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2024 Guinness Six Nations
[Six Nations 2018] Round 1: Italy Vs England (04/02/2018)
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<blockquote data-quote="Which Tyler" data-source="post: 887385" data-attributes="member: 73592"><p>This; with the addition of injuries.</p><p>Simmonds took to international rugby like a duck to water; so I've no problem playing him alongside another rookie now. I'd certainly bring Mercer onto the bench for Wales and introduce him gradually from there. As it is; I'd be very tempted to push Itoje to the bench, pair Lawes with Launch, and start Robshaw, Simmonds and Mercer as my backrow. There's no particularly beefy hard carrier there; but it's not like that's Lawes' forte either, and absent Billy, we don't really have anyone who's great at that; whilst Simmonds looks a flanker every day of the week (hardly surprising as it seems to be where he played all his rugby before this season). Mercer is an 8 in the Faletau mold - which is hardly a bad thing. He'll make ground in the tight by using his feet and shifting his weight, but he won't blast through players. With 2 more rapid guy in the backrow, we should be able to contest better at the ruck.</p><p>My main concern with Mercer is that he still hasn't got his head 100% around the fact that he can't blast through people at adult level, and still tries to do a touch too much. Which is why he takes a few matches to get used to things at each step up, and why I'd be moe comfortable giving him half a dozen bench appearances first; however, needs must, and there's not much in it between that compromise, and the compromise of Lawes at 6.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Which Tyler, post: 887385, member: 73592"] This; with the addition of injuries. Simmonds took to international rugby like a duck to water; so I've no problem playing him alongside another rookie now. I'd certainly bring Mercer onto the bench for Wales and introduce him gradually from there. As it is; I'd be very tempted to push Itoje to the bench, pair Lawes with Launch, and start Robshaw, Simmonds and Mercer as my backrow. There's no particularly beefy hard carrier there; but it's not like that's Lawes' forte either, and absent Billy, we don't really have anyone who's great at that; whilst Simmonds looks a flanker every day of the week (hardly surprising as it seems to be where he played all his rugby before this season). Mercer is an 8 in the Faletau mold - which is hardly a bad thing. He'll make ground in the tight by using his feet and shifting his weight, but he won't blast through players. With 2 more rapid guy in the backrow, we should be able to contest better at the ruck. My main concern with Mercer is that he still hasn't got his head 100% around the fact that he can't blast through people at adult level, and still tries to do a touch too much. Which is why he takes a few matches to get used to things at each step up, and why I'd be moe comfortable giving him half a dozen bench appearances first; however, needs must, and there's not much in it between that compromise, and the compromise of Lawes at 6. [/QUOTE]
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2024 Guinness Six Nations
[Six Nations 2018] Round 1: Italy Vs England (04/02/2018)
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