England EPS 2016/17 season.

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Which is totally bizarre given the criticisms of the English emphasis on physicality over skills.

Underhill will be our saviour. Far too late now but I always wonder whether Tom Youngs could have made a better 7 than hooker.

Not too late for Tommy Taylor though...

 

[NickBD]

Lawes now a doubt - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37810176

 

[Which Tyler]

Lawes now a doubt - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37810176

Still leaves us Launch and Attwood to start, with Slater & Ewells fighting for the bench spot.
So far, we can cope - one more and we're a little screwed

 

[TheSaffycen]

All this talk of flankers, still think Wray would've been a good selection. Powerful runner, good tackler. Probably not getting enough first team action or isn't quite good enough.
If Fearns can get a move asap he'll walk into the team, exactly what Jones wants.
On Kvesic, can't really see why he'd get a call up when he isn't playing for a **** poor Gloucester team atm. Ewers need to get fit again as well.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Wray is a journeyman exemplar.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Wray is a journeyman exemplar.

You really think? I think he's a very tidy player, good starting or coming off the bench. Played 6/7/8 for us and has hardly put a foot wrong, to get over 100 appearances for us when we've had a great back row for years isn't too shabby.

 

[BPM]

I don't think Fearns will 'walk in to the team' ... I'm not even sure he'd make the squad. He's a Saxons player for me, not EPS.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I'm talking atm. Jones wants a hard hitting aggressive monster, and right now he is the only one left standing. If he moves to Tigers or Sarries as soon as than he has a great chance.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

What's happened to Will Fraser? He seems to have dropped off the map over the last year- not been out with injury has he?

 

[TheSaffycen]

Crocked again

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Crocked again

P i ss.

Wonder who'll be called up for Lawes (if he is out). Beaumont would be my choice.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fearns is the player Haskell wishes he was.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Former world junior player of the year nominee, many people forget.

Another player (like Kvesic) who was taken on an England Saxons/midweek tour and shined, yet never really featured for the senior side, despite also shining at club level.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wray is a journeyman exemplar.

How so hasn't he played at Saracens his whole life?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

And a nice right hook on him as well. He gets special Kudos for knocking out Henson.

 

[ratsapprentice]

How so hasn't he played at Saracens his whole life?

:lol:

Googleitm8.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

UWOTM8?

Re Lawes i would have Kitchener ahead of Slater currently but Slater does offer versatility.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

There's two meanings for journeyman.
One is a player who goes from club to club to club, someone like Bowden who had played for 3 prem sides, 3 SR franchises, an Italian club a Japanese club and 4 Kiwi club sides.
The other basically means they're average.
I'd not heard the latter until pretty recently (last couple of years) but it seems to be the meaning used most commonly.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Nah.... people just assume it has something to do with moving around because of the journey bit.

It's someone who has completed their training but has not attained mastery of their craft.

It's a technical term.

 

[Peat]

What Rats said, both on the real meaning of journeymen and Wray fitting the phrase. I can't say I've ever seen anything other than a tidy Premiership player. The only sympathy I have with him as an England candidate is at the moment, that's quite a few of the other candidates too.