England Six Nations thread

[ratsapprentice]

I'm gogin to continue this here, because it's the contemporary thread.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/nr...lian-rugby-union/story-fn7shzfu-1226816092212

This article suggests Bath are after Burgess.

Yes please.

 

[Big Ewis]

If only you had something to match the 6 Nations

well he does mention "top teams"...

 

[Maverick1987]

I'm gogin to continue this here, because it's the contemporary thread.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/nr...lian-rugby-union/story-fn7shzfu-1226816092212

This article suggests Bath are after Burgess.

Yes please.

What position do you think he should play ?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Centre, 6 or lock.

Difficult to say - but one of those definitely.

 

[Maverick1987]

Centre, 6 or lock.

Difficult to say - but one of those definitely.

What position does he play in RL ?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Prop/lock.

INJURY UPDATE 1: Jonny May will see specialist on Mon after nose fracture v FRA. Decision on availability for SCOT taken post-assessment.

INJURY UPDATE 2: Courtney Lawes left the field v FRA with a bruised cheekbone but there is no structural damage. Lock is available for SCOT.

SQUAD UPDATE: Burns is back in 33-man ENG training squad, with Myler, Webber and Wigglesworth staying @premrugby clubs under EPS agreement.

 

[Peat]

I'm gogin to continue this here, because it's the contemporary thread.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/nr...lian-rugby-union/story-fn7shzfu-1226816092212

This article suggests Bath are after Burgess.

Yes please.

To continue the discussion about the salary... that £1m doesn't have to be over one year. A 3 year contract on £330k a year somewhere in the AP as a marquee player? That does sound more plausible.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Been digging around a bit - found loads of snippets of info, but all a bit convoluted to bother sharing.

Clearly someone has made him some sort of offer - even an informal one.
This is a reasonably big story in AUS, and the fact that Sam hasn't come out and denied it gives it a degree of validity.
I assume he is taking his time to consider it.

If it is us that are after him then I don't doubt that Bruce could make him an extremely generous offer as a marquee player.
There would however be a very large transfer fee.

 

[Draggs]

I'm gogin to continue this here, because it's the contemporary thread.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/nr...lian-rugby-union/story-fn7shzfu-1226816092212

This article suggests Bath are after Burgess.

Yes please.

He is a big lad isn't he? Inside centre competing with Eastmond? Could do with an 8...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What position does he play in RL ?

Anywhere in the forwards.

As insanely talented as Sam is, there's zero chance of him playing in next years world cup (unless he turned up at Bath tomorrow, playing 13, and absolutely bossed it from day one, in which case he might sneak in ala Tuilagi in 2011).

I imagine, if he did switch codes, they'd look at him at 6 or 8, mainly, but he's definitely got the skills to do a job at 12.

 

[St George]

IMO League Forwards are not the same as Union Forwards, and especially when calling them both Props. Scrums in RL are just a chance to restart and the competition that is there in RU is not used. With that in mind, and having checked them out on YT, the Burgess Bros would be best suited to playing as Centers.
I also believe that Sam Burgess would need to learn to tackle better, as his custom tackle of a shoulder hit would see him pinged alot. From the little footage i saw, George is a monster that i would love to see in Union.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Clearly there are big differences between Union forwards and League forwards - league players are all essentially Union backs.
Most league players who switch don't want to be forwards in Union - if he wanted to be a lock and was prepared to put in the work to be one then I think Sam could be a very powerful lock.
And shoulder charges were perfectly legal up until last season, so he isn't allowed to do them in League now either.
The big thing for him to work on would be his discipline - not being a WUM or being wound up.

On the Scotland game, and assuming May is out:

9. Care
10. Farrell
11. Watson
12. 36
13. Burrell
14. Nowell
15. Brown

21. Dickson
22. Ford
23. Eastmond

That lineup means you have people who can genuinely cover IC, OC, wing and FB.
It gives 36 a chance to improve but allows us to put another distributor in at 12 if he doesn't.
If Mike Brown gets injured then one of the wingers can go to FB and Kyle can go onto the wing.
I don't recall too many lineups that give you that degree of genuine flexibility.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Edit: double post, can a Mod delete please.

 

[Big Ewis]

So I've got to say I feel England are a formidable team for the first time since the Lancaster era. Since the game against NZ last November, they've been truly clinical at the breakdown and imposing. I wasn't afraid of England last year, I now really do like their chances against anyone.
What are their chances for the ***le then:
they'll win Murrayfield I think, if not it's already over. But if they do, then they've got the Irish and the Welsh coming to town before finishing in Rome.
Honestly, the whole rest of the way is tough. MF could prove to be tricky, and Ireland and Wales especially could be hell for England even in Twickenham. And even Rome: the Italians could click just that last match, and at home, and they've shown a 6N worthy form the other night in Cardiff...
I don't see England winning all 4 of those, but it's realistically possible. But I think England will end up 3wins 2losses by the time we hit mid-March.

What do you reckon ?

 

[Patchey]

It was a cracking game and probably the first time I've been genuinly excited watching England play since the AIs in 2012. Obviously disspointed with the loss but there were enough positives to make up for it overall.

Just on Burrell. Much as I didn't think I'd say this, he looked good. The only time he was genuinly out of his depth was when he was stuck out on the wing and Ficou did him for the match winning try. While that might stick in peoples minds I think that should be discounted. If we focus on the majority of the game where he contains Bastereu just fine, scored a well taken try and looked good on the front foot, then it looks fairly rosy. Lots of room for improvement though. I'd expect him to make more of an impact on the gain line against Scotland and hopefully he and 36 will gel a little better.

Ironic that we lost because of a messed up bench caused by the perceived need to cover Burrell's defense, which turned out to be just fine.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Kyle Eastmond has just signed a two year contract extension at Bath!

Never in doubt since his return to playing TBH - been playing with a smile on his face ever since.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Does anyone have some sort of stats about Tom Youngs lineout successes with England? I'm sure he's missing an unacceptably high number of them and has cost us quite a lot.

 

[Draggs]

Kyle Eastmond has just signed a two year contract extension at Bath!

Never in doubt since his return to playing TBH - been playing with a smile on his face ever since.

Great news. Something special happening at Bath, glad he wants to be part of it.

 

[St George]

Clearly there are big differences between Union forwards and League forwards - league players are all essentially Union backs.
Most league players who switch don't want to be forwards in Union - if he wanted to be a lock and was prepared to put in the work to be one then I think Sam could be a very powerful lock.
And shoulder charges were perfectly legal up until last season, so he isn't allowed to do them in League now either.
The big thing for him to work on would be his discipline - not being a WUM or being wound up.

On the Scotland game, and assuming May is out:

9. Care
10. Farrell
11. Watson
12. 36
13. Burrell
14. Nowell
15. Brown

21. Dickson
22. Ford
23. Eastmond

That lineup means you have people who can genuinely cover IC, OC, wing and FB.
It gives 36 a chance to improve but allows us to put another distributor in at 12 if he doesn't.
If Mike Brown gets injured then one of the wingers can go to FB and Kyle can go onto the wing.
I don't recall too many lineups that give you that degree of genuine flexibility.

I'll bow to your better knowledge on the Burgess's and league, but it seems pretty much what I was thinking.

As for your backline and subs....spot on with personel and reasons. Hope Lanky goes for it.

 

[Peat]

Does anyone have some sort of stats about Tom Youngs lineout successes with England? I'm sure he's missing an unacceptably high number of them and has cost us quite a lot.

Sadly not, because the only stats are ESPN's, and they do them by game rather than hooker.

Trust your eyes; his lineout throwing is a problem. If anything it seems to have regressed. One wonders how long a player who cannot fulfil his primary function can be carried.