• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

[2023 Six Nations] England Squad

On the fence with Borthwick at the minute. Completely understand the people who raise concerns about leadership/inspiration, in that he is an understated guy who doesn't - in public at least- allow emotion to get the better of him. But when you get into the likes of Martin Johnson, sometimes people mythicise his captaincy yet he was a no frills, common sense leader, so eccentric or bold isn't always needed.

But he does seem to be an astute, details man, especially with the forwards. He knows instantly the ruck speeds, breakdown in general, and set piece details that require work. He's always been excellent for line out work and my only doubt is whether he's necessarily got the nouse (or coaching team) to help us lift our scrum levels, simply because it's a very technical area of the game that requires both experience of it and the ability to understand how to get an edge or hold parity under pressure in the modern game.

If I ran the RFU, I'd want Steve Borthwick in my coaching team. I think he'd add a huge amount of value and some real insight. Would I want him leading it? Making the big conundrum decisions? Possibly not. (YET)

Given Carte Blanche RFU money? Andy Farrell, Shaun Edwards and Borthwick wouldn't be far off my coaching axis.

Not a popular opinion on this forum I know but as a process-driven, business expert who knows how to enable the right people and processes to thrive, Sir Clive ought to head up the RFU because whether you think his coaching or match analysis is dated or not, the bloke pulls together business and corporate like an absolute boss and we'd be foolish to ignore it. He cares about English rugby and he wants it to succeed. It drives him insane that we allow such awful decisions to be made.

Anyway- back to the reality and the present.

I think the summer will be hugely valuable for Steve and the squad. It will allow them to get the coherence and the key parts of the game improved through time together.

To maximise the World Cup prospects, I would expect experience to prevail in selection for key positions and I would expect the game plan to be tight, accurate, and ferocious in defence, with just a small sprinkling of X-factor.

It has shades of 2007 this does- except we've already taken our hiding early (France 2023) instead of at the pool stage (Springboks 2007) and therefore we do get the summer camp to boil up the pot to intensity level that we have realised we must be at to compete.

I expect improvement - but I suspect the growth of an expansive game will come post RWC.

The likes of Ford, Daly, Watson, Tualagi, does have some serious test match experience behind it if we can bring them near form for RWC.

As does LCD, Lawes, Underhill, Curry in the pack.

Prop and 2nd row is where I'm most concerned for the RWC for England. If we could add some proper physicality in those areas I could see us being a stubborn nightmare for teams to knock over in the QFs if we avoid a disaster in the pool stage.

Enough of my ramblings- I needed it after a sobering 6 Nations!
 
Woodward taking over for Sweeney is an interesting thought - crap pundit/column writer but he dragged the playing side of the sport kicking and screaming into professionallism - could he do the same for the boardroom/blazer brigade?
Probably too far removed from it by now
 
What's stopping Woodward coming back as coach? Put his money where his mouth is.
 
Woodward taking over for Sweeney is an interesting thought - crap pundit/column writer but he dragged the playing side of the sport kicking and screaming into professionallism - could he do the same for the boardroom/blazer brigade?
Probably too far removed from it by now
It's an interesting thought for Woodward taking over RFU. It shows a frustration and perception that we are not seeing the RFU being run astutely.

Would Woodward bring that?

I would worry that if Woodward was running RFU, he would also end up micromanaging and interfering with the squad and coaching too much too. Which is one of the current complaints already.
 
Woodward is about 68 years old. Would he even have the will to take on such a role at this point?
 
We've spoke about most positions going forward but what about the engine room?

Itoje hasn't been bad but hasn't been his excellent best for some time now...and reasons have been given for it. So his position is surely under threat...especially as at 6'5 he's at the very small end of lock sizes...

Ollie Chessum was a bright spot this 6n but sadly being out for 5/6 months means he most likely misses the world Cup. That probably gives Ribbans the short term position until after the world Cup when he's in France.

So after the world Cup...who should we be looking at to really come through?

There's a batch of huge kids coming through...who do you think has stood out so far?

Alfie Bell (Exeter) 6'8, 19st
Rob Carmichael (Tigers) 6'11, 18 St 3
Lewis Chessum (Tigers) 6'9, 19st
Ben Bamber (Sharks) 6'9, 20st
Alex Groves (Sharks) 6'9, 19st

And having just switched to lock recently and playing really well...
George Martin (Tigers) 6'6, 19st
 
What the RFU have done with Woodward reminds me of what the FA did with Sir Alf Ramsey in Wendyball. Both jettisoned the only manager to win a World Cup for England in their sports and didn't make use of their experience and knowledge afterwards. He should really have been a technical director way back after he left the role. Probably way too late now. But isn't it a sad indictment of the RFU? Carling was right calling them the old farts. I'd also say about a lot of old RWC winning team not getting to the top of coaching. Borthwick deserves his chance, but I get the Southgate vibes about him - probably due to both their England playing careers. At least Borthwick has won a club ***le before, but suspect he'll be hamstrung like Southgate is with the domestic league.
 
Lewis Chessum imo from a purely u20's pov stood out massively imo

Very nasty style, will fill out well.
Tigers looking really good pack wise for the future
The Tigers are going to have some crazy options at lock...its why I'm surprised Goerge Martin has moved to lock...

Lewis does look like one who should make the step up.

I really think Alfie Bell could be another...he has alot of the attributes required. Size, huge work rate, high tackle rate, lineout and a good carrier. I hope Exeter can really push him on.
 
Is Bell injured, or loan?
He's only played once for chiefs and it was in November - considering they had a good run in the Prem cup I'd have thought he'd be playing, especially with Jenkins and Tshiunza with Wales for parts of it
 
Is Bell injured, or loan?
He's only played once for chiefs and it was in November - considering they had a good run in the Prem cup I'd have thought he'd be playing, especially with Jenkins and Tshiunza with Wales for parts of it
I haven't seen anything about him going on loan. It's a shame that he hasn't had more game time but at the end of the day the lad is only 19 and playing in one of the most physical positions on the pitch - it's not actually massively surprising that he hasn't played much in the Prem Cup. I'm sure his time will come.
 
I haven't seen anything about him going on loan. It's a shame that he hasn't had more game time but at the end of the day the lad is only 19 and playing in one of the most physical positions on the pitch - it's not actually massively surprising that he hasn't played much in the Prem Cup. I'm sure his time will come.
I do get what you mean, but he's only a couple of months younger than Dafydd Jenkins who's playing internationally
I just would've thought he'd at least get in the bench in Prem Cup considering the hype - hence wondering if he's getting game time at Pirates or something
 
We've spoke about most positions going forward but what about the engine room?

Itoje hasn't been bad but hasn't been his excellent best for some time now...and reasons have been given for it. So his position is surely under threat...especially as at 6'5 he's at the very small end of lock sizes...

Ollie Chessum was a bright spot this 6n but sadly being out for 5/6 months means he most likely misses the world Cup. That probably gives Ribbans the short term position until after the world Cup when he's in France.

So after the world Cup...who should we be looking at to really come through?

There's a batch of huge kids coming through...who do you think has stood out so far?

Alfie Bell (Exeter) 6'8, 19st
Rob Carmichael (Tigers) 6'11, 18 St 3
Lewis Chessum (Tigers) 6'9, 19st
Ben Bamber (Sharks) 6'9, 20st
Alex Groves (Sharks) 6'9, 19st

And having just switched to lock recently and playing really well...
George Martin (Tigers) 6'6, 19st
It's great to see some big lads coming through, but none are established in their club sides yet, so we're probably talking at least midway through the next RWC cycle, and probably longer, before any can even start to be thought of in Eng terms. Also a lot more to it than size - the Adam Beard fan club currently has vacancies.

I think we'll see a better Isiekwe next year and I've always liked Martin's physicality, although I instinctively think of him as more of an old school 6 - at a much later stage of his career Rodber successfully made that switch back in the day. As a word of caution, both Isiekwe and Martin were capped very young which seemed to set them back. There's a reason most of the best locks around are mid 20s or older - when they've both learned their craft and physically matured.
 
Oh i agree its not all about size...we had a bigger pack against France but were smashed for physicality and power. However size still helps...and if we can bring through a few who have the aggression, power AND size...it'll be a huge bonus. But as you say most of these are a few years down the line...

Im not sure Isiekwe is going to make it now...just doesnt seem to translate his physical attributes to this level. Maybe George Martin can. Early days in his switch to lock...but seems to be doing it very well and he definitely does have the power and game that we are sorely missing.

Leicester could have a big say in the England engine room going forward as they have some tremendous options coming through.

Get Ted Hll in at 6 and suddenly we start to have some players who will win the collisions and dominate the opposition.
 
Hearing Robertson talk about how happy he is to have so much time to plan for the head coach role.

Just makes me question the RFU even more tbh.
 
I guess Robertson will have had a pretty fair idea of which way the wind was blowing, so was probably never really in the mix for the Eng job.

But the key message from that, from Ire and even the way that France has targeted this RWC is that success can only be expected regularly if the needs of the national team are put front and centre.
 

Latest posts

Top