[June Tests 2018: 1st Test] South Africa vs. England (09/06/2018)

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah it's not far off at all.

No lock cover and Brown are the biggest complaints by miles.

apparently Shields has played lock....

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Spencer over Robson bench suggest we are going for as much kicking as possible which might suggest why Brown and May are the wingers.

 

[ratsapprentice]

apparently Shields has played lock....

Not that I've seen - certainly not recently, and not often in any case.
Hughes makes more sense there.

 

[NickBD]

Picking Brown on wing is only till Daly gets more experience at 15. As soon as Watson is back and Daly has had a few games at 15 Brown is gone. Could you imagine May, Solomona and Daly 2nd start at 15.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Picking Brown on wing is only till Daly gets more experience at 15. As soon as Watson is back and Daly has had a few games at 15 Brown is gone. Could you imagine May, Solomona and Daly 2nd start at 15.

Yeh, it makes sense in a way.
SA will be looking to kick a fair bit as well, they certainly won't put on a show like the barbarians

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

What I like about this selection is that it paves the way for the old guard to be shepherded out when the full compliment of players return.

- I think Shields will move to 6.
- Isiekwe will drop to 19 when Lawes or Launch are fit and can cover 4,5&6.
- Simmonds will come into 20 once Billy is fitter and can more realistically last >50mins of international rugby and can cover 7&8
- Brown to make way and Nowell/Watson/May to share 11/14/23

I do hope Sinckler nails down the tighthead shirt, although I doubt we've seen the last of Cole and would also like to see Genge get his chance to supplant Marler as second choice LH.

Only real concern is the midfield axis. I really think Farrell should be at 10 and would love to see a couple of candidates step up at 12&13, but I'd settle for Slade nailing down one of them on this tour.

I like the call to give Spencer a look. He's not a dissimilar player to Youngs and would stop us having to change styles to account for our different scrum-halfs.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Picking Brown on wing is only till Daly gets more experience at 15. As soon as Watson is back and Daly has had a few games at 15 Brown is gone. Could you imagine May, Solomona and Daly 2nd start at 15.

Yeah, it makes sense in some ways, but it's also ******* mental.

Too slow - a big problem with and without the ball. Especially considering SA has (along with England) some of the fastest wingers about.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Personally I don't think Robson showed enough to warrent a place, International 9's have to be good at box kicking now IMO.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No lock cover is dumb, brown on the wing is dumber.

Not a fan of Robshaw at 6 but can understand why (experienced head next to Curry and Isiekwe, and Shields was never gonna start after only training a few days).
Faf is gonna have an absolute field day sniping past Robshaw.

Would've preferred Loz involved over Francis, as above, but would've liked Cipriani even more.

 

[Reiser99]

Agreed with most of what has been written on here. Also add that Hughes for me offers nothing more than Billy and has been very poor recently. I would easily have Simmonds ahead.

 

[Big_Grumper]

No lock cover is dumb, brown on the wing is dumber.

^^^^^^
This. #fml

 

[ratsapprentice]

I mean, Boks fans should be ecstatic... there is the potential for **** to get messy between Slade and Brown, especially if Robshaw gets caught in midfield again.

I'm not saying it will - but there's every chance it will, assuming the Boks aren't going to be dogshit.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Genge is unlucky but can see why he might want Marler for the first test.

Personally I feel like Eddie has an idea of the team he wants and is just filling in the blanks now.

 

[Big_Grumper]

One thing for sure: that front row will concede penalties if the Saffers get in their faces. Marler's hardly known for his restraint.

 

[NickBD]

Genge is unlucky but can see why he might want Marler for the first test.

Personally I feel like Eddie has an idea of the team he wants and is just filling in the blanks now.

Agreed, pretty clear that Robshaw and Brown are on borrowed time. Both only starting because of inexperience of others and injures. That front 8 with Lauch and Shields (maybe Underhill) in might be up being starting World Cup 8. Very happy with Sinkler, Isiekwe, Curry at 7 and Daly at 15.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Pretty much as expected, strong team. PSDT and Louw probably come into the side next week, but they have just traveled from America.
Ivan van Zyl didn't impress me but our options are extremely thin, Notshe probably a bit lucky to crack the side, but that 4th loose forward is a hard nut to crack.

Before the negativity starts I am happy about a few things, namely - the back line is one of the most exciting we've seen in ages and could inflict serious damage is we actually choose to utilize it. I just hope be don't just play a kicking game like we did against Wales because this team is NOT suited for it. If you want to play like that, don't play Faf / Willie / Nkosi / Dyantyi they will all be outplayed by the likes of Daly and Brown in a kicking battle.

Yeah I agree. What I like about the squad is that Rassie is covering his bases properly should unexpected injuries happen.

I have a very strong suspicion that we will play a more running type of game, especially at altitude, we should run them ragged. But we all know that England might be going for the more kicking orientated type of play by how their team is setup. So i'm very interested to see the tussle.

I hope Nyakane is fit, coz he'll be our best chance in playing the fetcher role. But I think the type of players Rassie picked makes me think that we will rather want to try a more ball-retention approach, and have bodies at the ruck to overpower the opposition (not that I think the England pack are a bunch of lightweights).

 

[MikeTheNative]

If I was an England fan I would be reasonably happy bar Brown on the wing and possibly Robshaw at 6 (although at least it isn't 7). The Ford and Farrell axis is looking a bit on borrowed time so if this game doesn't go well I expect changes next week. Slade has had a lot of hype over the years but not been able to nail down a spot so it will be interesting to see if he can start to live up to it.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Brown on the left wing? Not again. Assume for his aerial skills than his lack of pace and can swap with Daly during the match if need be.

 

[Every Time Ref]

No lock cover is dumb, brown on the wing is dumber.

Yep great comment.

I'm not happy about this midfield at all, 3 ball players and a fourth on the bench, no line breakers at all. Some of us have been *****ing about a lack of ball carriers in the pack fir ages, now it looks like we're phasing them out from the backs as well! Amongst that starting lineup I count 6 players who I'd consider running with the ball an identified strength - that's nowhere near enough. (Since you ask: Vunipolae, Sinckler, Youngs, May, Daly)

This XV has kick-and-clap circa 2009 written all over it. Eek

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

That pack certainly has the potential to be a lot more lively than of late.

Make or break for Sinckler in terms of whether he's seen as Cole's successor or just a bench option.

Big, big chances for Curry and Isiekwe. Whatever the state of the Boks, they're always physical and if these 2 can stand up to them in their own back yard they're almost certainly going to Japan and could easily be bolters for the first choice XV.

Behind, I like Slade at 13. He's just more heads up and skilled than others (wouldn't mind seeing Loz there for the same reasons) and with all the speed outside him why wouldn't you have someone who can use space intelligently, draw defenders and pass accurately? Oops rewind, did I say speed? I kind of get the comfort blanket for Daly thing, but maybe it's just as likely that Daly will end up covering for Brown when his pace is exposed? Guess they can swap if one or other of them is struggling.

In my book Ford and Faz has had its day. But given there are no big 12 options on tour I guess they were inevitable.

Don't understand the whole Francis thing. Or the lock cover situation.