England 2022/23

[Geordie]

George Martin for England in the RWC

Definitely.

 

[Geordie]

4 Itoje
5 Ribbans (Martins off the bench)
6 Hill (Willis off Bench)
7 Curry
8 Mercer

Nice balance of size, physicality and skill/athleticism

 

[Jimbo]

I know Daly at FB hasn't been popular but I still maintain that a lot of his positives outweighed the negatives, at his best (which he was until recent injury) he is outstanding in attack not to mention his massive kicking range, FS has been shown up defensively also as recently as Randell last weekend, maybe FS and Daly interchanging things could work, Daly just offers more than Malins who again has defensively frailties, having Daly in the mix could also negate the need for real ball playing centres, either way the England backline with exception to a few flashes has looked rather lethargic and in need of some injection somewhere really think he could be the man to change that if others can fill weaker aspects of his game, all that said if the pack is getting dominated all over the shop it's difficult to do much but having players capable of creating things and switching the momentum can also be moral boosting and help encourage the pack, this is very much built on the back of trying to keep as many experienced players in the squad.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I still think that Borthwick's OG plan was to start Daly as a ball-playing winger but when he got injured he had to resort to Malins to fill that role.

 

[Geordie]

I would have Daly over Malins on the wing any day of the week.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

What do people think about Freddie Steward swapping positions with his winger every time he thinks there is going to be a box kick? When he catches the ball its great but at the moment the two of them are crossing over it leaves the defence vulnerable. Surely you have to trust the winger to catch the ball.

 

[Reiser99]

What do people think about Freddie Steward swapping positions with his winger every time he thinks there is going to be a box kick? When he catches the ball its great but at the moment the two of them are crossing over it leaves the defence vulnerable. Surely you have to trust the winger to catch the ball.

I reckon they do it more than you realise and Dupont catching them out once doesn't make it a huge issue. Yes they made a mistake, but that happens and he'll learn.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

I reckon they do it more than you realise and Dupont catching them out once doesn't make it a huge issue. Yes they made a mistake, but that happens and he'll learn.

I was at the Tigers game last night and Steward and Potter did it several times. I just find it odd.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

4 Itoje
5 Ribbans (Martins off the bench)
6 Hill (Willis off Bench)
7 Curry
8 Mercer

Nice balance of size, physicality and skill/athleticism

However much I like it we'd never win a World Cup with such inexperience. You can't have mercer and Hill together. If Mercer comes in (and I think he needs to) then you have to have a Lawes, Ludlum, underhill or Willis (someone with experience basically).

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

However much I like it we'd never win a World Cup with such inexperience. You can't have mercer and Hill together. If Mercer comes in (and I think he needs to) then you have to have a Lawes, Ludlum, underhill or Willis (someone with experience basically).

We're not gonna win the World Cup with any of those either though so **** it, build towards the future.

 

[Reiser99]

Btw, we talk about which performances are a good measure for international rugby. Well these European games are the games to watch who stands out.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

We're not gonna win the World Cup with any of those either though so **** it, build towards the future.

Lawes and Willis can be very good, Lawes bordered on wc at 6 and Willis is probably our best 7 closely with Curry. Ludlum is a standard international player and should be in the squad to cover injury but I guess he is only starting as we had quite a few.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

We made a RWC final with Underhill/Curry who were younger and less experienced than those - sure they had a few more international caps but not like Mercer's going to forget how to play rugby without Lawes there to hold his hand

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

We made a RWC final with Underhill/Curry who were younger and less experienced than those - sure they had a few more international caps but not like Mercer's going to forget how to play rugby without Lawes there to hold his hand

Well Smith and Ford both forgot how to play rugby without Farrell holding their hands.


In all seriousness, I mean you can't have a new 6, new 8, probably new 12, and possibly a new wing and 13 and expect to play a rounded game. I might be wrong but I think it's harder than you think to integrate 2 thirds of a back row and probably a lock in the next 5 games or so.

 

[BrokenWing]

I reckon they do it more than you realise and Dupont catching them out once doesn't make it a huge issue. Yes they made a mistake, but that happens and he'll learn.

It was mentioned before the six nations that he does it for Leicester quite a bit.
The best nine, if not player, in the world catching them out with a worldly kick off the wrong foot once isn't much of a problem imo.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Introducing 2 new back rowers into the current pack shouldn't be much of an issue IMO. In the tight 5 you have 3 2-time Lions tourists, Genge who has been involved in international rugby for 7 years now, and either Ribbans or Chessum, neither of whom are brand new, and both of whom seem fairly comfortable at the level. Add in 49-cap Curry into the back row and suddenly the pack as a whole has a good bit of experience, even if 6 and 8 are new.

That said, I wouldn't be bringing in Hill at 6. He's gone a bit quiet since his 6N snub. If we really want a big, bruising blindside then right now I'd opt for Martin who is in exceptional form. Sure he's playing lock at the moment but he's played 75% of his pro rugby at blindside; he won't have forgotten how to play there in the space of 4 months.

If not him then Pearson is also in better form than Hill and brings plenty of dynamism and ball-carrying ability.

Replacing Dombrandt is of significantly more importance than replacing Ludlam right now though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

In all seriousness, I mean you can't have a new 6, new 8, probably new 12, and possibly a new wing and 13 and expect to play a rounded game. I might be wrong but I think it's harder than you think to integrate 2 thirds of a back row and probably a lock in the next 5 games or so.

My counter to that would be that we look disjointed with what we've got at the moment

I'd keep Ludlam in the mix, absolutely, but I've basically written off this RWC and would just go balls to the wall on selections, no conservatism allowed (which is the antithesis of Borthwick's mantra though)

 

[Jimbo]

My counter to that would be that we look disjointed with what we've got at the moment

I'd keep Ludlam in the mix, absolutely, but I've basically written off this RWC and would just go balls to the wall on selections, no conservatism allowed (which is the antithesis of Borthwick's mantra though)

Couldn't agree more, we know what we have isn't anywhere near good enough why not start a rebuild pre World Cup instead of post, find it hard to see it get much worse than it did at home to France in the 6 nations.

 

[Geordie]

Introducing 2 new back rowers into the current pack shouldn't be much of an issue IMO. In the tight 5 you have 3 2-time Lions tourists, Genge who has been involved in international rugby for 7 years now, and either Ribbans or Chessum, neither of whom are brand new, and both of whom seem fairly comfortable at the level. Add in 49-cap Curry into the back row and suddenly the pack as a whole has a good bit of experience, even if 6 and 8 are new.

That said, I wouldn't be bringing in Hill at 6. He's gone a bit quiet since his 6N snub. If we really want a big, bruising blindside then right now I'd opt for Martin who is in exceptional form. Sure he's playing lock at the moment but he's played 75% of his pro rugby at blindside; he won't have forgotten how to play there in the space of 4 months.

If not him then Pearson is also in better form than Hill and brings plenty of dynamism and ball-carrying ability.

Replacing Dombrandt is of significantly more importance than replacing Ludlam right now though.

I think Pearson definitely needs to be looked at . He seems a blend of everything...skills, pace AND wins collisions.

Martin...yes hes played so much at 6 but I'd look to give him gametime in the engine room.

He's going to be there from now on and im sure lock at international level is a step up again from anything at prem level so give him some time in these warm ups to experience it. He might be our young Bakkies coming through.

As to Hill absolutely right he's not totally firing but a few summer squad meet ups would get him motivated very quickly and back to form.

I'd get Blamire in the squad aswell...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

As to Hill absolutely right he's not totally firing but a few summer squad meet ups would get him motivated very quickly and back to form.

I did have a look earlier after I made my post and saw that Hill was actually injured for a couple of months. Not sure how it went under my radar but my saying that he'd gone quiet since his snub was unfair; he went quiet because he wasn't playing.

That said, I do still think that both Martin and Pearson are in better form than Hill was pre-injury, but he still absolutely deserves to be part of the conversation.