England 2025/26

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I very much doubt that there wouldn’t be a written contract of some kind or even a memorandum of understanding or something of the like.

It is the RFU and they are rubbish at everything but they couldn’t be that useless could they.

 

[AlRums]

It is the RFU and they are rubbish at everything but they couldn't be that useless could they.

Yes

 

[LIONSxv]

They should be tied into appearances imo

 

[Scotty]

McGuigan is back 3 and "contact area".
Wiggy is on defence for some reason.

It said Sale defence coach in the title and i assumed he was coming in that position.

Wasn't he definitely coach in Argentina?

 

[Geordie]

So the games this Autumn..
1st v Australia
8th v Fiji
15th v NZ
23rd v Argentina

(Couldn't find the A games fixtures)

So with injuries to key players like the Curries, Furbank ( is he back yet) George Martin (Will he ever be fit), Willis off, etc are there any genuine positional concerns you have for these tests and the A games or do you think we have depth that we can cover and put out a very competitive squad and 15?

Are there any players who should be in the A games that are genuinely auditioning for a place in the latter Autumn games?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tom Curry due back by mid November so you know 10000000% they're throwing him straight in for the NZ game with no match fitness/sharpness

Think 15 is my only concern - I'm a bigger fan of Steward than most on here but England just don't use him right/play the game for him, and then Marcus is likely second choice and I hate that more

Obviously I would've liked Willis at 8 but he was hardly a cemented first choice there (definitely could've/would've been) so really it doesn't set us back that far in terms of finding our starting 8 for the RWC.
With Pollock starting at 8 today I wonder if we might see 7. Earl, 8. Pollock this autumn

 

[Which Tyler]

They should be tied into appearances imo

The whole point is that they replace appearance fees, and offer job security

 

[Saintjay]

I really don't mind Steward. I think he bore the brunt of the flack, when England were shocking under Borthwick.

The guy was fantastic when he first started out and he's only 24. All the better alternatives are injured. Freeman could be an option, we'll see how he goes tonight.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Eddie generally had a better game plan for him than Borthwick

It's balance I think Borthwick wants a playmaking 15 BUT he only has Burbank and Smith isn't it also. My issue with Borthwick has been basically no second game plan.

 

[Wasps92]

How long till Furbank is fit?

 

[Geordie]

Tom Curry due back by mid November so you know 10000000% they're throwing him straight in for the NZ game with no match fitness/sharpness
----
With Pollock starting at 8 today I wonder if we might see 7. Earl, 8. Pollock this autumn

Ah yeah I REALLY hope they don't push for Curry to play. Just let him recover. We must see how the alternatives can cope in the heated test arena.

I was thinking exactly the same, with Earl at 8 and Pollock at 7 . But this means we need some serious beef and power at 6 though and at lock ideally. So maybe CCS will get the 6 nod whilst he still learns the 8 role.

Lock is the area that concerns me. We have 3 athletic options (Itoje, Chessum and Coles) but lack a real heavy duty beast, and Martins consistent injuries don't help.

 

[Geordie]

Just noticed Coles is at 6 aswell tonight.

6 Coles
8 Pollock

Could that be a hint.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I see no reason to rush curry back, it's not like we are lacking choice in the back row.

I'm normally not a fan of mucking around with player positions but I would have been interested to see steward at 12. His big weakness is lack of agility in defence as the last defender. That should be less if an issue at 12. As long as he has a reasonable pass, he could do well there imo.

 

[Which Tyler]

It's balance I think Borthwick wants a playmaking 15 BUT he only has Burbank and Smith isn't it also. My issue with Borthwick has been basically no second game plan.

Well, we've got De Glanville, it's just that we haven't looked at him.
I can only assume that there's a weakness to his game that I simply haven't seen - his club coach preferred Gallagher, and then brought in Carerras, Eddie wanted a look, but he blotted his copy book, Borthwick hasn't even looked. He's 25, so should be in the beginning of his peak years.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I very much doubt that there wouldn't be a written contract of some kind or even a memorandum of understanding or something of the like.

It is the RFU and they are rubbish at everything but they couldn't be that useless could they.

Yeah, I read that too but it just doesn’t stack up. Significant sums of money, usage of clubs’ prime assets, stakeholders with differing viewpoints is contract territory, not good faith.

I cannot imagine for one minute that the RFU will continue to pay Willis unless contractually obliged do so. And if they are it’s an extraordinary oversight.

Back to the field of play. Why rush T Curry back? At 15 I have no idea, but if Furbank is plan A then we should play the nearest proxy to him, whoever that might be.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Yeah, I read that too but it just doesn't stack up. Significant sums of money, usage of clubs' prime assets, stakeholders with differing viewpoints is contract territory, not good faith.

I cannot imagine for one minute that the RFU will continue to pay Willis unless contractually obliged do so. And if they are it's an extraordinary oversight.

Back to the field of play. Why rush T Curry back? At 15 I have no idea, but if Furbank is plan A then we should play the nearest proxy to him, whoever that might be.

If the RFU were confident they didn’t have to pay him they would have told the press that. Either directly or via a ‘Source says’. As that has not happened they either think they going to have to lay him or are unsure if they can get out of it.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

If the RFU were confident they didn't have to pay him they would have told the press that. Either directly or via a 'Source says'. As that has not happened they either think they going to have to lay him or are unsure if they can get out of it.

Or they don’t want to talk about a players pay which I get.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Or they don't want to talk about a players pay which I get.

Surely talking about it is better than headlines about them having to still pay him.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What headlines?

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

What headlines?

The Times had one and (maybe) the telegraph too