Probably miss the target throwing that plate
-
Help Support The Rugby Forum :
England 2025/26
- Thread starter TRF_Olyy
- Start date
Probably miss the target throwing that plate
Cause does not equal effect.
Marcus Smith now looks a viable starting full-back for England
Steve Borthwick’s team have won all seven Tests in which the Harlequins player has worn the No 15 jerseywww.telegraph.co.uk
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2023
- Messages
- 1,307
- Reaction score
- 437
Henry Pollock nominated for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award
England flanker Henry Pollock is nominated for World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year, while three South Africans are on the shortlist for Player of the Year.
www.bbc.co.uk
How do you see Englands main problem areas being fixed? Which players do you think will be the ones to come through.
Locks
Chessum, Itoje (and Martin) are the elite 3. Coles has come in and to be fair to him done well but for some the jury is still out on him, and after that it falls off a cliff.
Who do you see the players to really come through and create the depth / competition to this.
Hooker
George is on the wane now, LCD play with one shoulder at 70% power....and the Theo Dan project seems to have hit a brick wall.
Where do we look to?
Centres
The age old problem area. However....
Dingwall and Lawrence looked very comfortable together v NZ, suggesting there could be a lot to come from that pairing with gametime together.
Theres also Seb Atkinson, unfortunate to be injured after a good showing in Argentina, and Max Ojomoh who is in and around the squad. Will our midfield resolution finally come from these 4 or will there be a challenge from outside such as Woodward at Tigers, or Massai White etc?
Would you agree those are the 3 main areas or do you think we have a problem elsewhere?
Locks
Chessum, Itoje (and Martin) are the elite 3. Coles has come in and to be fair to him done well but for some the jury is still out on him, and after that it falls off a cliff.
Who do you see the players to really come through and create the depth / competition to this.
Hooker
George is on the wane now, LCD play with one shoulder at 70% power....and the Theo Dan project seems to have hit a brick wall.
Where do we look to?
Centres
The age old problem area. However....
Dingwall and Lawrence looked very comfortable together v NZ, suggesting there could be a lot to come from that pairing with gametime together.
Theres also Seb Atkinson, unfortunate to be injured after a good showing in Argentina, and Max Ojomoh who is in and around the squad. Will our midfield resolution finally come from these 4 or will there be a challenge from outside such as Woodward at Tigers, or Massai White etc?
Would you agree those are the 3 main areas or do you think we have a problem elsewhere?
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2015
- Messages
- 7,566
- Reaction score
- 5,278
Scrum half worries me a bit. Mitchell is class but after him every decent option is either 33 years old, permanently injured, or super erratic.
It’s not a massive cause for concern as I think Spencer will make it to the World Cup, and JvP and Randall are both decent enough when fit but yeah, could do with someone reliable (in terms of both fitness and form) putting their hand up really.
I was never particularly supportive of the calls to bring in Gus Warr but in hindsight he’d probably have been a perfect guy to have in the squad to always be there as a reliable (if unspectacular) backup.
Think Bracken and McParland could both get to the level required but probably not in time for 2027 unfortunately.
It’s not a massive cause for concern as I think Spencer will make it to the World Cup, and JvP and Randall are both decent enough when fit but yeah, could do with someone reliable (in terms of both fitness and form) putting their hand up really.
I was never particularly supportive of the calls to bring in Gus Warr but in hindsight he’d probably have been a perfect guy to have in the squad to always be there as a reliable (if unspectacular) backup.
Think Bracken and McParland could both get to the level required but probably not in time for 2027 unfortunately.
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2015
- Messages
- 8,857
- Reaction score
- 6,888
Lock. I want some properly big guys. Bamber’s trending in the right direction. Then there’s Sodeke and Kpoku etc after the next RWC. Isiekwe could do a perfectly good job too. As long as at least one of the top 3 is available each time I think we’re OK.
Hooker. An issue. George is on the wane, but I’m less bothered by that than I was given the growing strength of the pack around him. I don’t think his darts are as good as they were though. Definitely room for a bolter. Wouldn’t be upset to see Blake get a shot.
Centre. Just play people in position, be consistent and coached well and we’ll be OK. Dingwall went well the other day but don’t think he’s long term. Options are developing and Atkinson may well have got the nod for this series if fit.
FB is the other concern. Furbank is plan A but perennially injured and not getting younger. Daly, Smith and Steward all have well rehearsed flaws. Can’t help but think Freeman may be the answer in waiting here.
Agree, theres not a massive depth, but as you say at least Randall etc are ok. Theres a few talented kids on the horizon with McParland, Friday (Quins) and Davis (Newcastle)
Agree at lock. Bamber, Kpoku, Sodeke and Burrows are four lads who are all 6'8 or 6'9. Bamber is clearly impressing the sale coaches with his physicality, Sanderson was really singing his praises the other day. Sodeke looks a huge unit already and he can certainly add some aswell. Ive spoken of George Martin on the NZ thread...hes only 24, so i really hope this layoff has finally fixed the problem and he can get a proper run of fitness and full form. Hes a very different lock to the others we have, and most of the youngsters coming through who are more athletic power.
Oh for Alfie Barbeary staying at hooker eh? Lol. I think Tuipolotu is one they'll be keeping their fingers crossed that he develops quickly. I like Seb Blake aswell and often wonder why he was never really looked at...similar to Langdon. i just dont see anyone else coming through who stands out. Maybe Dan being back solely at Saracens can just get his head down and work on his faulty areas.
Yeah FB isnt ideal either. Freeman is going to be an interesting watch. I think they clearly want to move him, i suspect they've earmarked 13, but he would make a top class 15 aswell.
Pollock nominated,but surely Pepper should have been....hes been the better of the twoHenry Pollock nominated for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award
England flanker Henry Pollock is nominated for World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year, while three South Africans are on the shortlist for Player of the Year.
Saw someone mention that it's only based on international appearances - that's how PSDT is up for world player of the year despite not playing any club rugby since the 23/24 season
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2015
- Messages
- 7,566
- Reaction score
- 5,278
Broken down by position (roughly):
LP: Baxter, Genge, Obano
HK: Blamire, Cowan-Dickie, Dan
TP: Heyes, Opoku-Fordjour, Stuart
LK: Coles, Ewels, Itoje, Isiekwe
FL: Curry, Kenningham, Pepper, Underhill
N8: Cunningham-South, Earl, Pollock
SH: Mitchell, Quirke, Spencer
FH: Ford, F. Smith
IC: Dingwall, Ojomoh
OC: Daly, Slade
WG: Arundell, Calouri, Feyi-Waboso, Murley
FB: M. Smith, Steward
So no George, Lawrence, or Roebuck. No mention yet as to whether that's injury related or just well earned rest. Hoping that in Lawrence and Roebuck's case it's because they're either coming back from a long injury lay off (Lawrence) or had a mid-series ****le (Roebuck) so are being given a chance to recover rather than that they're injured again.
Weirdly I could see Calouri getting a go this game. Borthwick clearly likes his 14 to be the tall, rangy winger who can compete in the air. None of Feyi-Waboso, Arundell or Murley fit that mould, so Calouri could actually be next cab off the rank for that role.
Will be interesting to see what happens with the 13 shirt. Think Daly makes most sense. Ojomoh-Dingwall would be too inexperienced of a pairing for my liking, and fundamentally feel as though they're both 12s. Dingwall-Slade wouldn't offer enough firepower with ball in hand. Leaves Dingwall-Daly as the most balanced combo (although definitely still on the lightweight side). Would have liked to see Joseph called up to have a go though.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2015
- Messages
- 8,857
- Reaction score
- 6,888
**** I thought you were joking, but his last 18 matches have been internationals.
Urgh. Really hope that’s not a direction of travel.
How's Steward still there when he failed a HIA? Isn't that a mandatory 10(?) day stand down? Or is that only in the prem?
Don't like Blamire being there, but he's clearly next in line
Shame no Roebuck, gotta be injury to be out of the squad entirely, surely?
Little surprised at Caluori back in, he wasn't very good in the A games. I thought his inclusion pre-Australia was nicely explained by being a Sualii-clone in training, this time round less so. OHC should be there as a Roebuck replacement
Down quite a few players now, going to be a much more changed side than I think they would have planned
Don't like Blamire being there, but he's clearly next in line
Shame no Roebuck, gotta be injury to be out of the squad entirely, surely?
Little surprised at Caluori back in, he wasn't very good in the A games. I thought his inclusion pre-Australia was nicely explained by being a Sualii-clone in training, this time round less so. OHC should be there as a Roebuck replacement
Down quite a few players now, going to be a much more changed side than I think they would have planned
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2015
- Messages
- 7,566
- Reaction score
- 5,278
BBC reporting that all 3 of George, Lawrence, and Roebuck have been ruled out, but haven’t specified why. Steward apparently passed his 2nd and 3rd HIAs which is why he’s eligible.
With so much enforced change I’d hope to see us stick with an otherwise first choice side rather than getting too overconfident with rotation.
With so much enforced change I’d hope to see us stick with an otherwise first choice side rather than getting too overconfident with rotation.
Just as, if not more worried about George tbh. If LCD has one of his wobbly days we might as well forget about the lineout cause Dan sure isn't going to improve it when he's subbed on
Good point
Feels like Lawrence spends more time injured than fit. I’m sure someone will come at me with some stats but really does feel like he’s always injured.
Just the one injury in 3 years at Bath, complete with miraculous recovery
