England 2024/25

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Who are peoples ones to watch for next season?
At Tigers for me
Haffar - I feel 3rd LH option up for grabs, his carrying is great and Tigers tend to do a good job at working on scrummaging
Blamire - Leicester will either make or break him in terms of International level. Massive gap for him if he clicks.
Ilione - I feel he will really push Reffell as a starting 7 also talk about 8 if we don't sign another player there. IF he gets more stats I could see him being a really good 6 option for England. He Jumps in the line out, tackles and carries hard + fetcher IMO 6 is his best position but also feel Carnduff and Hanro will be playing 6 at Tigers

(Outside Tigers)
Jibulu - going to get plenty of chances and seems very promising

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Realistically probably just Jibulu for Sale

Asher is where he's at and unlikely to really be pushing for first 23 role for another year or two

Rodd was a bit disappointing this tour, not bad but just didn't take his chances as well as I'd have hoped - likely to drop down the pecking order with Baxter hitting good form and other options coming through

Bamber could push forwards if there's injuries to the frontline players, but missing out on this tour entirely kinda shows where he's at, he finished the season really well and our lock stocks are low though so will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself for Sale

RMW unlucky that Atkinson and Ojomoh both went well. Might play the A game(s) this season

Roebuck and Carpenter unlikely to progress from where they're at (challenging for first team and A game starter, respectively) as we've got some real depth atm especially with Furbank coming back and Marcus for some reason in the depth chart at 15

 

[Which Tyler]

I think it depends on what you mean by "one to watch"
Are we talking talent of an age to go from nowhere into the starting XV ALA IFW?
Or those on the Fringe looking to move into the starting XV ALA SAtkinson?

Obvious candidates for the former would be Ciaran Donoghue and Lewis Chessum - but this batch is famously impossible to identify; those 2 happen to play in positions that are open to a bolter for England.
Latter batch of players would be all the usual suspects, including all 4 young centres with 1-4 caps to their names. TBH though, pretty much anyone on the Argentinian tour aged under 26

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ones to watch from a potential England POV not a League POV
Like a really good season could see them get into the squad.

Donoghue will be interesting largely because what will bath view as their main backline?

 

[Geordie]

Ones to watch at the falcons NO ONE!!!

 

[Which Tyler]

Ones to watch from a potential England POV not a League POV
Like a really good season could see them get into the squad.

Donoghue will be interesting largely because what will bath view as their main backline?

I knew it was an England PoV; just whether you're talking about a bolter coming from nowhere, or someone who's already got a place in the pecking order who could improve that place significantly with a run of form.
I guess from the above, you're more meaning the latter - in which case, any youngster who went to Argentina. Those players around 3rd /4th choice who could bump up by merit with a run of form.

For that matter, what actually is the pecking order as it stands?
1. Genge, Baxter, Rodd
2. George, LCD, Dan, Langdon, Oghre
3. Stuart, Heyes, AOF, Fasogbon
4. Itoje, Ewels, Clark
5. Chessum, Martin, Coles
6. TCurry, BCurry, CCS, Hill
7. Underhill, Pollock, Pepper
8. Willis, Earl, Domrandt

09. Mitchell, JvP, Spencer, Randall
10. Smith, Ford, Farrell, Smith, CAtkinson
11. Freeman, Murley, Muir
12. SAtkinson, Dingwall, Ojomoh
13. Lawrence, Northmore, Beard, Slade
14. IFW, Roebuck, Sleightholme
15. Furbank, Steward, Daly, Carpenter

Without stopping to think too hard; I can name at least 3 in each position, without using anyone twice. If the squad is 32, then anyone coming in from outside that group needs to overtake (by merit) at least one, more realistically 2 of that lot.


ETA: One name I do think could become a bolter would be Orlando Bailey - he's a good player, and moving to Leicester to be first choice starter should be the making of him. Good coaching, plenty of game-time, positionally versatile - I just hope he hasn't left that arrival as a starter too late. He's not about to unseat Fin or Ford; but he might make a squad or even bench.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Donoghue will be interesting largely because what will bath view as their main backline?

Arundell as well, where's he gonna be in the pecking order

 

[Which Tyler]

Arundell as well, where's he gonna be in the pecking order

At club?
He'll start out as 3rd choice wing, fighting Cokanasiga for the roll of "physical freak of nature, learning to play rugby; blows hot and cold; as capable of a wonder try as of a brain-freeze howler"
Good call as a bolter though - if he can perform for Bath he's got an obstacle, but far from insurmountable; and an excellent 10 and midfield to get him the ball with opportunities.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Where would Marchant fit in the pecking order if he did return as rumoured as the other week.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Behind Lawrence (imo I would have him ahead but he got to earn it first in the league)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I could see SB being very keen on Marchant because he is a genuine option in two positions and SB loves a multitasker - not saying he'd waltz into a starting shirt, but do think he'd be in the mix right away

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Tbh it sounds like Sale have managed to keep RDP from Paris, so Marchant is probably unlikely to go the other way

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, think Sanderson said our recruitment is done now, which is nuts because the sides looks way weaker now than before

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah, think Sanderson said our recruitment is done now, which is nuts because the sides looks way weaker now than before

A few teams do TBF

 

[BPM]

Who are peoples ones to watch for next season?
At Tigers for me
Haffar - I feel 3rd LH option up for grabs, his carrying is great and Tigers tend to do a good job at working on scrummaging
Blamire - Leicester will either make or break him in terms of International level. Massive gap for him if he clicks.
Ilione - I feel he will really push Reffell as a starting 7 also talk about 8 if we don't sign another player there. IF he gets more stats I could see him being a really good 6 option for England. He Jumps in the line out, tackles and carries hard + fetcher IMO 6 is his best position but also feel Carnduff and Hanro will be playing 6 at Tigers

(Outside Tigers)
Jibulu - going to get plenty of chances and seems very promising

All good shouts and agree with your summary too.

Here are mine:

Phil Brantingham - he was starting to look very good prior to his knee injury and I think he'll be challenging to be Saracens first choice loosehead. He definitely has the potential to be challenging Rodd and Haffar.

Billy Sela - he's had to be patient with Stuart and du Toit in front of him but with he former getting a post-Lions rest, I can see him beating Griffin for the bench spot.

Lewis Chessum - I'm hopeful that a combination of the game time he got in Japan, a full preseason and Parling's influence will help him to achieve his massive potential.

Charlie Bracken - I can see him getting more game time this season and he's already on England's radar. With 9 being a position of relative weakness, I think he's in a good place to push for the starting shirt before too long.

Jamie Benson - has looked class in the limited appearances he's had for Quins so far. With Marcus Smith getting also getting a post-Lions rest, he's got a great chance to establish himself ahead of Jarrod Evans.

Ben Waghorn - had a really good breakthrough season with Quins last season. If he can build on that, he's another name we can add to the promising 12s coming through.

Will Joseph - a bit of a forgotten man (mostly due to injuries) but lots of talent and his move to Gloucester will be made doubly interesting given he’ll likely play 13 outside Seb Atkinson. I’m excited to see how that partnership goes.

I could see all 7 of these in the mix for England A for sure.

 

[BPM]

A few teams do TBF

Yep. Same for Quins. Petti is our star signing but I’m not convinced Harry Williams solves any problems at tighthead and we haven’t signed a replacement for Marler which leaves us very light at loosehead behind Baxter.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah tigers are in a similar boat

 

[BPM]

Bailey could be worth adding into the mix for ‘ones to watch’. On paper it’s a very good move for everyone.

I might be overstating it, but I think the Lions rest period could be really critical for a lot of players getting proper opportunities.

The likes of Jibulu, Benson, Sela, Donoghue, McParland and Sodeke are in a great position to get a run in their sides or at least bench spots they might not otherwise have got.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

A few teams do TBF

and then there's Bath

 

[Which Tyler]

and then there's Bath

Our time will be coming next year, when the big names will be demanding too much or moving on (specifically DuToit, who's risen from fringe international to try-scoring sensation and" best prop in the world" [if you ignore those above him for RSA]).
Thankfully, our next cabs are also decent.

A nomination for bolter coming in from RR is Tuipulotu at Bath.
He's too young, but could end the season as first choice for Bath, where neither Dunn nor Frost are uncatchable - and for England where none of the options to backup George and LCD are seizing their chances