England Post-WC discussion

[Lé Ddanno]

He cant be dropped if he hasn't been picked. Slate wiped clean and all that.

Its Care for me at the moment, looking back to his sharpest best. If Chudley carries on like he is hes certainly going to put himself in with a chance..

There's a limit to the changes Jones can make to the EPS - about ten if memory serves.
Youngs' form is solid enough to stay on at the very least and if playing alongside Ford I'd say he's nailed-on. Off the top of my head and on personal opinion(s) I would dump Easter, Wood, Ashton, Clark, Corbs, Barritt, Wigglesworth, 36 and.. a couple of others, before Youngs.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

There's a limit to the changes Jones can make to the EPS - about ten if memory serves.
Youngs' form is solid enough to stay on at the very least and if playing alongside Ford I'd say he's nailed-on. Off the top of my head and on purely down to personal opinion(s) I would dump Easter, Wood, Ashton, Clark, Corbs, Barritt, Wigglesworth, 36 and.. a couple of others, before Youngs.

Didn't think Ashton, Clark, Corbs and 36 were in the EPS atm?

Also, what about the reserves (Burrell and someone?) for the WC. Do they count as in or out of the squad?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Didn't think Ashton, Clark, Corbs and 36 were in the EPS atm?

Also, what about the reserves (Burrell and someone?) for the WC. Do they count as in or out of the squad?

Not sure, too much booze. I forgot Goode of all people

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ben Youngs has started to look like his old self again he won't be dropped IMO.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Youngs is my first choice 9 as well.
Both on form Youngs is better than anyone else we have. The only issue is his....not flakiness, but ability to main form.
Care has the same issue but Care will top out at like 80 and bottom at 50, whereas Youngs is 90->40.
Promising start to the season, though.


Also, on the current EPS: what is it?
The normal EPS is bigger than the RWC squad, but smaller than the extended training squad.

 

[Colombia]

I'm good at picking up when other people have made the same mistake I did 10 minutes earlier.

Given the lack of good options at 12; I suspect we may see Barritt there as a sop to Gustard (and continuity); given the 6N but told that he has to show more in attack if he's to stay in the team.

Jones doesn't seem the type to sop to anyone. I get the impression he'll know who he wants at 12 himself.

 

[LUKE12]

Does anyone think this would be a good starting xv to play Scotland

1) Mako Vunipola
2) Dylan Hartley
3) Dan Cole
4) Maro Itoje
5) Joe Launchberry
6) Jack Clifford
7) Matt Kvesic
8) Billy Vunipola
9) Danny Care
10) George Ford
11) Anthony Watson
12) Manu Tuilagi (If fit)
13) Jonathan Joseph/ Elliot Daly
14) Jack Nowell/ Semesa Rokoduguni
15) Mike Brown

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hartley ewwww.

Get George in.

 

[LUKE12]

Hartley ewwww.

Get George in.

I agree with you but its heavily rumoured Hartley is going to be captain so he will have to be in the side

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

3 forwards with 2 caps between them, a hideously out of form 10, and Tuilagi at 12 on what grounds? Won't be happening!

 

[Peat]

Tuilagi at 12 on what grounds? Won't be happening!

Good lords, is that the time already?

He's probably the best 12 we could play, that's why. Let the argument recommence...

 

[Aristodemus]

I wouldn't say Ford is hideously out of form. He has had a few poor games but Bath as a whole have struggled

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I wouldn't say Ford is hideously out of form. He has had a few poor games but Bath as a whole have struggled

This, Bath forwards have been absolutely dire and Ford as been working with people who are giving him no go forward ball and aren't presenting a credible threat as first receivers either. I'd like Ford to still start for England and if he starts having problem with them, then I'd be more keen to swap him out for Farrell or Cips. Ford and Youngs seem to work better than the sum of their parts and are one of the aspects of the England squad that I think genuinely gel well together.

Ford does need to work on his tackling though, he is still trying to hug players like Hughes and others with 15-20kg on Ford wouldn't attempt to tackle him that way so no way should Ford be doing it. He used to go low conceding ground but often bringing the player down, now he has started going high and is being bumped off way too often.

 

[LUKE12]

3 forwards with 2 caps between them, a hideously out of form 10, and Tuilagi at 12 on what grounds? Won't be happening!

So who do you think should play at 12 then?

 

[TheSaffycen]

We need to see him have a few games for Tigers to show he's fit. Then at few 12 to show that he won't just stop the attack from going beyond him, he can do this but we need to know how his time off has affected different parts of his game.
If we don't go for him I like Eastmond but size is telling so probably go for Burrell. I know he us very bland but he is competent, knows the position and if we have front foot ball (which we should from our pack) even Barritt would look a threat. I think putting in Tuilagi at 12 you need to compensate with a playmaker elsewhere. You could have Slade at 13, though he may still be out or Goode at 15. The latter probably will get shown up again and Mike Brown hasn't done anything to be dropped. Can Daly play the playmaker at 13/15 though ? I don't want to drop JJ so it leaves really Goode at 15. Unless Cipriani could make the full time move to intl fullback.

 

[LUKE12]

We need to see him have a few games for Tigers to show he's fit. Then at few 12 to show that he won't just stop the attack from going beyond him, he can do this but we need to know how his time off has affected different parts of his game.
If we don't go for him I like Eastmond but size is telling so probably go for Burrell. I know he us very bland but he is competent, knows the position and if we have front foot ball (which we should from our pack) even Barritt would look a threat. I think putting in Tuilagi at 12 you need to compensate with a playmaker elsewhere. You could have Slade at 13, though he may still be out or Goode at 15. The latter probably will get shown up again and Mike Brown hasn't done anything to be dropped. Can Daly play the playmaker at 13/15 though ? I don't want to drop JJ so it leaves really Goode at 15. Unless Cipriani could make the full time move to intl fullback.

Yeah and I think Devoto and Hill should at least be in the Saxons squad because they need more experience before they start seriously challenging for that number 12 shirt.

 

[Peat]

Would rather have Hill than Burrell tbh... or at least I think so based on recent viewing of Burrell.

 

[LUKE12]

Would rather have Hill than Burrell tbh... or at least I think so based on recent viewing of Burrell.

Yeah he's probably on better form and possibly a better player but he has virtually no international experience apart from a match over a year ago against the Barbarians

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah he's probably on better form and possibly a better player but he has virtually no international experience apart from a match over a year ago against the Barbarians

So you would say playing for the Saxons is a higher level than Champions cup rugby?

 

[LUKE12]

So you would say playing for the Saxons is a higher level than Champions cup rugby?

No I was just making a point that he hasn't really ever properly played for England