England 2024/25

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wonder what wages Mercer was getting offered from in England and how much more Gloucester was.

 

[LIONSxv]

Watching CCS, not sure how effective he is as 6. He would need a high work rate 7 and 8 alongside him. If SB wants him at 6 for England

 

[Makeshift10]

Watching CCS, not sure how effective he is as 6. He would need a high work rate 7 and 8 alongside him. If SB wants him at 6 for England

That's interesting, I saw it differently and actually thought he was impressive today. Thought he carried really hard, smashed people backwards and was a decent lineout option. More an explosive player than a relentless workhorse but I feel you need a blend of both & England have a shortage of the former that can make game-changing interventions.

 

[LIONSxv]

That's interesting, I saw it differently and actually thought he was impressive today. Thought he carried really hard, smashed people backwards and was a decent lineout option. More an explosive player than a relentless workhorse but I feel you need a blend of both & England have a shortage of the former that can make game-changing interventions.

Yeah exactly what you want as an 8...not a six. A six is your workhorse, hitting every ruck. He hits hard and carries well, but I don't see the work rate you need as a six

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

OHC based on just this game and his past should be in the A game I reckon

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Chessum failed HIA so no contact work until the Tuesday of game week, at the earliest - wonder if that will impact his selection?

Probably not, tbf, but could easily take longer to come back from it - didn't see the incident but commentary pointed out him being visibly concussed as soon as it happened

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Beard may be out now I'm guessing - who in instead?

 

[BPM]

Joseph or Ojomoh I think

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Kelly maybe looked better today

 

[West Country Wail]

Of today's auditions and type of play, I would really like Finn Smith as starting fly half for England.

What a performance, beyond his years!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Of today's auditions and type of play, I would really like Finn Smith as starting fly half for England.

What a performance, beyond his years!

Same,
I'm a big fan of Marcus but I just can't see a world where Borthwick let's him play his game at 10, and I think Finn is the better(/more consistent) of the two at the controlling kind of game Borthwick will enforce on the side

I wonder if we might see 10. Finn, 15. Marcus vs Italy
Probably not, as Borthwick has added an additional 15 to the squad compared to the RWC side, but you never know

 

[West Country Wail]

Marcus Smith on the bench would be fantastic and ideal for Borthwick, impact at 10 and 15.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Can we please stop the Marcus 15 thing. If Scorned Bugwitch hasn't got the creativity to use him at 10 then just don't bother. He won't get to do anything except kick it back.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Can we please stop the Marcus 15 thing. If Scorned Bugwitch hasn't got the creativity to use him at 10 then just don't bother. He won't get to do anything except kick it back.

I mean I don't think it's ridiculous to say that if Fin and Marcus are gonna be in the 10 and 22 shirts then it's handy for one of them to cover more than one position.

Marcus should never be seen as a starting option at 15 but I think it's okay for him to cover there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Can we please stop the Marcus 15 thing. If Scorned Bugwitch hasn't got the creativity to use him at 10 then just don't bother. He won't get to do anything except kick it back.

It's an acceptance rather than a want - SB was happy to play him there with no experience during a World Cup, I'd expect to see him play there a bit moving forwards after he passed the test

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

If SB thinks that our first choice 10 is our best options at 15 at any point he's an idiot. There are loads of brilliant young English FBs playing 15 week in week out.

SB only put Marcus at 15 as he cocked up the rest of his backline with turgid players and wanted a miracle out of smith. Any decent coach wouldn't need to fall back to smith at 15 to achieve a suffix t attacking back line.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Any decent coach

Hopefully Felix has a good influence and doesn't get shouted down like Wigglesworth has been

 

[Lé Ddanno]

It's an acceptance rather than a want - SB was happy to play him there with no experience during a World Cup, I'd expect to see him play there a bit moving forwards after he passed the test

Yeah bang on. My frustration is at the situation/idea rather than anyone in particular referring to it.

It was a silly idea, it sort of looked ok*, it seems like it's going to be a thing now, I do not have to like it.



*WITH MASSIVE CAVEATS

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I get the idea of giving him game time at 15
If he can cover 15 it makes the bench a lot of flexible.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

My main issue is this. Say you go into a game with 10. Fin 22. Marcus. You reach the 55-60 minute mark and Fin's having a great game. If you really don't even consider Marcus to be 15 cover then you either have to:
a) leave Marcus on the bench and waste an opportunity to get him caps/experience and also kinda mess him around.
b) take off Fin when he's having a great game and risk having the tides turn against you.

Marcus isn't ideal 15 cover but when you've got 3 subs to cover 7 positions sometimes that's just the way it is.