England 6N 2016 - General Chit Chat

[Tony Manx]

No 13 with JDV @12.

He was alright and lovely touch to JDV before JDV did a nice offload to Croft to score.

He was alright made a big hit but he is still 20% or so off being 100% AP match fit let alone International.

And that is only to be expected after his lay off......June is early enough to get him back in the team!

 

[Maverick1987]

So "if" Mike Brown gets banned who would people like to see play at full back ? I'd rather see Watson or Nowell go to full back and Rokoduguni to come on the wing . Roko has a great step and could really trouble Cuthbert who looked slow and cumbersome against France on the weekend .

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

So "if" Mike Brown gets banned who would people like to see play at full back ? I'd rather see Watson or Nowell go to full back and Rokoduguni to come on the wing . Roko has a great step and could really trouble Cuthbert who looked slow and cumbersome against France on the weekend .

This, I think I'd prefer Watson at FB but would have no problem with Nowell there and deffo bring Roko in on the wing, he is more than a match physically for the Welsh wingers. I think it's a real shame how he has not been a top choice for England for a while and Bath's current form is doing him no favours.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, would definitely prefer Watson with Roko on the wing but it'd be Goode in and probably Tuilagi onto the bench

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Watson, Roko and Nowell as the back 3.

That would be wet dream world material.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Could end up with Daly at 15? Not that I'd want it but it could happen

 

[JJFlash]

Will Eddie persevere with Ford at 10 against the Taffs? No, I doubt it, as he'll have Faletau, Roberts etc. running at him all match.
If so, I suppose it means Farrell at 10 ( Eddie's not going to pick Cipriani, is he?).
A back three of Watson, Roko and Nowell would be good (not sure I'd get so excited about it as the previous poster - but one!)
Daly to start and Tuilagi on the bench.
Haskell? Itoje to 6. Will Launchbury be fit?
Whatever the permutations, England are going to be up against the best side in the 6N and I don't think have enough to win.

 

[Tedarch82]

Yeah, would definitely prefer Watson with Roko on the wing but it'd be Goode in and probably Tuilagi onto the bench

Hi all,first post.I don't think we can afford to lose Watson from the wing to move him to fullback.I have not seen anything in the few caps Roko has had that makes me think he would be a success.Id move Goode in to cover Brown and leave it at that

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hi all,first post.I don't think we can afford to lose Watson from the wing to move him to fullback.I have not seen anything in the few caps Roko has had that makes me think he would be a success.Id move Goode in to cover Brown and leave it at that

Roko was never really given the chance, this club form for Bath is brilliant.

 

[Tedarch82]

IMO this 6 nations has been the worst skill wise for many years.I don't know why people rate Wales so highly,they have played average the same as England so far in this tournament.50% chance of an England win 50% Wales

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Wales will present a very tough test, but I don't think they're that great either. And I seem to recall that we won the last 6N game in Cardiff.

As for the RWC match, that bought its own unique pressures and even then for two thirds of it we were quite comfortable. Shame about the last third!

And if you look at the likely selections:

Cole and Marler are better conditioned now than at the RWC, while Hartley for Youngs in a slug fest is no bad thing.

Any 2 from Launch, Itoje and Kruis easily tops Lawes and Parling

Billy V has stepped right up since then, Robshaw is free of the captaincy burden and no Wood. Whether you like Hask or not he's well suited to this kind of fixture - he was excellent in Cardiff.

So that's a much better pack. Behind:

Half back was Youngs and Farrell, which is the combination I'd like to see again (Ford would worry me in this one). Literally anything has to be better than Barritt and Burgess in midfield. At the back Watson and Brown are likely to feature again while many will view Nowell as an improvement over May.

Wales should be able to make a couple of positive changes too, but with something approaching a fully first choice team they've not exactly set the world alight yet.

There are grounds for optimism. Looking forward to it already!

 

[Which Tyler]

.I have not seen anything in the few caps Roko has had that makes me think he would be a success.

Is that the one match where he touched the ball 8 times (0 in an y form of space), and kept Savea quiet all game?

Personally, I'd shift Watson for FB, and bring Roko onto the wing; but suspect it'll be Goode; there is certainly a case for giving him meaningful game-time to decide if he's worth sticking with or not past the current EPS - much like the benefit people like Haskell and Robshaw are getting. Trouble is, that risks us losing the match; which may be too big a risk to go for against Wales (Goode as the last man to take North? I'll not be putting my mortgage on that tackle being made).

Match itself is too close to call for me.
England are improving week by week (though still extremely sloppy); whilst Wales are underperforming at the moment; and actively playing worse than England are.
Whilst I expect Wales to address their sub-par performances of this year, all that would likely do is bring them back up to where England are playing ("up" being a purely relative term).
If Brown is banned (or even just dropped, as his form does not demand selection), then we basically take a risk, either Goode or Watson could help England rip Wales apart; but either could also cost us the game with individual howlers.

1. Marler
2. Hartley (c)
3. Cole
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Robshaw
7. Clifford
8. BVunipola

09. Care
10. Ford*
11. Nowell
12. Tuilagi
13. Joseph
14. Rokoduguni
15. Watson

16. George;17. MVunipola; 18. Hill; 19. Launch/Lawes; 20. Haskell
21. Robson; 22. Farrell; 23. Daly

*Ford's form has improved as he's been away from Bath, and give him a powerful backrow, and Manu as a get-out-of-jail-free card; and I think he'll be fine. Farrell's still in better form; but he's simply not as good at playing rugby.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I just thought:
Brookes will be in contention, won't he?
Cole is a liability, penalty wise. I'd bring Brookes straight into the 15

 

[Tedarch82]

Yes that's the game,the one where he got smashed every time he got possession and achieved nothing.England have much better options on the wings with proven international record

 

[ncurd]

Yes that's the game,the one where he got smashed every time he got possession and achieved nothing.England have much better options on the wings with proven international record

We have to adjudged every win by how they play against NZ? Good luck finding one!

 

[Tedarch82]

Just out of interest,why do you think that Brown's form has made him possibly not warrant selection?He has not set the tournament on fire this year I'd agree,but he has played well enough in a error ridden England side to be safe IMO.

- - - Updated - - -

Why do you think he only has the one cap?Im obviously not the only one who saw little appeal in him.

 

[ncurd]

He got injured in the game that's why he has one cap, Lancaster's decisions once he returned and got form were questionable. As for Eddie he's clearly playing a long term transition plan.

You'd rather Chris Ashton played?

 

[Mumbles119]

Wales will present a very tough test, but I don't think they're that great either. And I seem to recall that we won the last 6N game in Cardiff.

As for the RWC match, that bought its own unique pressures and even then for two thirds of it we were quite comfortable. Shame about the last third!

And if you look at the likely selections:

Cole and Marler are better conditioned now than at the RWC, while Hartley for Youngs in a slug fest is no bad thing.

Any 2 from Launch, Itoje and Kruis easily tops Lawes and Parling

Billy V has stepped right up since then, Robshaw is free of the captaincy burden and no Wood. Whether you like Hask or not he's well suited to this kind of fixture - he was excellent in Cardiff.

So that's a much better pack. Behind:

Half back was Youngs and Farrell, which is the combination I'd like to see again (Ford would worry me in this one). Literally anything has to be better than Barritt and Burgess in midfield. At the back Watson and Brown are likely to feature again while many will view Nowell as an improvement over May.

Wales should be able to make a couple of positive changes too, but with something approaching a fully first choice team they've not exactly set the world alight yet.

There are grounds for optimism. Looking forward to it already!

I like this post!

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Brown 'escapes' citing according to the Daily Fail

 

[Tedarch82]

He got injured in the game that's why he has one cap, Lancaster's decisions once he returned and got form were questionable. As for Eddie he's clearly playing a long term transition plan.

You'd rather Chris Ashton played?

Yep,100% or baring injury Wade