England 2024/25

[Vieux Talonneur]

But it is what it is and now we have a 21 year old with 11 caps, and has played against the best in the world and actually had to play a lot of mins. I wonder if he will remain a 6 or move to 8?

I think he'll become a genuine option for both, but suspect he'll settle at 8.

I just don't see how you cant be fit enough as an international rugby player with over 70 caps for England to be honest, pretty crap reason. I don't see other teams who use the blitz that gassed by the sixtieth minute mark.

On the defence, I don't really get it. It was starting to look good and the architect, F Jones, is still on the books while JEA is still spending a lot of time scuffing around in the relegation zone of French D2. Surely this should have just been care and maintenance with Jones playing a bigger role until the permanent arrangements kicked in.

I don't believe Slade was quite as critical to this as is being made out. But if he was then has it not occurred to our brains trust that rugby players occasionally get injured?

And SB saying it would be OK as Slade's running being better than ever felt pretty silly at the time and hasn't aged well. Match fitness and sharpness isn't gained in the gym or track.

As @BPM has said there were also a number of individual mistakes, but it was also noticeable how often our big forwards were left defending quite a bit of space against more agile opponents which feels more systemic failure.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

The best systems in team sports are always those that don't fall apart if one or two players are absent.

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

Also why on earth is Slade wearing sketchers boots now

 

[Saintjay]

Also why on earth is Slade wearing sketchers boots now

Sketchers mainly do slip ins. Games gone soft.

If you're a back who can't tie your own laces how can you run a defence.

 

[BPM]

I just don't see how you cant be fit enough as an international rugby player with over 70 caps for England to be honest, pretty crap reason. I don't see other teams who use the blitz that gassed by the sixtieth minute mark.

Because he'd only played 50 minutes of rugby in months. I'm sure he was aerobically fit enough but he certainly wasn't sharp enough.

He simply shouldn't have been picked. Not his fault.

 

[BPM]

I think he'll become a genuine option for both, but suspect he'll settle at 8.



On the defence, I don't really get it. It was starting to look good and the architect, F Jones, is still on the books while JEA is still spending a lot of time scuffing around in the relegation zone of French D2. Surely this should have just been care and maintenance with Jones playing a bigger role until the permanent arrangements kicked in.

I don't believe Slade was quite as critical to this as is being made out. But if he was then has it not occurred to our brains trust that rugby players occasionally get injured?

And SB saying it would be OK as Slade's running being better than ever felt pretty silly at the time and hasn't aged well. Match fitness and sharpness isn't gained in the gym or track.

As @BPM has said there were also a number of individual mistakes, but it was also noticeable how often our big forwards were left defending quite a bit of space against more agile opponents which feels more systemic failure.

This bit is definitely weird. If he's still employed and being paid, why the hell wasn't he more involved? Even if he wasn't physically attending the camps, it feels like there's way more he could have been doing.

 

[Reiser99]

This bit is definitely weird. If he's still employed and being paid, why the hell wasn't he more involved? Even if he wasn't physically attending the camps, it feels like there's way more he could have been doing.

The fact that he seems to not be involved says a lot. If the decision to leave was on amicable terms then surely he'd be more involved. Something definitely happened behind the scenes.

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

The fact that he seems to not be involved says a lot. If the decision to leave was on amicable terms then surely he'd be more involved. Something definitely happened behind the scenes.

Definitely not a good look for Borthwicks coaching setup and the environment.

 

[Geordie]

Its all hitting the fan with Mr Sweeney isnt it.

 

[Geordie]

Still seeing stories about Dom Young the English rugby league winger. 6'7.

Do we need a winger coming over...? Surely theres other positions we can put the money in to, apart from Bill Sweeneys bank account...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If a club wants to pay it then whatever, hopefully the RFU aren't involved at all

 

[Geordie]

If a club wants to pay it then whatever, hopefully the RFU aren't involved at all

Just seen hes on a 300k deal already ....clubs aint going to pay that or more

We have plenty of quality wingers...

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Just seen hes on a 300k deal already ....clubs aint going to pay that or more

We have plenty of quality wingers...

In league? Surely league has even less money than union.

 

[Which Tyler]

In league? Surely league has even less money than union.

He's in Aus, where the NRL salary cap is about $12M
Around $2 to £1; so... same ballpark as ours.

IIRC [Redacted] was on £500k, in both Aus and UK

 

[TommiG88]

If anyone in League, I'd take Farnworth

 

[BPM]

Yeah. I wouldn't turn my nose up at Young but he's either solving a problem we don't have or potentially creating one by adding extra depth in a position we already have plenty of exciting options. We don't have any wingers of his size, but that's not a good enough reason to bring him in IMO.

Farnworth would be much more useful. Not totally sure whether he'd be best at 12 or 13 but either way, his skillset would be adding something we don't have.

 

[Geordie]

Would Young be considered for a move to the 12 spot?

I'm hoping for the summer tour to Argentina we may have Olly Hartley and Seb Atkinson touring and giving us hope.

 

[BPM]

I doubt it. Nothing I've seen from him suggests that he would be.

I think we need to remember the two codes are different sports. He is an out and out winger in League who is literally the guy on the end of moves out wide. He's a great finisher, but genuinely I don't think I've ever seen him pass or even take the ball in to heavy traffic (both of which would be pretty critical for a 12). I will caveat that by saying that I'm only really going off his England games. However, any YouTube highlight reels I've seen only really reinforce that impression.

Bit of lazy comparison, but Farnworth is more similar to Suaali'i in body shape and playing style. He's much more present in midfield which makes him a much more likely centre candidate.

 

[Booboobang]

Is there a reason that england doesnt have any austin healy types knocking around? SA have a fair few SH that moonlight on the wing scotland have horne and dobie... Would have thought raffi quirke or someone like that would of added a string to their bow, I guess sale has had a plethora of great wings though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Probably more that genuinely good 9s are hard to come by so why waste development time by shipping promising players out to other positions