England World Cup Squad

[Geordie]

When did Lawes last play lock consistently. Is he physically up to it these days as its a tough position and hes pretty much a 6.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

When did Lawes last play lock consistently. Is he physically up to it these days as its a tough position and hes pretty much a 6.

Hasn't started a game there since January 2020.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Like four seasons maybe?
Borthwick had him as lock replacement in the 6N though so who knows

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'd quite like players to play in the positions they play for their clubs and would like to pick players based on current form with those out for a prolonged period of time proving they still deserve the shirt rather than getting it off past performances.

Radical policy I know.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

6 is a tough one.

I think SB will go for a lock type, especially in the bigger games. He should remember how Ludlam, Willis and Dombrandt were blown away by the French.

If Lawes is anything like, he plays. If not, for me it's Martin…..yes, yes I know all about the club level lock stuff. Don't know but would guess that's more for Tigers purposes, than at England's request.

Martin's never going to challenge Etzebeth, Retallick and Woki in the air. A fit Chessum and Lawes might while Itoje doesn't seem to do much more than secure his own ball now.

Martin could be an old school 6 - smashing everything that moves and raw boned on the carry. As I said earlier Underhill's point of difference was his physicality, not his work rate, and that's totally how I see Martin too….except that his work rate is insane and he's a bit bigger. If he's a bit heavy now, that's fixable.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'd really like to see 4. Itoje 5. Martin 6. Lawes at some point in the warm-ups. Add in Curry and T. Willis and that's a very good, balanced loose five IMO.

 

[Geordie]

I can see Ribbans starting at lock alongside Itoje with Martin on the bench as lock replacement and covering 6.

Martin can improve his lineout. Hes 22...plenty of time to work on that...

Post World Cup theres going to be some competition there...

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Isn't Martin like 120kgs now. Surely he's not got the speed and workrate for an international 6.

For me it's either Lawes at 6 if he's for form, or curry if Willis or Pearson plays 7.

 

[Geordie]

Isn't Martin like 120kgs now. Surely he's not got the speed and workrate for an international 6.

For me it's either Lawes at 6 if he's for form, or curry if Willis or Pearson plays 7.

Yeah but with limited squad numbers you pick players who can cover. Back rowers first...but if you have someone like Martin whos a monster and has experience at 6 then its a nice bonus.

He does have a fantastic workrate for all his size mind...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Isn't Martin like 120kgs now. Surely he's not got the speed and workrate for an international 6.

For me it's either Lawes at 6 if he's for form, or curry if Willis or Pearson plays 7.

Sounds heavy but it's only 4 or 5 kilos more than Lawes. When you get to guys of that size that differential doesn't really make much odds. Way more important is their natural genetics - fast twitch fibres etc, and as @Geordiefalcon says, he's got a great work rate and he's always looked plenty quick enough to me.

Game plan dependent and what you want from your 6, obvs. If you want faster and looser you're looking at Curry or Willis in that shirt.

Injuries permitting I'd be surprised to see anything other than Curry and Lawes start off.

 

[Geordie]

Just seeing some of the pictures from camp....Ludlum has shed some timber mind. Boys looking in good shape.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Just seeing some of the pictures from camp....Ludlum has shed some timber mind. Boys looking in good shape.

He added a lot of weight this season. I assumed it was because he was ended up playing a lot of 8 and it didn't actually seem to slow him down at all.

I'd rather he kept the weight of being viewed as a 6 though.

 

[BPM]

Just seeing some of the pictures from camp....Ludlum has shed some timber mind. Boys looking in good shape.

I've enjoyed the content I've seen coming out of the camp. Appearances obviously count for nothing, but it does look like a happy but focused camp. Here's hoping that it actually is.

I think Eddie had lost the players and the camps looked stressful and like a chore. It might make a massive difference if SB and co have improved the mood and got the players' buy in.

 

[Everyday EggChaser]

Martin is a second row

CCS makes a better "old school" 6 even though our best 6 was an openside convert

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

CCS makes a better "old school" 6 even though our best 6 was an openside convert

Exciting talent but a long way to go. In time I could see him being a genuine 6/8 option with perhaps 8 being his ultimate destination.

It will be interesting to see how he shows up alongside Dombrandt at Quins. Take the best attributes from both and you'd have a hell of a player.

 

[Everyday EggChaser]

Exciting talent but a long way to go. In time I could see him being a genuine 6/8 option with perhaps 8 being his ultimate destination.

It will be interesting to see how he shows up alongside Dombrandt at Quins. Take the best attributes from both and you'd have a hell of a player.

after the u20s i dont think he is enough of a good footballer to be an 8. He made miss passes to the winger while the whole D just drifted out onto them and some of his "soft" hands were bullets into guts and faces. This should improve with Quins but 6 seems a solid place to use his physicality while not paying the price for his developing skillset

Something like Kaino who was a 6 who could play 8 but made way for read who was more skillful.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

after the u20s i dont think he is enough of a good footballer to be an 8. He made miss passes to the winger while the whole D just drifted out onto them and some of his "soft" hands were bullets into guts and faces. This should improve with Quins but 6 seems a solid place to use his physicality while not paying the price for his developing skillset

Something like Kaino who was a 6 who could play 8 but made way for read who was more skillful.

What he did with the u20s is neither here nor there really. He was the big name who great things were expected of, the bully in the playground. Maybe tried too hard to impress or perhaps the junior stuff didn't really float his boat. He's also had all the Irish stuff to contend with.

I think he'll start at 6 for sure, but he's just 20 with a handful of top flight games behind him and his game should evolve rapidly. But what we've already seen at Prem level is that he can be phenomenally explosive from the base of the scrum. The nitty gritty is just as important as the flashier open stuff.

8's one of those positions where a variety of styles can work. But definitely 6 to start with in my book.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Sounds a barrel of laughs. They'll still be crap at rugby, but at least they'll have decent abs.

Cake off: England stay away from the sweet stuff at Rugby World Cup camp

England players are embracing a self-imposed cake ban during their World Cup training camp, with Lewis Ludlam saying the sacrifice will pay off at the tournament in France

www.theguardian.com

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So he's centrally contracted until the end of the world cup?
Bit dodgy, that

Can everyone else request that their RWC players have a few months salary taken out of the cap?

I'm not necessarily against central contracts but if he signs for a Prem side then that side has had 5 months of top international salary paid for by the RFU and removed from their cap total - massively unfair

 

[Geordie]

Or is this the first stage / test for a full central contract squad.