England Six Nations squad 2022

[Bada-Bing!]

I think Eddie's was trying to emulate NZ where they have successfully played Corey Jane and Ben Smith in the 14 shirts in the full back cum wing role.

Same with Jordie at 14 when he's a 15. Some can pull it off with their skill sets. Steward still a relative novice at international level. But yes that relies on having a bloody good full back in conjunction with that side.

 

[Becca]

All Malins had done in the tournament was prove that he's not an international wing which I think everyone knew anyway. Tries aren't the back 3's only currency but I read he's something like 0 tries from 14 tests which won't have helped.

Maybe it was a case of his confidence being shot in which case Jones was right to remove him, otherwise a bit of position swapping would have seemed the way to go. Jones seems to like Furbank but he looks out of his depth to me.

I can't fathom his obsession with Furbank. I don't even think he's the best fullback at Northampton let alone an international class one !
The world of Eddie is a very strange place to be, I think.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tackles made: 2
Tackles missed: 3

Isn't a great stat for a 15

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Tackles made: 2
Tackles missed: 3

Isn't a great stat for a 15

Barbearyesque

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Tackles made: 2
Tackles missed: 3

Isn't a great stat for a 15

Thats good for a saints back right now.

 

[Scotty]

So what are the positives from this 6N?

For me Genge stepped up and is starting to own the no.1 shirt.

George itoje Lawes and Curry are consistsntly top quality players and put in a shift. Whilst Isiekwe, Chessum both looked good, we just need more consistancy in the back row.

Our pack in general didnt get bullied in any games even without Billy.

While he's still making mistakes and needs more gametime Randall is finally getting some real gametime and i think he and Quirke will be our 9s for years to come.

Smith is solid in attack and defence, whilst glimpses of his class we are yet to see the best of him.

Smith Slade Marchant needs to be stuck with in the summer with Faz at 22 as he will be in the team lets face it.

Wings we have no real positives but Steward looks class at 15, will only get better as his skillset improves.


I genuinly think the final 6N tables shows where the teams are right now, france and Ireland are settled and on form

England does have a solid core of players in the forward but alot of newer players and bad tactics and Youngs making us look worse than the sum of our parts at times. Yet strong up front just unable to get our attack going. We need a new attack coach to get us to the world cup IMO and more stability in selection, be that players in the right positions or not chopping and changing so much. Fixable but thats down to EJ.

Scotland, hit and miss not a convincing win against England, lost to Wales but some good play but not consistant enough.

Wales were average even more so than England IMO, with the regions not being strong and the great welsh players injured or ageing it could be tough for wales going forward.

 

[ncurd]

Smith Slade Marchant needs to be stuck with in the summer with Faz at 22 as he will be in the team lets face it.

:belch:

Slade or Marchant has to go and we really need to try something else at 12, we know Faz will play which means they both need off sod. That isn't a complaint of them as players I think one off them is perfectly fine but we really really need to find someone with attacking flair. you rightly point out Youngs as an issue but we had Randall and it made little difference and Smith is supposedly gods gift to rugby so the next issue is the centers (and the wings as you pointed out).

If were playing Randall, Smith, Slade and Marchant and that's the way forward and the forwards are in good shape. How come we have our lowest ever try count? Thats not an attack whos working out the kinks its one that is failing and it can't be the wings fault entirely alot of the time they merely finishing moves.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'm also not convinced we can say our forwards necessarily did well. Too much of our ruck ball was slowed down still whilst we again failed to slow down our opposition ruck ball. Our forwards would all just back off and let our opposition come at us as fast or slow as they wanted. This is a tactical decision most likely and not a fault of the players. Our forwards rarely manipulated the opposition defences and our insistence on still using telegraphed 1 out runners highlights a serious lack of tactics across the whole team. We were woeful at manipulating defences.

We also still defend narrow and leave our wingers out to dry. Other teams have seen and regularly exploit this but we still do nothing to remedy it, even as it is literally losing us games. The fact Jones isn't adapting to this, even as every team know that moving the ball wide fast will get them around England's defence is a major and consistent tactical failing on his part and the defence coaches he hires (assuming they have any autonomy under him).

 

[Geordie]

Surely Jones has to take a look at Odogwu (as a centre) on this tour if hes fit...

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly not sure what Odogwu would add over Marchant as a centre currently.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I think the team again was less than the sum of its parts and that is 95% down to coaching. But also an element of Smith, Randall, Dombrandt, Isiekwe etc still being green at this level.

Individually:

1. Genge looks to have claimed the shirt. But then is Marler the right bench option?

2. Never upset to see George play. Rock solid in basics which is the main thing but do the likes of Sheehan and Marchand bring more overall? Gap from him and LCD to the rest is scary.

3. Sinckler is not convincing and had injuries. Shirt should be up for grabs - Stewart had a few decent moments but not a position of strength right now.

4. Itoje looked like the hype at times.

5. Hill would probably have played if fit. Isiekwe banked some useful experience and then Ewels. Launch is there or thereabouts but I'd move Lawes back there.

6. Lawes was fine but I think the balance of the team needs 2 out and out flankers with a broader skill set than Lawes.

7. See 6. Probably perm from Willis, Underhill and Curry should any 2 of them happen to be fit at the same time. As the biggest of the 3 I'd be looking at Willis as a Richard Hill type 6.

8. Some encouraging moments from Dombrandt and Simmons but shirt is totally up for grabs. I'd go with Dombrandt for now.

9. Wot everyone else said. Time to move on.

10. Smith will be fine in time. Great experience banked and he needs backing.

11 & 14. Poor. The answers seem all to have had injuries but disappointing that neither OHC or Radwan got a look in.

12. Let's just play a 12 there. I don't really care who, just someone who gets the position, will be in the right place and do the right things, help the team keep its shape and allow the more gifted players around to do their stuff. That might be an Atkinson or Devoto type - not everyone in the team needs to be a star. Slade wasn't the answer as everyone knew he wouldn't be. In Jones' eyes Farrell will have got better by his absence and will no doubt walk straight back in.

13. Marchant was a plus and may well have done enough to take the shirt.

15. Steward's good. The basics are nailed and his attacking game will develop over time. Using his prowess under the high ball as an attacking weapon was a good call by Jones, but he didn't have to be on the wing to do it.

I don't think our bench has been impactful enough.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Honestly not sure what Odogwu would add over Marchant as a centre currently.

Yeah, I'd look at Odogwu in the 23, maybe even on the right wing, but Marchant should be given some proper time at 13 going forwards

 

[Geordie]

I just think Odowgu has that explosive power ability that not many in the current squad do...and why everyone keeps crying out for Manu.
He's not in Manus league...but just an option i think needs to be looked at with the absence of the likes of Cockasaniga etc etc.

I agree Marchant really came good in the last two games though and i would be looking for him over Slade initially...with a proper 12...(Kelly or Ojomoh)

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'd love to see Odogwu get a run out with a future possibly for Ojomoh (post WC short of a drop in form). I think Slade realistically needs to be dropped to the bench but I think we need to go back to thinking of the bench as something to supplement our game rather than "best of the rest". Slade, Daly and Malins all fit in the role of generalist backs who could cover many places but I can't see what they could do with respect to forming part of a coherent game plan. I can't see a spot for all 3 in the side and feel they need to fight it out among themselves for the generalist spot.

Marchant for me has shown a pretty good all round game and I think the idea of having multiple "distributors" in the side when we have nothing to distribute to is pointless. We need creators, people who can run good lines and are the targets for passing, not the originators of it. I really hope Coka comes back to top form as having a pretty fast and bulky winger who could pop up in midfield would be a huge asset and, if combined with Odogwu, would give us 2 very good explosive carrier options. If they can get running good lines off Smith or Randall, I can see that being much more beneficial than what Slade, Farrell or Daly could offer.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The more newer backs we call to be blooded the more likely it is for Farrell and Youngs to remain to nurse them. That said….

In the centre I think we have to accept that Farrell will be at 12 through to the RWC although Lord alone knows what happens on the off chance Manu is fit (now I'd probably put him at 13 to avoid breaking up the half backs by moving Faz back to 10).

Discounting Manu, right now at 13 we probably need Marchant's slightly stronger running game over Slade's better passing / playmaking.

On the wings I think we'll end up settling with what we already know, subject to fitness / form May and Watson with Coka as back up. But we need to blood others - Odogwu possibly although wasn't he moved inside because of defensive concerns? Whoever it is needs to carry far more threat and probably outright pace than Malins / Nowell.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Odogwu possibly although wasn't he moved inside because of defensive concerns?

I thought it was just because Wasps were having an injury crisis and had no one else?
I don't remember any particular defensive lapses from him - though I didn't think Barbeary's defence looked that bad but apparently the stats show a very different picture

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I thought it was just because Wasps were having an injury crisis and had no one else?
I don't remember any particular defensive lapses from him - though I didn't think Barbeary's defence looked that bad but apparently the stats show a very different picture

Sure I'd read it was either defence or weakness under the high ball but happy to be corrected on that.

Is Odogwu playing better post injury than when Jones held him prisoner in last year's 6N camp? Whatever he didn't like then presumably remains an issue.

And Italy might suddenly be looking more attractive.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sure I'd read it was either defence or weakness under the high ball but happy to be corrected on that.

Is Odogwu playing better post injury than when Jones held him prisoner in last year's 6N camp? Whatever he didn't like then presumably remains an issue.

And Italy might suddenly be looking more attractive.

I've been impressed with him whenever I've seen him - can't speak to whether he looks better than before cause that feels like a lifetime ago at this stage cause COVID has increased the speed of time passing exponentially
Think he definitely should be in the mix - and it's genuinely surprising he's not considering he has a combination of pace and power

Maybe it's height? Joe C 6ft 4, Paolo O 5ft 9 - that will also tie into issues under the high ball (not saying he has any issues there, but you've got to be very very good under it to beat out players over half a foot taller than you)

 

[Geordie]

I know defence is so critical in todays top level test matches...but surely sometimes you have to look at what a player can bring offensively to the team...

 

[Scotty]

So i said in my post we need to stick with Smith Slade Marchant which has been disagreed with quite a bit, for some fair reasons but the issue for me is i dont know who we replace slade with? And i dont see anyone at 13 who will replace Marchant. Slade is best at 13 as is Lawrence Manu and any other centres i think need a shot or are ready. Kelly and Ojomoh are for the furture and im not sure of 1 might make pre WC/ this summer, but are they ready.

Sticking with Smith Slade Marchant we can build continuity with and get the double playmaker attack working.

An option i can see happening is Slade at 22 and Smith Faz Marchant. This is because Faz will be back if we like it or not.

My main point now is we make a decision and develop it, not try even more combinations in the summer and go into the autumn still not sure.