England World Cup Squad

[Which Tyler]

Read an interesting thought elsewhere, why the England team faded so much in the second half, could be that Aled Walters is still grilling them in their fitness programme, so they may be heavy legged in the games.
Suggested that Walters will have them at their peak for the Argentina game so they may still be going hard in training.

2017 6N all over again

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

That's shocking. 2 hookers with literally 0.7 of a test match between them. I'd rather we'd called up Chuter or Regan to be wheeled from set piece to set piece. There is a bloody enormous great chicken just waiting to come home to roost. If I was Rodd I'd be looking to retrain, pronto. And as for that probably injured Bath no8…..

I'd read that we're apparently still in 'heavy training'. We'll see, but it might be quite nice to introduce a ball at some point and maybe even some of the players to each other.

 

[Wasps92]

Steve Borewick.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Argentina squad announcement has confirmed that you actually don't have to take six props in the 33-man squad. At least Borthwick got that part right.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Steve Borewick.

Sniff Bostik.

It would explain a lot.

At least the expectation management is going well.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66422881

Doesn't make sense to me. In a 33 man squad you shouldn't need to be thinking about coverage like this. Of course you'll have guys well rounded enough to play multiple positions but to be a primary factor doesn't make sense.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It is a bit funny that one fifth of our XV will have no dedicated/career long specialist to that position (6, 11, 12), but have players from other positions who have that string on their flexible now


Realistically it doesn't make much difference, just you'd expect a RWC squad to have at least one player in every position who started out there

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

It is a bit funny that one third of our XV will have no dedicated/career long specialist to that position (6, 11, 12), but have players from other positions who have that string on their flexible now

(Giving you the opportunity to edit the maths before anyone else notices)

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Read an interesting thought elsewhere, why the England team faded so much in the second half, could be that Aled Walters is still grilling them in their fitness programme, so they may be heavy legged in the games.
Suggested that Walters will have them at their peak for the Argentina game so they may still be going hard in training.

They weren't exactly setting the world alight in the first half though. It seemed less that we slowed down and more Wales upped their game. We were turgid right from the start. TBH it sounds like excuses to me. I'll be happy to be proven wrong but I strongly suspect I won't.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

(Giving you the opportunity to edit the maths before anyone else notices)

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Tbf I'm not fussed about that - he has a very tenuous link to England (English Grandad emigrated to South Africa as a child), is a full product of the South African systems and he played professionally in SA before moving to England
I don't think he gets into the 23 when everyone is fit, and him leaving post RWC just means we've got time to bring someone new through (or recall Isiekwe, if his form dictates)
Good for depth atm, but post RWC not someone you build a squad around or anything

The likelihood is they will be more younger players who being lost will be sad to see going through. Not just those past their peak or on the fringes.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Arundell moving to Racing 92 is concerning because of course he won't be eligible after this for a while at least.

I support Arundell's RWC inclusion as a wild card.

But he's still very very young for this level with only about 10 minutes top class experience. A year in France to grow up on and off the pitch with no international distractions away from all the next saviour stuff might be the best possible thing for his longer term development.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I support Arundell's RWC inclusion as a wild card.

But he's still very very young for this level with only about 10 minutes top class experience. A year in France to grow up on and off the pitch with no international distractions away from all the next saviour stuff might be the best possible thing for his longer term development.

It depends on if after that year he wants to then come back to continue to have an England career. Not everyone will choose to do that.

 

[BrokenWing]

Like Merce.. oh…

 

[Welsh Exile]

Having only 1 specialist 8 in the final 33 man squad is nothing compared to only picking one 8 in a 54 man training squad and even he's injured.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Sniff Bostik.

It would explain a lot.

At least the expectation management is going well.

Nah you have to eat the stuff, ask VC

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Having only 1 specialist 8 in the final 33 man squad is nothing compared to only picking one 8 in a 54 man training squad and even he's injured.

And yet you still shamed us.

 

[Welsh Exile]

And yet you still shamed us.

I'm keeping my mouth shut until the inevitable England Wales qtr final is upon us. I can guarantee we won't benefit from 20 odd turnovers like we did on Saturday. Mind you Argentina will fancy themselves to top the group

 

[higgik]

I agree.

When you consider Itoje will still be there, then Chessum and Martin developing plus Chessum Jr coming through and the other 6'10 lad at Tigers...and a few elsewhere around the prem we should really be looking to develop a top class set of locks for England...

And give Itoje the kick up the backside he needs for England.
At the moment he thinks he walks into the shirt, a reminder he is a custodian might get him back up again

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

After reading the Borthwick selection interviews I think he's deluded. I will wait and see but the way he talks about players etc makes me think he's too much in the Eddie jones test match animal camp and not enough in the 'are they actually playing well camp'.

Hope I'm wrong but all his talk about systems and game plans and physicality don't stack up with what we've seen of his teams so far.

Guess we won't really know until maybe the Ireland or Argentina game but how have we become such a shambles as a team (cough, Eddie jones ruined English rugby cough).