[2021 Six Nations] Wales vs England (27/02/21)

[Not Eddie Jones]

England team to face Wales

England: Daly; Watson, Slade, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Martin, Earl, Robson, Malins.

It may come as a big shock to most people on this board, but I'm a big fan of Eddie Jones. I think he's a great coach and I love what he's done with England rugby. Having said that...

F*****G HELL!!!!!

Ahem. Yay Eddie Jones.

 

[Scotty]

England team to face Wales

England: Daly; Watson, Slade, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Martin, Earl, Robson, Malins.

LCD has smashed it the last few games, George should 100% be in but should have to earn his place from the bench.

Mako...same as George, he should be on the bench.

Rest of the pack happy enough with.

Youngs....just no, he's took so many minutes away from Robson even when playing ****. Randall didnt even get a look vs italy FFS and now is injured.

Ford Faz Slade im really not sold on as non of them are a real running threat in their own right. Slades decent but i feel for Lawrence not making the bench.

Back 3 were always going to be that. I just hope Malins gets a good game.

Surprised Martin is doing any more than hold tackle bags when we have a fully stocked back row, yet an up and coming 12 isnt even getting a look in. Dont get me wrong happy for martin and must have looked great in training.

Annoyed about youngs starting and lawrence out. The rest i just think is annoying, as its not picked on form.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

C'mon Wales!!!

Steady... steady...

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

I understand if it's just a defence mechanism thing. I appreciate how painful it must be to lose to Wales so it's a lot easier if you tell yourself before the game that you want to lose. We've all been there.

Do you have to be so incisive? It hurts.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

LCD has smashed it the last few games, George should 100% be in but should have to earn his place from the bench.

Mako...same as George, he should be on the bench.

Rest of the pack happy enough with.

Youngs....just no, he's took so many minutes away from Robson even when playing ****. Randall didnt even get a look vs italy FFS and now is injured.

Ford Faz Slade im really not sold on as non of them are a real running threat in their own right. Slades decent but i feel for Lawrence not making the bench.

Back 3 were always going to be that. I just hope Malins gets a good game.

Surprised Martin is doing any more than hold tackle bags when we have a fully stocked back row, yet an up and coming 12 isnt even getting a look in. Dont get me wrong happy for martin and must have looked great in training.

Annoyed about youngs starting and lawrence out. The rest i just think is annoying, as its not picked on form.

Slade is a good running threat, the problem is his space is constantly being closed down by having Farrell in at 12, who really does have no running threat. When it was Slade and Tuilagi, we were able to see the full breadth of Slade's game. I've said it many times, Farrell's poor performances aren't just affecting him but they directly bring down the players around him too because of how his actions make their lives even harder.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

IF Martin comes on he will be the first new Tiger England player since Barack Obama beat Romney.

It's like our generations moon landing

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Steady... steady...

I know, I know. I'm frightened to check my blood pressure at the moment.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Oh **** it. As if things weren't bad enough, I'm tidying up my office and have just found this......

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

I know, I know. I'm frightened to check my blood pressure at the moment.

You know, one day I will agree with everything you say. I'm just slightly worried that you're Pinhead and you're gonna drag me into a world of sado-masochism.

Then again... England.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

Or...

Is Eddie just deliberately hiding eveything so that in 2023 he can unleash the greatest, most unstoppable rugby side the world has ever seen?!?!

Or am I being too optimistic?

 

[Reiser99]

Or...

Is Eddie just deliberately hiding eveything so that in 2023 he can unleash the greatest, most unstoppable rugby side the world has ever seen?!?!

Or am I being too optimistic?

Think it's called delusional.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

You do have to wonder why he isn't getting form players in. I mean is he that ignorant or just an idiot to believe Farrell could ever reach the level of Smith or Simmonds who both have a more rounded game than Farrell.

And I'm so confused with his obsession with the fat useless lump at 8. He literally walks round the pitch like a lost puppy. Playing Simmonds could only improve the current pack as Billy literally offers nothing at the moment.

Then what's his obsession with Daly and Young's, why oh why. He's mental, just mental.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

You do have to wonder why he isn't getting form players in. I mean is he that ignorant or just an idiot to believe Farrell could ever reach the level of Smith or Simmonds who both have a more rounded game than Farrell.

And I'm so confused with his obsession with the fat useless lump at 8. He literally walks round the pitch like a lost puppy. Playing Simmonds could only improve the current pack as Billy literally offers nothing at the moment.

Then what's his obsession with Daly and Young's, why oh why. He's mental, just mental.

Right...

Faz is in a bad spot, but his peak is higher than anything Smith or Simmonds have demonstrated thus far... They are working to reach the level of his peak and are in better form, but he's not worse than them at his peak.

Again, in form Billy is fantastic. Both are a form issue rather than a quality one - both are world class on their day.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Right...

Faz is in a bad spot, but his peak is higher than anything Smith or Simmonds have demonstrated thus far... They are working to reach the level of his peak and are in better form, but he's not worse than them at his peak.

Again, in form Billy is fantastic. Both are a form issue rather than a quality one - both are world class on their day.

Do you think Faz or Billy will get back there?

 

[ncurd]

I'm always unconvinced by the Farrell world class debate but put that aside he is in a rut of form and we know his cealing is far higher. He just hasn't found anything close to it since the RWC SF. He should be dropped and told to find form with his club and if he does come back.

As Billy he's not looked right since his injuries he really needs to be dropped so he can get back to anything close to his best. But honestly I'm very uncertain as it seams injury related that is even possible.

 

[MattGaff]

Or...

Is Eddie just deliberately hiding eveything so that in 2023 he can unleash the greatest, most unstoppable rugby side the world has ever seen?!?!

Or am I being too optimistic?

Hahaha - I think we've been there before! Mental thinking. Reality - coaches want to win every single game possible

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

You know, one day I will agree with everything you say. I'm just slightly worried that you're Pinhead and you're gonna drag me into a world of sado-masochism.

Then again... England.

Given I just had to google Pinhead you're pretty safe.

We have years of bickering left in us yet

 

[Grizwald]

I've not seen much of Martin, surprised at his stats 6'"6 and over 18.5 stone doesn't look it. Fits Jones profile of locks thats can play in the back row.

On paper that's a strong team, in reality it's full of out of form players. I've read quite a few rugby autobiographies during lockdown, a couple of which were England players who played under Jones. They stated he's quick to let you know when you're not performing and when you're done too.

To me there's something not right at the minute, hopefully it's just a combination of small things and the messed up situation COVID has brought. I thought they were in a bubble for the whole tournament but listened to an interview with Genge and he's been home since the Italy game.

Biggest issue I have is Youngs, with his age profile and form I don't understand why he's still about, Robson is knocking on 30 himself. 9, 10, 12, 15 all problems that I don't see getting solved under Eddie.

 

[TW27BA]

A predictable, but depressing selection again from EJ.

What did LCD do wrong to be dropped to the bench to make way for underperforming George?
What does Robson have to do to get in the starting line up?
Farrell, Billy, Daly all out of form but EJ wants to use the game to try and play into some form?

It's enough to make an England supporter cry.

 

[Jashay]

Not at all surprised by the lineup, but was hoping for 5-3 so Lawrence might have got a look in.

So my hope now is that Robson, Malins and Earl get subbed on for Youngs, Daly and Vunipola with a decent amount of time on the clock and absolutely tear it up.

Given how the slightest hint of adversity made Jones go for the most conservative picks, I don't think we'll see anything but the old guard to start from here on out (with the exception of Hill, it seems), so those three are going to need to clock in good performances for each of the last three games and then they might start in the summer.