England Six Nations Squad 2025

[TRF_Olyy]

Theres always big Ben at Sale

Groves back playing now too,

Didn't know where to put this at the time, but read this the other day - mad stuff and explains the year long absence:

ALEX GROVES - RUGBY SAVED MY LIFE | Sale Sharks

“I really think that rugby saved my life. If I didn’t play rugby, if I wasn’t at Sale, I would never have known that my heart was in danger of failing.” Those are the reflective words of Sale Sharks second row Alex Groves, who, this weekend, made his first start for the club since the […]

www.salesharks.com

 

[Which Tyler]

Lot of fullbacks in there - hopefully Carpenter starts and Hendy on the wing, don't rate Hodge

Decent side all told though - Luke Green a surprise name

No Atkinson or Hartley is annoying but Woodward, Ojomoh and Butt are good inclusions
Have we gone fully the opposite direction and only have 12s, no 13s?

Bailey came off the pitch after half an hour today.
Sounds like hamstring or knee injury - hopefully just precautionary

 

[Rugbyfan564]

George Furbank has gone on holiday so I'm not sure how far off he is returning to training.

 

[BPM]

Bailey came off the pitch after half an hour today.
Sounds like hamstring or knee injury - hopefully just precautionary

How did Johnson do for Saracens? The cupboard for 10s is pretty bare if Bailey's unavailable.

 

[BPM]

Groves back playing now too,

Didn't know where to put this at the time, but read this the other day - mad stuff and explains the year long absence:

ALEX GROVES - RUGBY SAVED MY LIFE | Sale Sharks

“I really think that rugby saved my life. If I didn’t play rugby, if I wasn’t at Sale, I would never have known that my heart was in danger of failing.” Those are the reflective words of Sale Sharks second row Alex Groves, who, this weekend, made his first start for the club since the […]

www.salesharks.com

Good read. Good luck to the lad.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Pollock not back with the u20s? Odd, could see him play the A game

 

[Wasps92]

******* Dombrandt man. Have we not seen enough of him over the last 4 years to conclude that he isn't good enough?

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

******* Dombrandt man. Have we not seen enough of him over the last 4 years to conclude that he isn't good enough?

So Willis is first choice, Earl second choice then Dombrant third choice 8. Is he only there to have a competitive 15 vs 15 in training as earl is now at 7? Can't see why he's there otherwise but if he's our third choice 8 I'm ok with that.

 

[AlRums]

Alex Dombrandt: Harlequins number eight recalled to England Six Nations squad for Calcutta Cup clash

Alex Dombrandt is recalled England's initial 36-man squad for Saturday's Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Kinda feel if Cole's is ready that Chessum might start at 6
Maybe see bench of

Dan, Baxter, Heyes, Coles, Earl, Pollock,

 

[West Country Wail]

Kinda feel if Cole's is ready that Chessum might start at 6
Maybe see bench of

Dan, Baxter, Heyes, Coles, Earl, Pollock,

Little experience there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Controversial opinion, but I don't rate Coles - not for international level anyway

Hopefully I'm wrong, and will concede he's probably the best of a bad bunch for third choice atm (though I'd probably pick Batley or Clark)

 

[Geordie]

So Willis is first choice, Earl second choice then Dombrant third choice 8. Is he only there to have a competitive 15 vs 15 in training as earl is now at 7? Can't see why he's there otherwise but if he's our third choice 8 I'm ok with that.

Dombrandt is a very good player, and one of the best 8s in England on a consistent basis. but hes not a battering ram hes a playmaker whos also very good at the breakdown. . During his time in the England squad hes never really had a system or support that will allow him to play his natural game, hes almost been forced to try and play the other way. He just cant do that.

We have few other real options at 8 - Tom Willis has finally been picked, Bearbary is a beast but injury prone and who else is there?

Maybe SB really values the skills Dombrandt has, and if we can build the side up , he can be the playmaking 8 who comes on at 50 or 60 mins to open up the gaps more.

Just a thought.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

We have few other real options at 8 - Tom Willis has finally been picked, Bearbary is a beast but injury prone and who else is there?

CCS before long.

No, the battering ram game isn't Dombrandt's forte but it's not an either / or equation. The 8 needs to be able to make yardage in heavy traffic and be comfortable in wider spaces too.

BTW. Making yards can be pure power like peak Binny or using leg drive and agility like Earl. It doesn't mean outright power although if there are doubts on someone's physicality, it's simply not going to happen for them at this level.

 

[Jimbo]

Dombrandt is a very good player, and one of the best 8s in England on a consistent basis. but hes not a battering ram hes a playmaker whos also very good at the breakdown. . During his time in the England squad hes never really had a system or support that will allow him to play his natural game, hes almost been forced to try and play the other way. He just cant do that.

We have few other real options at 8 - Tom Willis has finally been picked, Bearbary is a beast but injury prone and who else is there?

Maybe SB really values the skills Dombrandt has, and if we can build the side up , he can be the playmaking 8 who comes on at 50 or 60 mins to open up the gaps more.

Just a thought.

Some of Dombrandts lack of form in and England shirt can probably be attributed to playing style etc, he has however played in games where he just fumbles balls with minimum to no pressure that's not, not making yards in traffic and not having the skill set, it's an inability to execute basic skills for country for what ever reason, there has also been times I recall he just simply hasn't made the effort to scramble defensively and appeared very lazy, these things don't happen for club so it's hard to gauge where it's wrong maybe the environment etc, either way he has had opportunity and there has been little to nothing to call an improvement as harsh as that sounds.

 

[Which Tyler]

 

[Rugbyfan564]

If had hadn't got injured in August 2023 I wonder if Jack Van Poortvilet would still drop down after going to a World Cup. Even now with 16 senior caps he sticks out a bit being there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't think I've heard of a single one of those additions

Anyone know anything about Bennet, Graham, Pascoe and Witheat?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Played against Graham while he was at Bath uni. Had no idea he was getting game time at Prem level now, nevermind that he was even vaguely on the England radar.

Edit: looks like he's only ever played Prem Cup. What strange additions.