Summer tours - England

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I have no qualms but so far everything I've heard says he's not that interested

 

[BPM]

Shame. I can understand how he probably wants to follow in his dad's footsteps, but I'd have thought there might be some draw to representing the country he's spent virtually all his life in.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Eddie will probably cap Green (or at least offer the invite) because he likes to get imports locked down asap

Earl is inevitable but honestly wouldn't have him in my EPS, don't see what he brings that others aren't better at, other than the ability to cover the whole backrow (though he only seems to play 7 for England)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

IDK I like Earl as a bench player.
Saying that when J.Willis is fit he would be my player for that.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Shame. I can understand how he probably wants to follow in his dad's footsteps, but I'd have thought there might be some draw to representing the country he's spent virtually all his life in.

You also have his brother pinning his flag to the aus mast.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

IDK I like Earl as a bench player.
Saying that when J.Willis is fit he would be my player for that

T.Willis >>>

Earl strikes me as someone who would have excelled in the 6.5 era, now he's just like...doesn't match up to the abundance of dedicated opensides we've got as a 7, too short to be a rangy 6, too small to be an 8
Where does he fit in the England side?

He's pretty fast, so good to come off the bench vs tired legs, but if England's first choice backrow is (knowing Eddie) Lawes, Curry, Binny then I'd rather have Underhill/Willis/Willis coming off the bench
Then you've got to factor in guys like Reid and Martin pushing for spots

 

[BPM]

Agreed. Earl is a different type of back row option but he isn't better than any of the other options at 7, isn't ever likely to be a test 8 and isn't really a 6 either.

He's useful, but there are a number of players I'd prefer to see.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I feel it looks like I'm being quite harsh on him: Don't get me wrong, Earl is a great player - just feel like he's fallen into the trap that some backs do in that they've not nailed down a firm position, and that hurts him vs the specialists when it comes to international selection
He's still very young, and maybe when he goes back to Saracens he'll get to focus on a singular position and make it is his own. I think Rhodes is leaving? Obviously they're very different types of players but maybe he could nail down that 6 shirt (or 7, with Wray shifting - didn't Wray start out life at 8? Probably more suited to 6 than Earl - though Earl would have a job overtaking Curry/Underhill/Willis for a 7 shirt for England)

 

[BPM]

It depends what you want from a 6, but at 6'1" I'm not sure he fits most coaches' views on what a blindside flanker should bring.

With his pace and skill set, I'd be looking at him as more of a Hooper/Tipuric style 7 and when he's back at Saracens, I'd expect to see Wray shift across to 6.

I agree that Curry, Underhill and Willis would be hard to leapfrog as options at 7. This summer could also make that even more difficult if Ben Curry gets a chance and really takes it and/or Simmonds performs well for the Lions.

I don't really see Simmonds as a test 7, but he could definitely take the role of 'impact back row' that Earl has been occupying.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Despite being sceptical I was very impressed with Nowell at FB yesterday. Very solid in the air and we know all about what else he brings. If he could do that regularly I'd play him ahead of Malins / Daly every day of the week.

B Curry also caught the eye.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

T.Willis >>>

Earl strikes me as someone who would have excelled in the 6.5 era, now he's just like...doesn't match up to the abundance of dedicated opensides we've got as a 7, too short to be a rangy 6, too small to be an 8
Where does he fit in the England side?

He's pretty fast, so good to come off the bench vs tired legs, but if England's first choice backrow is (knowing Eddie) Lawes, Curry, Binny then I'd rather have Underhill/Willis/Willis coming off the bench
Then you've got to factor in guys like Reid and Martin pushing for spots

According to Lam in yesterday's Times Earl is now "on a par with Curry and Underhill". I'm much more caught in the Jack of all trades camp.

There was also a big article on the Lynaghs. Didn't explicitly say who Louis might declare for, but he seems pretty settled here while younger brother Tom seems much more enamoured with life / style of rugby Down Under and has signed on with the Reds.

 

[Reiser99]

Despite being sceptical I was very impressed with Nowell at FB yesterday. Very solid in the air and we know all about what else he brings. If he could do that regularly I'd play him ahead of Malins / Daly every day of the week.

B Curry also caught the eye.

Nowell has to be fit for a while for me. If he can stay fit then why not, but I can't see how England can plan and play someone who spends the majority of his time injured at the moment. Yes you always get injuries and never have a 100% fit squad, but there is a difference between someone who might get injured and someone who probably will get injured.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Despite being sceptical I was very impressed with Nowell at FB yesterday. Very solid in the air and we know all about what else he brings. If he could do that regularly I'd play him ahead of Malins / Daly every day of the week.

Yeah I thought Nowell looked great too, and did wonder about him there for England

Not sure Eddie would go for him though, he likes more of a play maker at 15 (Malins seems pretty tailor made for what EJ likes there)

Either way: if he can stay fit for more than a few games I'd definitely have him back in the mix for the back 3. I didn't realise he's only 28, I thought he was early 30s

According to Lam in yesterday's Times Earl is now "on a par with Curry and Underhill".

lol

 

[BPM]

I've no doubt about Nowell's ability and I've always thought he'd be a better 15 than wing, but his problem is durability. He seems incredibly fragile for such a physically strong bloke.

I also question how much time he'd get at 15 with Hogg around?

 

[higgik]

Yeah I thought Nowell looked great too, and did wonder about him there for England

Not sure Eddie would go for him though, he likes more of a play maker at 15 (Malins seems pretty tailor made for what EJ likes there)

Either way: if he can stay fit for more than a few games I'd definitely have him back in the mix for the back 3. I didn't realise he's only 28, I thought he was early 30s


lol

Depends on what the centre partnership is.

I don't like the idea of 3 playmakers in the backline, so it needs to be either
10 Simmonds J or Smith
11 OCH
12 Devoto
13 Slade
14 Big Joe
15 Nowell

Or
10 Smith or Simmonds J
11 OCH
12 Devoto
13 Kelly
14 Big Joe
15 Malins

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bleurgh, I forgot Cokanasiga was in the squad

I doubt Devoto makes it tbh, EJ has never seemed that keen on him (two bench appearances in the last 5 years)
Kinda hope Slade is left at home for the summer, would be more interested in seeing a Piers O'Connor/Ollie Lawrence midfield, or a Lawrence/Marchant one

Slade never really turns it on for England, I'd want to look at who's behind him

 

[higgik]

Bleurgh, I forgot Cokanasiga was in the squad

I doubt Devoto makes it tbh, EJ has never seemed that keen on him (two bench appearances in the last 5 years)
Kinda hope Slade is left at home for the summer, would be more interested in seeing a Piers O'Connor/Ollie Lawrence midfield, or a Lawrence/Marchant one

Slade never really turns it on for England, I'd want to look at who's behind him

Yes, both those midfields would offer the power that was sorely missed in 6N, which would allow Malins to play at 15.

 

[JG-21]

Six players added from Bristol Bears (Max Malins and Harry Randall) and Sale Sharks (Ben Curry, Curtis Langdon, Bevan Rodd and Manu Tuilagi).
Northampton Saints' George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme also join the squad.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

FORWARDS
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)
Will Capon (Bristol Bears, uncapped)
Callum Chick (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Trevor Davison (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 21 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 28 caps)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Paul Hill (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors, 1 cap)
Curtis Langdon (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 8 caps)
Lewis Ludlow (Gloucester Rugby, uncapped)
Joshua McNally (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Chunya Munga (London Irish, uncapped)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby, 1 cap)
Miles Reid (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 22 caps)
Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)

BACKS
Josh Bassett (Wasps, uncapped)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 9 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
Dan Kelly (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 6 caps)
Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 7 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Adam Radwan (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, uncapped)
Dan Robson (Wasps, 12 caps)
Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 43 caps)
Jacob Umaga (Wasps, uncapped)




Surprised at, but really happy for, Langdon. Been flying under the radar a lot but a very solid young player.
Ben finally getting the nod, hopefully he makes it through the training sessions!
What a season for Rodd, going from unknown academy player to the England squad - still eligible for the u20s as well!
Tuilagi....well, he'll probably be banned tomorrow tbh.

Very happy to see Sleightholme called up - looks like my guess that he missed the initial training week because of concussion was right.
Thought we'd seen the last of Furbank though.

No Earl is surprising!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

So whose out?