• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

England 2024/25

Vieux Talonneur said:
The very distant future. The kid's 19 with involvement in just 2 Prem matches.

A talent for sure, but he's got several rite of passage stuffings to endure before we can properly talk about him in this thread. I suspect he'll get one of those from Marler if they meet again in a remotely competitive match.

EDIT: Opoku and Marler were only on the pitch for 10 minutes together so pretty hard to form anything other than a cursory view in that timeframe.
Click to expand...
True, but i will is if he can handle himself in the scrum to dominate Marler, even for 10 min he deserves a bench shot for club. Given how athletic and powerful he looked in the loose the guy could be a real asset. If he is consistantly good enough at the scrum then for a prop he deserves his chance.

Then England only when he is consistant and has earned it(after earning a starting spot for Sale). Wasnt Curry very young when he broke into England? If your good enough your old enough.
 
Scotty said:
If your good enough your old enough.
Click to expand...
Unless you're young enough that your bones haven't finished fusing, and are physically incapable of taking the pressure of too many first class scums - so, under about 22 yoa.

How much 1st class rugby should young props/hookers play?

I put this post in another thread (on another board) a few days ago (actually, 3-4 years ago now, but I wasn't here then, and I've just found it again to link elsewhere in reference to Corbs' latest knee op); which got largely ignored as the thread turned into the match thread for the All...
www.therugbyforum.com
 
Last edited:
Quel Carreleur said:
Unless you're young enough that your bones haven't finished fusing, and are physically incapable of taking the pressure of too many first class scums - so, under about 22 yoa.
Click to expand...
Is that a thing? Its not something im aware of, though i cant see why i would be.
 
Scotty said:
Is that a thing? Its not something im aware of, though i cant see why i would be.
Click to expand...
Yup - see my edit - originally posted donkey's years ago, before I had an account on this site.
 
Scotty said:
Is that a thing? Its not something im aware of, though i cant see why i would be.
Click to expand...
It is definitely a thing, and it's something that rugby needs to pay proper attention to in the front 3, possibly the front 5
 
Geordie said:
Yes because i think he a fast direct powerful try scorer. He is a very god finisher. His big issue is the injuries...but if he can stop those then hes a class winger.
Click to expand...
You could say the same for the three I mentioned over a much longer period of time than Sleightholme. If he could put together a run of games and consistently maintain his form, my opinion might be different, but I genuinely don't recall him playing more than a handful of consecutive games in his entire Saints career mostly through injury but partly selection (happy to be corrected on that though).

I do like him but I just don't get why he's a MUST in capital letters?
 
Everyday EggChaser said:
Didn't Asher Opoku play mainly at loosehead for the u20s? He put the squeeze on Marler vs Quins at tighthead so I have no idea which is his preferred.
Click to expand...
I thought he same. IIRC, Fasogbon was playing tighthead.

Impressive that he seems to have switched sides and is effective to the point of impressing Marler.

As an aside, maybe this is something our age grade coaches are looking at for our up and coming props. Baxter was a tighthead but has now switched to being a loosehead and Brantingham has played 1 and 3 for Falcons. It could be total coincidence, but with Opoku Fordjour doing something similar, it feels like there's a bit of a pattern.
 
Until Ollie Slightholme starts over Ramm and Freeman consistently he shouldn't really be in the England conversation.

Freeman is much more rounded as is Murley.
 
www.google.com

Wallabies star Mark Nawaqanitawase defects to NRL in Roosters deal

Rugby Australia has suffered another blow after Wallabies winger agrees to join NRL club the Roosters for the 2025 season
www.google.com www.google.com

Rugby Australia has suffered another blow after Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase agreed to join NRL club the Roosters for the 2025 season on a two-year deal.
Click to expand...

Clearly wasn't paying attention.

Can one of the admins move this to the Transfers thread?
 
Last edited:
LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan) said:
is 2024 that important that we should play both Marler and Cole again?
I feel one or the other to give some experience
Click to expand...

If they're our best scrummagers play them until they decide to pack in or others force their way in. Let others learn their craft from the bench - which is where I thought the, sometime, more dynamic Genge and Sinckler were best suited anyway.

You absolutely don't want sinecures for underperforming players but nor should players get picked on the basis of potential or 'turn' - they need to make a persuasive case to take the incumbent's shirt.
 
BPM said:
I thought he same. IIRC, Fasogbon was playing tighthead.

Impressive that he seems to have switched sides and is effective to the point of impressing Marler.

As an aside, maybe this is something our age grade coaches are looking at for our up and coming props. Baxter was a tighthead but has now switched to being a loosehead and Brantingham has played 1 and 3 for Falcons. It could be total coincidence, but with Opoku Fordjour doing something similar, it feels like there's a bit of a pattern.
Click to expand...

I hope it is. There's no reason why most props can't at least be adequate on both sides - except for not training / playing both. What you get pigeon holed as at 14 isn't necessarily what you're best at at 25.
 
Vieux Talonneur said:
I hope it is. There's no reason why most props can't at least be adequate on both sides - except for not training / playing both. What you get pigeon holed as at 14 isn't necessarily what you're best at at 25.
Click to expand...

I've always thought this. While you'd have to be phenomenally talented to play in any position at international level, if you have the raw ingredients to play prop, there should be no reason that you can't play either side. Obviously, you'd then have to specialise and train hard.

Maybe a loosehead might benefit from being left-handed..?

Bearing in mind that an older prop is often a better prop, even a switch at 20-22 would mean a wealth of experience in your mid to late 20s.

There must be a roughly equal number of English-qualified loose heads and tight heads in the game at large, so is what we're seeing a failure of coaching and development? Talent identification?
 
Don't Skip Leg Day said:
Until Ollie Slightholme starts over Ramm and Freeman consistently he shouldn't really be in the England conversation.

Freeman is much more rounded as is Murley.
Click to expand...
Hes only just back from injury in January...hes started pretty well.
 
Geordie said:
Hes only just back from injury in January...hes started pretty well.
Click to expand...
He has started well yes but freeman and Ramm (who is actually English qualified) have been more consistent and better for the last season or so.

I love Ollie S as well by the way, but for me he's got a lot to prove until he should be in consideration and one of the things to prove is the ability to stay fit.

Is also ask what he does better than Murley or Freeman?


I'd also maybe guess we might just see Watson and Daly on the wings with the risk adverse SB but we shall see.
 
Don't Skip Leg Day said:
He has started well yes but freeman and Ramm (who is actually English qualified) have been more consistent and better for the last season or so.

I love Ollie S as well by the way, but for me he's got a lot to prove until he

I'd also maybe guess we might just see Watson and Daly on the wings with the risk adverse SB but we shall see.
Click to expand...

If fit, Watson's simply our best winger. That's a no brainer.

Daly's more utility player who's now 31. He did some decent things in the RWC but it's been a while since he really left his mark on games. There must be an opening there for a specialist with a point of difference.
 
When was the last time Watson even started a game of rugby? He was our best English winger but i don't think anyone can say he still is as there is little evidence of that due to his injuries.

Is he injured now or just behind OHC and Bassett/ Kata/ Steward/ brown?

On that how is OHC playing? Does he deserve another look? I also wonder if Arendull is struggling to live up to expectations, but let's see.

N.B freeman and Murley chase kicks ;)
 

Similar threads

Leonormous Boozer
England v New Zealand - 2 November 2024
24 25 26
Replies
518
Views
11K
IT157
I
AlRums
Scotland 2024 AIs
Replies
0
Views
151
AlRums
AlRums
AlRums
Autumn Internationals 2024 TV coverage
Replies
8
Views
1K
AlRums
AlRums
General Melchett
Scotland squad for 2024 AIs
Replies
0
Views
94
General Melchett
General Melchett
Leonormous Boozer
Scotland v Fiji - 2 November 2024
2 3
Replies
50
Views
852
TRF_Olyy
TRF_Olyy

Latest posts

Top