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England 6 Nation squad 2024

Selection at International level is so important. SB doesn't seem very good at it

Will Stuart is awful, can't scrum, can't carry, lazy around rucks
Itoje and Chessum are too similar
Roots-why ?they have shoehorned him into the back row that now looks unbalanced. If they want to play Earl and Underhill together. Let them play on the flanks with a bigger 8
Ford, out of form
Dingwall too small and slow. V good club player
Daly ..he wasn't an international class wing 4 years ago. The guy is an OC
Think the whole back 5 is unbalanced.
If there were big grunts at 5 and 6. Then Itoje, Earl, Curry or Underhill at 4, 8 and 7.
Martin may do it at 5, but the cupboard is as bare as the prop cupboard.
Do, at the moment, Earl plays 8 with 2 big flanker, Pearson and CCS.
 
I guess the thing is that this isn't really how the team's going to look in the longer term though. Apart from anything else we lack ball carriers up front and devil, punch and pace behind.

1. Marler does Marler things. He's fine if not the long term future. Back ups are OK.

2. George used to be one of the best in the world, but he's not any more. Mostly solid enough although our line out has come under increasing pressure. If Dan can sort out his issues he's potentially every inch the modern point of difference hooker.

3. Not quite as down on Stuart as some but the shirt's clearly open for someone to come through and make it their own.

4 & 5. Martin and AN Other. Itoje and Chessum are individually very good but lack real heft as a pair.

Back row, who knows but Roots doesn't quite seem to have it. Expect the power and aggression of Barbeary and CCS to feature more after this tournament - it's needed. Earl's going OK, T Curry will be back.

9. Mitchell's fine if given licence to play his game. Warr, Quirk and JvP will all improve.

10. Smith, any Smith. I understand the logic of Ford's selection but he's not really the future - 90+ caps without ever having wholly convinced.

11. Daly. We need some gas and devil. It's not like he's Mr reliable wise old head. Let him compete for the 13 shirt.

12. I kind of see why Dingwall's made a load of squads but not previously been selected. Doesn't really look the answer.

13. Slade's fine. Marchant maybe coming back. Lawrence a shoo in for one of the centre shirts when fit - ideally this one, but 12 if needs be.

14. Freeman's worth investing in. Could see him eventually concentrating on 13.

15. Steward gets some criticism, but really he's the least of our problems.
 
I would like to see something like this for Scotland, but I know we won't.

Genge
George
Stuart
Itoje
Martin
CCS
Earl
Barbeary

Mitchell
(Any) Smith

Feyi-Waboso
Lawrence
Slade
Freeman
Steward

Bench
Dan
Obano
Heyes
Chessum
Underhill
Spencer
Ojomah
Furbank
 
I would like to see something like this for Scotland, but I know we won't.

Genge
George
Stuart
Itoje
Martin
CCS
Earl
Barbeary

Mitchell
(Any) Smith

Feyi-Waboso
Lawrence
Slade
Freeman
Steward

Bench
Dan
Obano
Heyes
Chessum
Underhill
Spencer
Ojomah
Furbank
I like that team. The only change is make is in the back row. I don't think you can play CCS and Barbary together. You wouldn't get enough tackles/rucks out of them. You would need a proper work horse alongside them.
An Earl, CCS, Underhill backrow looks way more balanced as CCS is also a proper third jumper
 
I guess the thing is that this isn't really how the team's going to look in the longer term though. Apart from anything else we lack ball carriers up front and devil, punch and pace behind.

1. Marler does Marler things. He's fine if not the long term future. Back ups are OK.

2. George used to be one of the best in the world, but he's not any more. Mostly solid enough although our line out has come under increasing pressure. If Dan can sort out his issues he's potentially every inch the modern point of difference hooker.

3. Not quite as down on Stuart as some but the shirt's clearly open for someone to come through and make it their own.

4 & 5. Martin and AN Other. Itoje and Chessum are individually very good but lack real heft as a pair.

Back row, who knows but Roots doesn't quite seem to have it. Expect the power and aggression of Barbeary and CCS to feature more after this tournament - it's needed. Earl's going OK, T Curry will be back.

9. Mitchell's fine if given licence to play his game. Warr, Quirk and JvP will all improve.

10. Smith, any Smith. I understand the logic of Ford's selection but he's not really the future - 90+ caps without ever having wholly convinced.

11. Daly. We need some gas and devil. It's not like he's Mr reliable wise old head. Let him compete for the 13 shirt.

12. I kind of see why Dingwall's made a load of squads but not previously been selected. Doesn't really look the answer.

13. Slade's fine. Marchant maybe coming back. Lawrence a shoo in for one of the centre shirts when fit - ideally this one, but 12 if needs be.

14. Freeman's worth investing in. Could see him eventually concentrating on 13.

15. Steward gets some criticism, but really he's the least of our problems.
Think steve missed a trick in not moving earl to his more natural 7 after showing he is a very class international player even in a non regular position, especially with curry going down and questions on the flank while we have a fair few 8's worthy of a go either mercer or a young guy like isilau. Of course you could also go pearson or one of the locks at 6 and have a similiarish effect.

For lock, I like moon, and I think it made sense to go moon, chessum itoje at 4,5,6. But the more I watch the more I think it was a missed opportunity to not have rus tuima in there. Is he tall? No not for a lock, but he is large and offers the point of differnce needed in a locking corp missing balance, I think a 4,5,6 of tuima, itoje and chessum looks better than what we have seen with roots.

Think roots and dingwall are in the same boat, good club players but lacking in some areas key for international level. Wouldnt be surprised if this was the last competition for them.

Really think Freeman long term has to be seen as a 13 prospect, much like north or ione, guy is well rounded, good carry and picks beautiful lines, all while having the size, something this team has been crying for for years. But understand those that want him to just stick at wing.

On Stewart I think he is limited, but he is young and has time to develop as a carrier and playmaker, and to be honest untill big ste lets wiggelsworth actually coach an attack there is really no point in even considering changing.
 
With Smith not making it off the bench today you've gotta think he's out of the picture when Marcus is back,
Frustrating

Maybe he'll get the start in the A game?
It's a very tough one to call, previous M Smith inclusion would suggest he is in favour over Ford, but does SB want someone of experience and more akin to his style, meaning Ford is now first choice in which case try and get some form into him rather than caps for a young ten unlikely to feature, I am not saying I agree or would do the same simply trying to understand this logic, not forgetting this game could have gone either way in the end if seen as a must win maybe isn't the place of the inexperienced.
 
I like that team. The only change is make is in the back row. I don't think you can play CCS and Barbary together. You wouldn't get enough tackles/rucks out of them. You would need a proper work horse alongside them.
An Earl, CCS, Underhill backrow looks way more balanced as CCS is also a proper third jumper
The ABs played Savea at 8, but had Frizzell at 6 to do the donkey work.

Earl looks good at 8, but needs a grafter at 6 and a jackaler at 7.
CCS, Curry, Earl would be my choice, but you also need another grafter in the row, so Martin in for Chessum or Itoje.
 
Saw these stats online yesterday and it made me laugh:

2023
Eng 31 - Ita 14 (17 point margin)
Wal 10 - Eng 20 (10 point margin)

2024
Ita 24 - Eng 27 (3 point margin)
Eng 16 - Wal 14 (2 point margin)

Is this the progress that everyone's talking about? 2024, Italy also have a new head coach so are expected to be worse off, wales have a board load of young inexperienced players so again should be worse off this year.

We've got an experienced team with the odd new player but none who are actually that young (who have had game time).

So are we getting better or getting worse?
 
As I said in the England vs Wales thread, I think they're just very stagnant. It will make things worse in the long term though.
I think stagnant is generous, we are regressing and have been pretty much since 2020. The damage Jones and now Borthwick have done to the national side is ridiculous. We are one of the few international sides in which the players are constantly playing worse than for their clubs.
 
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We've won 8 of our last 9 games….

And that was a 1 point loss to the RWC winners. Eddie's aim of being the greatest team to ever pick up an egg shaped ball ever is getting closer to reality.

Honestly, I think a team that wasn't involved in Saturday would have beaten the team that was.

Obano
LCD
Sinckler
Martin
Isiekwe / Ribbans
J Willis
T Curry
T Willis / Mercer / Barbeary
Warr
Coka
M Smith
Lawrence
Marchant
Radwan
Watson

Most of those aren't even in the squad. Then you've Manu and Faz etc on the bench.

I wouldn't put any money against it!
 
We've won 8 of our last 9 games….
Results show we are getting worse as we are winning by less compared to last year which shouldn't be the case for multiple reasons.

But just to say we are winning doesn't disprove the fact we are actually performing worse than last years 6 nations.

Not sure why people are so naive to say that winning is all that matters when it's a poor wales and a poor Italy team.

Winning is all that matters when playing actual tier 1 nations, but they were not.
 
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