Australia vs England - 3 Tests - June 2016

[TheOvalBall]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_mid-year_rugby_union_internationals


1st Test - 11 Jun - Suncorp, Brisbane
2nd Test - 18 Jun - AAmi Park, Melbourne
3rd Test - 25 Jun - Allianz, Sydney

 

[McTallshort]

****ing daft, none stop AP games until the end of May. Need to have a summer off

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Got my tickets for Melbourne, can't wait to see test Rugby again

 

[TheOvalBall]

With England doing well, and with an Aussie at the helm, this is shaping up to be a fascinating test series!
Can't wait!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

****ing daft, none stop AP games until the end of May. Need to have a summer off

Agreed, it is daft, especially after a season which included RWC and 6 nations. NH players are just going to be burnt out next season. And with Lions next summer, it's only going to get worse.

The only thing I would say is at least the first test is two weeks after the AP final and not like when England went to NZ two years ago and the idiots organised the 1st test 1 week after the final. Not much, but at least England should in theory be able to pick from a full squad of players, rather than the debacle 2 years ago.

Actually looking forward to the 3 tests - 8.30am will be NZ v Wales, then followed at 11am by England v Australia. 3 Saturdays in a row from 11 June. Sorted for my fix of International rugby in June.

 

[Every Time Ref]

With England doing well, and with an Aussie at the helm, this is shaping up to be a fascinating test series!
Can't wait!

We're still not at the level that I'd be confident taking on Aus away though.

Interesting to see how our vastly improved breakdown work (partly down to George Smith ... another interesting angle on the series!) copes with Pooper.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Would like to see the following England team start the first test, injury permitting:

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5 Kruis
6. Itoje
7. Clifford
8. Vunipola
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Tuilagi
13. Joesph
14. Watson
15. Brown
16. George
17. Vunipola
18. Brooke
19. Lawes
20. Haskell
21. Care
22. Farrell
23. Daley

Would like to see Slade at some point at 12, but not sure how fit he will be after his injury lay off.

 

[Maverick1987]

We're still not at the level that I'd be confident taking on Aus away though.

Interesting to see how our vastly improved breakdown work (partly down to George Smith ... another interesting angle on the series!) copes with Pooper.

I'm confident we can take on the Aussies . They smashed us at the World Cup but that's as bad as I've seen us for a decade . We crumbled under pressure . If this 6N is anything to go by we have stopped the rot as far as that's concerned . I'd like to see Brookes start and Kvesic come in for Haskell . Still lots to work on though and don't forget we have to beat Wales again in May !

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Any news on whether, Kepu, Giteau, AAC, Genia, Mitchell are likely to play in the June tests?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

whilst won't happen would like to see players like
Marler
Cole
Lawes
Robshaw
Vunipola (Def won't happen)
Youngs
Farrell
Brown

Rested considering they have been training non stop roughly for well over a year.

Bring in
Waller
Thomas
Slater/Barrow/Kitchener
Underhill
Hughes
Robson
Hill
Lewington/Roko

Won't happen though and TBH not upset it won't happen, Most will get a shot with Saxons regardless (under Callard dear god)

Aus team will be interesting.

 

[Lancashire Nick]

Would like to see the following England team start the first test, injury permitting:

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5 Kruis
6. Itoje
7. Clifford
8. Vunipola
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Tuilagi
13. Joesph
14. Watson
15. Brown
16. George
17. Vunipola
18. Brooke
19. Lawes
20. Haskell
21. Care
22. Farrell
23. Daley

Would like to see Slade at some point at 12, but not sure how fit he will be after his injury lay off.

A pretty good team .............. Long term Itoje has to move to 6 and we need to find a proper flyer to play 7............... In the short term, I wonder if Farrell's kicking makes him a better option at 10 ..................... I too want to see what a fully fit Slade can do, although I'm not sure how he best fits in to the line up, perhaps at 12 with Tuilagi going to 13 ?

 

[optimuswolf]

I really want to see a farrell-slade tuilagi midfield.

Perhaps ford for farrell if he can recover from Hodgsonitis.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

This is just bloody madness.

Agree with Tigs Man. The squad left for Colorado on 14th July last year and the last test of this series is on 25th June. Has nobody noticed that rugby's quite physical these days and that these players might just, possibly, need a rest? Not to mention the mental impact of the RWC disaster. If people have been moaning about the 6N suffering a RWC hangover, what state do they think Eng will be in in 3 months time??

If Jones has any sense, he should treat this as more of a development tour and send some of the star names to the beach with a few beers. Use players who have missed chunks of the season through injury or have sat on the bench through the 6N. The likes of Brookes, Slade and Manu will have miles in their legs and be up for the fight. Billy, Fazlet and Brown won't.

 

[Tony Manx]

This is just bloody madness.

Agree with Tigs Man. The squad left for Colorado on 14th July last year and the last test of this series is on 25th June. Has nobody noticed that rugby's quite physical these days and that these players might just, possibly, need a rest? Not to mention the mental impact of the RWC disaster. If people have been moaning about the 6N suffering a RWC hangover, what state do they think Eng will be in in 3 months time??

If Jones has any sense, he should treat this as more of a development tour and send some of the star names to the beach with a few beers. Use players who have missed chunks of the season through injury or have sat on the bench through the 6N. The likes of Brookes, Slade and Manu will have miles in their legs and be up for the fight. Billy, Fazlet and Brown won't.

Agreed but the Aussies will scream at another under strength English squad coming down under! No reason not to do it though......!!

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Not being inflammatory. Just interested

A pretty good team .............. Long term Itoje has to move to 6 and we need to find a proper flyer to play 7............... In the short term, I wonder if Farrell's kicking makes him a better option at 10 ..................... I too want to see what a fully fit Slade can do, although I'm not sure how he best fits in to the line up, perhaps at 12 with Tuilagi going to 13 ?

Mark itoje has just played what 3 games in England's second row. The scrum has been solid enough, the lineout has been impressive both in attack and defence. Itoje in my view has been awesome in all three games. He's certainly not been bullied in his role. He's hit rucks, turned over ball all the while our other 6s Haskell and Robshaw have effectively gone about their business.

Why must he be a 6? What wisdom makes it so? If it's to make way for another contender, who and why. Thus far Maro looks more rounded and technically gifted than Lawes and Lauchbury is not back to his pre-injury self.

 

[Tony Manx]

Mark itoje has just played what 3 games in England's second row. The scrum has been solid enough, the lineout has been impressive both in attack and defence. Itoje in my view has been awesome in all three games. He's certainly not been bullied in his role. He's hit rucks, turned over ball all the while our other 6s Haskell and Robshaw have effectively gone about their business.

Why must he be a 6? What wisdom makes it so? If it's to make way for another contender, who and why. Thus far Maro looks more rounded and technically gifted than Lawes and Lauchbury is not back to his pre-injury self.

Same question I keep asking! Why must he be a 6? Some others -

Does he not have a say on where he sees himself playing long term?

Who decided he was a second row?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

England should just do what the Stormers did with the Brumbies and pin them in their own half and work off of mistakes and the odd turn over ball. Folau can't play a territorial kicking game as good as he is elsewhere and if you don't have the ball Pocock can't steal it. Like the Stormers vs the Brumbies England should be able to put in a dominant set piece display vs Aussie as well.

 

[Lancashire Nick]

Mark itoje has just played what 3 games in England's second row. The scrum has been solid enough, the lineout has been impressive both in attack and defence. Itoje in my view has been awesome in all three games. He's certainly not been bullied in his role. He's hit rucks, turned over ball all the while our other 6s Haskell and Robshaw have effectively gone about their business.

Why must he be a 6? What wisdom makes it so? If it's to make way for another contender, who and why. Thus far Maro looks more rounded and technically gifted than Lawes and Lauchbury is not back to his pre-injury self.

You're right ....... He doesn't HAVE TO BE moved to 6 ............. I just believe that looking at Itoje's style of play, his build, the number of quality English Locks, the lack of decent English Flankers etc etc, it would benefit England to move him to 6

 

[Maverick1987]

You're right ....... He doesn't HAVE TO BE moved to 6 ............. I just believe that looking at Itoje's style of play, his build, the number of quality English Locks, the lack of decent English Flankers etc etc, it would benefit England to move him to 6

There's plenty of good flankers in England even if they are unproven . Although I don't disagree with you about Itoje's quality but keeping a freak like Dave Ewers out of the team by moving Itoje to the flank so we can put Lawes on the bench makes me want to cry ......

 

[Willodell100]

Jones made a point in an interview yesterday about having three players for each position vying for places.

Here's my list:

Loosehead Prop
Joe Marler
Mako Vunipola
Matt Mullan / Nick Auterac

Hooker
Dylan Hartley
Jamie George
Luke Cowan-Dickie

Tighthead Prop
Dan Cole
Kieron Brookes
Paul Hill / Henry Thomas

Lock
Maro Itoje
Joe Launchbury
Dave Attwood / Ed Slater

Lock
George Kruis
Courtney Lawes
Graham Kitchener / Geoff Parling

Blindside Flanker
Chris Robshaw
Dave Ewers
Jamie Gibson

Openside Flanker
James Haskell
Jack Clifford
Matt Kvesic / Luke Wallace

Number 8
Billy Vunipola
Ben Morgan
Josh Beaumont

Scrum half
Ben Youngs
Danny Care
Dan Robson

Flyhalf
George Ford
Owen Farrell
Danny Cipriani / Freddie Burns

Left Wing
Jack Nowell
Jonny May
Alex Lewington

Inside Centre
Henry Slade
Manu Tuilagi
Sam Hill

Outside Centre
Jonathan Joseph
Elliot Daly
Henry Trinder

Right Wing
Antony Watson
Marlon Yarde
Semesa Rokoduguni / Christian Wade

Full Back
Mike Brown
Alex Goode
Ben Foden / Chris Pennell