England Rugby 2020/21 Thread

[will311293]

PAAAOOOLLLOOOOOOOO

In more serious words. I wouldn't mind a slightly inexperienced England side for the 6 nations. The Egg Chasers suggested a 2nd string england team wouldn't do too badly.

 

[will311293]

Also Redpath has been called up to Scotland Squad. Bath just posted about it.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Would rather have gotten Redpath than keep Odogwu

But we need both 12’s and attacking 13’s IMO so glad Odogwu is involved.

 

[will311293]

Would rather have gotten Redpath than keep Odogwu

But we need both 12’s and attacking 13’s IMO so glad Odogwu is involved.

Sounds like Bryan finally convinced him to take that leap. Suppose he's most likely guaranteed a starting spot.

 

[BPM]

Whichever of Thorley/Marchant would've made the cut, I guess

Would be very surprised if Odogwu made a reduced squad, though - as good as he's been he does have some flaws, and Eddie likes his backs to be kickers and/or moonlight as 15s, neither of which he is

With Bath’s COVID break out, it’s possible Joseph or Watson could be missing out.

Big problem at tighthead if we can’t pick Sinckler or Stuart.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Big problem at tighthead if we can’t pick Sinckler or Stuart.

WillGriff John snubbed by Wales again, get him on the blower

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I read that if Bath Bristol is postponed that pushes Sinckler’s ban back so he’d miss the 2nd game too.

But we need both 12’s and attacking 13’s IMO so glad Odogwu is involved.

What’s he like chasing the high ball?

 

[Jashay]

Huh, I assumed that all the teams were being restricted to 28 players as opposed to literally only England. That should spice things up!

Shame about Redpath, but given that his dad was a Scotland international it's hard to feel like we've been poached.

 

[BPM]

Nope. Part of me thinks it’s grossly unfair, but the other part thinks that it makes little difference given Eddie normally uses about 28/29 players anyway.

 

[BPM]

WillGriff John snubbed by Wales again, get him on the blower

Not a terrible shout TBH. I’ll be worried if we start the tournament with Harry Williams as first choice.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What’s he like chasing the high ball?

He's about 3ft2, so the highball isn't really his area of expertise
Though his acceleration is unreal, so as a chaser he's fine

 

[Wasps92]

How many good young players are England going to miss out on because Jones has his favourites? We will end up losing Randall to Wales if he’s not careful.

 

[EdBirch]

Nick Schonert has been on the fringe of the squad a couple of times

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

How many good young players are England going to miss out on because Jones has his favourites? We will end up losing Randall to Wales if he’s not careful.

I'm sorry but this is just such a mental thing to say. People act as though all these guys we're losing to the other home nations are guys who are banging the door down for selection and tearing up the international scene once they debut for another nation. Realistically, if he wasn't dual qualified would anyone be suggesting that Redpath should make a 28-man England squad? I really can't see him turning out to be any more than an average international for Scotland, the same as Tompkins, Rowlands and Williams have for Wales.

Ultimately it is a shame that we've lost Redpath but when picking a very small squad of players, can it honestly be said that this 6N a 10-12 combo of Farrell/Ford-Redpath would be any better than Ford-Farrell? I'd say almost certainly not.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not a bad shout, either


Gonna be interesting to see how strict this bubble is, considering we could have a up to 5 Bath players self isolating (guessing at the squad - Stuart/Ewels/Underhill/JJ/Watson), and Sinckler banned - can we name them but have others come in as cover?
Do we have to just not pick some of them as we'd be left with only 22 players if all of those are unavailable for the opener etc.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Not a bad shout, either


Gonna be interesting to see how strict this bubble is, considering we could have a up to 5 Bath players self isolating (guessing at the squad - Stuart/Ewels/Underhill/JJ/Watson), and Sinckler banned - can we name them but have others come in as cover?

My guess would be that we can't, as presumably those players who come in as cover would still have to isolate before going back to their clubs.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

if he wasn't dual qualified would anyone be suggesting that Redpath should make a 28-man England squad?

When the alternatives are Farrell and Slade?
Absolutely

Redpath is the first loss that's in a position we're desperate in - I think Polledri is a big loss too, but we've got a huge number backrowers already.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

My guess would be that we can't, as presumably those players who come in as cover would still have to isolate before going back to their clubs.

That's rough, then - as we'd only have 22men

Maybe that's where the rumours of Odogwu have come from - he was all set to be called up by Italy, but if JJ and Watson are both doubts...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

When the alternatives are Farrell and Slade?
Absolutely

Redpath is the first loss that's in a position we're desperate in - I think Polledri is a big loss too, but we've got a huge number backrowers already.

I don't really see why everyone sees Farrell as being such a weak option for us at 12. In EJ's tenure, we've always looked best with him in that shirt. Maybe Redpath would become a better option than him in the future but for this 6N at the very least Farrell is still comfortably the better option.

 

[BPM]

Yeah - that’s pretty much my line of thinking ...

 

[Scotty]

So when is the squad announced?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

That's rough, then - as we'd only have 22men

Maybe that's where the rumours of Odogwu have come from - he was all set to be called up by Italy, but if JJ and Watson are both doubts...

I would imagine the Bath players would just have to sit this 6N out and we'd pick a 28-man squad without them. Presumably if there were injuries in the squad then they could be called in.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I don't really see why everyone sees Farrell as being such a weak option for us at 12.

I've always been Farrell's biggest champion on here, but he had a shocking Autumn - and then who's behind? an out of position Slade, who's shown multiple times he should only be at 13?
We need to be looking at proper options at 12, but we've lost the best one we've got


This is probably a discussion for the England thread though

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So when is the squad announced?

Tried to look it up last night but couldn't find anything - you'd have thought they'd have a note on the website or something
I was hoping for today as Wales and Scotland both have, but doesn't look like it now

Edit: Just seen in an article about Odogwu that it's on Friday

 

[Reiser99]

My issue with it is that it's almost become a race to cap players even if they are not ready. "Oh England aren't going to cap you at age 21? Come to us we will."

I've said it in another thread that I think if a player plays for a nation at u20's level, they should not be able to be picked by another country for at least 3 years. While I don't begrudge Redpath choosing Scotland, it does for me feel like poaching from Scotland as they know England are interested, but EJ feels he's not ready. 21 is very young and countries should not be forced to pick a player just to stop another country doing so.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Not a terrible shout TBH. I’ll be worried if we start the tournament with Harry Williams as first choice.

Williams is ok and solid enough as our 3rd choice. Agree he is always underwhelming in an England shirt but he’s solid enough for a third choice.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I don't really see why everyone sees Farrell as being such a weak option for us at 12. In EJ's tenure, we've always looked best with him in that shirt. Maybe Redpath would become a better option than him in the future but for this 6N at the very least Farrell is still comfortably the better option.

Ignoring the autumn series, I think that's an oversimplification. If England are better with the Ford / Farrell axis, what's to say that that's not because it means that Ford's on the pitch?

 

[BPM]

My issue with it is that it's almost become a race to cap players even if they are not ready. "Oh England aren't going to cap you at age 21? Come to us we will."

I've said it in another thread that I think if a player plays for a nation at u20's level, they should not be able to be picked by another country for at least 3 years. While I don't begrudge Redpath choosing Scotland, it does for me feel like poaching from Scotland as they know England are interested, but EJ feels he's not ready. 21 is very young and countries should not be forced to pick a player just to stop another country doing so.

Agreed.

Obviously Redpath has a very strong connection to Scotland, but this is becoming more and more commonplace and increasingly irritating.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Ignoring the autumn series, I think that's an oversimplification. If England are better with the Ford / Farrell axis, what's to say that that's not because it means that Ford's on the pitch?

I think we looked best with Farrell, Manu & Slade to be honest.

 

[BPM]

Williams is ok and solid enough as our 3rd choice. Agree he is always underwhelming in an England shirt but he’s solid enough for a third choice.

I agree. He’s fine as a third choice. My fear is that if we can’t pick Sinckler or Stuart, we’re left with him starting and an untried option on the bench (Joe Heyes?).