Review of England’s 6 Nations Performance

[TRF_Fullback]

With the final weekend of this year Six Nations over, England now have to reflect on their defeat by a strong Welsh team, who outplayed them in every aspect. However the story up to this game was very different, with England putting in some good performances, however nothing that matched the performance that they produced [...]

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[Crapspray]

A nice, succinct, article. Largely mirroring my own thoughts of England's tournament.

I do think depth could have been mentioned. England's bench was a great asset, and saw them home in the Ireland and France games, however the rotation of players in and out of the match day 23 felt lacking. The only replacements were for injury, (though I stand to be corrected) and while there's some merit to continuity, I feel a chance was missed to build rotation into the EPS set-up. The ability to tailor the squad to face the opposition, along with resting key players, I feel would be something to aim for in the future. This should complement the objective of trying to correct England's failings in the tournament.

 

[McTallshort]

"In terms of the locks Joe Launchbury and Geoff Parling showed some qualities during the tournament but lack power in the engine room to be able to support the front row. England have always built their game on a strong tight-five, usually controlling the Scrums and lineouts, if they are to move forward this summer this is something Graham Rowntree needs to look at seriously.
In terms of the summer tests, whoever England are missing should be replaced with a young talent, there are plenty on their way up from the Under 20's, who won the Grand Slam in the U20's Six Nations this year and the Saxons. Some of the key players I would like to see included in the touring squad to Argentina are, Matt Kvesic (Worcester), Billy Vunipola (Wasps), Freddie Burns (Gloucester), George Ford (Leicester), Christian Wade (Wasps) and Kyle Eastmond (Bath)."

Not one front 5 player mentioned in the key players to be included despite saying that was the area lacking....

We really missed Corbs in the front row not sure who I would have in the 2nd row instead of Parling and Launchbury who both had a great 6N. We really do miss Morgan dont we? England always play so much better with him carrying but he seems to be made of glass. Wood and Robshaw both excellent and Robshaw in particular proving many people wrong. Youngs moves to many steps with the ball and Flood has had his day but Farell doesnt really excite me at 10, sorry but he is just a place kicker. Need to find a good partner for Manu and Ashton needs dropping out of sight but otherwise happier with Enngland than I was in 2011

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I thinik we definately need some new locks. We keep looking for younger players but i want for forwards to be a bit older and a bit more savy and aggresive. We need a 4 who is not lauchberry or lawes. I havent really looked at this before and i don't think we have any established locks in the EPS apart form Palmer?

Saxons locks
Slater
Kritchner
Robson
Deacon
Botha
Palmer

I don't really think those guys cut the mustard, maybe Slater (although i say that on reputation and havent seen him play much) any tiger fans want to comment?

Doesn't Kruis for sarries also play lock?

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'm also in the camp that says we need a grunt-work lock, our current locks are very good quality, but as a collective they don't offer the options I think we need.
Ideally whoever isn't chosen between Launchbury and Lawes would not be selected in the 23.

Out of those I would pick Slater, he has been playing great for Leicester recently.
Attwood has been in superb form when he's played this season, he has some of the best line-out and tackle stats in the premiership (better than every other EQP lock when I last checked), and is part of a very strong scrum.
Both of those guys are great in the loose, but they shift the balance back to where I think it should be.

Lancaster seems to be most keen on Robson though, he brought him out as a back-up for the Wales game.
I really don't think he's up to it though, his lack of physicality has really told in the Saxons and mid-week SA games I've seen him play in.

 

[Twebby]

Don't think he's quite there yet, but I've always quite liked the look of Kitchener as a player. Seems to have quite a good balance of reasonable pace to get around the pitch combined with an ability to do the dirty grunt work up front.

Whatever happened to Dave Attwood's career. He was supposed to be the next big thing, got that long ban and never seems to have done anything of note since. Despite the stats talked about above, you never seem to hear anything of him.

 

[Joseph14]

Garvey and Attwood linking up at Bath could be very interesting from an England point of view. Plenty of grunt there that's for sure

 

[ratsapprentice]

Whatever happened to Dave Attwood's career. He was supposed to be the next big thing, got that long ban and never seems to have done anything of note since. Despite the stats talked about above, you never seem to hear anything of him.

Bath have only recently begun starting him, and he has been consistently outstanding for them since they have imo.
I would recommend trying to catch Bath vs SF on Saturday if he's back from injury...
Garvey and Attwood will indeed be interesting to see.

 

[j'nuh]

Not sure what's wrong with Launchbury-Parling. Parling is a sure starter, and Launchbury is young enough that a little bit of inconsistency is expected. I still think they are a great partnership. My worry is what then happens when one gets injured.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Didn't say that I thought they should be split up.
I don't think having Parling, Launchbury and Lawes makes much sense.
Parling, Launchbury and Attwood sounds good to me.

 

[McTallshort]

Missing a Shaw/Grewcock/Johnson type of player for a while now might have been why Louis Deacon won so many caps. Think SL has Robson in mind for this role not sure myself.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Robson couldn't fill that role if he was playing against an U15s side.

 

[j'nuh]

I think that that's the least of our worries. Second row is the area of the field I'm most comfortable with. I like the atleticism and work rate of the starters, and I think Lawes is better than he's showing and just needs a form boost. Having a Shaw-like player around in the second row helps with the tight carrying, but Vunipola does that work like a demon. I'd keep Vunipola starting even when Corbisiero gets back.

 

[Peat]

I think that that's the least of our worries. Second row is the area of the field I'm most comfortable with. I like the atleticism and work rate of the starters, and I think Lawes is better than he's showing and just needs a form boost. Having a Shaw-like player around in the second row helps with the tight carrying, but Vunipola does that work like a demon. I'd keep Vunipola starting even when Corbisiero gets back.

On the evidence of the Six Nations, I do not think that would be the best choice for our scrum.

 

[j'nuh]

On the evidence of the Six Nations, I do not think that would be the best choice for our scrum.

I'm not sure:
a) that Corbisiero will be better on return
b) that our scrum worries are down to a 20-and-a-half-stone prop.

I would like to see a front row of Vunipola, Hartley and Cole. Just to see whether Vunipola would perform better with a scrummaging hooker. It's not really fair that Corbisiero is judged on his performances with Hartley, whilst Vunipola is judged on them with Youngs.

 

[Maverick1987]

I'm not sure:
a) that Corbisiero will be better on return
b) that our scrum worries are down to a 20-and-a-half-stone prop.

I would like to see a front row of Vunipola, Hartley and Cole. Just to see whether Vunipola would perform better with a scrummaging hooker. It's not really fair that Corbisiero is judged on his performances with Hartley, whilst Vunipola is judged on them with Youngs.

The reason corbs is better than vunipola in my eyes in he's clever in the scrum . Just like Adam jones and no I'm not saying its cheating it bending the rules in your favour . Vunipola is young and I'm sure it will come whilst he is scrummaging week in week out with the front row sarries have

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I don't like how, now that Thompson has retired, Hartley is considered a scrummaging hooker.
He's the weak link in the Saints scrum (even when the scrum's on top he's often first to pop out) and when Thompson was about he was viewed in the same light as Youngs is now. I'd say Youngs and Hartley are about equal in the scrum, to be honest.

 

[j'nuh]

I thought that it was tighthead that Saints considered to be the weak link?

I would certainly love the second coming of Thompson tbh.

 

[Twebby]

Hartley was an integral part of the Saints front 5 that took apart teams across Europe a couple of seasons back. I think it would be unfair to class him as only a scrummaging hooker, but I certainly don't think it's a weak part of his game.

 

[Peat]

Vunipola has scrummaged with both Hartley and Youngs - I think Corbs has scrummaged with Youngs as well. Vunipola has more raw power, but Corbs is simply the better scrummager. The front row is a place for experience, technique and trickery. Vunipola will be an unholy terror when he picks them up, but he hasn't yet.