[2021 Six Nations] Ireland v England (20/03/2021)

[Stus7]

Is JJ injured?

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

WHY HAVE PAOLO IN THE SQUAD AND NOT USE HIM AND THEN CALL PLAYERS UP AROUND HIM EDDIE YOU ABSOLUTE DOUGHNUT.. Give him back and get lost #wasteofspace

Joe Marchant > Paolo Odogwu. Simple!

Lets face it hes only going to get 30 seconds max so it doesnt really matter (Except for italy)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

WHY HAVE PAOLO IN THE SQUAD AND NOT USE HIM AND THEN CALL PLAYERS UP AROUND HIM EDDIE YOU ABSOLUTE DOUGHNUT.. Give him back and get lost #wasteofspace

For real, and I imagine the non-used squad players won't be released back to their clubs despite this being the end of the tournament

Slade has played well so far. Hopefully Daly can actually catch the ball this game. When was the last time he played in the centre for England? I assume it's been a few years.

Not since 2016 - and only one start (4 bench appearances)

 

[will311293]

Yeah little irritated tbh. We basically have a free hit to try out some of the squad players in a competitive game against the Irish and instead we waste the opportunity. I really don't get it. What are we going to learn about Daly that we don't already know, what are we going to learn about the Ford/Farrell axis that we don't already know..... maybe Eddie use this as a 'situation' game and not start Farrell, see if we can operate without him for half a game... maybe give another no.9 a go. I swear, Ben Youngs could be injured and Eddie would just strap him to Billy V's back and lay him instead of using Robson, Spencer or Randall

 

[will311293]

Joe Marchant > Paolo Odogwu. Simple!

Lets face it hes only going to get 30 seconds max so it doesnt really matter (Except for italy)

Haha, Both are brilliant players but you are right... doesn't matter who is in that 23 jersey, you are getting 5 mins at most. How Robson hasn't started an international game i don't know. How we haven't seen Simmonds, Earl or Dombrandt at 8 i don't know.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Youngs was great last week and it does show how good he can be on his day. However too often he has games where he's flapping about around the ruck yet still Robson only plays the last 90 seconds.

 

[will311293]

For real, and I imagine the non-used squad players won't be released back to their clubs despite this being the end of the tournament


Not since 2016 - and only one start (4 bench appearances)

Why would you say this @TRF_Olyy . I just don't get it, poor lad has worked so hard to get into the squad and get's no minutes and now has to compete with the international all black at 13. So realistically he's not got capped by any country and has lost his starting Wasps spot

 

[ncurd]

Ireland probably thinking defense in centers (and 10) might not be up to crack. Feel for Larence I know he's a 12 but to get Daly who's been utter shite (even in a different position) all tournament to get picked ahead of you must feel bad.

Youngs was great last week and it does show how good he can be on his day. However too often he has games where he's flapping about around the ruck yet still Robson only plays the last 90 seconds.

Had his two games where he saves his starting position will be shite for the next run of games (probably for Lions too).

 

[will311293]

suppose the upside for Paolo is he's made 90k living in a hotel for 6 weeks.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Why would you say this @TRF_Olyy . I just don't get it, poor lad has worked so hard to get into the squad and get's no minutes and now has to compete with the international all black at 13. So realistically he's not got capped by any country and has lost his starting Wasps spot

SMH obviously hes 0.001 seconds slower getting off the ground than he should be so he doesn't deserve to get picked.

I joke, but it's almost certainly something along those lines...

 

[big ginger 8]

Probably the least physical English three quarter line we've come up against. Whichever of Aki or Farrell gets in should hopefully be able to make some hay there.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

ENGLAND XV

15. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 7 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 50 caps)
13. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 51 caps)
12. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 92 caps) (C)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 65 caps)
10. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 76 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 108 caps)
1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 66 caps)
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 30 caps)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 43 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 47 caps)
5. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 20 caps)
6. Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 22 caps)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 32 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 60 caps)

FINISHERS

16. Jamie George (Saracens, 58 caps)
17. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 27 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
19. Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 8 caps)
20. Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 12 caps)
21. Dan Robson (Wasps, 11 caps)
22. Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 5 caps)
23. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 4 caps)

That's a really experienced XV that we should have high expectations of. Especially in the key decision making positions and even bit part players like Ewels and Wilson have enough caps to know their way around the international game.

With experience (allegedly) comes wisdom. Even if we accept that the attacking style is a work in progress, there is no excuse for that team making bad decisions, having poor discipline, missing makeable tackles or failing to execute the basics - taking overlaps, passing in front of players not at their head etc. With this experience, those should be minimum expectations.

Bench is less experienced, but that's fine. At least the likes of Robson and Earl are getting some time.....whether they're ever in with a sniff of starting shirts is another matter.

 

[will311293]

Wouldn't it be great if there was a COVID scare and we had to pick a whole new England/Ireland team... the up and comers.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Wouldn't it be great if there was a COVID scare and we had to pick a whole new England/Ireland team... the up and comers.

I watch that in the RDS every other week and you're right, it's great.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Probably the least physical English three quarter line we've come up against. Whichever of Aki or Farrell gets in should hopefully be able to make some hay there.

Have you not seen Daly tackle? An absolute madman that will eat your big ballcarriers for breakfast!

 

[ncurd]

Have you not seen Daly tackle? An absolute madman that will eat your big ballcarriers for breakfast!

TBF us Englishman haven't seen him tackle this year either.

 

[Which Tyler]

WHY HAVE PAOLO IN THE SQUAD AND NOT USE HIM AND THEN CALL PLAYERS UP AROUND HIM EDDIE YOU ABSOLUTE DOUGHNUT.. Give him back and get lost #wasteofspace

For the same reasons as have been done to death with Paolo, and any other player essentialy in the squad as an apprentice.
To let Eddie run the rule over them in training.
To see how they respond to instructions given by Eddie & co.
To get them used to England's structures, plans and requirements.
To be ready to play if needed in the next international window 9or be dropped from consideration if they don't respond as hoped)

Have you not seen Daly tackle?

No.
Has anyone?

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

For the same reasons as have been done to death with Paolo, and any other player essentialy in the squad as an apprentice.
To let Eddie run the rule over them in training.
To see how they respond to instructions given by Eddie & co.
To get them used to England's structures, plans and requirements.
To be ready to play if needed in the next international window 9or be dropped from consideration if they don't respond as hoped)

This is exactly it tbf - it creates a situation where someone like marchant in this example can come into the squad last minute and be there with 100% trust of his ethic, work rate, understanding and buy in etc. If odogwu has proved that to Eddie he will get a chance eventually.

The only criticism of that method is that Eddie doesn't seem, publically at least, to acknowledge that players can change over time - see all the players who have come in as an apprentice/new player and been left by the wayside, depsite them drastically improving outwith of the England squad - Smith, Simmonds, Hill etc

 

[Which Tyler]

The only criticism of that method is that Eddie doesn't seem, publically at least, to acknowledge that players can change over time - see all the players who have come in as an apprentice/new player and been left by the wayside, depsite them drastically improving outwith of the England squad - Smith, Simmonds, Hill etc

Not sure Hill's a good example. In and around the squad 3 years ago, fist cap in Summer 2018; then dropped, and worked on his work-ons.
Back in and around the squad 2020, 2nd cap Autumn 2020, when he played 8 out of the next 9 tests.


Unless you mean Ted Hill of course, who's in a position of real strength for England, such that some very good players were always going to miss out (same goes for Simmonds). While he (and Simmonds, and Smith, and...) have all improved since their time involved with the squads, the question remains - have they improved in the way that Eddie wants them to?
The "Good player missing out" I've obviousy seen the most of, is Mercer - who's also improved since his time with England, but not at the bit we know Eddie places above (almost) all else... so he's not even mentioned in dispatches anymore

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Well people have been saying Daly is more a 13 in the least 4 years.
So we get to see how he is at International level I guess.

I'm one of them.

I kind of understand why he's been picked but its also a potential car crash in waiting. He hasn't played there for ages, so will be rusty and common view is that13 is the most defensively exposed position. Plus he has to be low on confidence and possibly real match sharpness.

God knows what Odogwu must be thinking - no involvement in any game and then seeing Marchant parachuted in above him. Also didn't Jones refuse a Pests request for him to be released back to them so he could get some game time? No way to treat someone. Would not be surprised to hear that he's been on the blower to Italy.