England EPS 2016/17 season.

[Every Time Ref]

Unless Slade is training as a 10? Has jones stated anywhere that Slade is a centre?

Otherwise completely agree with the above. You need three 10s that know the systems for an international team.

My first instinct when I saw only two fly halves was to assume there must be a third, so went back to look again, assumed Slade must be the third. Unless ... unless it's ... Alex Goode?

 

[Tony Manx]

Joe Simpson is 28 years old. With Youngs, Care and Robson in front of him he's not getting back in an England shirt.
Alex Goode is 28 years old. Brown is ahead of him and Haley, Watson and Nowell are the future. If, after a Prem Player of the Season award didn't get him back in an England shirt then nothing will.
Tom Youngs is 29. Hartley, George and maybe LCD are all in front of him. He's too old for a comeback.
Semesa Rokoduguni is 28. Nowell, Watson, May and Yarde are all 26 or younger. With Nowell and Watson starting regularly, and Jones having shown that Yarde is his 3rd choice winger, Roko isn't getting in an England shirt.
Ben Te'o is 29. Tuilagi, Slade and Farrell are all ahead of him and at 29 he's not making a comeback.

All it takes for Cipriani to be needed in the 23 is an injury to Ford or Farrell. Yet all of these players who have no chance of getting into an England shirt were selected over him, with 2, 3 or 4 players in front of them for selection. At least one of the previously listed could've made way for him. Especially when 10 is such a vital position. You can slot any centre or fullback into wing, yet there's 5 of them and only 2 10s. You can't put anyone other than a 10 at 10.

I'm not one of those people who is always shouting and having a fit when Cips isn't selected, he is undeniably behind Faz and Ford, but only selecting 2 10s in a 45 man squad is ludicrous. The All Blacks have 3 of them in a 32 man squad. Cips should've been selected.

Maybe, just maybe, his "accidents" and drink driving (alleged as under appeal) did not go entirely in his favour?

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Maybe, just maybe, his "accidents" and drink driving (alleged as under appeal) did not go entirely in his favour?

I doubt Jones cares if I'm honest, unless it's a symptom of Cips being a big ****** off the field still, but if so Lancaster wouldn't have picked him.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Maybe, just maybe, his "accidents" and drink driving (alleged as under appeal) did not go entirely in his favour?

Then select a different 10, but there had to be more than 2 specialist 10s in a 45 man international squad. Whether it's Cips, Burns, Myler or even Steenson (He qualifies residentially and has never been capped for the Ireland senior team, unless he's pledged his allegiance to Ireland, he can be selected for England), you have to have more than 2 10s. Having a 13 and a 15 who can cover but haven't played there consistently in years isn't a good enough back up to maybe the most specialist position on the field.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I doubt Jones cares if I'm honest, unless it's a symptom of Cips being a big ****** off the field still, but if so Lancaster wouldn't have picked him.

TBH Lancaster didn't pick him did he and how much of him bringing Cups up might have been down to media pressure?


Also To say a hooker at 29 is to old for a comeback is silly IMO.

TBF to all of them 28/29 are going to be 31/32 come 2019 which is still easily doable for a lot of players and smacks of building for 2023 when you don't have to do to speak.

Then select a different 10, but there had to be more than 2 specialist 10s in a 45 man international squad. Whether it's Cips, Burns, Myler or even Steenson (He qualifies residentially and has never been capped for the Ireland senior team, unless he's pledged his allegiance to Ireland, he can be selected for England), you have to have more than 2 10s. Having a 13 and a 15 who can cover but haven't played there consistently in years isn't a good enough back up to maybe the most specialist position on the field.

Ew Myler
Burns TBF was playing great before injury, but his form has been too inconsistent and I could see the risk that his form might not return to that level by the time AI come up.
Cips who knows why although Eddie did say basically Cips needed to keep his mouth shut regarding England selection to the media and he prob wouldn't take the pick me or looking to France his agent basically pulled too kindly.
Steenson - Why and IMO Steenson has more chance of playing for Ireland before England anyway

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Nathan Earle starting for Canterbury against Auckland in 5 mins on sky sports

 

[Maverick1987]

Nathan Earle starting for Canterbury against Auckland in 5 mins on sky sports

Has he moved there permanently ?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

No loan deal

 

[ratsapprentice]

Went well, did Nathan.

Still got the pace and did good things with ball in hand.

Bodes well - his size (98kg) and pace mean that he's a real contender for England very, very soon.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Reckon he is prob another couple seasons off England talk at least IMO, might be in the Wider training squad similar to Evans and Genge.

Just a shame we don't so this with more players imagine
Earle
Ludlam
Morris
Packman
Chisholm
Getting runs outs in it or the Currie cup.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Nah, I think it's entirely possible he comes straight in to the next squad.

He's really good, and offers something we don't really have - pace and size.

Simultaneously one of the biggest and fastest English outside backs.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Has he even started a AP game for Saracens yet?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Course not, it's Saracens.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Has he even started a AP game for Saracens yet?

Before last season Marchant and Evans hadn't started in the AP. Genge didn't even belong to an AP club. Now Evans and Marchant are in the EPS and Genge's got an England cap.

I wouldn't have thought it's too big a claim to say that Earle could be in the next EPS. He has real potential, far more than any of our other wingers. A feather off 100kg and running 100m in about 11 seconds. Truly superb athleticism and he's only gonna get better.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I wouldn't have thought it's too big a claim to say that Earle could be in the next EPS. He has real potential, far more than any of our other wingers. A feather off 100kg and running 100m in about 11 seconds. Truly superb athleticism and he's only gonna get better.

Pretty good basics to boot.

 

[BPM]

The trouble for Earle will still be the competition for places at Saracens. I think the level of expectation for them to win more or less every game makes it more difficult to blood young players outside of the LV cup games.

Ashton's record means he's a shoo-in on the right wing, so the opportunity for Earle is probably on the left wing.

None of the Sarries wingers are world beaters, but I think it's fair to say that most are more established than Earle.

I believe Maitland was signed as a fullback, but right now, you could argue that their strongest 15 would probably have him in as a winger.

Ellery is a big, powerful (and fairly fast winger). He got a reasonable amount of game time last season and 5 tries was a decent return for a first season in the AP.

I'd expect Rawaca to take a little bit of time to adapt from sevens, but he could be excellent if/when he gets fully up and running.

Wyles has also spent a fair amount of time on the wing too, so Earle would have a fight on his hands to get the game time he needs.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly I feel Earle needs to be looking elsewhere if he fails to get a few starts this season @ AP.

Same with Ludlam.

 

[BPM]

I agree. There are several players in a similar position.

Ben Spencer and Henry Taylor at Sarries, Stuart Townsend at Exeter, Callum Braley at Gloucester and Tom Stephenson at Saints all spring to mind.

To be fair most of those are 9s and a lot of 9s don't break through until 22/23, but considering it's one of our weakest positions, it would be good to see some more coming through and getting regular game time. Dan Robson's development and increased consistency last season is a case in point. He always looked good at Gloucester, but the move to Wasps and a bit of luck with Simpson's injury gave him the chance to show what he can do over a number of games.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Not convinced about Braley.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Not convinced about Braley.

Yeh him and Townsend are two players i'm not sure on.