England World Cup Squad

[Geordie]

Yeah, I've said it before but Lozowski's exclusion ranks up with Ben Spencer as one of the biggest head scratchers of recent England Rugby years

Covers 10/12/13/15, goal kicks and is surprisingly fast - seems tailor made for the kind of gameplan EJ and SB want but not had a sniff

Has a strong defence aswell...

 

[Geordie]

I don't think all the blame can be put on Farrell. There's probably at least 6 players who should not be any where near the first xv at the moment.

I do think we have good players but for some reason they are aweful for England. We look incapable of quick ball. The forwards have been pretty terrible as a whole, so the backs look even worse, we couldn't score off a driving line out maul for love or money. We can't make five passes and produce any width. Would love to know how many turn overs the back three are winning, it seems like none.......i could go on.

Something isn't right and the only thing i can think of is the players are not buying into it. So that's on the coaching team. When SB started he said England were not could at anything. It's pretty safe to say several games later we are worse at everything.

England were poor all across the field. So many unforced errors and indiscipline.

One suggestion has been that SB and Walters took the two week break to hammer them on fitness again to "top it up" for the QF and possible SF...which is why they looked slow and leggy...like the warm ups games again. Who knows...

But they will have to be better on Sunday. And as for a potential SF...well the others are playing a different sport to us at the moment.

 

[Scotty]

On Steward i genuinely think he would bennefit so much from a season at 12 for Tigers,this isnt to make him a 12(at all) but more round off his game.

His strength is highballs, at 12 he gets more chance to compete running off the 10s shoulder for the chip and chase. But at 12 he also has to have more pf a passing/playmaking role as well as crash ball, he has to be a more physical defender and just all round it would help him alot.

It wont happen because by doing that it will hurt his chances at England caps yet bringing on his game(and at 22) could him to be a great player in the future.

At the min for me there are too many rough edges outside of his USP for him to remain no.1 for much longer. Btw i am not saying i think he should move to 12 perminantly. Just play for club or even move to FB at 60 min when someone else comes on. But if he were to do it he needs to do it now year 1 post WC.

Im sure many wont agree but i think it would help him.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

England were poor all across the field. So many unforced errors and indiscipline.

One suggestion has been that SB and Walters took the two week break to hammer them on fitness again to "top it up" for the QF and possible SF...which is why they looked slow and leggy...like the warm ups games again. Who knows...

But they will have to be better on Sunday. And as for a potential SF...well the others are playing a different sport to us at the moment.

I read that they had a bit of a break and didn't do any training at all until the first Thursday. The topping up idea isn't really how elite athletes work. And to be honest fitness is the least of our concerns and little would change over a few days anyway.

I also read that some of the coaches - Sinfield and Wiggles were name checked - popped back to England to see their families. Not a luxury extended to the players who were able to see families, but were required to stay in France somewhere, although not necessarily at the training base. Borthwick apparently stayed in France but honestly, how not to cultivate a we're all in it together mentality.

 

[BrokenWing]

I heard that the players can't leave the country due to drugs testing requirements.

So although not really showing solidarity, it's not exactly double standards.

 

[Geordie]

I read that they had a bit of a break and didn't do any training at all until the first Thursday. The topping up idea isn't really how elite athletes work. And to be honest fitness is the least of our concerns and little would change over a few days anyway.

I also read that some of the coaches - Sinfield and Wiggles were name checked - popped back to England to see their families. Not a luxury extended to the players who were able to see families, but were required to stay in France somewhere, although not necessarily at the training base. Borthwick apparently stayed in France but honestly, how not to cultivate a we're all in it together mentality.

Ah right....guess they werent hammering fitness then.

Ah Sinfield has been working hard...hes entitled to go back and see his family.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ah Sinfield has been working hard...hes entitled to go back and see his family.

Bar compassionate type reasons the same rules should have applied to players and staff alike. I'll be amazed if that didn't create some resentment. One rule for one type stuff.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I heard that the players can't leave the country due to drugs testing requirements.

So although not really showing solidarity, it's not exactly double standards.

OK. I read that it was more to fulfil media commitments. Either way the coaches should 100% be showing that solidarity with the players though.

 

[Geordie]

Actually i agree. One rule for all.

Maybe it was to do with Burrows stuff etc.

 

[LIONSxv]

Would be interesting. All a bit samey though albeit with slightly different strengths.

Pretty sure that Borthwick said that the last batch of players to be canned before the squad was announced would be the first cabs off the rank in the event of injury. Underhill wasn't one of those. I think it's the right call but it's not doing what you say.

He also said that Farrell would be in the team and captain regardless. He may need to rethink that (I mean he won't, but should). The guy's patently out of form. Also bulked up for the centre role making him even slower. At the moment we're a worse team for having him in.

I think they would well, better than playing a lock or a fat disinterested billy. I think their games are different enough to play against Fiji
Curry has high work rate and is a natural 7 on the deck. Earl is quick, great with ball in hand and always seems to make yards
Underhill is granite in defence and when fit/form the best stopper in the word

I still think that Mercer with Underhill/Curry gives you everything you need. As Mercer's line out improved vastly whilst in France as did his carrying in the tight
Ardie Savea and Doris are proof that you don't need to be 120kg + to make yards. Both are very similar to Mercer in terms of weight

 

[McTallshort]

Selection is irrelevant, the players don't look like they know or believe in what they are doing. The only good performance of the WC was when they were down to 14 men and had to improvise. Something isn't right in the camp. They could pick 8 Martin Johnson's and 7 Dan Carter's and still look ****

 

[Saintjay]

Englands average ruck speed is about 6 seconds. 2nd slowest team of all RWC squads. Guess it's a work on, get better, go again next week.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeah, I've said it before but Lozowski's exclusion ranks up with Ben Spencer as one of the biggest head scratchers of recent England Rugby years

Covers 10/12/13/15, goal kicks and is surprisingly fast - seems tailor made for the kind of gameplan EJ and SB want but not had a sniff

IIRC victim of the Japan 2018 Marie Celeste match with Ted Hill and Mercer.

 

[LIONSxv]

Englands average ruck speed is about 6 seconds. 2nd slowest team of all RWC squads. Guess it's a work on, get better, go again next week.

That will be in part due to a slow back row and having George/Cole in the front row. Slow and lacking physicality. The two most important factors when trying to get good ruck speed

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Just read this https://www.rugbypass.com/news/bort...other-england-talking-points-rugby-world-cup/

Wrong moment to settle scores
It was odd how head coach Borthwick used his post-game media briefing to harangue critics of his team. "There have been many times these players have been written off quite badly, there were many," he chippily said, later adding: "Ultimately there were many people that wrote that this team would not get out of the group stages and the team has progressed."

Didn't know he said this. Really painful to read. But matches up with the impression I have of Borthwick.

 

[ncurd]

Just read this https://www.rugbypass.com/news/bort...other-england-talking-points-rugby-world-cup/

Wrong moment to settle scores
It was odd how head coach Borthwick used his post-game media briefing to harangue critics of his team. "There have been many times these players have been written off quite badly, there were many," he chippily said, later adding: "Ultimately there were many people that wrote that this team would not get out of the group stages and the team has progressed."

Didn't know he said this. Really painful to read. But matches up with the impression I have of Borthwick.

If they'd won the match well scraping out the group those comments would make sense. But was a **** performance after already qualifying top of the group.

 

[higgik]

Yeah, I've said it before but Lozowski's exclusion ranks up with Ben Spencer as one of the biggest head scratchers of recent England Rugby years

Covers 10/12/13/15, goal kicks and is surprisingly fast - seems tailor made for the kind of gameplan EJ and SB want but not had a sniff

He is also a good communicator, meaning OF has vision around him at Sarries.
The actual issue with SB is he is stucj between game plans and players.
He wants a kicking game, but has not got the player depth to play it.
As far as Losowski, he should be in team at 13 with Lawrence at 12.
A backline of
9 Warr
10 Farrell
11 Murley
12 Lawrence
13 Lozowski
14 Arundell
15 Malins

Would fit better the game plan.

 

[LIONSxv]

He is also a good communicator, meaning OF has vision around him at Sarries.
The actual issue with SB is he is stucj between game plans and players.
He wants a kicking game, but has not got the player depth to play it.
As far as Losowski, he should be in team at 13 with Lawrence at 12.
A backline of
9 Warr
10 Farrell
11 Murley
12 Lawrence
13 Lozowski
14 Arundell
15 Malins

Would fit better the game plan.

You have to have a big heavy dominant pack for a kicking game
The game plan we had before the RWC 2019 was the plan that suited the players we have.

 

[higgik]

You have to have a big heavy dominant pack for a kicking game
The game plan we had before the RWC 2019 was the plan that suited the players we have.

Sarrie pack is not that big or heavy.

 

[LIONSxv]

Sarrie pack is not that big or heavy.

Sarrie pack is not that big or heavy.

Sarries play more rugby than England do and when Sarries dominated Europe their pack was massive with the likes of Skelton, Koch and a determined Billy