England 2025/26

[TommiG88]

Ah come on man, Ford is still an incredible player

I don’t think anyone should be ahead of Fin currently

 

[TommiG88]

I'm fine with whatever really, even Freeman being moved off the wing if that means no Slade - although I don't know why Lawrence wouldn't be in the 13 shirt

I don’t want Freeman off the wing, and want Lawrence in that 13 shirt. With either Dingwall or Ojomoh at 12

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They saw Fin "Turnstile" Smith miss that tackle on Friday and scribbled his name out straight away

Rumours they're looking to see how to make him pay back his central contract, as well

 

[Rugbyfan564]

They saw Fin "Turnstile" Smith miss that tackle on Friday and scribbled his name out straight away

Rumours they're looking to see how to make him pay back his central contract, as well

I’ve heard they have phoned Mike Tindall and asked him to make an offer to buy him out of his new contract as well.

 

[TommiG88]

I've heard they have phoned Mike Tindall and asked him to make an offer to buy him out of his new contract as well.

Strange that you talk about yourself in the 3rd person

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Freeman is the best wing in the premiership right now….lets put him at 13

Lawrence is the best 13 in the premiership…let’s put him on the behc

Steward is the slowest back in the premiership…let’s put him in a critical FB position


I hope this is all media nonsense. SB would have to be an idiot to make some of those calls, he really would. Fords attack has mainly been poor and constant kicking. Then you have a lions 10 tearing up the premiership so I fully expect Smith to start.

Let’s hope Blackett talks some sense.

 

[Saintjay]

Aus will want the game to be loose. So fully expect Borth to want the leather kicked off the ball, so would not be surprised at Ford, Freeman, Steward starting.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

SB would have to be an idiot

Well....

 

[Ddanno]

Talking Ford down will always be weird to me. He's easily the best fly-half we've seen since St Jonny

 

[Which Tyler]

Talking Ford down will always be weird to me. He's easily the best fly-half we've seen since St Jonny

He is.
But...
He spent a good decade of his career being told to be more like Owen - which he seems to have internalised a bit TOO much

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I don't think anyone should be ahead of Fin currently

Well SB seemingly does. Times reporting Mitchell at 9 with Dingwall and Freeman in the centres. Why on earth wouldn’t you play the Sale FH between those?

 

[Saintjay]

In all it's glory...........Was thinking Ford and Steward but definitely not Freeman at 13.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

That would just be stupidity all round.

Freeman hasn’t been playing 13, Lawrence has been playing 13 well. Ford has just been kicking the ball and not shown any real skill whilst fin has actually shown what a proper attack can do.

And don’t get me started on Steward, he’s just not good enough unfortunately.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

What does Ford bring that F. Smith doesn't? Spiral bombs.

What does Freeman bring that Lawrence doesn't? An extra 5 inches of height and a better vertical leap.

What does Steward bring… you get the point.

If these rumours are true then we know exactly how England are gonna play.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Keep kicking the ball to a side that will run it back at you.


No, can't see that's sensible...

 

[TommiG88]

I was looking forward to this weekend…. Then I remembered borthwick is in charge.

Can we just have a back line of

Mitchell
Fin
Feyi Waboso
Ojomoh
Lawrence
Freeman
Steward / Arundell (missing Furbank)

 

[BPM]

What does Ford bring that F. Smith doesn't? Spiral bombs.

What does Freeman bring that Lawrence doesn't? An extra 5 inches of height and a better vertical leap.

What does Steward bring… you get the point.

If these rumours are true then we know exactly how England are gonna play.

I’m not totally sure that’s fair.

Freeman, IFW and Roebuck arguably all deserve to start and Steward is the only specialist 15 in the squad (and in decent form too). Ford is the man in possession and led the side very well in Argentina.

Personally, I’d have gone with Fin Smith and Lawrence, but I don’t think the rumoured lineup necessarily = a kick, kick and kick again gameplan.

We had Muir and Roebuck on the wings in Argentina and while there was definitely a good bit of aerial work, there was also plenty of good interplay in midfield.

 

[LIONSxv]

Well SB seemingly does. Times reporting Mitchell at 9 with Dingwall and Freeman in the centres. Why on earth wouldn't you play the Sale FH between those?

Because SB needs X caps in the backs to achieve his set formula. If not ford at FH it would Slade at 13

 

[NickBD]

I'm not totally sure that's fair.

Freeman, IFW and Roebuck arguably all deserve to start and Steward is the only specialist 15 in the squad (and in decent form too). Ford is the man in possession and led the side very well in Argentina.

Personally, I'd have gone with Fin Smith and Lawrence, but I don't think the rumoured lineup necessarily = a kick, kick and kick again gameplan.

We had Muir and Roebuck on the wings in Argentina and while there was definitely a good bit of aerial work, there was also plenty of good interplay in midfield.

Yep. Some of these posters have the memory of a fish. Yeah sure Ford has not had the best few games to start the season but in the summer he was by far our form 10 and after the showing in Argentina absolutely deserves to start.

Now Freeman at 13 criticism I can agree with considering how world class Lawrence looks and Freeman is a world class winger right now.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't get the complaining about Steward at 15, there's literally no one else unless you want Smith there who is just not a 15