Good effort, i was going to do it but you beat me. Kruis isnt available though as he's not in the prem, replace with Lawes and place a back rower in the first teamSo i made two XVs out of the current England Squad just to see what we could pick theortically. Obviously can't get 3 XVs out of that so from the 3XV down you start seeing players who we could theortically pick (I've still given priority to those who are selected in the squad in their position for realism)
1XV: Marler, LCD, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Curry, Dombrandt, Youngs, Smith, Slade, Tuilagi, May, OHC, Steward
2XV: Genge, George, Stuart, Ewels, Isiekwe, Barbeary, Ludlham, Simmonds , Quirke, Ford, Farrell, Marchant, Nowell, Daly, Malins
3XV: Rodd, Blamire, Heyes, Launchbury, Kruis, Chessum, Underhill, J Willis, Randall, Bailey, Atkinson, Northmore, Radwan, Freeman, Furbank
So i had to include J Willis, Underhill, Radwan, Kruis, Launchbury to get a XV and then use Freeman at wing as Jones says he sees him there. However, when you expand
4XV: M Vunipola, Singleton, Collier, Ribbans, Martin, Earl, T Hill, B Vunipola, Robson, Simmonds, Kelly, Odogwu, Loader, Thorley, Watson
5XV: Obano, Frost, H Williams, Stooke, Slater, B Curry, Chick, T Willis, Mitchell, Umaga, Lozoswki, Lawrence, Bassett, Murley, Parton
6XV: West, Thacker, Cole, Wells, McNally, Reid, M Wilson, Shields, Spencer, F Smith, Ojomah, O'Connor, O'Flaherty, Sleightholme, L James
7XV: Moon, Dunn, Phainter, Atwood, Symons, Rogerson, Evans, Hughes, J Maunder, Grayson, Devoto, Dingwall, Potter, Porter, Crossdale
So i have gone overboard but when i looked down the depth chart.... There are a number in that team especially in the 4XV & 5XV that you would not be upset at having in the squad. The fact that the likes of B Curry, T Willis, Collier, Robson and even European player of the Year J Simmonds can't get a look in is a joke. I'm sure there are a few you would mix up but there is a lot of talent out there... although.... i'd say that Lock is defo an ageing group.
So both the above sets of squads could your 3rd team best italy?1. Porter, Healy, Kilcoyne
2. Kelleher, Sheehan, Herring
3. Furlong, Bealham, O'Toole
4. Henderson, Ryan, Treadwell
5. Beirne, Baird, Kleyn (probably someone better but I'm blanking, Ahern if he was allowed play rugby)
6. Doris, Coombes, Timoney
7. VdF, Conners, POM, Leavy
8. Conan, Deegan, Hodnett
9. JGP, Murray, Casey
10. Sexdawg, Carbery, H Byrne/Carty (if Crowley wanted to spend a season at Leinster we'd have him in there in 6 months tops)
11. Lowe, Stockdale, Hansen
12. Henshaw, Aki, Frawley
13. Ringrose, Hume, Farrell
14. Balacoune, Larmour, Earls/Conway (Hopefully Jimmy stays fit and he'll be in)
15. Keenan, Lowry, Haley
Think we have the fewest number of positions where we're nearly ****** if the starter goes down we've ever had. However lose either prop or Johnny we go from comfortably a top 5 team to being very vulnerable to any top 9 side.
I've probably forgot a handful of guys, all of the top of the dome.
Fair point with Kruis, It's more in a perfect world.Good effort, i was going to do it but you beat me. Kruis isnt available though as he's not in the prem, replace with Lawes and place a back rower in the first team
So both the above sets of squads could your 3rd team best italy?
I doubt it. A team of fillers who'd do well with good players around them but no one to really lift the level to that of a tier 1.5 international side.So both the above sets of squads could your 3rd team best italy?
I'd guess if there was a 3rd XV World Cup the semi finalists would invariably be at least 3 of Eng, Fra, NZ and SA. But depth is a blessing and a curse for a full national side.
Any chance of A fixtures any time soon?
Starting to see this to a lesser degree here. I think it puts much more pressure on a losing team when everyone starts screeching that X or y player, neither of whom are good enough, need to be starting.But depth is a blessing and a curse for a full national side.
Good sides, but you've used Youngs twice at SH (unless one of them is Tom)So if i were just picking 3 teams
Id go
Genge LCD Sinks
Itoje Hill
Curry Dombrandt Underhill
Youngs Smith
Manu Slade
May Staward Watson
2nds
Marler George Stuart
Lawes launchbury
Barbeary Simmonds JWillis
Youngs Ford
Atkinson Marchant
Radwan Malins Nowell
3rd
Mako Blarmire Hayes
Isiekwe Ribbans
Earl Billy Ludlam
Randall Faz
Lozowski Lawrence
Daly Furbank OHC
I think my 3rd would challenge italy, with Mako Billy Faz Daly as experience and most of the others are in or around the team i think we'd have apretty good chance.
Just reflecting the reality that Youngs gets picked regardless.Good sides, but you've used Youngs twice at SH (unless one of them is Tom)
Well he'd do better than is Ben lolGood sides, but you've used Youngs twice at SH (unless one of them is Tom)