[2018 November Tests] England v South Africa (3/10/18)

[MikeTheNative]

I think it's crazy to pick Itoje at 6 when you have fit, actual 6's in the squad. I think him as more of a 2nd row that can cover 6 if there is an injury during the game than a viable option to start. Also there is no way you can play Teo and Tuilagi. As Ncurd said, you may as well not bother picking wings, and mat as well just pick extra 2nd rows as we know Jones likes them.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Reckon with that 23 we will see
1. Hepburn
2. Hartley
3. Williams
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Shields
7. Curry
8. Mercer
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. Nowell
15. Daly

16. George
17. Moon
18. Sinckler
19. Ewels
20. Wilson
21. Care
22. Te'o
23. Ashton

 

[Bada-Bing!]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46037489

Brown out, but why Morgan? Mercer defo to start then.

 

[MikeTheNative]

A young, dynamic back row? That seems way too positive for England. England's pack will not win in a battle of collisions against the Saffers, so a game plan involving a mobile pack makes sense. Breakdown issues are well documented for England but the set pieces is an area that would worry me if I'm an England fan.

 

[TommiG88]

Don't understand some of these decisions.

Would have;
Cokanasiga over Ashton
Underhill / Morgan over Wilson

And I especially dislike seeing Teo in the squad.

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

Reckon with that 23 we will see
1. Hepburn
2. Hartley
3. Williams
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Shields
7. Curry
8. Mercer
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. Nowell
15. Daly

16. George
17. Moon
18. Sinckler
19. Ewels
20. Wilson
21. Care
22. Te'o
23. Ashton

I hope the above is the case, although I think we might see Moon for Hepburn, Shields at 8 with Wilson at 6 and Mercer on the bench.

Curious to see whether Te'o starts inside Manu and we bring the bosh from the backs with a mobile pack allowing Curry to link up more like he does for Sale. Either way, excited for Saturday now!

 

[MarkyH]

Morgan probably failed the bleep test or some judo rubbish. Doesn't make him less of an 8.

Te'o? Sorry, don't understand at all. Bang average, not fully fit, totally under-cooked and we have much better options

 

[MarkyH]

Reckon with that 23 we will see
1. Hepburn
2. Hartley
3. Williams
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Shields
7. Curry
8. Mercer
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. Nowell
15. Daly

16. George
17. Moon
18. Sinckler
19. Ewels
20. Wilson
21. Care
22. Te'o
23. Ashton

From who's left all I would do is swap Slade for Te'o on the bench. Still a decent line up for sure, quite exciting in places but EJ had chance to do so much more without compromising experience...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Morgan probably failed the bleep test or some judo rubbish. Doesn't make him less of an 8.

Te'o? Sorry, don't understand at all. Bang average, not fully fit, totally under-cooked and we have much better options

Really? I'm in no way defending him being in the squad; he hasn't played in months, he's unfit etc. but I think that to call him bang average is harsh. He was one of the most impressive backs on the Lions tour; one of very few to come out of it with more credit than they went in with IMO. Granted, he's hardly played since then, but regardless, when fit he is a quality player. Certainly one of the best centres in England and probably our best real 12.

 

[MarkyH]

Really? I'm in no way defending him being in the squad; he hasn't played in months, he's unfit etc. but I think that to call him bang average is harsh. He was one of the most impressive backs on the Lions tour; one of very few to come out of it with more credit than they went in with IMO. Granted, he's hardly played since then, but regardless, when fit he is a quality player. Certainly one of the best centres in England and probably our best real 12.

I'm just disappointed that's all. He was excellent 18 months ago for the Lions but I don't think he merits being in the squad at all. Bang average is probably an overstatement on recent form. He's not exactly become a regular for England either and from what little we've seen of him at Worcester I don't think he's been pulling up trees...

I'm sure he was excellent for Leinster for sure. But how long do we hold on to that class? I think he needs game time before being in contention for the 6N but that definitely should not happen in the AIs

 

[ncurd]

I've always seen Te'o more as a 'finisher' than a starter. Prefer him to be running at tired defences when fresh than being stopped by fresh guys as I never feel he makes in impact in those circumstances unlike Tualangi (when he was last fir for England all those eons ago, still expecting him to trip over a blade of grass and injur himself this week).

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Teo been in more England squads than Worcester ones at this rate

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Mercer, Curry and Shields have 6 caps between them. That's lambs to the slaughter, quite apart from the physical disparities. The Saffers will be ******* themselves laughing.

At least the props share 13.

If playing a faster game dropping Brown kind of makes sense. Very disappointed that Big Joe's not got a bench spot.

 

[Scotty]

Reckon with that 23 we will see
1. Hepburn
2. Hartley
3. Williams
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Shields
7. Curry
8. Mercer
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. Nowell
15. Daly

16. George
17. Moon
18. Sinckler
19. Ewels
20. Wilson
21. Care
22. Te'o
23. Ashton

Agree on all counts but Teo. Hasnt played at all and tbh as much as he has had some bad games for england Slade has stepped up for chiefs this season. I'd replace Teo with Slade.
Ashton hasnt played eithet but smashed a hat trick on his first game back and has had a ban not injury so will have stayed fit.

Pretty sure moon will start, though i like Hepburn more, moon will be the more solid scrummager and hepburn will increase the pace in the second half.

 

[irishdudethatlikesrugby]

One of the lads on the rugby pod today (Jim Hamilton i think) claimed to know what the England team will, not sure how accurate it is because some of the selections are odd but then again, knowing Eddie it wouldn't surprise me...

15-Daly
14-Ashton
13-Tuilagi
12-Slade
11-May
10-Farrell (cc)
9-B.Youngs
1-Moon
2-Hartley (cc)
3-Sinckler
4-Ewels
5-Kruis
6-Itoje
7-T.Curry
8-Morgan

 

[ncurd]

I'll still be mightily surprised if we don't go Ford/Farrell

 

[irishdudethatlikesrugby]

Schonert, Rhodes, Underhill, Morgan, Wigglesworth, Cokanasiga, Earle and Brown have all been released

 

[MikeTheNative]

Mercer, Curry and Shields have 6 caps between them. That's lambs to the slaughter, quite apart from the physical disparities. The Saffers will be ******* themselves laughing.

At least the props share 13.

If playing a faster game dropping Brown kind of makes sense. Very disappointed that Big Joe's not got a bench spot.

It might be painful for this game but it's what the English pack needed. They have been a bit pedestrian this past year and hopefully these new guys can prove their worth and step up to be the first on the team sheet.

 

[MarkyH]

Yeah. I'm not to down about the inexperience of the backrow. I mean, if we want experience we could always call up Haskell and Wood?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

It might be painful for this game but it's what the English pack needed. They have been a bit pedestrian this past year and hopefully these new guys can prove their worth and step up to be the first on the team sheet.

Not escaping my notice that you're Welsh....

Fresh blood was needed, but experience counts at this level. Morgan's got 30 caps worth. WTF is the story there?