[2019 Six Nations] Wales vs England (23/02/2019)

[Scotty]

I'd probably stick a scrum half in there tbf...you know, just for ***** and giggles.

To beat wales? Naa, against Italy maybe...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

7. T.Curry
9. B.Curry

 

[Scotty]

7. T.Curry
9. B.Curry

Still quicker distribution than youngs.

 

[Bill]

Yep. Launch is a top all round player, would never be upset to see him in the team. But he lacks the USPs of the others. If everyone's fit he's the 4th cab off the rank for me.

As you say, a nice problem to have.

I can see Launchbury missing out on a world cup place, and Shields getting picked to cover back row and 2nd row.

Wilson (6/8)
Curry (7)
Underhill (6/7)
Vunipola (8)
Shields (5/6)

 

[MikeTheNative]

I know being able to play a number of positions will count towards his inclusion but has Shields played well enough to warrant being in the squad? Since Jones does seem to like Lawes at 6 I could see him counting as that 2nd row/backrow pick.

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

I can see Launchbury missing out on a world cup place, and Shields getting picked to cover back row and 2nd row.

Wilson (6/8)
Curry (7)
Underhill (6/7)
Vunipola (8)
Shields (5/6)

No way that the only 8 cover is also the starting blindside. Hughes will go unless Simmonds/Mercer/Clifford/Earl/Dombrandt get fit or show up in a big way prior to the end of the season.

 

[Bill]

I know being able to play a number of positions will count towards his inclusion but has Shields played well enough to warrant being in the squad? Since Jones does seem to like Lawes at 6 I could see him counting as that 2nd row/backrow pick.

Shields played well in the November internationals and I'm sure would have kept his starting place if he hadn't been injured.

I think Jones very much did like the idea of Lawes playing 6, but by accident stumbled across the benefits of selecting actual back row players to play in the back row.

I also think Lawes is becoming a key player at lock and is too valuable to run into the ground with an extra game in the backrow against the minnows in the group stages. I'd far rather see Shields putting in good enough performances in the 2nd row in the less important games, and saving Lawes' legs for the big games, and saving an extra place in the squad for somewhere else.

 

[Bill]

No way that the only 8 cover is also the starting blindside. Hughes will go unless Simmonds/Mercer/Clifford/Earl/Dombrandt get fit or show up in a big way prior to the end of the season.

There are limited places though. There's no option to pick all the players you would want with you in an ideal world. I suppose that's part of the challenge. I don't see why having Underhill, Curry, Wilson (shields on the bench) as plan B is out of the question for if Billy gets injured.

 

[Nudger]

No way that the only 8 cover is also the starting blindside. Hughes will go unless Simmonds/Mercer/Clifford/Earl/Dombrandt get fit or show up in a big way prior to the end of the season.

Shields is a 678 like wilson

 

[Jimbo]

Yep. Launch is a top all round player, would never be upset to see him in the team. But he lacks the USPs of the others. If everyone's fit he's the 4th cab off the rank for me.

As you say, a nice problem to have.

Do you not think his leadership gives him to some degree a USP of his own, he is club captain after all.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

No way that the only 8 cover is also the starting blindside. Hughes will go unless Simmonds/Mercer/Clifford/Earl/Dombrandt get fit or show up in a big way prior to the end of the season.

Yeah. A big ball carrying 8 is a key part of our Plan A. We need to have cover for Binny and in a 31 man squad there's room for a like for like replacement. To me that's Morgan, to Eddie its Hughes, but you can't really use a hybrid to replace Binny. Everything changes if you do.

Almost certainly too late for Dombrandt to be a bolter, but he looks like he has 8 written all over him.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hughes will go regardless of any of those being fit, he's always been a favourite of EJ since day one

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Do you not think his leadership gives him to some degree a USP of his own, he is club captain after all.

No, I don't see him as a natural leader at all. That's not to denigrate him, he sets a great example, but there's more to leadership than that and I just don't see him as a galvanising force.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Channelling my inner Victoria Coren-Mitchell.....

What's the connection between 1949, 1959, 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 & 2009?

 

[Bill]

Yeah. A big ball carrying 8 is a key part of our Plan A. We need to have cover for Binny and in a 31 man squad there's room for a like for like replacement. To me that's Morgan, to Eddie its Hughes, but you can't really use a hybrid to replace Binny. Everything changes if you do.

Almost certainly too late for Dombrandt to be a bolter, but he looks like he has 8 written all over him.

I think you're exaggerating the difference. Of course Wilson isn't the destructive ball carrier that Billy is, but if Wilson replaced Billy during a game, would we suddenly change tactics entirely, or would the shape and performance of the team be visibly completely different ? I'd argue not.

Wilson was brilliant at 8 in November, and with him so were England. I'd rather have Wilson playing great at 8 than someone not playing very well but looking a bit physically similar to Billy. We've still got plenty of players who can make big carries.

For me, the less players who are in that squad as stand-ins, and the more who are in on merit, the better.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Launchbury isn't a natural leader at all.
But that said, I disagree with Old Hooker, I think Launchbury is a far more special player than he's being given credit for; : He's our best carrying lock I'd say, and alongside Itoje is the best at the breakdown. He concedes far fewer penalties than Itoje, and is the most consistent out of the 4 locks from week to week. Massive engine and will never let you down.
If Launchbury was at Sarracens, our starting lock partnership would 100% be Itoje & Launchbury.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Launchbury isn't a natural leader at all.
But that said, I disagree with Old Hooker, I think Launchbury is a far more special player than he's being given credit for; : He's our best carrying lock I'd say, and alongside Itoje is the best at the breakdown. He concedes far fewer penalties than Itoje, and is the most consistent out of the 4 locks from week to week. Massive engine and will never let you down.
If Launchbury was at Sarracens, our starting lock partnership would 100% be Itoje & Launchbury.

The same thing happens every time launch isn't in the first XV
People start to question his spot in the 23, he gets a couple of games under his belt and everyone's like "ah ****, yeah, hes one of the best in the world, I forgot"

 

[Bill]

The same thing happens every time launch isn't in the first XV
People start to question his spot in the 23, he gets a couple of games under his belt and everyone's like "ah ****, yeah, hes one of the best in the world, I forgot"

I agree, but Jones appears to prefer Kruis to Launchbury, and you don't need 4 specialist locks in a party of 31.

It's of little use to the team having a player sitting in the stands, no matter how world class he is.

He is a fantastic player. He just might not go to the world cup unless someone gets injured.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

The same thing happens every time launch isn't in the first XV
People start to question his spot in the 23, he gets a couple of games under his belt and everyone's like "ah ****, yeah, hes one of the best in the world, I forgot"

I say he's a player who'll never let you down, which means he'll probably now have a Ben Kay tryline moment against Wales.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47288844

Genge promising to be himself against Wales. Uh-oh...

 

[Nudger]

Launchbury isn't a natural leader at all.
But that said, I disagree with Old Hooker, I think Launchbury is a far more special player than he's being given credit for; : He's our best carrying lock I'd say, and alongside Itoje is the best at the breakdown. He concedes far fewer penalties than Itoje, and is the most consistent out of the 4 locks from week to week. Massive engine and will never let you down.
If Launchbury was at Sarracens, our starting lock partnership would 100% be Itoje & Launchbury.

Has been MOM more often than kruis