England EPS 2016/17 season.

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Nah Hughes is great at club level but internationally he isn't in that league at all.

Would have him ahead of Struass in the 6N's but that is about it.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Nah Hughes is great at club level but internationally he isn't in that league at all.

Would have him ahead of Struass in the 6N's but that is about it.

Wow, ok. I mean, I massively disagree. I think hes not the finished article for sure and don't like that he was shepherded into the england fold so soon after qualifying but meh, maybe if Morgan or Beaumont were standing out more it wouldn't have been that way.

It might genuinely turn out that england don't play a rugby style to get the best out of him. I hope we develop to be able to use his strengths but I'm not sure.

 

[TW27BA]

Some good news, and some bad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38876085

Shame about Kruis.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wow, ok. I mean, I massively disagree. I think hes not the finished article for sure and don't like that he was shepherded into the england fold so soon after qualifying but meh, maybe if Morgan or Beaumont were standing out more it wouldn't have been that way.

It might genuinely turn out that england don't play a rugby style to get the best out of him. I hope we develop to be able to use his strengths but I'm not sure.

I'm not judging the way he qualified it the rules he did nothing wrong.

I just don't see him hitting those levels in international the same way he does it with wasps. Plenty of players are great at club leve and alright to average at international level Hodgson being a prime example.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I'm not judging the way he qualified it the rules he did nothing wrong.

I just don't see him hitting those levels in international the same way he does it with wasps. Plenty of players are great at club leve and alright to average at international level Hodgson being a prime example.

Of course there are, I just don't think he's particularly one of them. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Let's not forget that it took Binny a while to nail down the starting shirt let alone become consistently influential. Hughes is still raw at the this level.

By his own admission he's also lost weight this year and I reckon that may have taken the edge off some of his power. Hartley and Cole are also visibly slimmer, which isn't always great for front rowers, while Courtney looks like he needs a good feed. All for athleticism, but....

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Let's not forget that it took Binny a while to nail down the starting shirt let alone become consistently influential. Hughes is still raw at the this level.

By his own admission he's also lost weight this year and I reckon that may have taken the edge off some of his power. Hartley and Cole are also visibly slimmer, which isn't always great for front rowers, while Courtney looks like he needs a good feed. All for athleticism, but....

I read an interview with Lawes in which he said his metabolism is so fast if he misses a meal he can loose up to 5kg. I assume that's why he's still really skinny. He also stated that he eats loads of junk food as well as the healthy food to keep his weight up.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Pity for him, but he's obviously underpowered on the carry and in the tight exchanges. Don't want to get back to the days of bludgeoning everyone, but you do need a certain amount of power and physicality in the front 5. The days of orcs on steroids feel like a long time ago.

 

[Which Tyler]

I think he has the potential to be better than Picamoles, genuinely. Such a different player to Faletau, Heaslip etc..

Hughes would fit in better with the All-Blacks because of how he plays the game. He's not a typical England number 8, but has a lot to offer if we can get it out of him. But as I Said, don't expect him to be a direct replacement for Binny, because nobody is.

Even on potential I wouldn't have him ahead of any of those other than Strauss. However, we were talking about current, not potential. Currently he's behind Strauss too IMO.
Of course, in the next couple of years hell overtake Pica and Parrisse as they fade through age and he gets more experience at this level (unless someone like Beaumont or Mercer take his place as back-up) - but again, that's a very different thing to being a better international player.

N8 is a strong position in world rugby recently. The 6N have 5 (including billy) who have genuinely been in the conversation for best in the world, Hughes is simply not in that class.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Really did not expect to be in a minority on this. If I think about Picamoles' hugely impactful performance on Saturday, I can't think of a single thing he did that I don't think Hughes will be able to do just as well.
Add to that the fact that he picks some great lines and usually (not so much yesterday) is great at the breakdown, I think he can be better than Picamoles. And I maintain that we won't get the best out of him if we try and make him into another Vunipola.

I wonder what @Raggs thinks about Hughes. It's possible I am just biased

 

[Which Tyler]

Again with the potential, not the actual.
He might possibly BECOME better than Picamoles IS, and if so then I, and all England fans will be delighted. I strongly doubt that he ever will be that good, but he certainly isn't currently

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

At his best, Picamoles can be devastating This season, we haven't seen much of that at all and in domestic head to heads Hughes has looked far better. I like the Mole, but I don't rate him as highly as you because he doesn't as consistently meet his standards as do the likes of Reed, Vermeulen, Parisse, Faletau and even Vunipola.

 

[Peat]

I'd like to wait a few more games on Hughes before saying too much but I didn't like that last game overly. Acceptable average I guess.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I didn't like that last game overly

No disagreement there, although again, it was a lousy showing from pretty much everyone

 

[TheSaffycen]

Hughes is an interesting one. Definitely more like Morgan than Vunipola. Next to Williams he could be good as it allows him to carry a bit wider and his link up play would be valuable, Binny is just a scary monster who makes meters everytime. Can't expect Hughes to do that as only Picamoles and Isa are that kind of player. Parisse couldn't do what Binny does for us.

For the Wales game I'd like to see
1. Marler 2. Hartley 3.Cole
4.Itoje 5.Launchbury
6.Haskell 7.Wood 8.Hughes
9.Youngs 10.Ford
11.May 12.Farrell 13.JJ
14.Nowell 15.Daly
16.George 17.Mullan 18.Sinkler
19.Lawes 20.Clifford 21.Robson
22.Teo 23.Lozowski
Not entirely sure what Backrowers we have available? Really don't like Harrison but if Cliffords not fit then he'd be in. Lawes isn't a great bench option but not really another choice for this game. Backs I don't know who we have but Lozowski can cover 10/15 and Teo 12/13. The guys on the pitch can cover most positions

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Squad shave down to:
Forwards (13):
Marler, Mullan, Hartley, George, Cole, Sinckler, Itoje, Launchbury, Lawes, Wood, Haskell, Hughes, Clifford.

Backs (11):
Youngs, Care, Ford, Farrell, Te'o, Slade, Joseph, Daly, May, Nowell, Brown.

I feel for Harrison a bit. Didn't get to come on to prove himself, or do anything to get dropped. Wood did a lot to warrant dropping him... Good to see Clifford back though. Unsure whether this means Itoje or Wood/Haskell at 6.

 

[Peat]

Harrison hasn't proven himself a guy you want to bring on though. Wood's a giant streak of floppy urine but he's still done more than Harrison has for England. Bit harsh, but there it is.

I had been hoping Wood was injured though, can't lie.

- - - Updated - - -

Harrison hasn't proven himself a guy you want to bring on though. Wood's a giant streak of floppy urine but he's still done more than Harrison has for England. Bit harsh, but there it is.

I had been hoping Wood was injured though, can't lie.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Can see it being the same as last week; none of the backs disgraced themselves to let Slade in, unless he' causing a storm in training. As everyone else has said, I just hope Wood takes a back seat, even if Harrison gets more time as a result

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Can see it being the same as last week; none of the backs disgraced themselves to let Slade in, unless he' causing a storm in training. As everyone else has said, I just hope Wood takes a back seat, even if Harrison gets more time as a result

Harrison has been dropped? Oh unless you mean beyond this game, sorry.

Clifford looked roughly the same as Harrison in that he looked unnerved by the heightened physicality of international rugby (piff take match vs Wales before the Australia tour not included), but he's had far less time to prove himself, so it'll be good to see him play.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

No, sorry, to clarify- 24 players left. I reckon Slade will be left out. I want Wood benched. Not a fan of Harrison, so happy to see Clifford start, Harrison as a sub and Wood to work on his Homer-style-arse-groove in the bench.