a 7. Hitting rucks tackling and hanging around the breakdown areas.

When he gets the ball in space i rarely actually think a try will come of it. And thats not how i should be thinking when a winger has the ball.

 

[Geordie]

I suppose Mercers position will depend on whether Billy V or Dombrandt can really establish themselves as set in stone first choice by the time Mercer is available.

I still think Dombrandt is the way forward...especially with say Jack Willis and Curry (and Earl backing those up) as the flank options. But Billy has leaned off and was in fine form last season.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Crazy Cole not been called up

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Mercer's an interesting case. Another one called up very young and then, according to what he's said previously, just discarded without any communication.

Hats off to him for going to France and making the most of it.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Crazy Cole not been called up

He let England down in the last world cup final.

 

[Scotty]

They won't want to set a precedent of calling up players abroad who have signed for an English club for the following season, otherwise it could just open the door to guys doing something like signing for a Japanese side for a season but also signing a new contract at their current club for when they return (like the sabbaticals Aus/NZ players go on)

honestly i disagree kind of. Dont want lads going away and expecting to play for England as they dont play in the prem but on the other hand say a player wants a year to experience other leagues (France, NZ, ect.) Then if they sign for 1 season and also resign following year with the same club they should be allowed to as long as the contract is signed.

It would aid players development whilst and potentially make them more valuable to the club the following season yet not hurt their chances.

Obv cant have players going away for a few years and expecting to play.

 

[BPM]

He let England down in the last world cup final.

Harsh. If we're going down that route, so did the other players on the pitch.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Harsh. If we're going down that route, so did the other players on the pitch.

Many of the other players did. Youngs passing in that final was awful. Both Vunipolas had poor games.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Many of the other players did. Youngs passing in that final was awful. Both Vunipolas had poor games.

To be fair I think Mako, Billy, Youngs should have 100% been dropped after the final and discarded until they sorted their issues. But Mako still can't scrum, Youngs is still soooooo slow and Billy does still go missing in games although he had an ok summer.

Cole though just isn't good enough for a modern international prop. He may be a good 3rd choice TH if we need a solid scrummager but he offers very little else compared to others.

 

[BPM]

I'm not advocating for Cole to be picked, just commenting on the slightly weird comment that 'he let England down'. He didn't expect to be on after 5mins and while he didn't play well, none of our players did on the day. Just odd to single him out.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Bit odd to blame Cole for the final seeing as nearly all our scrum penalties were due to vunipola still not being able to scrum after all these years. As soon as genge replaced him, we actually won a scrum penalty.

Cole is a pretty uninspiring tighthead outside the scrum but vunipola was the culprit behind the scrum penalties.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

I'm not advocating for Cole to be picked, just commenting on the slightly weird comment that 'he let England down'. He didn't expect to be on after 5mins and while he didn't play well, none of our players did on the day. Just odd to single him out.

Cole should have been expecting to come on at any minute of the game as all substitutes should. Furthermore Cole's main role was to solidify the scrum (he is not great in the loose) and giving penalties away at every scrum was the main reason England lost the game.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Bit odd to blame Cole for the final seeing as nearly all our scrum penalties were due to vunipola still not being able to scrum after all these years. As soon as genge replaced him, we actually won a scrum penalty.

Cole is a pretty uninspiring tighthead outside the scrum but vunipola was the culprit behind the scrum penalties.

I think you mean Marler not Genge. My memory is that it was the Beast up against Cole where all the penalties were being conceded, but I don't absolve Vunipola of all blame. He is a terrible scrummager and Eddie Jones was nuts to start him ahead of Marler.

 

[BPM]

Cole should have been expecting to come on at any minute of the game as all substitutes should. Furthermore Cole's main role was to solidify the scrum (he is not great in the loose) and giving penalties away at every scrum was the main reason England lost the game.

That might be true, but there's a reason that barely any props play for 75mins. The whole pack was dominated, to blame that mostly on Cole is harsh and not really accurate.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Whether Cole was responsible for England's loss or not (I don't think that he was), it was 3 years ago. He's playing some of the best rugby he's ever played at the moment, while he was playing some of his worst back in 2019. Players change, form changes, etc.

If a player is playing great rugby now I couldn't really care less what they were up to 3 years ago.