England 2023/24

[Geordie]

Forgot about Rodd aswell....

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

What about lauchbury? Worth a recall?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Apparently Itoje has turned down a move to France to sign a central contract and stay with Saracens
Jamie George also signed a central contract - the RFU is contributing £160k per player/salary. Will be very interested to see the salary cap implications of that - is it outside the cap?


Telegraph implying that Arundell turned down the central contract because he wasn't guaranteed to play (though you'd think that would be implied by being offered the contract?)

 

[Geordie]

How do the contracts work?
Is it a set period...a season ?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How do the contracts work?
Is it a set period...a season ?

In the telegraph they say:

It is understood that both players have been offered lump sum payment of around £160,000 per season by the RFU to bolster their club contracts with Saracens, after the pair became targets of clubs in France and Japan.

So guess it's the length of the contract - would be interested to know more details i.e. does club or country dictate length of contract/money, is it outside the cap etc.etc.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

The Telegraph also say Itoje is now the face of English rugby - is that a sign he might be made captain?

 

[Geordie]

The Telegraph also say Itoje is now the face of English rugby - is that a sign he might be made captain?

Well hes back up near his best...and from what ive seen hes stopped all that stupid jumping and shouting for anything...so it might be a good shout.

 

[Geordie]

With all the injuries, unavailables etc...if you have to pick a 23 / 24 right now today for the Italy game ...who would you pick?

 

[Which Tyler]

1 Marler
2 George
3 Stuart
4 Itoje
5 Martin
6 Earl
7 Underhill
8 Mercer / Barbeary*

09 Mitchell
10 MSmith
11 Murley
12 Ojomoh**
13 Lawrence
14 Freeman
15 Steward

16 Dan,17 Rodd,18 Schonert,19 Chesum, 20 Barbeary/Evans
21 Spencer, 22 Ford, 23 Slade/Radwan


* ZM is back in full training, too soon if selecting for this weekend, fine for the 6N, assuming form from pre-injury
** Ojomoh wouldn't be my first choice 12 (pity Kelly's form has dropped off), but he's close enough that I think the club partnership bumps him up unless/until someone actually grabs the shirt. If we're playing an out-of-position 12, then I still like the look of pairing Slade and Lawrence, to play as numberless centres.
If we insist on playing a centre in the wrong berth, than pair Slade with Lawrence, and let them chop and change as they see fit.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

1 Marler
2 George
3 Stuart
4 Itoje
5 Martin
6 Earl
7 Underhill
8 Mercer / Barbeary*

09 Mitchell
10 MSmith
11 Murley
12 Ojomoh**
13 Lawrence
14 Freeman
15 Steward

16 Dan,17 Rodd,18 Schonert,19 Chesum, 20 Barbeary/Evans
21 Spencer, 22 Ford, 23 Slade/Radwan


* ZM is back in full training, too soon if selecting for this weekend, fine for the 6N, assuming form from pre-injury
** Ojomoh wouldn't be my first choice 12 (pity Kelly's form has dropped off), but he's close enough that I think the club partnership bumps him up unless/until someone actually grabs the shirt. If we're playing an out-of-position 12, then I still like the look of pairing Slade and Lawrence, to play as numberless centres.
If we insist on playing a centre in the wrong berth, than pair Slade with Lawrence, and let them chop and change as they see fit.

Will be surprised if Slade appears for England again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

* ZM is back in full training

Starting for Gloucester this weekend too - feels a bit risky, especially against Clermont, but hopefully hits the ground running and is fully 100% fit and doesn't have a recurrence

 

[Which Tyler]

Starting for Gloucester this weekend too - feels a bit risky, especially against Clermont, but hopefully hits the ground running and is fully 100% fit and doesn't have a recurrence

Have to say, I'm surprised by that.
Glos aren't going too far in this competition, I'd have thought they'd bench him this weekend, to get back into the groove and start next week instead.

 

[stus768]

Apparently Itoje has turned down a move to France to sign a central contract and stay with Saracens
Jamie George also signed a central contract - the RFU is contributing £160k per player/salary. Will be very interested to see the salary cap implications of that - is it outside the cap?


Telegraph implying that Arundell turned down the central contract because he wasn't guaranteed to play (though you'd think that would be implied by being offered the contract?)

Latest update from the Times

'George, the 33-year-old hooker, is the third player the RFU has targeted in the new system. As part of the new Professional Game Partnership between Twickenham and the clubs, the RFU will pay a guaranteed sum of £150,000 a year to about 25 top England players instead of match fees to those who play Tests. With image rights payments, those topped out at £23,000 a game.'

Still doesn't go into detail about what happens if your not one of the 25, assume it's just match payments. Its also a decent drop in England payments if you were expecting to play every test that year, benefit is obviously guaranteed income.

 

[Which Tyler]

IIRC the talk was of enlarged EPS (40? 45?) with 25 on hybrid contracts. Presumption is that the rest of the EPS are on the previous scheme (or more likely, a slight improvement on the previous scheme for non-playing EPS members).

Of course, everything we have so far is leaks and supposition, nothing at all is actually "known" yet.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

What's with all the central contract drip feeding?

Are some players still in the dark as to whether they'll be offered etc?

Ridiculous.

 

[Which Tyler]

What's with all the central contract drip feeding?

Are some players still in the dark as to whether they'll be offered etc?

There's been no feeding - it's all leak and supposition.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

There's been no feeding - it's all leak and supposition.

Some pretty reliable, grown up newspapers are reporting as fact so I'd take it there's some substance there, especially in the era of leaked teams being accurate post Jones. Some of the detail may not be 100% but I'd be surprised if the general thrust was wrong.

Less of an issue if "Arundell, Itoje and George were among 20 players…." but I've not seen anything like that, just those individuals name checked.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Will be surprised if Slade appears for England again.

Same, he's been playing well but at the moment it must surely be Lawrence at 13. He's stood out in every game he has played and it like, dare I say it, Manu prime but better. Slightly less up front power but runs great lines, has a decent pass and kick and general game awareness seems good. Also I can't recall him getting caught out in defence like he used to.

Usual question we have had ever since 2003, who goes at 12.

 

[Geordie]

Same, he's been playing well but at the moment it must surely be Lawrence at 13. He's stood out in every game he has played and it like, dare I say it, Manu prime but better. Slightly less up front power but runs great lines, has a decent pass and kick and general game awareness seems good. Also I can't recall him getting caught out in defence like he used to.

Usual question we have had ever since 2003, who goes at 12.

Seb Atkinson v Ojomoh

 

[BPM]

I'm coming round to the idea of Ojomoh as he gets more game time. He's dovetailing well with Russell which suggests to me he might go well alongside Smith or Ford.