[2019 Six Nations] England vs France (10/02/2019)

[Mr Ruggleby]

If Binny goes off who will carry ?

Not that I disagree massively with your overall post, but part of the reason we went so well against Ireland was precisely because we have more carrying options that ever before: Mako, Sinckler, Tuilagi will pick up the slack, Curry and Wilson are both underrated with ball in hand and Launch + Nowell off the bench will bring some impact too. Hughes is the one selection I just can't understand. At premiership level he soaks up slow ball carries, but he's still mostly ineffectual there. At international level he is a best poor in most aspects of the game - he is literally only similar to Billy in that he is heavy and of Pacific Island heritage.

 

[Reiser99]

I think Jones wants a quicker winger to get around the French defence.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think Jones wants a quicker winger to get around the French defence.

May's in such good form he could play both wings at the same time!

 

[Which Tyler]

Is Ashton actually much faster than Nowell?
Outright pace was never his strong suit, and he's lost a yard with age.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

May's in such good form he could play both wings at the same time!

Wouldn't be that difficult, he did it against Argentina. I think Ashton has been selected because we know what Nowell offers and he wants to see if Ashton can run good support lines to take advantage of any gainline successes we have.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The real benefit to having Nowell on the bench is that we have 7 cover

No, May's quicker across the ground so covers 7. Nowell's more carrying into heavy traffic so can take care of 6 and 8 although not a great line out option.

Back row balance. Insoluble as ever.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Is Ashton actually much faster than Nowell?
Outright pace was never his strong suit, and he's lost a yard with age.

I think he is,

Sale don't have many out and out speedsters but Byron McGuigan said on some podcast last week Ashton is the fastest player in our squad (so faster than yarde/Solomona)

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Surprised at no Joe C

Me too. Maybe he's not quite 100%.

Haven't seen much of Ashton this year, has he been tearing up trees? For whatever reason he's got himself back into Eddie's good books.

 

[die_mole]

As entertaining as I find the French rugby drama to be I do feel for the fans. Completely reshuffling the XV but keeping huget in the lineup makes no sense.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Me too. Maybe he's not quite 100%.

Haven't seen much of Ashton this year, has he been tearing up trees? For whatever reason he's got himself back into Eddie's good books.

I wouldn't say he's tearing up trees but he's in good form and his strike rate is up there (8 tries in 9 appearaces.

To be honest I wouldn't have been surprised to see him not in the EPS but EJ is obviously a fan

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

France are becoming what Scotland were until about 2/3 years ago. They'll beat you if you're terribly, terribly **** but hold any sort of bottle and you should win comfortably, especially at home.

I never understood before how the French preferred club rugby, having started to follow it closely and knowing their international side it makes perfect sense.

England will have a natural dip in intensity and performance from their game last week but should still win by at least 15.

 

[spartan32]

Not a bad lineup for us. I heard Joe C had heavily strapped knee so maybe not 100% as already suggested. Pity but hopefully he'll be unleashed on the poor Italians and then get a shot at the Welsh for some stronger competition.

Lawes is a good shout, interesting that our finishers in the front row are more tuned towards set piece than broken play. Game plan to unleash early and then tighten up? Seems a little backwards?

Think Ashton brings pace and inside knowledge of the French. Nowells done enough I think to be one of the 23, Ashton has to see if he can oust him. If he fails to impress I think that may be him done.

Glad Jones hasn't messed around with Faz, Manu, Slade. If this really is an axis that works they need More game time to see if they solidify it.

Hope Robson gets his shot on Sunday, and that he can deliver on all the potential.

I'd like to think we can win this game, and that it would take something rather special from France to turn us over, but who knows?!!

 

[Tayga]

Not a bad lineup for us. I heard Joe C had heavily strapped knee so maybe not 100% as already suggested. Pity but hopefully he'll be unleashed on the poor Italians and then get a shot at the Welsh for some stronger competition.

Lawes is a good shout, interesting that our finishers in the front row are more tuned towards set piece than broken play. Game plan to unleash early and then tighten up? Seems a little backwards?

Think Ashton brings pace and inside knowledge of the French. Nowells done enough I think to be one of the 23, Ashton has to see if he can oust him. If he fails to impress I think that may be him done.

Glad Jones hasn't messed around with Faz, Manu, Slade. If this really is an axis that works they need More game time to see if they solidify it.

Hope Robson gets his shot on Sunday, and that he can deliver on all the potential.

I'd like to think we can win this game, and that it would take something rather special from France to turn us over, but who knows?!!

 

[Tayga]

The old adage is you never know which French team will turn up .
But they will be hurting after that Wales fiasco and I expect this to be a tough contest. Whilst France have lost 15 of their last 18 games I am under no illusions that they will turn up on Sunday and give it a real go.
And the autumn Japan game does show we can be inconsistent - still I would expect us to win by 10/12 points on the basis that we are at home , and in confident mood after the Irish game .
But I expect that it will be a dogfight for the first 60 minutes after which our fitness will probably tell - The French team looked exhausted in the second half against Wales. And they have often lost games that they should have won in the last few minutes ( South Africa in the autumn and V Ireland last year)
The Irish game shows that we are a fit side that can bring intensity for the full 80 mins. France have not shown that for some time now but Sunday's game could be the exception that disproves my fitness theory - look at top 14 rugby , it is all stop start with 4 or 5 minutes less ball in play time than in our own Premiership.

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

Is Ashton actually much faster than Nowell?
Outright pace was never his strong suit, and he's lost a yard with age.

Ashton is comfortably faster in a straight line than Nowell. He was the quickest at Sarries, Toulon and now Sale supposedly. I think the reason people (including myself) don't think of him as lightning fast is because he doesn't offer much in terms of footwork or beating players. But straight line speed he is right up there.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Ashton is comfortably faster in a straight line than Nowell. He was the quickest at Sarries, Toulon and now Sale supposedly. I think the reason people (including myself) don't think of him as lightning fast is because he doesn't offer much in terms of footwork or beating players. But straight line speed he is right up there.

Yeah, see try v Aus as proof

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Yeah, see try v Aus as proof

That was long long ago. I just remember him getting run down by Ford in that Barbarians game.

 

[Tayga]

Not that I disagree massively with your overall post, but part of the reason we went so well against Ireland was precisely because we have more carrying options that ever before: Mako, Sinckler, Tuilagi will pick up the slack, Curry and Wilson are both underrated with ball in hand and Launch + Nowell off the bench will bring some impact too. Hughes is the one selection I just can't understand. At premiership level he soaks up slow ball carries, but he's still mostly ineffectual there. At international level he is a best poor in most aspects of the game - he is literally only similar to Billy in that he is heavy and of Pacific Island heritage.

 

[FrenchFan]

I never understood before how the French preferred club rugby, having started to follow it closely and knowing their international side it makes perfect sense.

Well yeah no wonder the fans have walked out on the union creepshow. Wasn't too difficult. Not to mention that Toulouse Clermont or Racing would beat the Brunel brigade any day.

 

[Tayga]

That is true - you are right to say that we do have mako and itoje and Sinckler who are carriers - but from the back row only Binny makes real yardage.
This said , I remember the Hill/Back / Dallaglio combination of old and only Dallaglio really made yardage.
Re Hugues , i actually thought he had a good game against Ireland - in fact no wearer of the white shirt had a bad game . But I take your general point and nizam Carr has looked a better ball carrying option at Wasps in recent games .