England 2024/25

[duncanb]

they are having one good season currently and it's in a World Cup year which affects things.

Let's see how it goes not just just the business end of the season but also the next couple years before we start saying England head coach.

Borthwick got picked off one good season and it was big mistake imo.

One very good attack/head coach and a now we have a proper defence coach we actually look a far more rounded team.
Maybe allows him to be a more CEO than coach .
When we struggled last year in defence he sometimes seemed a tad at sea.
Always believed coaching is tean effort and getting right bods not just your mates is best.
IMHO.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

they are having one good season currently and it's in a World Cup year which affects things.

Let's see how it goes not just just the business end of the season but also the next couple years before we start saying England head coach.

Borthwick got picked off one good season and it was big mistake imo.

I think that and the fact he had been earmarked as the successor candidate for a while.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

I have a feeling George Martin is injured and will miss the 6 nations. I can feel it in my bones.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I have a feeling George Martin is injured and will miss the 6 nations. I can feel it in my bones.

Your bones....and that it was announced this morning?

 

[BrokenWing]

I spoke to both players regularly about what I'd like to see develop in their games to be in the squad.

For Billy, was it a time machine?

 

[BrokenWing]

I'm going to focus on being as petty and bitter as I can over the next few months of watching Wales get spanked.

So "be Welsh" then?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Nice

 

[West Country Wail]

I'm dead chuffed for Roots but I agree with the above post - poor Dave Ewers. FU Jones.

 

[BrokenWing]

Not a single specialist 12.

Every podcast I've listened to over the last few months have talked about Fraser Dingwall as a 12.

I've not seen enough domestic rugby to know but looking it up, he's played roughly 30% of his games there.

 

[Geordie]

Roots is a black belt in BJJ so he's just there to coach the judo sessions...

 

[BPM]

Dave Ewers must be fuming. He never got himself a cap but his inferior Chiefs replacement has been called up at the first opportunity.

Maybe, although when Ewers was at his peak, I'd argue he was competing against better players than Borthwick has available for this squad.

 

[BPM]

Position breakdown:
LP: Genge, Marler, Obano
HK: Cowan-Dickie, Dan, George
TP: Cole, Heyes, Stuart
LK: Chessum, Coles Isiekwe, Itoje
FL: Curry, Earl, Pearson, Roots, Underhill
N8: Cunningham-South, Dombrandt
SH: Care, Mitchell, Spencer
FH: Ford, F. Smith, M. Smith
IC: N/A
OC: Beard, Dingwall, Lawrence, Slade
WG: Daly, Feyi-Waboso, Freeman, Roebuck
FB: Furbank, Steward

Initial thoughts are that there's a lot to like and a lot not to like.

My main positives:
- Overall there's quite a fresh look to the squad. A lot of new faces and a lot of in-form players.
- A young tighthead brought in for Sinckler.
- No Vunipolas.
- No Cokanasiga.
- No Malins.

Negatives:
- LCD over Langdon.
- I don't love that Roots is included. Obviously the fact that he's not particularly English but also that I'm not sure he's justified it on form.
- Cunningham-South over Barbeary (edit: apparently Barbeary may be included at a later date pending his disciplinary outcome) or Mercer.
- Not a single specialist 12.

Overall though you can make a very decent 23 out of that squad.

Yeah. This is my pretty much my view of things.

No specialist 12 is a negative, but it's too soon for Hartley, Seb Atkinson's having a quiet season and Kelly has been shifted to 13.

Ojomoh probably would have been the best shout from a form POV, but being second choice to Redpath isn't helping him.

I think the A squad could be really interesting.

Assuming there's some overlap between the squads, I think we're probably looking at 23 something like:

1. Baxter / Brantingham
2. Walker / Langdon
3. Painter / Opoku-Fordjour
4. Coles / Hammond
5. Bamber
6. Cunningham-South
7. Pepper
8. Barbeary / Fisilau
9. Warr / Porter
10. F. Smith
11. Radwan
12. Ojomoh / Hartley
13. Beard
14. Roebuck / Sleightholme
15. Carpenter

Edit: meant to put Hartley instead of Kelly.

Rationale wise, I was going for players Borthwick has name checked recently or picked before (Walker). I'd pick Langdon ahead of Walker, but I thought it made sense to stick with club combos where possible.

 

[BrokenWing]

Hopefully be able to watch the A games.

 

[TopTen2003]

Feel as if Slade will play 12 looking at that squad but let's see. Suspect we'll see a solid amount of experience picked with a smattering of new blood.

I like Jamie George, but with the need to develop front row options, did he need to be Captain? With Itoje always a shoe in at second row I can't believe the bloke still isn't picked as the leader, but perhaps those closer to the group know why?

Nice mix of back row players in there - some intriguing combos.

Hopefully we see some strong fundamentals and an identity- would not he surprised to finish 4th again though given the strength of Ireland, France, and the high chance of Scotland playing well following a tough WC draw.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Hopefully be able to watch the A games.

There's a point, aby idea who is showing them?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I like Jamie George, but with the need to develop front row options, did he need to be Captain? With Itoje always a shoe in at second row I can't believe the bloke still isn't picked as the leader, but perhaps those closer to the group know why?

I don't think Itoje wants it. If he did, I imagine he would have been skipper for the last X years. The man's drive and ambition are beyond reproach.

 

[BrokenWing]

There's a point, aby idea who is showing them?

Just had a look, there's next to no information. Game v Portugal is on the 25th Feb, same day as France v Italy.

 

[Geordie]

Hasnt Itoje just finished his masters degree? Maybe he just had too much on his plate to cope with being England rugby captain aswell. Full time pro rugby player, England leading player and doing a degree and masters is alot. Adding England Captain would surely tip it over?

George can play for 60 mins...be replaced by Dan to build his experience and development...and it means the Vice captains can develop their leadership skills....

Edit: And also Itoje has had his health issue to deal with aswell...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Game v Portugal is on the 25th Feb, same day as France v Italy.

Wait, really?
I presumed it was on one of the rest weeks, how weird

 

[Which Tyler]

From COML, Re: Barbeary

Saw him last night after the hearing. He got off very lightly - according to him!! The second card was downgraded to yellow. The first got him 4 match ban reduced to 2 as he now has to attend Tackle School. So misses Toulouse and Bris matches.

That's a touch generous IMO*, and not remotely surprising with the post-RWC cop-out.
Good news for him though, and may yet see him added into the Endland squad.


* I expected 6, halved, and an extra week off for tackle school, so still 2, and 2 weeks for the 2nd card, but to run concurrently - so the same in real terms, but a harsher wrist slap