[2014 Mid-Year Tests] England

[TRF_Olyy]

There'd be nothing wrong with Haskell starting - been on excellent form.
He'd be more deserving of a start than Kvesic, to be honest.

 

[Maverick1987]

There'd be nothing wrong with Haskell starting - been on excellent form.
He'd be more deserving of a start than Kvesic, to be honest.

Maybe but it would be a bit like wales going back to hook this summer rather than picking Owen Williams or Matthew Morgan . He seems to have had a lot of chances and has rarely taken them . I'd like to see us move on . Has Haskell been picked in the squad ? Plus I'm not sure he does deserve it more Kvesic has done his job at glos . Just because everyone else isn't doing theirs isn't his fault . He regularly makes 15 tackles a match and more often than not misses 0 and he also has beastly guns as rats said so that settles it for me lol

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No Wasps players have been named yet, because of their Euro place playoffs with Stade.


I can see where you're coming from with Haskell, but I feel his form this season has been good enough to over shadow that.
I reckon he'll at least make the bench the first test - flip a coin between him and Kvesic for the start.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Kvesic has done his job at glos . Just because everyone else isn't doing theirs isn't his fault . He regularly makes 15 tackles a match and more often than not misses 0 and he also has beastly guns as rats said so that settles it for me lol

The stats say that Kvesic makes on average 10.4 tackles a game and misses 0.9 Haskell makes on average 14.67 a game and 1.10 misses a game. Haskell has been making more tackles than Kvesic and misses around the same, and if you like guns Haskell is pretty big as well
Though seriously we should start Kvesic at 7 with Hask on the bench to cover 6/7/8 either way our back row will still be a strong. Fearns could be an outside option, big as an 8 and would possibly help kvesic if you have someone else making big tackles, letting Robshaw/Kvesic and Morgan do the carrying

 

[Maverick1987]

The stats say that Kvesic makes on average 10.4 tackles a game and misses 0.9 Haskell makes on average 14.67 a game and 1.10 misses a game. Haskell has been making more tackles than Kvesic and misses around the same, and if you like guns Haskell is pretty big as well
Though seriously we should start Kvesic at 7 with Hask on the bench to cover 6/7/8 either way our back row will still be a strong. Fearns could be an outside option, big as an 8 and would possibly help kvesic if you have someone else making big tackles, letting Robshaw/Kvesic and Morgan do the carrying

Fair enough stat man

Yeh I like the Kvesic start Hask on the bench for his compatibility with the whole back row

 

[ratsapprentice]

The stats say that Kvesic makes on average 10.4 tackles a game and misses 0.9 Haskell makes on average 14.67 a game and 1.10 misses a game. Haskell has been making more tackles than Kvesic and misses around the same, and if you like guns Haskell is pretty big as well
Though seriously we should start Kvesic at 7 with Hask on the bench to cover 6/7/8 either way our back row will still be a strong. Fearns could be an outside option, big as an 8 and would possibly help kvesic if you have someone else making big tackles, letting Robshaw/Kvesic and Morgan do the carrying

Haskell played 500 minutes less than Seafood Dish, though.

 

[goodNumber10]

Seafood Dish?

 

[ratsapprentice]

...Ceviche.

That's how the Argie commentators were pronouncing Kvesic on the summer tour.

 

[TheSaffycen]

So it looks like Brown could miss the first test after injury against Saracens in the semi final. So full back options for the first test if Brown can't make it
-Daly
-Tait
-Watson
-Pennell
Personally I would use Pennell but Daly would be more than good enough, haven't seen a lot of Watson so can't comment and Tait is a very fragile player but on his day is as good as Brown.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Would personally like to see Pennell or Daly, but I don't think Pennell will tour down under as they're not gonna pick him next season when he's in the Champ.

I reckon they'll go with Tait, who as you said, is very very good player. He is made of particularly fragile glass, though.

Don't think Watson will be thrown in for a start, and I'm not sure Lancaster would select Daly as he's looked reluctant to in the past (not making the Argentina tour or 6N squads, for example - I reckon he'll tour but probably only feature in the midweek).

 

[Peat]

So apparently Ashton may be on a misconduct charge from the RFU for shouting at Evans during a conversion... let us pray it goes through and he's left at home.

 

[goodNumber10]

I'd like to see that incident again, is the game on line?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Yep... go to 50mins on the extended highlights:

http://www.premiershiprugby.tv/

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So apparently Ashton may be on a misconduct charge from the RFU for shouting at Evans during a conversion... let us pray it goes through and he's left at home.

That'd be nice, but they'd probably just replace him with Strettle.

 

[Peat]

That'd be nice, but they'd probably just replace him with Strettle.

You rain on my parade like that again and I'll have to declare holy war.

 

[Patchey]

So apparently Ashton may be on a misconduct charge from the RFU for shouting at Evans during a conversion... let us pray it goes through and he's left at home.

Was initially hopefully but just seen this

https://twitter.com/Rugbyworldmag/status/468348531972276225

Seems he's been 'spoken too' by the RFU and thats it. Which is a shame.



I think the finals situation is the best it could be tbh. The first test ws always going to be nigh unwinnable whoever got there but now we have a chance to blood some of our most promising youngsters will still playing the core of our first teams. Had Quins gone through we would have lost Car, Robshaw and Brown (also Marler, and the possibility of using Ward and/or Sinkcler). Sarries an Saints do have important players for England but they're mostly guys who either have a ready made replacement (Lawes can be easily replaced by Attwood) or who are being pushed by someone who needs to be given some game time (Farrel and Ford, for example).

As for the fullback conundrum. Pennell playing in the Championship next year rules him out for me, I'd expect him to play in the BaBaas games. Its between Tait and Daly for the first test IMO, with one on the bench. Watson for the midweek team.

 

[Patchey]

Sorry for the doubt post but the RFU has just added 21 players to the training sqaud:

http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/may/news-articles/190514_nz_squad_update

Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Ross Buchanan (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Will Collier (Harlequins)
James Gaskell (Sale Sharks)
Jamie Gibson (Leicester Tigers)
Joe Gray (Harlequins)
Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks)
Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Charlie Matthews (Harlequins)
Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Luke Wallace (Harlequins)
Dave Ward (Harlequins)
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

11 Quins players (!).

Some odd selections but also some distinctly promising ones.

I assume as Webber is in this he wont be fit for the Amlin final. Gaskell and Harrisson are for the BaBaas only but they're the only two specifically picked for that.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Gaskell ahead of Seymour, how can a player have such a great season but no recognition.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Gibson? Really? He's been so average this season it hurts.

Great to see Harrison getting the nod for the Baabaas squad, been in great form. Non-plussed over Gaskell. He's decent but nothing particularly great - lots of Sale fans jizzing over him since he moved to 8, but he's still very lightweight and likes to hang around with Croft out wide.

Gaskell ahead of Seymour, how can a player have such a great season but no recognition.

Gibson and Wallace too (Wallace has been very good this season,though - rubbish showing for Saxons, but aside from that good. Nothing on Dave though).

Seymour should hire a geneologist and see if he's eligible for any other nation, because he'd make (at least) the extended squad for most countries.

 

[Patchey]

Yeah, Gibson was a shock to me too. Its almost as if they've gone 'Well we can't get our first choice loose forwards yet, lets pick some of the available ones at random and see what they're like'. Not necessarily a bad move to look at new options but it should probably be done in a more structure way.

IMO Gibson, Gaskell, Kitchiner,Buchanan and Grey are all lucky to be there/probably shouldn't have been picked.

Matthew, Collier, Sinckler, Slater, Ward, Harisson, Wallace are all positive new additions.