[2018 Six Nations] England Squad

[TommiG88]

Well you saying that it had to be Lawes 6 or 2 locks on the bench meant that you had to be ignoring 1 back rower; I assumed it was Hask.

I'm not ignoring any of them. Some of the players have to drop out.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'm not ignoring any of them. Some of the players have to drop out.

I'm expecting them to be Ewels and Kruis.

 

[TommiG88]

I'm expecting them to be Ewels and Kruis.

I could see a bench with Lawes and Kruis on, and Underhill will be dropped. I hope you're correct though.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I could see a bench with Lawes and Kruis on, and Underhill will be dropped. I hope you're correct though.

I can't see Underhill being dropped completely. EJ seems to be a fan.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd be surprised if we made any changes other than Hughes and Marler in for Simmonds and Hepburn

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

I'd be surprised if we made any changes other than Hughes and Marler in for Simmonds and Hepburn

Yeah I agree, Eddie rarely makes sweeping changes and i'd be surprised if he basically redid the entire back row

 

[Nudger]

I'm expecting:
4. Itoje/Launch
5. Lawes (Of Itoje, Launch and himself he's the only real 5, which now that we don't have a lock in the back - in this selection anyway - will be needed)
6. Robshaw
7. Underhill
8. Hughes

19. Launch/Itoje
20. Haskell

Launch consistently one of our best forwards ain't sitting on the bench

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

We keep talking about the fantastic depth in the back row, all the great young talent. Shame Simmonds got injured, but look what we're likely to field....

A lock at 6, the 6.5 Robshaw at 7 - against an out and out open side - and a half fit second choice no8. Plus quite possibly Haskell on the bench. Big and horrible for sure, but not inspiring.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Launch consistently one of our best forwards ain't sitting on the bench

I agree with you that he shouldn't but in the past EJ's preferred Itoje to Launch so I can see it being the case.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

I agree with you that he shouldn't but in the past EJ's preferred Itoje to Launch so I can see it being the case.

More likely to be Kruis and Lawes on the bench as back row cover surely

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

More likely to be Kruis and Lawes on the bench as back row cover surely

Again, I agree but to play Devil's advocate, the team's then lacking a real lineout operator. Itoje's capable of it but you don't really want to build a second row that's "capable" at lineout time. Especially when a back row of Robshaw, Underhill/Hask and Hughes doesn't offer them any real assistance.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Again, I agree but to play Devil's advocate, the team's then lacking a real lineout operator. Itoje's capable of it but you don't really want to build a second row that's "capable" at lineout time. Especially when a back row of Robshaw, Underhill/Hask and Hughes doesn't offer them any real assistance.

Just so we're clear, 99% sure Eddie will just straight swap Simmonds and Hughes so Lawes stays at blindside, but if he does then thats what I expect.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

We keep talking about the fantastic depth in the back row, all the great young talent. Shame Simmonds got injured, but look what we're likely to field....

A lock at 6, the 6.5 Robshaw at 7 - against an out and out open side - and a half fit second choice no8. Plus quite possibly Haskell on the bench. Big and horrible for sure, but not inspiring.

We do have depth, it's just we won't see it until after the world cup because they have **** all chance of getting a look in.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

We do have depth, it's just we won't see it until after the world cup because they have **** all chance of getting a look in.

Why's that though? Surely Eddie would give more of them a proper shot if he thought they were the answer? Maybe he's thinking a first choice RWC back row of Simmonds, Robshaw and Binny.

TBH I wouldn't be counting too many Binny shaped chickens. Maybe his recent injuries are just a run of bad luck, but maybe bigger blokes naturally put more stresses on joints etc and become more prone to injuries over time. Either way, his only internationals in a year have been when he was rushed back from injury for the last 2 2017 6N matches. Sub in the romp vs Scotland and starter in the defeat to Ireland. As I've said before, Binny is such a one off that he changes the dynamic of the back row and possibly even the whole pack. But if that injury record gets much worse you'd have to start questioning whether he's the lynch pin to build the RWC pack around.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye we're playing a very risky game in hoping none of our first choice 23 gets injured.
Some positions we're ok with (wing and 2nd row, mainly, have several experienced players worth of depth) but losing one or both of our 9s puts massive strain on us.
Binny missing throws us into disarray as whenever he's out we just plug someone in as a stopgap, don't really look at how to play without him. Similar to how we used to plug anyone into the gap left by Manu.
Lose a hooker and our 3rd choices have next to no international experience (hell George has the record for most caps with the least amount of starts)

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Aye we're playing a very risky game in hoping none of our first choice 23 gets injured.
Some positions we're ok with (wing and 2nd row, mainly, have several experienced players worth of depth) but losing one or both of our 9s puts massive strain on us.
Binny missing throws us into disarray as whenever he's out we just plug someone in as a stopgap, don't really look at how to play without him. Similar to how we used to plug anyone into the gap left by Manu.
Lose a hooker and our 3rd choices have next to no international experience (hell George has the record for most caps with the least amount of starts)

Isn't George the only player to start for the Lions without starting for his country?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Isn't George the only player to start for the Lions without starting for his country?

He's started now but at the time yes.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Squad updated to 25:
Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)

Forwards

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ewels and Haskell for the chop?

I don't understand Ewels being there, he's not as good as Isiekwe and we've already got a ton of locks as it is
Unless one of them is an injury risk, I guess (But then that doesn't explain him > Isiekwe)

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ewels and Haskell for the chop?

I don't understand Ewels being there, he's not as good as Isiekwe and we've already got a ton of locks as it is
Unless one of them is an injury risk, I guess (But then that doesn't explain him > Isiekwe)

Agreed on Ewels / Isiekwe.

Haskell would be logical to drop out, but he'd be an odd one to include if he wasn't going to feature in the 23. Suggests Underhill may be unlucky. Hope not.

For my own amusement I just drew up a grid for the 4 specialist back rowers to see how they matched up against the following criteria:

* Carrying
* Tackling
* Breakdown / turnovers
* Lineout
* Ball skills / offloading
* Game sense
* Pace

No doubt others can think of other criteria.

Apart from tackling where I gave good marks to Hask, Robshaw & Underhill and carrying where an "if fit" Hughes scored well, my chart was full of "OK", "Average", "Occasional Option", "Not a Natural", "Decent" etc. Little / nothing in the way of "Outstanding", "World Class" or "Dominant". Bit depressing really and perhaps explains why we're likely to see a lock in there again. Say what you like about Lawes at 6, but he's world class in line outs, not far off on restarts, hits hard in a more disciplined way than the spectaculars of old and while his carrying still looks awkward, its become a lot more effective. Handling's still erratic, but looks like a basketball player when he gets it right, added to which he's simply a very big bloke with 60 caps worth of experience.