England Post-WC discussion

[TheSaffycen]

Kyle Eastmond, he has everything in attack. We need to look at giving him a long run of games, barrring injury. Him and Farrell could do really well together if Ford is thought to be too small.
Farrell at 12 ? He has come into a great run of form.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Kyle Eastmond, he has everything in attack. We need to look at giving him a long run of games, barrring injury. Him and Farrell could do really well together if Ford is thought to be too small.
Farrell at 12 ? He has come into a great run of form.

Go and wash your face out with soap. Such heresy from one of our own *mutters angrily*.

Eastmond would seem to be the natural choice, though imo his defence is still iffy- Hughes for one has got the better of him recently (though can we blame him). Actually scratch that:
I think we need to make the distinction between defence and tackling. Eastmond's positioning is fine, his stature is the problem. Same with GF, it's his tackling that's the problem.
Maybe that's a finicky distinction.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Eastmond is talented but small.
Give him a year in league and develop his one on one tackling and he could be a contender, until his tackling improves he is a liability.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Eastmond is talented but small.
Give him a year in league and develop his one on one tackling and he could be a contender, until his tackling improves he is a liability.

Why would he need to go back to league for a year?

If it didn't sort out his one on one tackling before why would it now?

He also isn't as bad as some make it out to be but with Ford it is too lightweight for international rugby IMO.

 

[ratsapprentice]

His tackling is fine - technique isn't going to make up for the 45~kg weight advantage that someone like Hughes has.

I'm not talking about Kyle when referring to our "problem" at 12... the problem is that he is by far and a way the best distributing 12 in the country (barring Slade).
Why is it that we don't have 4-5 guys who have a similar skillset?

 

[The Jones Boy]

Because players of the calibre of Guscott at centre are hard to find.
We have been very fortunate to have had a dynasty following Tana Umaga, to Conrad Smith to Ma'a Nonu.
I'm not convinced we have the same pedigree in Fekitoa and co. but when you do find a class player (like Joseph) at centre it helps if the combos play for the same province as well.
The sooner you discard Barritt the better.

 

[ratsapprentice]

https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/679725806235484160

That Boyce fella.... he'll go far.

 

[TommiG88]

On watching the prem and European cup. Farrell looks the form 10 at this moment with Cipriani not far behind. I would have Eastmond and Joseph in the centres but will jones?

Starting to get a bit excited for the 6 nations to see we start well.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I still have reservations over Eastmond/Joseph together at international level, but I'd very much like to see them given a shot.
Cipriani and (especially) Farrell are better defenders than Ford, and it's not a particularly leaky midfield for Bath (though int. is a big step up).
Throw in Nowell and Roko on the wings to shore it up a bit too

 

[ncurd]

I've been out the loop as I seam to busy every bloody match so far this year but the little I've seen I'd mightily annoyed if Roko is passed up again. Every time I watch him I can't see where the deficiency in his game is except maybe he's not the fastest.

Eastmond/Joseph deserves a run out and by all accounts we're playing Farrell unless Ford find his form (I doubt Cips will gets a look in even though he should lads 28 could probably make it to the world cup) so I'm not too worried defensively. At very worst I'd happily go back to Burrell/Jospeh it actually worked last 6 nations even though I don't like Burrell as a player.

I can't think of a reason to drop Joseph by all accounts he was playing very injured during the world cup and he's probably still getting up to fitness.


I think if we see changes it'll be up front more than in the backline though.

 

[The Jones Boy]

My biggest interest, and no doubt that of folks outside of England, will be what Eddie Jones intends to do with the loose forward trio.
Will he play a sniffer?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Almost definitely

 

[Tony Manx]

Will he play a sniffer?

Would that be Haskell?

 

[McTallshort]

Would that be Haskell?

Or one of Fraser, kvesic and Clifford

 

[ratsapprentice]

1) Kvesic
2) Fraser
3) Clifford

 

[McTallshort]

Kvesic ahead of Fraser?

 

[Patolski]

I hope he uses the Aussie way of picking two tens and playing the defensively better one at 12. This will stop the panic of the player having to be an out and out 12.
So I'm hoping for a magical Cipriani at 10 and a stern, calculating Farrel in at 12 who can attack the line himself, lead a defence with his aggressive defence and then when it tightens up we get two players with fantastic kicking games when they're on their day. Oh and they both bring players onto the ball wonderfully.
Should definitely stop being hyper critical and give the team space to breathe and express themselves. Stop looking at weaknesses all the time and think what players can bring to the table and get excited about England.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Haskell and Clifford aren't sniffers, they're 6s who are good at the breakdown.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Kvesic ahead of Fraser?

100%

 

[McTallshort]

Well I don't disagree but given who the new defence coach is I'm willing to bet Fraser gets the nod first