[2020 Six Nations] Italy vs England (31/10/20)

[TRF_Olyy]

Kamikaze Kids back on the flanks, though ♥

 

[Geordie]

Jones really does seem to like Furbank.i wonder if he's covering 10 aswell? Well Italy is a better side to have a run out with.

Slade really needs to put a marker down at 12 now...dominate the game with a controlled performance we expect.

Clearly Jones is out for the big win to try and win the 6n...ad the experiments can begin in the games after ...

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Kamikaze Kids back on the flanks, though ♥

I remember quite a while ago I said that
6 Haskell
7 Rees
8 Narraway

Would be the England back row for years to come bar injury, I get I was wrong over that one but fingers crossed Underhill and Curry are our 6 & 7 for years to come. Just need a decent 8 to get selected by Jones.

 

[Geordie]

That was the back row that really impressed in NZ ...shame it never really got a chance to develop...

 

[Mumbles119]

I am clutching at the straws of hope here, but I think all of that starting XV and most of the bench (except Robson and Lawrence) were all involved in previous England training squads too? So my hope/thought is that too little time for too many newcomers to become fully integrated into team plans/tactics by Eddie's standards and requirements etc... And exactly as @Geordiefalcon says, the experimentation will start to happen more later.

Overall it is a good team, and it shows me how much depth we have when I am gutted about not seeing Ted Hil, Willis, Malins etc... Hopefully this is just sign of good times to come.

 

[Scotty]

Jones really does seem to like Furbank.i wonder if he's covering 10 aswell? Well Italy is a better side to have a run out with.

Slade really needs to put a marker down at 12 now...dominate the game with a controlled performance we expect.

Clearly Jones is out for the big win to try and win the 6n...ad the experiments can begin in the games after ...

Furbank must really train well and show his worth, and i suppose Malins and willis have only had a week to train so not to broken up about it.

Lawrence is who im looking forward to seeing this game, hopfully at 13.

 

[TW27BA]

Furbank must be pulling up trees in training. I don't get the love for him and would prefer Watson at FB and Big Joe on the wing.
Pleased to see Jonny Hill in the starting lineup, but why no Willis or Umaga in the 23?
Good game to try out Lawrence so hopefully he doesn't just get a token 10 minutes.

 

[Geordie]

Furbank must really train well and show his worth, and i suppose Malins and willis have only had a week to train so not to broken up about it.

Lawrence is who im looking forward to seeing this game, hopfully at 13.

Yeah he must train well, and fit in the with "tactics". Although to be fair he was playing very well and deserved his original call up, and i think it was the Scotland game was played in utterly appalling conditions.

Italy is a much better game for him to have a run out...so lets see how he goes.

i agree Lawrence is a one to watch. My eyes will be on how Slade goes...cant state enough that i dont think hes really brought his club ability to this level yet, (we see only glimpses of the genuine class he can be) but i think 12 suits his skills set so much better than 13.

Great to see big Johnny Hill in there.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Who knows whether Jones considers this the strongest possible team he could put out or if he's experimenting a bit. Anyhow....

Can't argue will Hill being given a chance. Only real irritant in the pack is Binny who's been living off reputation for too long (regular readers may recall me mentioning that once or twice before.....but he really shouldn't have a sinecure).

Half backs not worth discussing as they were never going to be anyone else.

Disappointed with Slade at 12. On paper he seems perfect but I've never really seen him go consistently well at 12, he always looks better at 13 to me. At least he and Manu in their very different ways could interchange positions as the need arose. That's less likely with Joseph. Speaking of Joseph he's solid enough but the not the consistent game changer he threatened to be a while back.

Can't argue with the wings. Furbank is a 24 carat head scratcher

Bench is fine - will be interesting to see how Lawrence and Thorley go and I think Dunn is a bit underrated. Willis will hopefully get to start some of the later games, likewise Coka who I don't think is fully up to speed yet.

 

[Geordie]

Apparently in training Furbank has been sitting in at 10 aswell so i guess he is the 10 replacement if Farrell goes off.

i suspect Lawrence will be on quite quickly for Joseph, especially if the scores start racking up. And i imagine Earl will be brought in quickly quickly maybe at half time, for his explosive game style.

 

[Scotty]

Right so can everyone please not talk about any of the rugby today as im being forced to go to a wedding and will miss it so no spoilers if you would be so kind

No but Im going to have to avoid all social media and sports news like the plague, the Wife has given me permission to watch it all tomorrow instead.

 

[Groundhog]

Hey guys just popping in to let you know I hope Italy absolutely bang you today and justify their existence in this competition for another 10-20 thousand years.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Right so can everyone please not talk about any of the rugby today as im being forced to go to a wedding and will miss it so no spoilers if you would be so kind

No but Im going to have to avoid all social media and sports news like the plague, the Wife has given me permission to watch it all tomorrow instead.

Is it your own wedding?

 

[ALJ]

I don't know why but EJ's match day squads just never look to have the right balance to me.

I appreciate Italy are weak but what team goes in without a replacement 10?
Why start with two outside centres?

gotta trust his choices I guess but it confuses me.

 

[Scotty]

Is it your own wedding?

No lol but my wife is a bridesmade.

Mine would have been outside rugby season

 

[Scotty]

I don't know why but EJ's match day squads just never look to have the right balance to me.

I appreciate Italy are weak but what team goes in without a replacement 10?
Why start with two outside centres?

gotta trust his choices I guess but it confuses me.

Tbf we dont have any ICs to choose from. On the 10 front i imagine this is a test to test out a no 10 situation as well as Umaga only being there a week he wouldnt know all the calls and moves down where as Furbank would have had a few weeks to step in.

I think we have a pretty good balanced team tbh though.

 

[Jimbo]

I am working on the assumption that what EJ wants in a 15 is a ball player, plenty have their views on Daly there but it's hard to argue he is a great ball player, in his absence Furbank probably fits that style of play, sure Watson is going to offer a greater individual threat but it all depends what you are after.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Makes you wonder why he never gave Goode more of a run at 15 (think most of Goodes caps were under Lancaster?)

 

[ncurd]

Makes you wonder why he never gave Goode more of a run at 15 (think most of Goodes caps were under Lancaster?)

He only played twice under Jones in his first 6 nations when EJ kept most of world cup team. Clearly was got rid of pretty quick

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

He only played twice under Jones in his first 6 nations when EJ kept most of world cup team. Clearly was got rid of pretty quick

Managed to get himself a game against Fiji too.

I also like a ball player at 15, but why not Malins is my question.