England 6 Nation squad 2024

[Welsh Exile]

I think RH is really valued as a scout by the RFU


Also he wasn't poor with Exeter or anything. Worth a shot imo

He may not have been poor but from the little I've seen he's not been standout. I mean, he didn't even standout for the Ospreys and was nothing more than an alright player who did his job. You'd expect more to be capped at international level but then easy for us to say all this stuff, we don't see them train. He is a black belt in jujitsu or whatever so that's what they might like about him. lol

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

I think RH is really valued as a scout by the RFU


Also he wasn't poor with Exeter or anything. Worth a shot imo

This. Isn't he actually employed as a talent scout by the RFU? Think I saw an article recently saying he'd identified CCS as well.

 

[LIONSxv]

I think RH is really valued as a scout by the RFU


Also he wasn't poor with Exeter or anything. Worth a shot imo

His opinion should definitely be valued. However wouldn't this type of scouting and recommendations be better suited at A or U20 level ?
Players been picked for the national side should be the best the league has to offer or with an incredibly high ceiling.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

This. Isn't he actually employed as a talent scout by the RFU? Think I saw an article recently saying he'd identified CCS as well.

You'd have had to be going some not to have identified CCS a talent.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Didn't he spot Underhill?

 

[Welsh Exile]

Didn't he spot Underhill?

Now that was a stand out player for the Ospreys.

 

[BPM]

I understand that. I just wanted a high level view on the two victories and how we compared to last year. For me I expected to see progress from year irrespective of the changes to personnel that aren't really as onerous as being made out by some (SB 'team is transition bs').

I really just want to be proud to watch England again and it's so sad seeing this shower of shite for the last 3 years.

What's more telling is my son will happily watch Scotland, Ireland and even wales but not England as he says it's boring. That's worrying.

I dunno. The backs are almost entirely changed along with two thirds of the back row, I'd argue that's pretty significant. It doesn't excuse a lot of the crap we're seeing, but still.

In any case, it's not just about our 23, we're also not playing the same opposition squads.

With all that said, I absolutely relate to your last two paragraphs.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

His opinion should definitely be valued. However wouldn't this type of scouting and recommendations be better suited at A or U20 level ?
Players been picked for the national side should be the best the league has to offer or with an incredibly high ceiling.

I mean considering the injuries how many 6's was about and available?

 

[Saintjay]

I dunno. The backs are almost entirely changed along with two thirds of the back row, I'd argue that's pretty significant. It doesn't excuse a lot of the crap we're seeing, but still.

In any case, it's not just about our 23, we're also not playing the same opposition squads.

With all that said, I absolutely relate to your last two paragraphs.

I'm not convinced by the new backs thing. With Ford, Daly, Slade, Steward, Care. 5 of the starting backs your probably not far off 380-400 caps. The Borthwick message of new team with young players is rubbish. Ireland's equivalent backs are averaging 200 caps total. I'm guessing here i could be way out tbh

I think the big difference a 20 cap Irish player can just fit and drop into the system. England don't have a system or structure yet to make that possible.

 

[BPM]

I don't disagree with your last sentence. However, if you compare the current squad to our RWC lineup, it is significantly different in a short space of time.

Neither Care or Ford have been regular starters for a good while. Slade might have featured more recently but he was dropped for the World Cup and is back starting primarily because we can no longer select Marchant. All three are experienced enough that they should be able to manage but being an unfamiliar combination, it's not a totally invalid point.

 

[BPM]

Ireland are also significantly helped by the number of Leinster players they have in the squad. Frawley dropping in at 15 was less of an ask given he has regularly played with Lowe, Henshaw and JGP.

 

[West Country Wail]

It's the Thursday before the Ireland game and the team announcement drops. You see Daly on the wing and Ford at 10. What's your gut reaction?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Looking forward to a Saturday afternoon nap.

 

[BPM]

It's the Thursday before the Ireland game and the team announcement drops. You see Daly on the wing and Ford at 10. What's your gut reaction?

A shrug … I suspect it doesn't matter who plays, there is little to no chance of us winning next round.

I would be happy to grow the kitchen sink at the French though. If you'd asked me a month ago, I wouldn't have given us a sniff in Lyon. Now, I think we have a chance.

 

[West Country Wail]

A shrug … I suspect it doesn't matter who plays, there is little to no chance of us winning next round.

I would be happy to grow the kitchen sink at the French though. If you'd asked me a month ago, I wouldn't have given us a sniff in Lyon. Now, I think we have a chance.

Agreed, so it is worth throwing the kids in.

And agreed x2. With Danty out, that should be the target. The converted 3rd place play off potentially - our specialty.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I would be happy to grow the kitchen sink at the French though. If you'd asked me a month ago, I wouldn't have given us a sniff in Lyon. Now, I think we have a chance.

Completely agree and it would be great to (at least try to) finish with a bang. We'll be fighting for 3rd place, away from home and if we get on top fast we can quiet down that crowd like no other set of fans. No point being conservative.

 

[BPM]

Agreed, so it is worth throwing the kids in.

And agreed x2. With Danty out, that should be the target. The converted 3rd place play off potentially - our specialty.

I wasn't so much thinking of 'throwing the kids in'. I meant more from a tactical POV of targeting that game as the more likely chance of a win.

More specifically, if Mitchell and Smith aren't fully up and running, I'd prefer not to risk them against Ireland. I doubt picking them would change the result and extra week of rehab would be of more benefit.

 

[Reiser99]

I'm still not sure how I feel about this blitz defence taking 15 odd games to embed. I feel like S.A could do it as they had a largely settled side that were still performing well. England are the complete opposite. We've got a fresh new side with quite a few question marks against players names while in general the team is not performing well anyway.

I feel that in 15 games, which is what 2-3 years, we could well have a very different side or the players still haven't mastered it and this whole 15 games of pain argument becomes pointless.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm still not sure how I feel about this blitz defence taking 15 odd games to embed.

I still can't get my head around it tbh, lots of clubs and international sides use blitz defences - why is FJ's so special?

 

[Half Pint]

Breaking News!
Borthwick has revealed his new way to decide selection issues.
You can only play for England if you sound like you ought to be a motorway service station, as he does.

Chessum, Furbank, and Cunningham South pretty much have their shirt numbers locked in.
Anyone called Smith is cut from the squad.
Blamire and Ewels have responded positively to the development.

It might open the door to an unlikely return for Twelvetrees?