England Post-WC discussion

[j'nuh]

Roko, Yarde and Lewington at least would be ahead of Ashton for me.

 

[chippieolamus]

I'll be infuriated if Roko doesn't start, he's our best performing winger at the moment by a distance. He's also our most well rounded winger for me (defence, finishing, step, high ball chase, etc).

 

[ncurd]

I'm still peeved Roko didn't even get a warm up game before the world cup. Unsure how he gets overlooked now he should of been picked over Watson...

 

[Peat]

Our old coaches really, really liked Robshaw - Eddie clearly doesn't rate him that highly... there's hope.

The press seem convinced Robshaw's written into 6 and is still a potential captain... either they're talking out of their arris (very credible tbf), or Eddie does rate him. Not quite clear cut at the moment.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I would be fine with Robshaw 6 and as Captain for this 6N esp with Ewers injured and Clifford on the bench.

England pack for me
1) Vunipola, Mullan/Marler
2) George, Youngs, Heywood (Hartley injury not let him showed his fitness IMO)
3) Wilson, Cole, Thomas/Hill
4/5) Launchbury, Itojie, Kruis (Kithcner if injured), ?
6) Robshaw, Clifford
7) Kvesic, Harrison
8) Vunipola, Morgan, Beaumont

 

[ratsapprentice]

https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby

Good interview with Eddie - very affirmatively states that he's not looking to strangle sides.

 

[FLOBALOB]

Hearing Nowell has ****ed his knee.

All aboard the Ashton train, choo choo.

Im starting to think BT Sport is jinxing the players with their montage of certain players to promote upcoming games.
Afew weeks ago they featured Johnny May and now theres one with Jack Nowell.
Hopefully Nowells injury wont turn out to be as bad as Mays, and we wont have to suffer Ashtons inclusion.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

There hasn't been a montage on Launchbury recently has there?

Reports saying he may miss the start of the 6N after two blows to the head against Worcester- depending on how he progresses through the return to play protocols, he could be out for up to 6 weeks.

EDIT: Ooooh, can anyone else see that Itoje shaped blob looming on the international test horizon?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Locks went from having huge depth to nearly none now potentially.

 

[Irish boy]

Matt Symons has to be in the squad I mean the kiwis wanted him to stay he is that good. Be a very good leader and maybe not the most glam player but he does nothing wrong.

 

[chippieolamus]

So its Itoje and Lawes? Or Kitchener? Eh...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Daily Mail reckons Beaumont is being considered as much at lock as at 8 (basically as a utility "back 5" player).
To be honest I'm not that thrilled - i think he's wasted at lock. He's strong in the scrum, very good lineout but his carrying is more suited to backrow than the tight.
Sure he's strong enough to run at people and retain the ball, but he's better used where he's got a bit more space, and can choose his lines.
His quietest (dare i say, worst) games have all been starting in the second row.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

So hang on. Kruis, Attwood, Launchbury all injured. All potential starters too...

Still standing: Itoje, Slater, Kitchener, Beaumont, Parling, Lawes, and a couple of others I will have undoubtedly forgotten.

It's not the end of the world. Botha's looking good at Newcastle too...

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Slater is injured

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I think we could save time by listing the players not injured rather than injured at this rate :|

 

[TRF_Olyy]

As bad as the injury list is, most of it is "i hope they're first choice" rather than "they will be first choice"
Call me arrogant but I feel England has the depth to come 2nd/3rd no matter how many injuries we have

 

[j'nuh]

As bad as the injury list is, most of it is "i hope they're first choice" rather than "they will be first choice"
Call me arrogant but I feel England has the depth to come 2nd/3rd no matter how many injuries we have

See, I'm not too sure. I think we have the most polarising fixture list possible.

On the one hand, we have home advantage against Ireland and Wales, the two most difficult fixtures, and we can definitely beat France and Scotland away. It's definitely the most grand slam-able fixture list we could have had.
On the other hand, I think it's also the fixture list we could bottom out on. I don't give Scotland much of a chance at Twickenham; they haven't won there since 1983. But they are at home, on a high from the WC and have us first up when we have new management, new game plans etc. France are a bit of an unknown under new management, which is a bit worrying, and they have home advantage. Ireland and Wales are the two with the best chance of beating England at Twickenham.

I wouldn't be surprised by anything other than Italy beating us tbh. I don't see it happening, but if I were Italian, I'd be thinking that this was the best opportunity possible. At home against a new team who have had only one run out.

 

[Peat]

Not disagreeing with you J'nuh - but I think Olyy's point was more the talent's there to do well every year regardless of injury, not that we will.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye, my point was more:
We have have a very competitive top level,
We have a (50%ish) competitive 2nd level,
We have the most players in the world,
We have a very good age grade,
We have a good academy structure over the nation,
In theory we have the resources to be in the top 2/3 sides in the NH every year, regardless of how many recognised internationals are injured.
Whether or not we actually achieve that is a different matter, but I feel we really should be, considering the resources.

 

[Peat]

See, I'd have just said most of the other 6N teams aren't all that great and we've got about 60 odd players who could play well enough at 6N level. Because that ain't theory, that's fact.

As long as our coherence isn't too destroyed and we've got a core of genuine stars and leaders to build around for any campaign, I'm not too distraught.

Course, it doesn't make things easier, and one day we have bad tournaments in part due to it.

Also, we have a pretty weak core of genuine stars and leaders to start with as things stand... but you know, minor detail.