England 2022/23

[TRF_Olyy]

Possibility of Curry for Curry?

plz
Ben is playing fantastically well atm

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?

Will Stuart the only other long term one I can think of off of the top of my head,
Jack Singleton is out for the season, and was third choice hooker under EJ, so he might come under that ***le too

There's a few with question marks over them atm. Not an exhaustive list, but off the top of my head:
Marcus Smith (due back before 6N but with long term injuries that can easily change)
George Ford (as above)
Tom Curry (4-6 weeks)
Jack Willis (no idea - not played for Toulouse for a number of weeks after pulling out with injury before the 2nd round of Europe)
Anthony Watson (went off injured for Tigers - not looked into the what/why of it)

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/5b/5b570681-bfa8-4f40-8e14-602c8c7db25c/FarrellSaracensJudgmentJan23(final).pdf

You've got to laugh at "Effect on match: None".

Must just be there to wind up Gloucester supporters.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Marcus Smith (due back before 6N but with long term injuries that can easily change)

Potentially this weekend apparently

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

plz
Ben is playing fantastically well atm


Will Stuart the only other long term one I can think of off of the top of my head,
Jack Singleton is out for the season, and was third choice hooker under EJ, so he might come under that ***le too

There's a few with question marks over them atm. Not an exhaustive list, but off the top of my head:
Marcus Smith (due back before 6N but with long term injuries that can easily change)
George Ford (as above)
Tom Curry (4-6 weeks)
Jack Willis (no idea - not played for Toulouse for a number of weeks after pulling out with injury before the 2nd round of Europe)
Anthony Watson (went off injured for Tigers - not looked into the what/why of it)

Seems amazing not to have mentioned Manu.
Going to be interesting to see whether Borthwick has quite the same degree of fascination that Jones did.

Lawes also about to return from latest injury.

For the returnees being gym fit / eased back into club action is very different from being battle hardened and in form for international duty though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Going to be interesting to see whether Borthwick has quite the same degree of fascination that Jones did.

I would be genuinely shocked if Manu isn't our first choice 12 in the 6N,
I expect Kelly to be in the EPS, and maybe a Smith/Farrell combo at some point, but regardless of performances Manu has an Aura™ - and to be fair to him he's in good form atm, probably the best since he joined us tbh
If he carries that through the European rounds he might actually be there on merit not name

 

[HamJan]

plz
Ben is playing fantastically well atm


Will Stuart the only other long term one I can think of off of the top of my head,
Jack Singleton is out for the season, and was third choice hooker under EJ, so he might come under that ***le too

There's a few with question marks over them atm. Not an exhaustive list, but off the top of my head:
Marcus Smith (due back before 6N but with long term injuries that can easily change)
George Ford (as above)
Tom Curry (4-6 weeks)
Jack Willis (no idea - not played for Toulouse for a number of weeks after pulling out with injury before the 2nd round of Europe)
Anthony Watson (went off injured for Tigers - not looked into the what/why of it)

I hate to bring a downer on your post but you forgot Ewels

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I would be genuinely shocked if Manu isn't our first choice 12 in the 6N,
I expect Kelly to be in the EPS, and maybe a Smith/Farrell combo at some point, but regardless of performances Manu has an Aura™ - and to be fair to him he's in good form atm, probably the best since he joined us tbh
If he carries that through the European rounds he might actually be there on merit not name

To a degree it will also depend on who Borthwick likes at 13. If he likes Slade then Manu at 12 works just fine. If he likes Lawrence then I'd expect Kelly to get the nod.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I hate to bring a downer on your post but you forgot Ewels

Ewels is a proper lineout nause as well isn't he? Borthwick's gonna love him.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I would be genuinely shocked if Manu isn't our first choice 12 in the 6N,
I expect Kelly to be in the EPS, and maybe a Smith/Farrell combo at some point, but regardless of performances Manu has an Aura™ - and to be fair to him he's in good form atm, probably the best since he joined us tbh
If he carries that through the European rounds he might actually be there on merit not name

Just felt I needed to emphasise how big that if is. It would be bigger if the text size allowed.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

On backrow options, I wonder if Pearson could be seen as an 8 option in the (near) future. As others have said, he doesn't really seem particularly well suited to 7. He's 6'3, 114kg and I'd say that his real strengths are in his carrying and ball handling rather than his breakdown ability (which he's fine at, but it's not exactly his USP).

At 7 I can never really see him challenging the likes of the Currys, Earl or J. Willis but at 8 I could definitely see him putting pressure on and potentially overtaking the likes of T. Willis and Dombrandt.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

On backrow options, I wonder if Pearson could be seen as an 8 option in the (near) future. As others have said, he doesn't really seem particularly well suited to 7. He's 6'3, 114kg and I'd say that his real strengths are in his carrying and ball handling rather than his breakdown ability (which he's fine at, but it's not exactly his USP).

At 7 I can never really see him challenging the likes of the Currys, Earl or J. Willis but at 8 I could definitely see him putting pressure on and potentially overtaking the likes of T. Willis and Dombrandt.

I've always thought he looked like he'd end up as a great 6 - it's just that the England national team have an obsession (and I'm blaming Tom Croft) with having 6ft6 lineout specialists at blindside, it's only really the Underhill/Curry combo that broke that spell for a period
Hopefully with us moving away from Binny at 8 it will also move us away from that as Binny literally is not a lineout option, whereas every other 8 we've got is at least an option, however far down the pecking order that is

 

[Geordie]

Theres a better English 8 whos on fire at the moment and physical as they come ....step forward Carl fearns.

Ah i jest...

i think 8 is actually wide open for some one to nail that spot. Maybe Mercer when he returns...but till then...who knows.

I often wondered if Ted Hill could move to 8...and make that spot his own. A 6'5 lineout man, hard carrying hard tackling 8 with leadership ability.
Then you can put more speed etc at your flanks.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think Dimes wanted to move Hill to 8 full time didn't he?

I'm not a huge fan of the idea to be honest. He has all of the physical attributes for it but I don't think his ball handling is quite up to scratch. His real selling point is just his raw physicality, both with ball in hand and in defence. To me, that screams blindside all day long.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I've always thought he looked like he'd end up as a great 6 - it's just that the England national team have an obsession (and I'm blaming Tom Croft) with having 6ft6 lineout specialists at blindside, it's only really the Underhill/Curry combo that broke that spell for a period
Hopefully with us moving away from Binny at 8 it will also move us away from that as Binny literally is not a lineout option, whereas every other 8 we've got is at least an option, however far down the pecking order that is

Not really a England thing is it though.
Most international teams have a 6ft 4 or over 6 now

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Not really a England thing is it though.
Most international teams have a 6ft 4 or over 6 now

Most teams have a blindside over 6'4 but PSDT is the only one I can think of besides Lawes who gets regular game time at 6'7. I'd say ideally you want a 6 to be between 6'3 and 6'5. Shorter than that and they'll probably lack some physicality and lineout ability. Any taller and they'll probably lack some breakdown ability. (Obviously that's a huge generalisation and there are plenty of excellent 6s both past and present who fall outside of that mould. But as a rule of thumb, 6'3-6'5 is what I'd look for).

 

[LIONSxv]

Most teams have a blindside over 6'4 but PSDT is the only one I can think of besides Lawes who gets regular game time at 6'7. I'd say ideally you want a 6 to be between 6'3 and 6'5. Shorter than that and they'll probably lack some physicality and lineout ability. Any taller and they'll probably lack some breakdown ability. (Obviously that's a huge generalisation and there are plenty of excellent 6s both past and present who fall outside of that mould. But as a rule of thumb, 6'3-6'5 is what I'd look for).

Jack Willis Or Hill for me. Willis has better breakdown and arrying. Hill has better defence and lineout

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Jack Willis Or Hill for me. Willis has better breakdown and arrying. Hill has better defence and lineout

Not sure if I agree on Willis having better carrying. I know that Willis' carrying tends to be a bit underrated but Hill is a monster.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

plz
Ben is playing fantastically well atm


Will Stuart the only other long term one I can think of off of the top of my head,
Jack Singleton is out for the season, and was third choice hooker under EJ, so he might come under that ***le too

There's a few with question marks over them atm. Not an exhaustive list, but off the top of my head:
Marcus Smith (due back before 6N but with long term injuries that can easily change)
George Ford (as above)
Tom Curry (4-6 weeks)
Jack Willis (no idea - not played for Toulouse for a number of weeks after pulling out with injury before the 2nd round of Europe)
Anthony Watson (went off injured for Tigers - not looked into the what/why of it)

Saviour omissions:

Current: Arundell

Former: Barbeary

Not sure on timescales, but I think both out longer than originally anticipated.

Doubt Barbeary would have featured but likelihood a fit Arundell would.

 

[Geordie]

Not sure if I agree on Willis having better carrying. I know that Willis' carrying tends to be a bit underrated but Hill is a monster.

i think Jack Willis has a much better carrying ability than hes given credit for...which is why i consider him more than just an out and out 7 jackler. However...i think Ted Hill is in a different league in that regards. Ted might not be as mobile as Lawes or as skilled at the breakdown as Willis etc...but what he brings (as mentioned above ) is sheer physical power with and without the ball.

And that is vital still today in rugby, and why i really want to see him at 6 for this 6n.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

England players told RFU chief that sacking Eddie Jones was ‘right decision’

The Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney has claimed that England players told him they felt it was the ‘right decision’ to sack Eddie Jones

www.theguardian.com