England 2023/24

[Which Tyler]

Necrophilia is the one that should give you trepidation.
...mancy is just the magic of the thing

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Necrophilia is the one that should give you trepidation.
...mancy is just the magic of the thing

I knew the first, which was why I was worried about the second!

 

[Geordie]

Know nothing about him, but someone is better than no one so good to get someone in in good time before the AIs so they can plan

Snap....seemingly an athlete in his youth, and some history with Leinster which will only be in a trainee capacity I would imagine and then with Gloucester.

Not who I expected but he must know his stuff. Let's see how he goes. I guess he's replacing TT rather than Walters.

 

[Geordie]

"Tobin, 40 joins the England men's set-up in October from the Cherry and Whites where he worked as head of performance for the last eight years. Prior to his time at Kingsholm, Tobin spent a decade as a strength and conditioning coach at Leinster Rugby, and several years at the Dublin GAA Senior Football Team."

Oh I was wrong...clearly very experienced.

 

[Geordie]

I see Toulon have bought out Mercers contract so he'll play this season then head back to France....so he's defo not playing for England again. Bet he regrets coming back.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

"Tobin, 40 joins the England men's set-up in October from the Cherry and Whites where he worked as head of performance for the last eight years. Prior to his time at Kingsholm, Tobin spent a decade as a strength and conditioning coach at Leinster Rugby, and several years at the Dublin GAA Senior Football Team."

Oh I was wrong...clearly very experienced.

Gather he's seen as a replacement for Tombleson not Walters, so a gap filled but not the more senior role.

 

[Geordie]

Gather he's seen as a replacement for Tombleson not Walters, so a gap filled but not the more senior role.

Yeah it looks like that, so still looking for the S&C Lead.

 

[Geordie]

Gather he's seen as a replacement for Tombleson not Walters, so a gap filled but not the more senior role.

Actually, reading the reports, it does look like hes replacing Walters as the lead S&C coach, so they'll be looking for Tomblesons replacement still.

And a defence coach....unless SInfield reverts to that..

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Actually, reading the reports, it does look like hes replacing Walters as the lead S&C coach, so they'll be looking for Tomblesons replacement still.

And a defence coach....unless SInfield reverts to that..

OK, Times reckoned he was coming in for Tombleson but I guess we'll have to wait and see. The press release didn't mention words like lead or head though, just talking about a S&C coach.

We might be a bit confused, but hopefully Tobin himself will have clarity on his role unlike Jones and not develop sudden homesickness for Ireland like Walters.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Didn't realise how many English players lancaster has at racing

In Racings lost last night they had
Junior Kpoku started at 6
Owen Farrell at 10
Henry Arundell at 11
Sam James at 12
Dan Lancaster at 22

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Didn't realise how many English players lancaster has at racing

In Racings lost last night they had
Junior Kpoku started at 6
Owen Farrell at 10
Henry Arundell at 11
Sam James at 12
Dan Lancaster at 22

And Will Rowlands

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

And not a decent FH in his match day 23.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Sad to read the recent press around Ben Cohen and his financial and other difficulties.

Not all the boys of 03 have had it easy. Thompson with the concussion. Vickery concussion and bankruptcy while Dallaglio had a bankruptcy petition over a £700k tax bill.

In any walk of life some people are good with money while others aren't. But you can understand current players wanting to make financial hay while the sun shines.

 

[BPM]

Anyone ready for another race to the bottom?

It looks like Gatland is sniffing around Zack Wimbush very unhelpfully: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/warren-gatland-racing-to-recruit-exeters-zack-wimbush-for-wales/

Another one of those situations were a player is pressured into making decisions before they're even ready for test rugby …

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Anyone ready for another race to the bottom?

It looks like Gatland is sniffing around Zack Wimbush very unhelpfully: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/warren-gatland-racing-to-recruit-exeters-zack-wimbush-for-wales/

Another one of those situations were a player is pressured into making decisions before they're even ready for test rugby …

Every time I see his weight reported on it goes up by another stone. That article has him at 118kg! There's no way he's anywhere near that weight; seems like people are just making a fun game out of sensationalising his size.

 

[West Country Wail]

Don't do it Zak!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Anyone ready for another race to the bottom?

It looks like Gatland is sniffing around Zack Wimbush very unhelpfully: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/warren-gatland-racing-to-recruit-exeters-zack-wimbush-for-wales/

Another one of those situations were a player is pressured into making decisions before they're even ready for test rugby …

Yeah, hate that

Can't imagine playing for Wales, considering how much of a mess the WRU are atm, and being forced to move to a region are that enticing though - you'd hope he'd at least stick out a couple of seasons of senior rugby and see what England are saying before jumping ship

 

[Scotty]

Anyone ready for another race to the bottom?

It looks like Gatland is sniffing around Zack Wimbush very unhelpfully: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/warren-gatland-racing-to-recruit-exeters-zack-wimbush-for-wales/

Another one of those situations were a player is pressured into making decisions before they're even ready for test rugby …

How can Hawkins not play for Wales and Wimbush is free too, I get the rules but it doesn't make alot of sense.

And after a while if Wimbush doesn't have enough caps he will have to leave Chiefs right?

 

[Scotty]

Anyone ready for another race to the bottom?

It looks like Gatland is sniffing around Zack Wimbush very unhelpfully: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/warren-gatland-racing-to-recruit-exeters-zack-wimbush-for-wales/

Another one of those situations were a player is pressured into making decisions before they're even ready for test rugby …

"Players also have to be careful that they do not make a decision that they end up regretting and prevent them from exploring other opportunities," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "Once a player is capped, they are tied to that country. But, as we have seen before, some do not feature again for long periods of time."


Doesnt the above apply to Wales too? He has 2 English parents and 1 Welsh grandparents right? And grew up in England so surely he wants to play for England. I

Is Wimbush even good enough for international rugby? I worry about his defence at 13 and whilst he is a good player he really isn't anywhere near international standard, not even proven at prem standard really and then at least IFW had a season where he was a standout player earning him a shot and interest of coaches.

 

[BPM]

"Players also have to be careful that they do not make a decision that they end up regretting and prevent them from exploring other opportunities," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "Once a player is capped, they are tied to that country. But, as we have seen before, some do not feature again for long periods of time."


Doesnt the above apply to Wales too? He has 2 English parents and 1 Welsh grandparents right? And grew up in England so surely he wants to play for England. I

Is Wimbush even good enough for international rugby? I worry about his defence at 13 and whilst he is a good player he really isn't anywhere near international standard, not even proven at prem standard really and then at least IFW had a season where he was a standout player earning him a shot and interest of coaches.

This is the bigger point for me. With some players it's very obvious that they'll be future test players but Wimbush isn't in that category. He's a promising player who is big and fast but as you say, currently unproven at Premiership level let alone anything else. This is exactly why this kind of crap is really, really unhelpful for young players.

I may be forgetting someone but the only players I can think Gatland's quote applies to are Henry Thomas and Harry Randall. Neither were a poach from England's POV and both (obviously not recently for Thomas) were in and out of the picture with England for the right reasons, selected when warranted, not selected when others were in better form or they were injured.

Let's take emotion out of it for a second - from a purely sporting POV, in a straight choice between England or Wales, who in their right mind would pick Wales right now?

Sure, the fallout from our coaching exits is at this point unknown, but Wales are very clearly a struggling team and that doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon. If you've only got a tenuous link to Wales and you've got other options, why would you commit this early?