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2014 QBE Internationals [EOYT] England
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<blockquote data-quote="Peat" data-source="post: 672643" data-attributes="member: 42330"><p>Hear ye, hear ye. Peat is bored. What follows is his grading of the England team by resources in each position.</p><p></p><p>Loosehead - I know they say Corbs is fit for good, but that's a believe it when I see it. Him and Marler is a good to very good pair of props to have - potentially the best combo in international rugby - but I feel both have a little proving to do in terms of consistent form/fitness. Vunipola is lagging a little behind, needs to improve his scrummaging, although he's safe from Mullan/Waller/Catt for a little at least. <strong>Good</strong> if Corbs is fit, <strong>Acceptable</strong> if he isn't.</p><p></p><p>Hooker - Not sure what Tom Youngs' form looks like at the moment, he's shown both the biggest impact and the biggest downside of any England hooker recently. Hartley remains solid but uninspiring, I'd like to see Webber given a chance to build on the summer. Don't think anyone's challenging that trio too much at the moment. Given none of them's an established reliably classy international hooker, I'd say depth is currently <strong>Acceptable</strong></p><p></p><p>Tighthead - I'm assuming no Cole and that's an issue for the upcoming window. None of the other contenders would get near him and Wilson with both of them fit. I suppose it's good as we sorely need depth there but that's scraping the barrel for positivity. My guess is Brookes is the front runner, looks like Quins have a rough patch coming which won't help Sinckler. In any case, I feel the position is <strong>Concerning</strong></p><p></p><p>Grunt lock - Launchbury has started the season really well and I love him more than I'd ever love my own son. Slater's injury reduces competition to him and Attwood really unless Stooke starts getting game time. Even then he's a bolter for this window and you'd suspect Lancaster would just play two jumper locks. I feel the position here is <strong>Good</strong></p><p></p><p>Jumper lock - Lawes and Parling is a genuine selection battle, even if most of us would prefer Lawes I suspect, and Kitchener's getting very close to the argument. Kruis must be hopeful of playing a part but needs more gametime. Matthews would be the outside bet but really its the first two names, which is hard on the talents around. Gaskell maybe deserves a mention. <strong>Excellent</strong></p><p></p><p>Blindside - Hopefully we might finally see the Croft vs Wood selection battle. If we don't, Jamie Gibson might be starting to push a case. Garvey's ankle problem is frustrating. I'm not a huge fan, but Johnson is a decent fall back option, and maybe Fearns could string together some games as well. Plus most of our opensides can play (better) here. <strong>Excellent</strong></p><p></p><p>Openside - Robshaw, Haskell and Fraser have all started the season like raging bulls. Kvesic will have plenty to do when he gets back. Wallace is sliding out of the argument. But that's his problem, not ours. Only slight ****le is two of the guys aren't that orthodox and the orthodox guy is unproven and made of heroin needles. <strong>Good</strong></p><p></p><p>No 8 - Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men's a fantastic pair of options as long as they don't break, at which point we panic... maybe Ewers? Should have mentioned him as a 6. Waldrom, thanks no thanks. Only two guys with only one of them an 80 minute man (if that) means only <strong>Good</strong></p><p></p><p>Scrum-Half - Ben Youngs has responded well, Care always brings home, Lee Dickson is Lee Dickson. It's possible that new improved Wasps back will result in seemingly new improved Joe Simpson - could be a trap that. I think it's probably a <strong>Good</strong> situation.</p><p></p><p>Fly-Half - We know Farrell's gonna get picked and get the Lion's share of the time, but what about guys like Burns/Cips/Ford who have more natural talent and instinct but have things to prove at that level? Is Farrell actually good enough? What if he gets injured? I feel there's too many questions around the shirt, exciting as some of the might be, to be happy. The situation is <strong>Acceptable</strong> but that is a conservative prognosis.</p><p></p><p>Inside-Centre - So we've been over this... Burrell has defensive points to prove, plus I want to see him coping with an international blitz defence, and with the distribution role. Twelvetrees is not a consistent decision maker or as technically gifted as we once thought him to be but can be a strong option. Eastmond has defensive points to prove. Barritt would have to prove that he can prosper in a more attack minded England. The kids are all alright, but not there yet. Hill might be knocking on the door very loud though. Nevertheless, it is <strong>Concerning</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Outside-Centre - Looking ok for once. We've got options that can back up Tuilagi, if not challenge, and Tuilagi remains himself. It's not the real McCoy yet, but it's somewhere between <strong>Acceptable</strong> and <strong>Good</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Wing - Some might disagree, but I don't think we've got a single winger who we can rely on defensively and expect big attack from. Nowell might genuinely be our best winger now, crazy as it is. There's a ton of talent, a lot of which is starting the season well, but a lot of points to be proven. <strong>Concerning</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Full-back - I'm not overly happy about Foden being on the bench for Northampton, cos that means the main pressure on Brown is from Goode, which is not happy news. I mean, he's not awful, but... anyway, Brown/Foden/Goode with Tait, some of the youngsters, Arscott and maybe Pennell in the background is strong in theory, but could easily turn out to be thin in practice. Just <strong>Good.</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Peat, post: 672643, member: 42330"] Hear ye, hear ye. Peat is bored. What follows is his grading of the England team by resources in each position. Loosehead - I know they say Corbs is fit for good, but that's a believe it when I see it. Him and Marler is a good to very good pair of props to have - potentially the best combo in international rugby - but I feel both have a little proving to do in terms of consistent form/fitness. Vunipola is lagging a little behind, needs to improve his scrummaging, although he's safe from Mullan/Waller/Catt for a little at least. [b]Good[/b] if Corbs is fit, [b]Acceptable[/b] if he isn't. Hooker - Not sure what Tom Youngs' form looks like at the moment, he's shown both the biggest impact and the biggest downside of any England hooker recently. Hartley remains solid but uninspiring, I'd like to see Webber given a chance to build on the summer. Don't think anyone's challenging that trio too much at the moment. Given none of them's an established reliably classy international hooker, I'd say depth is currently [b]Acceptable[/b] Tighthead - I'm assuming no Cole and that's an issue for the upcoming window. None of the other contenders would get near him and Wilson with both of them fit. I suppose it's good as we sorely need depth there but that's scraping the barrel for positivity. My guess is Brookes is the front runner, looks like Quins have a rough patch coming which won't help Sinckler. In any case, I feel the position is [b]Concerning[/b] Grunt lock - Launchbury has started the season really well and I love him more than I'd ever love my own son. Slater's injury reduces competition to him and Attwood really unless Stooke starts getting game time. Even then he's a bolter for this window and you'd suspect Lancaster would just play two jumper locks. I feel the position here is [b]Good[/b] Jumper lock - Lawes and Parling is a genuine selection battle, even if most of us would prefer Lawes I suspect, and Kitchener's getting very close to the argument. Kruis must be hopeful of playing a part but needs more gametime. Matthews would be the outside bet but really its the first two names, which is hard on the talents around. Gaskell maybe deserves a mention. [b]Excellent[/b] Blindside - Hopefully we might finally see the Croft vs Wood selection battle. If we don't, Jamie Gibson might be starting to push a case. Garvey's ankle problem is frustrating. I'm not a huge fan, but Johnson is a decent fall back option, and maybe Fearns could string together some games as well. Plus most of our opensides can play (better) here. [b]Excellent[/b] Openside - Robshaw, Haskell and Fraser have all started the season like raging bulls. Kvesic will have plenty to do when he gets back. Wallace is sliding out of the argument. But that's his problem, not ours. Only slight ****le is two of the guys aren't that orthodox and the orthodox guy is unproven and made of heroin needles. [b]Good[/b] No 8 - Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men's a fantastic pair of options as long as they don't break, at which point we panic... maybe Ewers? Should have mentioned him as a 6. Waldrom, thanks no thanks. Only two guys with only one of them an 80 minute man (if that) means only [b]Good[/b] Scrum-Half - Ben Youngs has responded well, Care always brings home, Lee Dickson is Lee Dickson. It's possible that new improved Wasps back will result in seemingly new improved Joe Simpson - could be a trap that. I think it's probably a [b]Good[/b] situation. Fly-Half - We know Farrell's gonna get picked and get the Lion's share of the time, but what about guys like Burns/Cips/Ford who have more natural talent and instinct but have things to prove at that level? Is Farrell actually good enough? What if he gets injured? I feel there's too many questions around the shirt, exciting as some of the might be, to be happy. The situation is [b]Acceptable[/b] but that is a conservative prognosis. Inside-Centre - So we've been over this... Burrell has defensive points to prove, plus I want to see him coping with an international blitz defence, and with the distribution role. Twelvetrees is not a consistent decision maker or as technically gifted as we once thought him to be but can be a strong option. Eastmond has defensive points to prove. Barritt would have to prove that he can prosper in a more attack minded England. The kids are all alright, but not there yet. Hill might be knocking on the door very loud though. Nevertheless, it is [b]Concerning[/b]. Outside-Centre - Looking ok for once. We've got options that can back up Tuilagi, if not challenge, and Tuilagi remains himself. It's not the real McCoy yet, but it's somewhere between [b]Acceptable[/b] and [b]Good[/b]. Wing - Some might disagree, but I don't think we've got a single winger who we can rely on defensively and expect big attack from. Nowell might genuinely be our best winger now, crazy as it is. There's a ton of talent, a lot of which is starting the season well, but a lot of points to be proven. [b]Concerning[/b]. Full-back - I'm not overly happy about Foden being on the bench for Northampton, cos that means the main pressure on Brown is from Goode, which is not happy news. I mean, he's not awful, but... anyway, Brown/Foden/Goode with Tait, some of the youngsters, Arscott and maybe Pennell in the background is strong in theory, but could easily turn out to be thin in practice. Just [b]Good.[/b] [/QUOTE]
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