England 2022/23

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Luke Cowan-Dickie: Exeter & England hooker to miss at least start of Six Nations

Exeter and England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie will miss at least the start of the Six Nations with a "serious" ankle injury.

www.bbc.co.uk

Will be a big loss for England but it does give Borthwick the chance to have a good look at a third hooker option.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Can imagine Sarries letting Billy go. He's past his prime and Tom would be a great long term signing. Billy seems to get tackled so easily even in the premiership these days. If only he could find and keep his mojo.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

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Will be a big loss for England but it does give Borthwick the chance to have a good look at a third hooker option.

Yep. One door closes, another opens and all that. Hopefully whoever the no3 is takes their chance.

Can imagine Sarries letting Billy go. He's past his prime and Tom would be a great long term signing. Billy seems to get tackled so easily even in the premiership these days. If only he could find and keep his mojo.

Yep. Jones got something right when he dropped him. Less said about changing his mind the better. T Willis to Sarries would be a great move….rapidly followed by his brother?

 

[LIONSxv]

Can imagine Sarries letting Billy go. He's past his prime and Tom would be a great long term signing. Billy seems to get tackled so easily even in the premiership these days. If only he could find and keep his mojo.

He just seems so half hearted. I wonder if all those arm breaks has affected his confidence to carry. Just seems to flop into contact.
I'd sooner have a lighter man with venom in his carries

 

[Scotty]

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Yep. One door closes, another opens and all that. Hopefully whoever the no3 is takes their chance.


Yep. Jones got something right when he dropped him. Less said about changing his mind the better. T Willis to Sarries would be a great move….rapidly followed by his brother?

TWillis Followed by JWillis would be amazing for Sarries, not the rest of the prem

Itoje Tizard
JWillis TWillis Earl(Just England players)

And that would just be for Sarries never mind England.

Then for England also have JHill Ribban Coles THill TCurry Dombrant Simmonds Billy, Mercer. And likely a few ive missed. We sre not weak in the back 5.

Its a hard task for Borthwick, for every good player picked....theres a good player missed out.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Former England and Lions back David Duckham dies aged 76

Former England great David Duckham has died aged 76, his former club Coventry have announced

www.theguardian.com

He played way before I started following rugby but have heard of him. RIP.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Farrell's verdict is taking it's sweet time, apparently the hearing was at 6:30pm

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Former England and Lions back David Duckham dies aged 76

Former England great David Duckham has died aged 76, his former club Coventry have announced

www.theguardian.com

He played way before I started following rugby but have heard of him. RIP.

Even a bit before my time, but very aware of him. Extravagantly gifted in an era when English backs spent most of their time with their hands in their pockets. MoM in 'that' 1973 Baa Baas v ABs game.

36 caps was a lot in that era when less was more in the international game. Looks like only 5 were outside the then 5N. No RWC, no AIs, no summer tours.

Played in 3 of the tests in the successful 71 Lions tour. Quite a CV.

Worth checking out on YouTube for a bit of nostalgia.

RIP.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

i see it looks like Tom Willis will be coming back to join Saracens. Great move for him.

Press seeming to be taking it as read that he'll be called up. Do we look at him purely as an 8 or is he also a genuine 6 option?

Pearson also getting a lot of good press. Probably still wouldn't recognise him if he crossed the road in front of me but he's a big old unit for a 7. Borthwick will probably be looking at his back row options in the same way I look at mushrooms in Sainsbury's - head scratching bewilderment at too much choice.

 

[Geordie]

Press seeming to be taking it as read that he'll be called up. Do we look at him purely as an 8 or is he also a genuine 6 option?

Pearson also getting a lot of good press. Probably still wouldn't recognise him if he crossed the road in front of me but he's a big old unit for a 7. Borthwick will probably be looking at his back row options in the same way I look at mushrooms in Sainsbury's - head scratching bewilderment at too much choice.

i would say Tom is predominantly an 8...but who can cover 6 if required.

Back row is an incredibly competitive area now. If only locks were the same.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

i would say Tom is predominantly an 8...but who can cover 6 if required.

Back row is an incredibly competitive area now. If only locks were the same.

Pre RWC:

It's Itoje and AN Other. For a short period through to the RWC I could sacrifice some of my principles and move Lawes back to the row. He should be involved somewhere, but our back row options are now such that I'd rather see an out and out flanker at 6. Probably won't happen though and we'll be stuck with Hill although Ribbans may make a late run.

Itoje needs to rediscover form though.

Post RWC:

We can assume Lawes will retire.

Itoje will be 29 and it's very easy to see him going for the big cash for a couple of years.

Isiekwe and Chessum looks like a dream longer term ticket to me, but we definitely need more depth.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Press seeming to be taking it as read that he'll be called up. Do we look at him purely as an 8 or is he also a genuine 6 option?

Genuine option, while 8 is his first choice position he was playing 6 when in the same backrow as Barbeary

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I don't know why he would play 6 though when we have plenty of genuinely top drawer flanker options while our 8 stocks are comparatively quite barren.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

8 weeks (is that mid-point entry?), halved for saying sorry, knock a week off for going to The School For Players Who Can't Tackle Good, he gets three weeks off and is back for the 6N opener

Called it, lol

4 weeks -1 for tackle school so he's free for the 6N

 

[ncurd]

Called it, lol

4 weeks -1 for tackle school so he's free for the 6N

The Maths was slightly wrong but well on getting the reasoning right to the correct number.

6 weeks, 2 weeks off for being a nice boy in the hearing despite him think he went for the chest (he miss by lots) and 1 week for leaving something he should of done as a school boy and no coach has stopped him since turning pro.

Its utter horseshit dunno how it not top end if I'm honest the player not being injured isn't a decent excuse.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tom Curry off with a hamstring strain,

Out 4-6 weeks, possibly back for the Wales game

Earl at 7?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Out 4-6 weeks, possibly back for the Wales game

Earl at 7?

Similar to LCD; Curry will be a big loss but I'm glad that this gives us a chance to look at some other options. Earl is very deserving of an opportunity to start.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Called it, lol

4 weeks -1 for tackle school so he's free for the 6N

Shouldn't tackle school be like speed awareness courses with a minimum of 3 years in between? Not that I'd know anything about that first hand, obviously.

And why should exemplary conduct during the hearing mitigate the ban? Surely the only potential impact should be an extension for crap conduct? Feel a bit the same way about early admission TBH - doesn't really soften the impact on the opponent's head.

Guess what I'm saying is that the ban should just be a straight reflection of the severity of the on field action. Any other factors, including education, should be peripheral / additional, not an offset.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Similar to LCD; Curry will be a big loss but I'm glad that this gives us a chance to look at some other options. Earl is very deserving of an opportunity to start.

Earl would be interesting. Is J Willis fit again?

Possibility of Curry for Curry?

 

[Welsh Exile]

What's your guys injury list looking like other than LCD. Any others ruled out for the entire 6N or are lot of your injuries like Curry where they're looking to come back mid tournament?