2014 QBE Internationals [EOYT] England

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

He'll certainly sleep well after another 80 minutes.

I see what you did there.

TBH Cole was fine today, Bloody Steffan Armitage sucker punching him in the last scrum.

suspect After the saints game Balmain will be getting more game time in the last 20.

 

[goodNumber10]

do you know if there is anywhere to watch a catchup of the european games?

only highlights on the ERCC website...

Don't google Across the Tasman.

not on there.

Your first post? I swear someone else here has an identical avatar to you.

@j-dawg

Are people really saying we wouldn't beat Wales or Australia?

Because we beat both this year while not playing great.

Our main problem has to be coaching because most premiership clubs I watch all do the things england doesn't. It can't be the players.

Club coaches get 5/6 days a week all year around to impose their plans and structures and instill what they want into the players. The England coaches get 6-8 weeks fractured over the year (approx) to do the same.

It can't be a solely coaches led issue.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Club coaches get 5/6 days a week all year around to impose their plans and structures and instill what they want into the players. The England coaches get 6-8 weeks fractured over the year (approx) to do the same.

It can't be a solely coaches led issue.

Well something is going wrong between the clubs and the national sides because England are just terrible at getting the backs into the game. Of the nations seriously targetting the WC, I'd say we are the worst at utilising our backs. If other national sides can manage it, there is so excuse for us.

 

[goodNumber10]

Well something is going wrong between the clubs and the national sides because England are just terrible at getting the backs into the game. Of the nations seriously targetting the WC, I'd say we are the worst at utilising our backs. If other national sides can manage it, there is so excuse for us.

Are we? Last year in the six nations we played "total" rugby, second only to Ireland in trys and everyone was purring at how slick we looked. In New Zealand we played quite open - poor decision making did for it, but we still played the width.

I really think people are

A: underestimating the impact the injuries and the quality of ball is having had on our team.
B: underestimating defense coaches working us out

It's clearly in our coaches blue print to play wide and use all 15 men, but we just haven't been able to generate the ball to allow us to do that. We've also been worked out a little and it's time to adjust - that's difficult to do in a 4 week window with constantly changing personnel - back play is all about cohesion and timing, you need combinations together to get that - we haven't had that luxury since last March.

Personally i think we need to wait and see what happens in the 6nations - every time this England team have hit a stale patch they've come back and produced interesting Rugby in the next window.

 

[j'nuh]

Something topical, with what Robshaw's saying on BBC. I'm probably gonna get slaughtered for saying this... does anyone think that England should consider bringing back Easter?

Morgan and Vunipola are obviously the first-choice options for England. If they are fit and in form, they'll be in the WC squad. But if one of them drastically loses form for England in the run-up to the WC (or Binny doesn't improve for England in the next year), or one gets injured, I wouldn't mind Easter getting a recall tbh!

Whereas Morgan and Vunipola have had highs and lows over the last few years, Easter's been pretty awesome throughout. I was glad when he got dropped in 2012, but he genuinely does look better now. Bringing back fond memories of Shaw in the last WC cycle.

The advantage Easter would have over bringing a new 8 onto the scene, would be the international experience. If we were still a couple of years out from the WC, Gareth Evans would be my ideal choice as a third option, but I don't think there's time to be bringing another 8 through. I think Easter would fit in quite fast if we required him.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'd rather see Dave Ewers come in. (I assume he can play for England?)

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'd rather see Dave Ewers come in. (I assume he can play for England?)

Why wouldn't he?

Moved to Devon as a 13(?) year old, already played for the Saxons and a non-cap game.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Both his parents are English, too.

 

[nickdnz]

Something topical, with what Robshaw's saying on BBC. I'm probably gonna get slaughtered for saying this... does anyone think that England should consider bringing back Easter?

Morgan and Vunipola are obviously the first-choice options for England. If they are fit and in form, they'll be in the WC squad. But if one of them drastically loses form for England in the run-up to the WC (or Binny doesn't improve for England in the next year), or one gets injured, I wouldn't mind Easter getting a recall tbh!

Whereas Morgan and Vunipola have had highs and lows over the last few years, Easter's been pretty awesome throughout. I was glad when he got dropped in 2012, but he genuinely does look better now. Bringing back fond memories of Shaw in the last WC cycle.

The advantage Easter would have over bringing a new 8 onto the scene, would be the international experience. If we were still a couple of years out from the WC, Gareth Evans would be my ideal choice as a third option, but I don't think there's time to be bringing another 8 through. I think Easter would fit in quite fast if we required him.

From the outside looking in, it seems Thomas Waldrom is Lancaster's next preference at 8 (while someone like Haskell can do a job there and has plenty of experience).

 

[goodNumber10]

I'd rather see us lose the World Cup final to France, with a last minute try from behind their own lines than to see Easter back in the squad.....

 

[Peat]

I'd be up for taking a look at Easter but it's hard to escape the conclusion that Lancaster really, really thinks he shouldn't be in the England squad. Which makes it pretty interesting if his captain is busy touting him from a spot.

At his best, he'd be a useful possible option - lots of experience, great hands, real power. He was never a paragon of consistency at international level and at his age, the short rest periods of a World Cup might be too much, so I'm not gagging for it, but certainly if the injuries come in.

But I might as well talk about Olyy as next England scrum-half tbh.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I once passed to my left and it went where I wanted it to.
I'm already more qualified than Youngs.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I like Nick Easter, but...

Why choose a Bear when you've got a ****ing Tyrannosaurus-Rex?

 

[Every Time Ref]

I dunno, I think Ewers is pretty close to knocking the door down on the two incumbent 8s but if one of them did get injured I can see the value of Easter as first reserve in a World Cup year. Assuming whichever of them is called up in the even of injury is only called to the bench, the amount of experience Ewers could gain from that would be pretty much insignificant as preparation for a World Cup.

 

[j'nuh]

Oh, I should have said, I have Ewers down mainly as a third-choice flanker and 8 cover (ideal for the bench), not as a starting 8 option.

I would go with:

6. Robshaw
7. Kvesic
8. Morgan
20. Ewers

If Robshaw/Kvesic got injured in the week, then Ewers would come into the XV, but if Morgan were to get injured, I'd have Vunipola leapfrog Ewers into the squad. Mainly because I don't see Ewers as being as strong as Morgan and Vunipola in the carry, so would prefer we didn't lose out even more as far as carrying options go. Love the thought of Ewers playing alongside an 8, giving two carrying options.

Vunipola, Wood and Croft in the wider squad, plus Easter and the form openside to train with the squad in case of injury.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'd hope most have realised hes a better 6 than 8... but he's still a pretty damn good 8.

 

[Draggs]

Man, of all the eights you have, surely we could have had one of Morgan, Vunipola, or Evans?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Man, of all the eights you have, surely we could have had one of Morgan, Vunipola, or Evans?

You've got Andy Powell, that's more than enough.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I once passed to my left and it went where I wanted it to.
I'm already more qualified than Youngs.

I tackled a bag of potato's guess I am more qualified than Cips.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I'd hope most have realised hes a better 6 than 8... but he's still a pretty damn good 8.

Hasn't he been playing 8 at Exeter?

I tackled a bag of potato's guess I am more qualified than Cips.

Yeah but have you tackled a bus?