[RWC2023] England vs Japan (17/09/2023)

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Wouldn't hold your breath on that.

Is this not the first week in a while that the team hasn't essentially been leaked beforehand?

The Telegraph reported yesterday that Billy is going to be on the bench.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

No announcement until 5pm

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Why do the team announcements constantly get delayed. Surely we can't be waiting on the possible fitness of players every week. Or maybe we can with the injury prone squad Borthwick picked. I wonder if it's a forward or a back we are waiting for fitness on.

 

[Grizwald]

I thought it would be 12 too. I wouldn't be surprised if 'he has to play to get fit Vunipola' starts for that reason alone.

Ludlum always put everything in when he plays but I just like other options ahead of him in the backrow to start.

 

[Geordie]

Agree that George needs wrapped in cotton wool and the two other hookers needs game time...one starting, one on the bench.

I want to see more of the same.

1. Prove that the excellent defence was not a fluke...and that its finally "clicking".
2. The players getting back on their feet and back in to alignment at speed was also a pleasant addition...and a pleasing aspect. Was that a fluke or again are they "getting" Borthwicks system
3. Prove the set piece is a growing strength.
4. Game management, play in the areas we want to play in and take points when we need to. Ford kept the scoreboard ticking over against Argentina...that was intelligent. He stopped his forwards wasting energy trying to force a try when it didnt seem on...so take the points reset...go again...little energy wasted, scoreboard begins to put pressure on the opposition.
5. And the icing on the cake would be a little bit of attack on show.

 

[Which Tyler]

Why do the team announcements constantly get delayed. Surely we can't be waiting on the possible fitness of players every week. Or maybe we can with the injury prone squad Borthwick picked. I wonder if it's a forward or a back we are waiting for fitness on.

Is it delayed?
Announcement at 5 is still 3 or 4 hours earlier than it needs to be (is 5.00 local or GMT?).

We typically go for a 12.00 Thu announcement, for a 3.00 Sat match.
5.00 Fri announcement for a 8.00 Sun match seems.... exactly the same.

Of course, if there was something official to expect an announcement at 12.00, then absolutely fair enough - I haven't seen one, but that most definitely doesn't mean there wasn't.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Announcements do seem to be more staggered this tournament - usually everyone does 12pm two days before their round
There been 12s, 3s and now 5s that I've seen
Wonder if they've been asked to do that by WR so that they can plug them a bit more (they've been tweeting out their own graphics of team announcements) and the announcements don't all get lost in one big release

Agree that George needs wrapped in cotton wool and the two other hookers needs game time...one starting, one on the bench.

I want to see more of the same.

1. Prove that the excellent defence was not a fluke...and that its finally "clicking".
2. The players getting back on their feet and back in to alignment at speed was also a pleasant addition...and a pleasing aspect. Was that a fluke or again are they "getting" Borthwicks system
3. Prove the set piece is a growing strength.
4. Game management, play in the areas we want to play in and take points when we need to. Ford kept the scoreboard ticking over against Argentina...that was intelligent. He stopped his forwards wasting energy trying to force a try when it didnt seem on...so take the points reset...go again...little energy wasted, scoreboard begins to put pressure on the opposition.
5. And the icing on the cake would be a little bit of attack on show.

You don't ask for much!

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Agree that George needs wrapped in cotton wool and the two other hookers needs game time...one starting, one on the bench.

I want to see more of the same.

1. Prove that the excellent defence was not a fluke...and that its finally "clicking".
2. The players getting back on their feet and back in to alignment at speed was also a pleasant addition...and a pleasing aspect. Was that a fluke or again are they "getting" Borthwicks system
3. Prove the set piece is a growing strength.
4. Game management, play in the areas we want to play in and take points when we need to. Ford kept the scoreboard ticking over against Argentina...that was intelligent. He stopped his forwards wasting energy trying to force a try when it didnt seem on...so take the points reset...go again...little energy wasted, scoreboard begins to put pressure on the opposition.
5. And the icing on the cake would be a little bit of attack on show.

You don't want George to play against Japan? What happens if the other two hookers have a shocker throwing into the lineout and England end up losing the game?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

.

Agree that George needs wrapped in cotton wool and the two other hookers needs game time...one starting, one on the bench.

I want to see more of the same.

1. Prove that the excellent defence was not a fluke...and that its finally "clicking".
2. The players getting back on their feet and back in to alignment at speed was also a pleasant addition...and a pleasing aspect. Was that a fluke or again are they "getting" Borthwicks system
3. Prove the set piece is a growing strength.
4. Game management, play in the areas we want to play in and take points when we need to. Ford kept the scoreboard ticking over against Argentina...that was intelligent. He stopped his forwards wasting energy trying to force a try when it didnt seem on...so take the points reset...go again...little energy wasted, scoreboard begins to put pressure on the opposition.
5. And the icing on the cake would be a little bit of attack on show.

This version of Japan isn't 2019 vintage. Yes, we want all those things but if we can't manage some decent attacking moves against them it's a real cause for concern.

It was only a year ago we stuck 50 on them with a mix and match team. Of the starters that day I reckon only 4 will be named later, and one of those will be in a different position.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

You don't want George to play against Japan? What happens if the other two hookers have a shocker throwing into the lineout and England end up losing the game?

Marler's got previous for throwing.

 

[Geordie]

You don't want George to play against Japan? What happens if the other two hookers have a shocker throwing into the lineout and England end up losing the game?

What if George gets a tournament ending injury 10 mins in to the game...?

 

[Geordie]

.


This version of Japan isn't 2019 vintage. Yes, we want all those things but if we can't manage some decent attacking moves against them it's a real cause for concern.

It was only a year ago we stuck 50 on them with a mix and match team. Of the starters that day I reckon only 4 will be named later, and one of those will be in a different position.

Correct they're not that team..but we need to show what we're made of...be ruthless...abd continue to improve...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Yeah they're definitely looking to turn us over.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeah they're definitely looking to turn us over.

We'd better play Jack Willis then.

 

[BPM]

Yeah they're definitely looking to turn us over.

Why wouldn't they have been?

 

[Saintjay]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Would've preferred Willis to Billy but happy enough with that

 

[Grizwald]

Dan Cole injured or just being rested? A mobile team like Japan doesn't really suit his game I suppose but mullering them in the scrum would take a lot of that game away potentially.

Pleased to see Mitchell getting another start, still so weird how he wasn't in the original squad though.

 

[Half Pint]

Not much rotation, that's basically the First XV.
Agree with Griswald, if Mitchell is the default starting #9, how was he not in the original squad. I like Danny C & quins, but if they're taking him on tour just as a mascot, then they could have picked me instead. Got way better bantz innit.