England 6N 2016 - General Chit Chat

[ratsapprentice]

"RFU to buy Kneller Hall"

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport...onal-rugby-academy-Twickenham-s-doorstep.html

The RFU are considering a multi-million-pound investment in England rugby's future just as the team are on the verge of completing their first Grand Slam since 2003.
English rugby's ruling body, flush from staging a financially successful World Cup, are looking at buying Kneller Hall, which stands less than a quarter of a mile from Twickenham.

It is currently home to the Royal Military School of Music but the Government are putting it up for sale as part of a nationwide disposal of underused sites. The cost — if the RFU go ahead — would be around £30million, with the intention of turning the estate into a much-needed national rugby academy.
The RFU looked at buying the site during Francis Baron's regime and there is still strong support on the RFU council for an academy to be housed there.
It is seen as a more sensible long-term plan than building the £3m state-of-the-art training centre at England's hotel base Pennyhill Park, which they don't own.
An RFU spokesman confirmed that a bid for Kneller Hall was 'being discussed'.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What do they mean by national rugby academy?

A training base, and leaving Pennyhill?
Age grade stuff?

 

[msf]

He didn´t nullify it at all (the opposing wing made 5 clean breaks and over 100 metres, all down his channel), so as I said, on last night´s evidence there wouldn´t be much difference in having Wade there rather than Nowell.

I´m not just blaming Nowell for the defensive problems, but no one who misses 5 tackles in one game is blameless in terms of the team´s defensive performance.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I don't know.

In tandem with Beaumont becoming new WR president (along with Pichot as his deputy) that's a potentially interesting development - might signal his intention for quite serious changes in domestic structure.*

*or I might be fantasising.

I´m not just blaming Nowell for the defensive problems, but he wasn´t blameless either.

Don't know about that, tbh.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

He didn´t nullify it at all (the opposing wing made 5 clean breaks and over 100 metres, all down his channel), so as I said, on last night´s evidence there wouldn´t be much difference in having Wade there rather than Nowell.

I´m not just blaming Nowell for the defensive problems, but no one who misses 5 tackles in one game is blameless in terms of the team´s defensive performance.

As I have said many times, they made clean breaks and meters down his channel because EVERY time they had an overlap and he was trying to mark 2 people running at him. It's not his fault for the fact the rest of the defence was repeatedly putting him in a situation where he was the sole defender and outnumbered, no winger can be blamed for conceding ground in those circumstances. Any semi-competent attack should always beat the defender in that situation and make ground. He didn't completely nullify it because no defender can be expected to, the point was he didn't let in any tries that way and did a lot of damage limitation, something I doubt very much Wade would have managed to do. This isn't a case of failing to make straight up 1 on 1 tackles, it's a case of damage limitation and trying to concede as little as possible when facing 2 on 1 or 3 on 1.

 

[msf]

He didn´t nullify it at all, and he didn´t let in any tries because he isn´t a goalkeeper. He missed the tackles because he wasn´t fast enough/good enough at tackling to make up for being put in a bad defensive position by his teammates. I think Watson would have made more of those tackles, simply because he is about twice as fast as Nowell.

Wade is also about twice as fast, but his problem is that he blitzes when he should drift.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

You simply cannot compare Wade and Nowell in defence.
Wade has improved massively but he's still miles away from Nowell/international standard

 

[Peat]

My guess is that come the summer, there will be enough injuries that the team will have to look rather different anyway, and that Jones will promote new people to fill the slots he has to and probably not change anything else to give himself the best shot of winning in Australia. Which is totally sensible and I'm going to try and remember this and not break out into a rage when he doesn't make the changes I want out there.

Reality is we all know change is needed if we want a shot at the World Cup, doesn't have to be wholesale but the side needs to keep evolving.

The obvious places to look at that, should Jones actually have the luxury of dropping players from a strong side rather than patching together an injury-ravaged one is in the back row and at inside-centre.

Back row - the question is how quickly someone like Clifford (or Ewers/Kvesic/Underhill/Ludlam/Gibson/Whoever) can come through. I don't think Jones is utterly content with the two guys he's got, but he's got them doing his basics and that'll make them tough to shift.

Inside-Centre - Farrell is quite blatantly not one. Hopefully one of Slade or Tuilagi will be ready, but if they're not, I think Jones needs to try the next cab off of the rank rather than waste another summer like that.

I'd also be happy to drop any of the three starting front rows (but only Hartley and Cole look like they have adequate deputies that make that a goer), desperately want Launchbury back in as we play better with him on the field, am impatiently waiting for a messiah to save us from the tyranny of Danny-Ben Goofed up Again, think Joseph's spot isn't all that secure, and think Brown's limitations and age are gonna get him sooner rather than later. There are very few players where I'm worried about injuries at the moment (Billy depending on Morgan/Beaumont's form, Watson, very begrudgingly Marler and Itoje).

But flanker and inside-centre are the priorities and we're clearly not going ahead at full speed.

Also, whoever said Lawes needs to up his work-rate just made my brain hurt and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm watching a different George Ford to the rest of you; he remains my England fly-half of choice.

 

[msf]

I didn´t, I just said that it wouldn´t have made much difference having Wade there last night - we would still have allowed them to make about 5 clean breaks.

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I said that - do you really think his work rate is consistently as good as Kruis, Itoje and Launchbury? Because that´s who he has got to beat.

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And you just made my brain hurt by suggesting that Morgan is in with a shout of getting in the squad. Have you heard of a player called Nathan Hughes?

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I agree about Ford though, he has controlled all the games except the 2nd half against Wales really well, and his kicks in the last quarter yesterday were just brilliant.

 

[ncurd]

I think on the Ford front some people are never going to be impressed. I can almost guarantee at the 60 min mark in lull of play some will knock him.

Certainly last night he was starting to look like himself again. His kicking from hand was superb especially the one he did in the lead up to the Cole try.

Is he perfect? Nope but I applaud Eddie for sticking with him and it's beginning to pay off. I think the way Lancaster treated him knocked his confidence a huge whack and it's taken a fair bit of time to get it back.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Lawes has an amazing work rate but really poor basics. His rucking technique is very poor, his carrying is well below the standard on an international lock and he looks knackered all the time.

If I was lawes I'd ask for the summer off. Rest his body and come back fighting.

 

[Peat]

I didn´t, I just said that it wouldn´t have made much difference having Wade there last night - we would still have allowed them to make about 5 clean breaks.

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I said that - do you really think his work rate is consistently as good as Kruis, Itoje and Launchbury? Because that´s who he has got to beat.

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And you just made my brain hurt by suggesting that Morgan is in with a shout of getting in the squad. Have you heard of a player called Nathan Hughes?

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I agree about Ford though, he has controlled all the games except the 2nd half against Wales really well, and his kicks in the last quarter yesterday were just brilliant.

It's a fair point. If you're going to leave a winger with 2 on 1s, then it doesn't matter hugely who that winger is...

Yes, I think his work rate is up there.

Hughes isn't available in the summer Morgan's usual stint in an England shirt when fit is good enough, imo, that I wouldn't worry about seeing him there - don't think he's getting back in any time soon, but he's an option there if needed.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Think we're more likely to see Clifford as a backup to Billy than we are Ben, tbh... that is where Jones sees him, remember.

Which is why I still hold out hope for Kvesic coming in.

 

[msf]

As you said, Morgan and Beaumont might not be an option in the summer either. I think that would probably leave Ewers as the replacement for Vunipola´s carrying power, I don´t think Clifford at no. 8 fits with the current game plan.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I don't think we'll see the current gameplan be taken on for longer than is necessary.

 

[Peat]

Think we're more likely to see Clifford as a backup to Billy than we are Ben, tbh... that is where Jones sees him, remember.

Which is why I still hold out hope for Kvesic coming in.

Possibly/probably right, but I would start to worry about Vunipola being injured if I saw Clifford as next cab lined up.

If he is serious about Clifford as an 8, then Clifford, Beaumont, Vunipola and Hughes is an almighty log-jam (before we even get to the possibility of Morgan) and given the current state of our flanks, moving a guy or two would seem prudent... I am uncertain whether to take Jones at face value here.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Beaumont isn't back from injury until over the summer so there's no chance he's touring.

 

[TobesHodges]

Wade should join the Sevens Circuit, he will never be an First Choice International Winger because of his size and height, wether he has the ability or not.. Is it right? Probably not but it's the truth.

 

[ratsapprentice]

If he is serious about Clifford as an 8, then Clifford, Beaumont, Vunipola and Hughes is an almighty log-jam (before we even get to the possibility of Morgan) and given the current state of our flanks, moving a guy or two would seem prudent... I am uncertain whether to take Jones at face value here.

Quite.

I don't think we'll be able to predict what he's going to do until at least after the summer, and possibly not even until next 6N if his selections don't seem outwardly cogent.

On a slight tangent - anyone else come away from the tournament seeing Billy as a possibly captain?
Not necessarily long term, but for a series or for a one off game, which I certainly wouldn't have predicted prior to the tournament.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Morgan needs to move from Glous IMO.

Maybe to a club like i don't know maybe Tigers

Quite.

I don't think we'll be able to predict what he's going to do until at least after the summer, and possibly not even until next 6N if his selections don't seem outwardly cogent.

On a slight tangent - anyone else come away from the tournament seeing Billy as a possibly captain?
Not necessarily long term, but for a series or for a one off game, which I certainly wouldn't have predicted prior to the tournament.

Yep i did extremely mature for a player of his age.

TBH we have some extremely talented youngsters who look like future leaders.


Side note: Freddie Burns for England.
Would have the rankings as Ford, Farrell, Burns, Slade, Cips ATM.

But then again i might be slightly biased