England back row going into the RWC 2019

[Chief Pete]

It is scary how many quality young back row options we have and it's easy to forget quite how young they are:
Underhill - 22
Willis - 22
Mercer - 21
Earl - 21
Dombrandt - 21
Curry x2 - 20
Hill - 19!

Penny for Brad Shields thought's looking at that list, not gone quite according to plan...

 

[Nudger]

Is eddy planning 3 locks and taking Hughes to cover 8 and 2row

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Did Hughes actually pack down in the 2nd row?
I just presumed Shields would have when Hughes came on

I wouldn't be ooovveerrrlllyyy surprised to see him just take krutoje and Lawes,
But at the same time he's used locks at 6 so much would be actually take four locks and use Itoje or Lawes as backup blindside?

 

[Nudger]

He has twice now
Shields once when Wales tore our pack a new one

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I'd rather have a lock at 6 than a 6 at lock......

Or you could do something crazy and stop playing players out of position! Eddies experiments have never worked. We have played best with locks at lock, a 6 at 6, 7 at 7 and an 8 at 8, who'd have thought it.

 

[Scotty]

.

It is scary how many quality young back row options we have and it's easy to forget quite how young they are:
Underhill - 22
Willis - 22
Mercer - 21
Earl - 21
Dombrandt - 21
Curry x2 - 20
Hill - 19!

Who of them will reach their potential? And the ones that will we need to stand by. Not drop just because of a bad run of games and onto the next. TCurry far ahead of the rest currently ofcourse but still

There is also SSimmonds is only 24 and 2 willis

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Flankers are like buses it seems...

 

[Bill]

Willis out for the rest of the season ?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Following Binny's recent troubles, is he as indispensable as many once thought?

I'd still love to see Morgan given a shot. The guy's been playing consistently well for a long time and if there were doubts over his work rate surely those have gone. And he always used to raise his game in an international. I'd say he's our best all round 8.

 

[Which Tyler]

I'd far, far rather Morgan than Hughes. Or Shields for that matter.

For me, the #8 pecking order should be Billy > Morgan > Mercer > Clifford/Hughes, with 2 of those options providing cover across the row I'd have Billy of Morgan to start, with Mercer or Clifford on the bench.