England 6 Nation squad 2024

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Kelly form has returned pretty nicely now.
Looked very much like post injury was taking him a while to get fully fit/confident.
But now Kelly has thrived and even looks decent at 13


That being said Borthwick doesn't seem to really be using the Saxons to give "established" backs a run

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

In the announcement it also stated that SB picked the squad although their does seem to be a Gloucester bias.

I'm at the England open training session today in twickers, can't wait to watch 2 hours of spiral bombs.

 

[Geordie]

MSN

Connor O'Shea has suggested this is now an extension of the U20s...bridging the gap between U18's, U20s and the first team rather than a fixture for the "fringe" players.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He must've missed the team announcement, then

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

He must've missed the team announcement, then

So glad that Iosefa-Scott's finally getting the opportunity to bridge the gap from his England U20 appearances.

 

[Geordie]

So glad that Iosefa-Scott's finally getting the opportunity to bridge the gap from his England U20 appearances.

Yes...its laughable hes selected.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

In the announcement it also stated that SB picked the squad although their does seem to be a Gloucester bias.

Yep, but in consultation with the coaching set up - Skivington etc. TBH this should totally SB's decision.

Vesty saying that the coaching team has been given licence to coach as they want. Which might be fun to watch but if it's not aligned with the senior team then what's really the point?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

MSN

Connor O'Shea has suggested this is now an extension of the U20s...bridging the gap between U18's, U20s and the first team rather than a fixture for the "fringe" players.

Squirreled away in the MSN article is that Portugal will be without most of their leading players due to French club commitments.

So what sounded like a real step forward and a win-win for both parties is, unfortunately, starting to sound like a so what. Maybe in that context a full A team would be way too strong.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Yep, but in consultation with the coaching set up - Skivington etc. TBH this should totally SB's decision.

Vesty saying that the coaching team has been given licence to coach as they want. Which might be fun to watch but if it's not aligned with the senior team then what's really the point?

If the more junior teams play a more exciting brand of rugby, then it will eventually filter through to the senior side. [cough]

Or, you know, we could just stifle every attacking urge at the top level because international rugby is such a *big step up*... one should never select a 6 foot tall 12st 7 20 year old winger who might score some tries, unless he stays on the bench for no minutes, of course.

I'd like to see less 'making us difficult to beat' and more 'making us impossible to live with.'

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

If the more junior teams play a more exciting brand of rugby, then it will eventually filter through to the senior side. [cough]

Or, you know, we could just stifle every attacking urge at the top level because international rugby is such a *big step up*... one should never select a 6 foot tall 12st 7 20 year old winger who might score some tries, unless he stays on the bench for no minutes, of course.

I'd like to see less 'making us difficult to beat' and more 'making us impossible to live with.'

I hope your cough gets better soon but I suspect it will be one of those that hangs around for years.

Don't disagree with you but this is always going to be top down and if there's any point to A and u20s they have to be aligned with the senior set up.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Points I noticed from todays England open training session:

Mitchell went off injured and didn't return (worrying).

M Smith didn't train with the squad and looking iffy when running, srill some way away.

Daly looked really good and trained like I've never seen him play.

The defence was constantly done around the outside, hopefully this was deliberate (defenders have less numbers) so we could practise if a team breaks through.

G Ford kicked away some great possession even in training (like wtf).

Martin looked very good, was everywhere and in all the breakdowns really well.

Feyi bottled a high ball in front of the fans when they cheered, SB won't like that!

Other than that it was an ok day. Guess the RFU are trying but they kept trying to ram woman's rugby down the throats of everyone there and I don't want that when I've gone to a men's event.

Overall 6/10

 

[Crash Hamster]

I hope your cough gets better soon but I suspect it will be one of those that hangs around for years.

Don't disagree with you but this is always going to be top down and if there's any point to A and u20s they have to be aligned with the senior set up.

Proper chronic, my cough...

I very nearly included the words 'circular argument' in my original post, but it's exactly what it is in the England set up. If they insist on the A team and U20s playing lilke the full side, then the Premiership/Championship needs to play the same, then the academies need to play the same, and the lower age group sides. You then end up with the top-down change resulting in changes from the bottom up. Doesn't every side in Ireland play in a siliar way?

Then someone comes along and makes you adopt the blitz defence.

When Bostik decides to go a little more 'Jouez!', you then end up with players coached in 'boring boring England' rugby suddenly having to acquire try-scoring skills at the top level (and the concomittant mismatch between the style of junior sides and the national team, but this time the other way round.)

I'd rather that the England management accepted that you don't get an international cap unless you're pretty damn good at all aspects of rugby, so players should be trusted to play what's in front of them (rather than, for example, bringing on Fin Smith and making him kick it up in the air all the time.) It's a definite failure of imagination on behalf of the coaches which has led to rucks not being adequately resourced or overlaps butchered or attacking ball being wastefully booted away [shudder].

Maybe after the latest stops on the coach-go-round, we might see some progress. There is hope.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

so players should be trusted to play what's in front of them

Amen to that. That's what I want to see everywhere - club and country alike.

Martin looked very good, was everywhere and in all the breakdowns really well.

Kind of like a flanker?

 

[Becca]

Points I noticed from todays England open training session:

Mitchell went off injured and didn't return (worrying).

M Smith didn't train with the squad and looking iffy when running, srill some way away.

Daly looked really good and trained like I've never seen him play.

The defence was constantly done around the outside, hopefully this was deliberate (defenders have less numbers) so we could practise if a team breaks through.

G Ford kicked away some great possession even in training (like wtf).

Martin looked very good, was everywhere and in all the breakdowns really well.

Feyi bottled a high ball in front of the fans when they cheered, SB won't like that!

Other than that it was an ok day. Guess the RFU are trying but they kept trying to ram woman's rugby down the throats of everyone there and I don't want that when I've gone to a men's event.

Overall 6/10

Personally, I hate Women's Rugby.
If you want to play or watch, fine, but stop ramming it down everyone's throats.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[BPM]

I suspect Mercer's petulance counted against him. Would he have seen a call up to the A squad as an olive branch or a slap in the face? His reaction to not getting a senior call suggests it might have been the latter.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Personally, I hate Women's Rugby.
If you want to play or watch, fine, but stop ramming it down everyone's throats.

Then thank your lucky stars there's not a Red Roses London Overground line……

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I suspect Mercer's petulance counted against him. Would he have seen a call up to the A squad as an olive branch or a slap in the face? His reaction to not getting a senior call suggests it might have been the latter.

Probably did.

But unless he's said "stuff this for a game of soldiers I'm back off to France" you'd have thought he'd have welcomed being on the radar and getting the opportunity to show what he can do. But I suspect SB's simply going to be more interested in developing more powerful options in Barbeary, CCS and T Willis while Earl's shown he can go well at 8 too.

 

[Jimbo]

Probably did.

But unless he's said "stuff this for a game of soldiers I'm back off to France" you'd have thought he'd have welcomed being on the radar and getting the opportunity to show what he can do. But I suspect SB's simply going to be more interested in developing more powerful options in Barbeary, CCS and T Willis while Earl's shown he can go well at 8 too.

This, I'm quite a critic of SBs but to be fair to him he is starting to look at blooding some young long term prospects, the problem areas remain props and 12 without anyone of sensible age and experience available, could do with some further looking at 15 and wings really, regardless of thoughts on FS someone needs to be given some time there to cover unless SB thinks Daly slots straight in, hoping this six nations is round one of the changes and we see further integration in the autumn and next six nations.

 

[Scotty]

Im really interested to see the team SB puts out vs Scotland, we've won the 2 games we were expected to win so now vs Scotland he could give some of Obano, Dan, Coles, CCS, IFW Furbank and FSmith a start. Obv not all but I really hope they get a good start as they really so need some serious gametime if they are going to show they have what it takes.

I think FSmith deserves a shot as hes the form 10 and had next to no chance to show it.

CCS has earned a chance id say so far.

Id like IFW to get a shot as we learn nothing from Daly.


From this post im not saying we are expected to lose but its now or never for me as its not worth it vs Ireland given they will just get beat up by a better team. And France im not sure.