England Rugby 2018/19 Thread

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think it's legitimate reasons but made easier by EJ.

Spend time with your young family who your barely see as it is vs getting your leg broken in judo training while being berated by a toad

Do you not think professional rugby players get more time with their family than normal working people? having seen some the typical week things they do, i definitely see my family less than an pro rugby player does.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Do you not think professional rugby players get more time with their family than normal working people? having seen some the typical week things they do, i definitely see my family less than an pro rugby player does.

For a non-international, probably. For an international like Marler, they're stuck in (EDIT: interminable) camps, touring etc quite apart from all the club and commercial commitments.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Do you not think professional rugby players get more time with their family than normal working people? having seen some the typical week things they do, i definitely see my family less than an pro rugby player does.

Apparently Marler commutes several hours a day to Quins cause he lives out in the country, and then obv there's games on the weekend and the associated time away with that
Obviously that's his choice, but so is choosing not to have the extra time away from them with England

People have different priorities and marlers of the opinion that if you can't give 100% to the England side you're doing the team a disservice, and he didn't feel he could do that

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Do you not think professional rugby players get more time with their family than normal working people? having seen some the typical week things they do, i definitely see my family less than an pro rugby player does.

Unless you know a pro rugby player personally it's impossible to say.
The recovery time from playing/training wise should also be factored into things, not exactly like they will have lots of energy by the end of the day.

It's one thing being a pro rugby player 20-26 without a family where you can live in a shared apartment within 30 mins of the training ground and you can just play fifa or whatever low energy thing with your mates end of the day, it's another having a family that is 1 hour + away from the ground and not having the energy to properly enjoy it.

 

[Every Time Ref]

One quote of his talking about the workload is quite telling "....its not that you're bored but its like: Christ, this is a slog now". While the rewards are higher than ever before , I suspect an increasing number will similarly find that the joy of playing rugby gets slowly sucked out of them by the demands of "professionalism". That's what happens when the money men are in charge.

I think that's a large part of it and will happen more and more frequently - especially in England where internationals are beasted to acridiculius degree.

I really hope this is a wake up call but I doubt it

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think that's a large part of it and will happen more and more frequently - especially in England where internationals are beasted to acridiculius degree.

I really hope this is a wake up call but I doubt it

Can't see this bringing about any change when it's the clubs that are really slogging the players and as far as Marler's club is concerned, all that's happened is that they get to retain an international class player during international periods. If anything, this has worked out very well for the 'money men.'

 

[Every Time Ref]

Can't see this bringing about any change when it's the clubs that are really slogging the players and as far as Marler's club is concerned, all that's happened is that they get to retain an international class player during international periods. If anything, this has worked out very well for the 'money men.'

You're completely right, I guess I was kind of referring to a wake up call for English rugby as a whole.

The short answer is I didn't really think it through TBH

 

[TommiG88]

This Marler situation feels like the Trescothick (sp?) situation for the cricket team a number of years ago. I think there's more to it than meets the eye at the moment, which will come out in the future.

 

[MarkyH]

Johnny Williams with couple of tries last night for Falcons, he's been impressive from what I've seen this season and stood out a for Irish in their struggles last season.

JWC winner in 2016. 105kg and plays inside centre. Has power and good hands. Probably won't get a look in, but would like to see a different type of IC called up in the EPS. I know Gatland was tempted by him moving to Wales in the summer but signing for Falcons rather than a regional team hopefully ruled that out.

 

[Jimbo]

Johnny Williams with couple of tries last night for Falcons, he's been impressive from what I've seen this season and stood out a for Irish in their struggles last season.

JWC winner in 2016. 105kg and plays inside centre. Has power and good hands. Probably won't get a look in, but would like to see a different type of IC called up in the EPS. I know Gatland was tempted by him moving to Wales in the summer but signing for Falcons rather than a regional team hopefully ruled that out.

He looks very impressive, but too close to the World Cup to really trial him I would think, we are probably committed to either Faz or Teo now until post WC or of course injury forces change. Unless by some miracle Manu manages a descent period of not being injured.

 

[Which Tyler]

I always felt that he was the best of the midfield in that 2016 squad, just without the flash and plaudits of Mallinder and Marchant.
Have spent the intervening 2 years desperate fornBath to go calling, especially this year when we wanted 2 new ICs!

 

[MarkyH]

He looks very impressive, but too close to the World Cup to really trial him I would think, we are probably committed to either Faz or Teo now until post WC or of course injury forces change. Unless by some miracle Manu manages a descent period of not being injured.

I agree with you latter points however I wouldn't worry about it being to close to the WC to trial him. Would like to see a more physical inside centre come into the squad, and I've seen more decent play from Williams than I have from Teo in any Worcester game that he has actually appeared in

This is the problem with EJ and England. We've stuck to the wrong players in certain positions for too long, and in positions where we need something new he hasn't trialled anyone. 6, 9, and 12 are all positions that if Robshaw, Youngs or Farrell get injured we are bringing someone in as back up who hasn't been in the squad.

 

[MarkyH]

Other news, Ollie Lawrence on the bench for Worcester today. He's definitely one for the future. Hope he comes off the bench! Hill starting too so plenty of potential around right now for England for 2023. Just need an England manager who can embrace it :/

 

[higgik]

Apparently Marler commutes several hours a day to Quins cause he lives out in the country, and then obv there's games on the weekend and the associated time away with that
Obviously that's his choice, but so is choosing not to have the extra time away from them with England

People have different priorities and marlers of the opinion that if you can't give 100% to the England side you're doing the team a disservice, and he didn't feel he could do that

Still lives in his home town in Sussex. Used to see him at local petrol station and once saw him at local golf club playing with some mates and even gave me autograph, fantastic guy. Obviously there is more to his life than rugby.

 

[BPM]

I agree with you latter points however I wouldn't worry about it being to close to the WC to trial him. Would like to see a more physical inside centre come into the squad, and I've seen more decent play from Williams than I have from Teo in any Worcester game that he has actually appeared in

This is the problem with EJ and England. We've stuck to the wrong players in certain positions for too long, and in positions where we need something new he hasn't trialled anyone. 6, 9, and 12 are all positions that if Robshaw, Youngs or Farrell get injured we are bringing someone in as back up who hasn't been in the squad.

100% agree.

Te'o is injured again and he's still dining out on his performances for the Lions and his early impact off the bench for England.

He's barely played for Worcester and until he does, he doesn't deserve to be in the squad IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Worcester can't wait to get him off their wage bill.

 

[Jimbo]

Still lives in his home town in Sussex. Used to see him at local petrol station and once saw him at local golf club playing with some mates and even gave me autograph, fantastic guy. Obviously there is more to his life than rugby.

I think he lives in Uckfield, pretty sure that's where he grew which incidentally is about 10 minutes from where I am.

I am not saying I agree we have to stick with capped players, I just can't see it changing.

Still don't understand why Hamersley hasn't been looked at, at FB he's always looked good when I've seen him play, not sure why we persist in trying to change players from other positions.

Think Eddie insists on persisting with having all the players he deems to be the best available in the squad regardless of positions which to my mind doesn't always equate to the strongest team.

 

[ncurd]

This Marler situation feels like the Trescothick (sp?) situation for the cricket team a number of years ago. I think there's more to it than meets the eye at the moment, which will come out in the future.

Bangers situation is 'possibly' more complex he suffers from severe anxiety from being away from home. Somerset have said they make special arrangements for away matches for him to help manage it. He tried going abroad to play in 2009 but left early in the tournament as he couldn't cope.

It should be noted Cricket is very diffrent to rugby in the respect of how much time you spend away from home, a test or county championship game will require the most of a week away. You will rarely travel to a one-day game and back home again in the same day. If your lucky enough to play for the Lions or the first team internationally and you play in all formats you will spend the entire Winter away from home whereas apart from World Cups rugby tours last about a month.

Not saying Marler shouldn't put family first but being an international cricketer is an extremely hard strain and this looks slightly diffrent.

Plus Banger is one of all time great English cricketers if international retirement hadn't had to come so soon his record may have been better than Cooks. Somerset have profitted greatly from having a world class batsman not playing international cricket (well technically we have two but Hildreth is a completely diffrent story).

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Agreed. Bairstow was once quoted as saying he'd spent more than 300 nights away from home in a year. Mental.

The cricketing authorities used to agonise - well that's what they said publicly - about player workload. They've given up all pretence of that now.

Should a player burn out / get injured there'll be another along in a minute. Just - highly paid - commodities.

I love test match - proper - cricket. T20 can play on the motorway as far as I'm concerned, but it's where the money is. Top players in all sports get flogged by those that write the cheques. Bit depressing really.

 

[Nudger]

Sounds like marler should have retired years ago

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Yep and pretty much means Marler will never play for England again even if Jones wanted to pick him or a new manager came in.