England Six Nations squad 2022

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Pearson has been very impressive in his limited performances for Irish. While I didn't expect his call up I'm certainly not aggrieved by it. Only 22 years old.

Admittedly I've been keeping a closer eye on him than most as he scored 2 tries against us in my BUCS debut.

 

[BPM]

From what I see he joined Irish this season and has played 10 games this season, 7 premiership, 2 challenge cup and 1 Rugby cup which is half of their games.

Quite simply for me...WTF? It sounds like another ridiculous EJ selection based on his weird criteria. I couldn't care less about players who have potential, we are a year and a half out from the world cup and we should be getting in players who can actually make the squad.

Or perhaps if you don't know, don't pass judgement?

Ben Curry would have been my choice, but I'm definitely not unhappy about Pearson. I've seen every one of his televised games and have been really impressed. In a similar way to Jack Kenningham last season he's come in an immediately looked to the manor born. I wouldn't dismiss his chances of making the World Cup Squad.

Would people here have preferred Ludlow?

 

[Scotty]

Or perhaps if you don't know, don't pass judgement?

Ben Curry would have been my choice, but I'm definitely not unhappy about Pearson. I've seen every one of his televised games and have been really impressed. In a similar way to Jack Kenningham last season he's come in an immediately looked to the manor born. I wouldn't dismiss his chances of making the World Cup Squad.

Would people here have preferred Ludlow?

Just looked at his stats, he seems to make alot of tackles and miss very few, 1 game he made 22/0 and another 24/1. Stats dont tell the whole story obv but EJ does look close so may be worth a look.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Pearson is the classic comes in for experience that's it he won't play

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Well we wanted new blood…..

Of the 36 players retained for Italy a quick bit of maths reckons that 21 of them have fewer caps combined than Lawes on his own - 87 vs 90.

The remaining 15 average 56 each.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Nothing makes sense in Eddie World.

/Thread

 

[Reiser99]

Or perhaps if you don't know, don't pass judgement?

Ben Curry would have been my choice, but I'm definitely not unhappy about Pearson. I've seen every one of his televised games and have been really impressed. In a similar way to Jack Kenningham last season he's come in an immediately looked to the manor born. I wouldn't dismiss his chances of making the World Cup Squad.

Would people here have preferred Ludlow?

My judgement is less on him and more on Jones' ridiculous attitude to selections. Jones has looked at a huge number of players and you can see it's affects. We have multiple positions where we have no consistency and no clear depth. Yes some may not be good enough, but you can't just keep calling players up and hope they are the magic bullet to your issues. Building a squad takes time and Jones has shown that he struggles to build a complete squad with depth. Look at Ireland, they have got consistency and depth in most positions. We've got very little of that.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Could have pulled in the 12s from the premiership for a position we deeply need change in. Bringing in a flanker is pointless unless it's just to get him experience.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

At 8….

I've cooled a bit on Dombrandt. Love the intelligence and ball playing, but does he bring enough mongrel?

Barbeary bristles with aggression and carries hard which we need, but he has so much learn about the position. Would probably look good v Ita which would tell us little.

Simmonds has always felt like a bench option to me but I thought he did enough v Sco to get another crack, especially if we can play a big guy at 6 to bring more balance.

I've always been surprised that Tom Willis doesn't get a look in. He catches the eye whenever I see Pests play and seems to have a bit of everything. Big bloke but not too big, line out option, all action, aggressive, seems pretty good ball in hand. Understands the position but versatile enough to switch to 6. What's he missing? Is it that he's pretty good at everything but doesn't have one big party trick?

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

At 8….

I've cooled a bit on Dombrandt. Love the intelligence and ball playing, but does he bring enough mongrel?

Barbeary bristles with aggression and carries hard which we need, but he has so much learn about the position. Would probably look good v Ita which would tell us little.

Simmonds has always felt like a bench option to me but I thought he did enough v Sco to get another crack, especially if we can play a big guy at 6 to bring more balance.

I've always been surprised that Tom Willis doesn't get a look in. He catches the eye whenever I see Pests play and seems to have a bit of everything. Big bloke but not too big, line out option, all action, aggressive, seems pretty good ball in hand. Understands the position but versatile enough to switch to 6. What's he missing? Is it that he's pretty good at everything but doesn't have one big party trick?

Question, how much can we know about Dombrant when he's not ever got a fair crack at this level? It's funny that Daly comes in with no form at all and not playing 13 yet the form 8 can't get a shot at 8? Where as when Simmonds was the form 8 he never got a shot either but after a like warm lions and season he ends up starting there?

Dombrant needs a fair crack starting at 8 with a balanced pack around him. Just like Atkinson needs another chance at 12.

Or we can continue to play a 13 at 12
A 11 at 13
A 13 at 11
A 15 at 14

How's that working out Jones? Lol

Edit: not ranting at you Old Hooker by the way

 

[BPM]

Could have pulled in the 12s from the premiership for a position we deeply need change in. Bringing in a flanker is pointless unless it's just to get him experience.

Like who though?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Piers O'Connor or Max Ojomoh

I'm honestly really surprised EJ has never had a proper look at O'Connor, he covers basically the whole backline and EJ loves versatility

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Question, how much can we know about Dombrant when he's not ever got a fair crack at this level? It's funny that Daly comes in with no form at all and not playing 13 yet the form 8 can't get a shot at 8? Where as when Simmonds was the form 8 he never got a shot either but after a like warm lions and season he ends up starting there?

Dombrant needs a fair crack starting at 8 with a balanced pack around him. Just like Atkinson needs another chance at 12.

Or we can continue to play a 13 at 12
A 11 at 13
A 13 at 11
A 15 at 14

How's that working out Jones? Lol

Edit: not ranting at you Old Hooker by the way

It's a fair challenge. I'd started thinking that way on Dombrandt a bit based on club performances and comments from others crystallised that thinking. He's only really had cameos at this level so can't judge on those. He's got the skills, I'd love to see it work but I'm not sure he's got the intensity. The only way to find out is to play him though.

Would be interested in others views on T Willis.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Personally not sure Malins is what I would call a out and out 15 and he has shown potential on the wing in international rugby.

Also Daly has played over 52% of his rugby at 13 so again hardly what I would call a out and out winger. (When he played wing people said we were playing a 13 on the wing) in fact wing has been Daly least played position I think.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The counterpoint to Dombrandt's apparent lack of grit(?)/mongrel(?) is that we started Simmonds who is as luxury-player of an 8 as they come

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Personally not sure Malins is what I would call a out and out 15 and he has shown potential on the wing in international rugby.

Also Daly has played over 52% of his rugby at 13 so again hardly what I would call a out and out winger. (When he played wing people said we were playing a 13 on the wing) in fact wing has been Daly least played position I think.

Yeah, I like Malins on the wing atm,

Increasingly unsure about Marchant there though - especially on the left wing, when (I think?) he's only played on the right wing before
He was caught out of position a number of times vs Scotland (inc. for both tries - though the PT could've been a conscious defensive set up to overload the right side of the pitch...but find it unlikely they'd ask LCD to man mark the opposition winger/half the pitch by himself - it's more than just Marchant out of position in that situation, though, tbf)

 

[Jakedood]

Yeah, I like Malins on the wing atm,

Increasingly unsure about Marchant there though - especially on the left wing, when (I think?) he's only played on the right wing before
He was caught out of position a number of times vs Scotland (inc. for both tries - though the PT could've been a conscious defensive set up to overload the right side of the pitch...but find it unlikely they'd ask LCD to man mark the opposition winger/half the pitch by himself - it's more than just Marchant out of position in that situation, though, tbf)

I think part of it was the pendulum of the wings, where Malins missed the tackle on DvDM and therefore Steward had to cover any chip over on the right flank, and marchant rushing over to patrol the middle of the pitch for any midfield grubber, but Marchant did have to cover across, and then tried to make it back when Malins got back to position but was just a second too late. If ruck ball had been slowed even a touch you probably wouldnt have seen that try

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The counterpoint to Dombrandt's apparent lack of grit(?)/mongrel(?) is that we started Simmonds who is as luxury-player of an 8 as they come

Interesting. Not sure I see Simmonds as luxury although he's not a traditional 8 and I do take the points about the way he fits into Chiefs very particular system.

On Malins the main thing I noticed on Sat was that he channelled his inner Johnny May a couple of times and got caught in two minds. He stuttered a bit into contact rather than accelerating the way Watson does.

 

[BPM]

Piers O'Connor or Max Ojomoh

I'm honestly really surprised EJ has never had a proper look at O'Connor, he covers basically the whole backline and EJ loves versatility

I like both, but it's a massive stretch to suggest either is 'solving' a problem for us at 12 right now.

I can see Ojomoh and Kelly as the future, but right now, I don't think either are ready to start test matches.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I like both, but it's a massive stretch to suggest either is 'solving' a problem for us at 12 right now.

I'm not suggesting they are, but they're worth bringing into the squad over a flanker who will never see game time before the RWC - especially O'Connor

I can see Ojomoh and Kelly as the future, but right now, I don't think either are ready to start test matches.

We're talking about in the context of Pearson getting called up, though - is he going to start over Curry?
I think either would be closer to game time than Pearson is