Who is England 12?

[ratsapprentice]

That lad was a 10 and wanted to be a 10 for the foreseeable, the little I had seen of him previously in tandem with that fact suggested he may have been able to continue as one.

After this recent extended run I agree with you - he doesn't look like a 10.

 

[goodNumber10]

That lad was a 10 and wanted to be a 10 for the foreseeable, the little I had seen of him previously in tandem with that fact suggested he may have been able to continue as one.

After this recent extended run I agree with you - he doesn't look like a 10.

I know he was a 10 mate, but i've seen plenty of people shoehorned into 10 and do a job, especially at age groups - i've lost count fo the amoutn of players i've met who were "10's" growing up but were actually centers or nine.

It's a bit like every forward is a flanker

 

[91jmay]

Sounds a bit like how Billy 12Trees was a 10 as a kid but became a center pretty quickly as a Pro. England seem to have a borderline obsession with it, but having a 3rd kicking option is always useful but would be at the bottom of my list if I am selecting between 2 centers.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mark Atkinson wanted to be a 10, was dropped by Sale because he wasn't good enough, was dropped by Wasps and then dropped by Esher.
When he went to Bedford they switched him to 12, he became one of the top players in the Championship (think he was voted player of the year, and made the champ dream team) and is now tearing up trees for Gloucester there.
If it weren't for his insistence that he's a 10 Hook could've nailed down a spot in the Wales side long ago.


I guess 10 is like QB in American Football - a lot of kids grow up dreaming of playing there, but when it comes down to it they're better suited elsewhere.

 

[91jmay]

Mark Atkinson wanted to be a 10, was dropped by Sale because he wasn't good enough, was dropped by Wasps and then dropped by Esher.
When he went to Bedford they switched him to 12, he became one of the top players in the Championship (think he was voted player of the year, and made the champ dream team) and is now tearing up trees for Gloucester there.
If it weren't for his insistence that he's a 10 Hook could've nailed down a spot in the Wales side long ago.


I guess 10 is like QB in American Football - a lot of kids grow up dreaming of playing there, but when it comes down to it they're better suited elsewhere.

A 6'5 10 would be a sight to behold!

 

[ncurd]

I guess 10 is like QB in American Football - a lot of kids grow up dreaming of playing there, but when it comes down to it they're better suited elsewhere.

Interesting analogy a lot of pro American Football players QB at an early age. I suspect it happens at 10 too not due to players insistence but because it's probably the place you put the guy in the back with the biggest rugby brain. Regardless of if their more suited elsewhere.

 

[goodNumber10]

Mark Atkinson wanted to be a 10, was dropped by Sale because he wasn't good enough, was dropped by Wasps and then dropped by Esher.
When he went to Bedford they switched him to 12, he became one of the top players in the Championship (think he was voted player of the year, and made the champ dream team) and is now tearing up trees for Gloucester there.
If it weren't for his insistence that he's a 10 Hook could've nailed down a spot in the Wales side long ago.


I guess 10 is like QB in American Football - a lot of kids grow up dreaming of playing there, but when it comes down to it they're better suited elsewhere.

yeah, that's a good analogy.

 

[Raggs]

Atkinson has been a real find for Glaws, he's been doing fantastically well.

Harry Mallinder is another potential massive 10, who may well find himself playing elsewhere.

I do think 10 is a bit of a glory position, and especially with most these lads having been at a very influential age when Jonny dropped that goal, 10 would seem like an obvious place for them to want to be.

It's probably not a bad education for a lot of them, they learn to distribute and kick, and read the game to a good degree, but they also need to be willing to accept they may do even better elsewhere.

 

[ncurd]

with most these lads having been at a very influential age when Jonny dropped that goal

Or as my wife puts it "When Jonny Wilkinson won the world cup"...I have tried to explain that wasn't the case.

 

[goodNumber10]

may as well have been...

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

10's tend to be the ones that get the glory. They are seen a lot, get a lot of exposure and often kick the goals so are seen as the ones keeping teams going. It's probably the most prestigious position and that's why everyone wants to be the 10.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

We're sexier too.

 

[LiRFCMatt]

We're sexier too.

Err.... My boys David Wilson and Dan Cole would help argue the case that it is in fact the props that are the sexiest.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Err.... My boys David Wilson and Dan Cole would help argue the case that it is in fact the props that are the sexiest.

Sheer beauty

 

[goodNumber10]

Not what one needs to see when sitting down to eat their cereal....

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Not what one needs to see when sitting down to eat their cereal....

Cereal? Full english breakfast with extra everything.

 

[goodNumber10]

Cereal? Full english breakfast with extra everything.

at 7am?

Boke!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

at 7am?

Boke!

For that guy, that's just the beginning.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Sheer beauty

To be fair to Dunning he looks quite good now.

Nohomo

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

After Burgess' performance as a 6 on Friday against the Falcons, I can't see him moving back to centre (meaning that I think it's clear he makes much more of an impact as a 6 than he ever did as a 12.) So now he's off the table as a 12. So in my mind the best options are Eastmond, Barritt and Tuilagi. Eastmond offers a lot in attack, and as you said is fully capable in defence aswell. Barritt is a rock in defence, the best defensive centre in England... by quite a long way too. The problem is though, that although he is far from bad as an attacker, he offers far less than Eastmond or Tuilagi. Which brings me onto Tuilagi. In my opinion he's our best bet in 12. Although he usually plays as a 13 he can easily make the transition to 12 and has done previously for the Lions. A combination of him and Joseph could be one of the best in World Rugby, with Tuilagi punching holes in the defence and Joseph running through them.