England 2024/25

[BPM]

Preach brother

 

[West Country Wail]

Yeah he's not a good scrummager at all.

That's harsh considering the turn around in Exeter's scrum

 

[BPM]

How much of that is down to him though?

 

[West Country Wail]

12.5% I hope! Jokes aside, I get where you're coming from, Painter and Nika are the big influencers so I take your points.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Saying Furbank is the form 15 isn't 'pooping on Steward'.

Spencer should definitely get a call up but is he playing any better than Mitchell? Across the season so far maybe, but not in the past few weeks.

More that saying Steward should be 3rd choice 15

 

[BPM]

In fairness, @Don't Skip Leg Day said '2nd or 3rd' …

From a personal POV, I would probably stick with Steward, simply to give a little more size in the back line.

ATM, my choice would be:

9. Mitchell
10. M. Smith
11. Freeman
12. Lawrence
13. Slade
14. Radwan or IFW
15. Steward

But for injury, I'd prefer Murley instead of Radwan.

 

[BPM]

Sinckler apparently on the verge of an immediate move to Toulon. On recent from, he's no great loss but depth at Tighthead is becoming non-existent.

 

[Wasps92]

Sinckler apparently on the verge of an immediate move to Toulon. On recent from, he's no great loss but depth at Tighthead is becoming non-existent.

As you say no great loss. Sinckler lost his fire years ago. He may have given away daft penalties (Wales in the 6N 2019) but since he's made a conscious effort to keep himself calmer his play has regressed hugely IMO.

 

[Wasps92]

In fairness, @Don't Skip Leg Day said '2nd or 3rd' …

From a personal POV, I would probably stick with Steward, simply to give a little more size in the back line.

ATM, my choice would be:

9. Mitchell
10. M. Smith
11. Freeman
12. Lawrence
13. Slade
14. Radwan or IFW
15. Steward

But for injury, I'd prefer Murley instead of Radwan.

I like the look of that. Ideally I'd like to see Lawrence at 13 but again we have no real options at 12.

I'm hoping the 6'4" Hartley at Saracens can really push on in the next few years.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Our experts pick their England Six Nations squad

Balance must be found between blooding new players and maintaining stability with experienced heads

www.telegraph.co.uk

Round up of names suggested as members.
Forwards
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears) Joe Marler (Harlequins), Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons), Jamie George (Saracens), Theo Dan (Saracens), Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Mario Itoje (Saracens), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Ben Earl (Saracens), Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints), Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Underhill (Bath), Alfie Barbeary (Bath), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Beno Obano (Bath), Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Will Stuart (Bath), Zach Mercer (Gloucester), Alex Moon (Northampton Saints), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs), Tarek Haffar (Northampton Saints), Jack Walker (Harlequins), Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)

Backs
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Olly Hartley (Saracens), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Will Muir (Bath), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath), Will Joseph (Harlequins)

All four reporters go 20-16.

 

[BPM]

No surprises in there but no major issue with any of those names.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I like Opoku-Fordjour a lot but he shouldn't be anywhere near conversations about the 36-man squad. Frankly I think it's a little too early to even be considering involving him in the A game.

The kid hasn't even started a Prem game yet. There's no need to rush him.

 

[BrokenWing]

In fairness, @Don't Skip Leg Day said '2nd or 3rd' …

Actually said 3rd or 2nd, which would imply they personally think 3rd.

 

[TommiG88]

Our experts pick their England Six Nations squad

Balance must be found between blooding new players and maintaining stability with experienced heads

www.telegraph.co.uk

Round up of names suggested as members.
Forwards
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears) Joe Marler (Harlequins), Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons), Jamie George (Saracens), Theo Dan (Saracens), Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Mario Itoje (Saracens), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Ben Earl (Saracens), Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints), Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Underhill (Bath), Alfie Barbeary (Bath), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Beno Obano (Bath), Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Will Stuart (Bath), Zach Mercer (Gloucester), Alex Moon (Northampton Saints), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs), Tarek Haffar (Northampton Saints), Jack Walker (Harlequins), Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)

Backs
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Olly Hartley (Saracens), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Will Muir (Bath), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath), Will Joseph (Harlequins)

All four reporters go 20-16.

Radwan over Coka is my only issue

 

[Which Tyler]

I like Opoku-Fordjour a lot but he shouldn't be anywhere near conversations about the 36-man squad. Frankly I think it's a little too early to even be considering involving him in the A game.

The kid hasn't even started a Prem game yet. There's no need to rush him.

Let his bones fuse first as well. There's a big step up in physical pressure between even Champ Cup and international.

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

 

[BPM]

Radwan over Coka is my only issue

Actually just noticed Will Muir is in there.

I like Muir a lot, but surely he's no more than A squad material and definitely shouldn't be ahead of Radwan.

I'm not super keen on Roots either. He's OK but back row isn't an area that we need to supplement with a poach.

 

[Geordie]

Oly Hartley listed aswell

 

[Geordie]

Actually no Ehren Painter In the list...

 

[BPM]

Sure but this list is just from 'experts' in a Telegraph article. I'm not looking at it as definitive in any way.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Actually said 3rd or 2nd, which would imply they personally think 3rd.

I didn't actually think between 2nd or 3rd but I know he's a limited skills and speed player so he wouldn't be my number one.

I'm sure he probably will be though, just on the basis that we've had a lot of change in the team already and SB will have a hard on for boring backs.