• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

England's back line

What Ford has said seems (to me) to indicate that Lancaster is actually fairly open minded about where Sam plays.
Ford said he sees him as a forward in the long term and that he wants to have him involved as much as possible (his reasoning for being a forward) and that Stuart and he are on the same wavelength.

There is no agreement with the RFU - Sam's starting at centre because it makes the most sense as an introductory position for him.

Ewers is quite likely to be a blindside from now on.
 
Peat said:
What England/Lancaster wants doesn't come into it.
Click to expand...

I agree, he is Bath's player. Though, as an England fan, I would hope some input would be allowed. The concern is that any disjoint between Bath and England's desired position could leave him stuck in the premiership longer than he needs to be. I can't imagine any player being too pleased with that, nor any England fans.

ratsapprentice said:
What Ford has said seems (to me) to indicate that Lancaster is actually fairly open minded about where Sam plays.
Ford said he sees him as a forward in the long term and that he wants to have him involved as much as possible (his reasoning for being a forward) and that Stuart and he are on the same wavelength.

There is no agreement with the RFU - Sam's starting at centre because it makes the most sense as an introductory position for him.
Click to expand...

As I said, if he does well at inside-centre, what then? I can't see Lancaster, after looking for so long, just shrugging his shoulders and letting the solution to his biggest problem walk away. Non-tacit agreement too; I can't see Lancaster taking minutes of every conversation he has with coaches.
 
Depends on how well doesn't it? If he's dominating every team he comes across from 12 then it would probably be a silly thing to move him. But that's quite unlikely, at least in the short term.
If he does alright and shows a degree of aptitude at the breakdown I think he will probably be moved to the back row fairly quickly.
 
Bath played they cards when they went into bed with the RFU, they will do what the RFU want.

Obviously just trying to save face, otherwise he would have been out straight in at the back row, maybe even a couple games in the championship.

;)
 
ratsapprentice said:
It's got Beaumont's fingerprints all over it! :big_boss:
Click to expand...
Are you implying a proud Lancastrian had anything to do with bringing a Yorkshireman back from the colonies?
He was probably trying to push a bill through parliament to get the rest of them shipped off down under!
 
Tigs needs to lay off the whacky baccy.

I'm sure Lancaster will have a voice of opinion at least. Ford's already referred to him as having one. And I'm sure people have an open mind as towards his position.

But at the same time, if Bath want him in the pack, that's it. Hoping for ought else is delusion. And really, if the guys seeing him every day think he'll be best in the pack, there's a good chance he'll be best there.

Although it should be noted, the Bath coaching team do have a slight bias, given that they're very clear in a desire for distributing 12s, hence Eastmond and Devoto. But then so is Lancaster - I don't think we've played without one since the 2013 6N, he's refused to give Burrell game time at 12, he's noted Devoto as a player who missed the last training camp due to injury. So the assumption that Burgess at 12 is what Lancaster is looking for may be wide of the mark anyway. It seems more likely that Bath and England alike would use him at 13, not 12, anyway (which incidentally fits better with Saffy's wish to see him running in space).
 
As where he'll start learning Union, or as a possible potential position? Because I was referring to the latter; I know they're planning to start him at 12, which makes sense due 13's specialist nature in defence, but they could just as easily move him to 13 if they decide to keep him in the centres.
 
As where he'll start...^

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/sep/02/stuart-lancaster-england-2015-world-cup

It is Nowell's pre-season story, however, which best sums up the determination of all concerned to be a World Cup regular. Since he last wore an England jersey, the Exeter wing has been recovering not just from a shoulder injury but a knee operation which was more problematic than some appreciated. Since the age of 15 he has been troubled with stray pieces of bone in his left knee, initially dismissed as growing pains. The solution has involved deliberately dislocating his knee-cap (as you do) and scraping off his patella to clear up the sizeable mess inside.

He is now also a remarkable eight kilos heavier than when he last represented England in Rome in March, an extended break having given him the chance to put on more muscle. "Ideally I want to be about 95kg, which would be a good weight for me," he said. "You need to be able to look after yourself out on the field. I'm definitely the strongest I've been."

Burning inside is an equally fierce desire to regain his Test place. "Watching the tour was tough because I've got to know the boys pretty well," Nowell added. "Things do change very quickly … there's always someone close behind you. But as I found out last year Stuart will put you in the team if you're playing well enough for your club."
When Nowell does resume –it may well be another week or two yet – the Chiefs and England will virtually have a new athlete at their disposal. Stronger, fitter, faster? It remains the recurring goal, for Nowell and all his rivals. England are not complaining. If they cannot prosper in the so-called attacking red zone they will struggle to win next year's Six Nations, let alone the World Cup.
Click to expand...

Interdasting. Big fan of Jack.
 
The good thing about him is that if Brown gets injured we have another FB in the same vein as him (power runner in traffic).
 
I rate Nowell, despite his dodgy barnett, I think he'd be an interesting left wing at international level.
 
Personally I think Nowell is a touch too slow for an international wing. He'll do a job there but I'd be hoping we looked at a guy with more natural freak factor and that Nowell were to move to 15.
 
Nowell is going to play practically the full season at FB is Baxter has any sense - and history shows he does.
 
Nowell is great. A bigger, stronger and possibly faster Nowell is only good news. I think him and Yarde will be out wingers come the World Cup tbh.
 

Similar threads

TW27BA
England back row going into the RWC 2019
2
Replies
29
Views
4K
Which Tyler
Which Tyler
iINDOMINUSxx
France's back line
2
Replies
33
Views
3K
lynam1104
lynam1104
psychic duck
PDivvy is back
2
Replies
20
Views
6K
LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)
LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)
S
Not scoring when close to the try line
Replies
1
Views
1K
Rugga-lad
Rugga-lad
Every Time Ref
What's up with England's ball-carrying forwards?
2 3
Replies
50
Views
9K
The Jones Boy
T

Latest posts

Top