England 2024/25

[BrokenWing]

Im surprised to learn that Fraser Dingwall is only 24. I thought he had been around for years.

I got the same impression

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Im surprised to learn that Fraser Dingwall is only 24. I thought he had been around for years.

He has really. Became a pretty regular starter for Saints in the 18/19 season when he was also 18/19.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

He has really. Became a pretty regular starter for Saints in the 18/19 season when he was also 18/19.

117 caps for Northampton with 90 starts, and 15 caps for England U20.

Northampton seems to do a very good job of not only identifying and developing young talent, but also translating that into consistent success as an adult player.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I did say last year that I thought our backs looked too small and all needed to add some mass. You all told me I was wrong….but the backs have added around 5kg each and look way better.

I'm so smart.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

At least we know the reason of some of the stranger Borthwick decisions. Computer says No.

Listening to the BBC, Chris Ashton pointing out Steve Borthwick identified a reason for Saints success this year......they kick it more.

TBF I remember saying in the Saints game they were kicking a lot, the difference was their kicks were always to achieve something and not because they had no other ideas. Saints are kicking more but they are doing so with a purpose. If Borthwick is only noticing half of that, we could be in trouble.

 

[Saintjay]

TBF I remember saying in the Saints game they were kicking a lot, the difference was their kicks were always to achieve something and not because they had no other ideas. Saints are kicking more but they are doing so with a purpose. If Borthwick is only noticing half of that, we could be in trouble.

It's weird if that's his one take away from watching Saints this year.

 

[BPM]

I did say last year that I thought our backs looked too small and all needed to add some mass. You all told me I was wrong….but the backs have added around 5kg each and look way better.

I'm so smart.

Must be because they took your advice and didn't skip leg day

 

[Rugbyfan564]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

From Sanderson's media day today he said he's not had any contact from the England coaches re: players, but has a lot of dialogue with other nations (spoke glowingly of the SRU)

Also said that the dual contract stuff still isn't sorted/no one knows what's going on with it
Potentially going to be a very long term deal (20yr) between RFU and PRL

 

[Reiser99]

From Sanderson's media day today he said he's not had any contact from the England coaches re: players, but has a lot of dialogue with other nations (spoke glowingly of the SRU)

Also said that the dual contract stuff still isn't sorted/no one knows what's going on with it
Potentially going to be a very long term deal (20yr) between RFU and PRL

Maybe I see it differently, but everything I see and hear makes me worry Borthwick has learnt too much from Jones. He seems stubborn and pig headed. It's going to be either his way or the high way. He's going to alienate fans, players and coaches and we're just going to gave another messy cycle. I know he took over at the end of a world cup cycle, but already we've had big coaching changes and nothing makes me think there won't be more soon.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Maybe I see it differently, but everything I see and hear makes me worry Borthwick has learnt too much from Jones. He seems stubborn and pig headed. It's going to be either his way or the high way. He's going to alienate fans, players and coaches and we're just going to gave another messy cycle. I know he took over at the end of a world cup cycle, but already we've had big coaching changes and nothing makes me think there won't be more soon.

I'm worried of that too but he gets the six nations as a final grace period from me.

My worry is that the World Cup was the longest he'll ever get players for and the only attack they practised at all was aimless kicking. He also kicked lots of out of form players and poor combinations.

To me he comes across as a smart guy (according to peers/ media etc) so let's hope he's intelligent enough to change and not double down on tactics from 2007 which don't work and don't work with the players we have.

 

[BPM]

It's a good squad. Better than most of us expected surely there's some room for optimism or at least not outright pessimism and negativity?

 

[Geordie]

It's a good squad. Better than most of us expected surely there's some room for optimism or at least not outright pessimism and negativity?

On this forum....dont be silly.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

From Sanderson's media day today he said he's not had any contact from the England coaches re: players, but has a lot of dialogue with other nations (spoke glowingly of the SRU)

Also said that the dual contract stuff still isn't sorted/no one knows what's going on with it
Potentially going to be a very long term deal (20yr) between RFU and PRL

Didn't he say the other not long ago that England had been a lot more vocal?
What's he kinda expecting?


Idk Sanderson always strikes me as someone suffering from main character syndrome

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Didn't he say the other not long ago that England had been a lot more vocal?

Hmmm kinda rings a bell, but might have been on about assistant coaches, like the scrum coach driving up from London, talking to injured Rodd and noone else, then driving home
Maybe Sanderson and Borthwick had a falling out at Saracens and it's a playground thing and giving each other the silent treatment and all dialogue comes from Wigglesworth

Edit: Yeah, looking back he said he's spoken to Wigglesworth and Aled Walters but not Borthwick - maybe he's just a hands off HC

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Didn't he say the other not long ago that England had been a lot more vocal?
What's he kinda expecting?


Idk Sanderson always strikes me as someone suffering from main character syndrome

Gonna have to start calling him Standerson.

"Dear Steve, I wrote you but you but you still ain't callin'"

 

[Scotty]

I do think we are going to implement a physical kicking game as a tactic which im actually not 100% against as long as we actually have an attack to fall back on when its on to go.

What was noticeable at the WC was we kicked alot (which sometimes worked well) but when we got into a strong position, say their 22, we had no attack to fall back on and couldnt do anything other than kick through and hope or hope for a pen.

Going forward we need to add that attack in. With a backline of say Mitchell MSmith Daly Dingwall Lawrence Waboso/Roebuck Steward.

We have alot of attacking talent all of which like to run it at club level.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah it was a fault at tigers really under borthwick
Outside the maul once we got into the 22 we didn't seem to have a great strike rate

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

It's a good squad. Better than most of us expected surely there's some room for optimism or at least not outright pessimism and negativity?

It is and it isn't. Load of players who have shown up well at club level but the international game's a huge step up.

Lot of inexperience, lot past their very best, quite a few who either aren't currently or haven't previously convinced. Very few at peak age / experience / form who are nailed on.

To an extent that's inevitable post RWC but marry that to an unconvincing coaching set up and a game plan that must improve and this 6N could really go either way.

We're not going to beat Fra or Ire. We should beat a poor Wal at home.

For the first time a game against Ita is carrying red flags for me. First up, away from home, changed team…...we should win, but I can see danger. I don't even want to think about the consequences of losing that.

So it all hangs on the Calcutta Cup. The Scots have had our number a bit and I think home advantage will see them over the line again.

I can see the table looking pretty similar to last year except for Fra and Ire swapping places.

 

[Wasps92]

It's a good squad. Better than most of us expected surely there's some room for optimism or at least not outright pessimism and negativity?

I think a lot of us are waiting to see what sort of game plan the players are told to play to. I'm very optimistic about the players picked but I'm cautious that they are going to be straitjacketed by a conservative, kick heavy style of play.

Listening to Borthwick on 5 Live's podcast I'm not convinced we're going to see any evolution in attack to be honest. Lots of talk about England's "historic DNA" being important to him.