England EPS 2017/18 edition.

[Scotty]

I can't see Simmonds playing 7 for England ahead of Underhill and Curry, especially when he's playing 8 at his club atm. I know EJ is more than happy to play players in a position different to their club, but I see him falling into the Clifford jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none role.
TBH it wouldn't be a bad move - I think Binny and Underhill will be England 8 and 7 for a long long time. Focusing on playing all across the backrow (so bench spot and first reserve in a number of positions), or at 6, could be his best shot.

You have a good point tbh but i see him on the flanks. Waldrom is back now i wonder his position if waldrom starts for chiefs because i cant see him being benched unless to rest him. So he could be a 7 for chiefs i dont know but 6 or 7 and 3rd choice 8 for england in seasons to come.

By the end of the season i deffinatly think he will have a look in for the first team even if its 20 on his back.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I can't see Simmonds playing 7 for England ahead of Underhill and Curry, especially when he's playing 8 at his club atm. I know EJ is more than happy to play players in a position different to their club, but I see him falling into the Clifford jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none role.
TBH it wouldn't be a bad move - I think Binny and Underhill will be England 8 and 7 for a long long time. Focusing on playing all across the backrow (so bench spot and first reserve in a number of positions), or at 6, could be his best shot.

Agreed, he falls into the "good, but...." category for me.

Watching Genge again yesterday, it's surely only a matter of time before he claims the 1 shirt outright. Total force of nature whose hands and awareness seem to have improved hugely. Also won a couple of line outs at the front. Marler's top class, many say the same about Mako, but Genge will trump the pair of them. Get him in and give him the chance.

From having a pack that was too nice in the Lancaster years, we're starting to build something very physical with no little degree of skill. 2019 could be Genge, George, Cole, Kruis, Lawes, Itoje, Underhill and Binny. Anyone would know they'd been in a fight with that lot. Just need a rampaging TH who can scrummage and doesn't get himself banned.

 

[BPM]

I think it's too soon to consign Simmonds to the 'good, but ...' category.

If he makes the squad, it will be wholly deserved, but I share the same reservations of him possibly being a utility back rower rather than a specialist.

A friend of mine with some genuine links to the England camp told me that Eddie likes him but sees him as a 7 at test level rather than an 8.

Personally, I think it's well worth a try. Haskell definitely seems to be reaching the end of his usefulness - he looks a shadow of the player he was on the Australia tour, so we should be trialling some different options.

Underhill offers the physicality, tackling and ruck smashing qualities that would make him a good replacement for Haskell, but I haven't really seen anything more than that. Simmonds seems to be much more talented in attack as well as being good in defence and at the breakdown. I feel like he could be the Hooper/Tipuric option at 7 we've not had in forever.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Underhill isn't like Simmonds in attack, but he's much, much more capable than Haskell.

He was used as more of an attacking option for the Ospreys, and his footballing skills are very solid.

He's a good link man.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I want against Italy in the six nations a front row of
1) Genge, 2) George, 3) Sinckler


Also May4EnglandCaptain.

 

[BPM]

Underhill isn't like Simmonds in attack, but he's much, much more capable than Haskell.

He was used as more of an attacking option for the Ospreys, and his footballing skills are very solid.

He's a good link man.

So I hear, but I took every opportunity I could to watch him for Ospreys (including on S4C with Welsh commentary) and I just haven't side that side of his game. I'm not saying it doesn't exist and you're certainly not the only person saying it, but I reckon I've seen 15+ games of Underhill, so it can't be a prominent part of his game.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I disagree.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think we're at the point now that there shouldn't be anyone we want to take to the World Cup who shouldn't by now be in the squad.

My RWC Squad looks like this:
Props - Marler, Vunipola, Genge, Cole, Sinckler
Hookers - George, LCD, Hartley
Locks - Lawes, Kruis, Launchbury
Back Rowers - Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmonds, Vunipola, Hughes
Scrum Halves - Youngs, Care, Maunder
Fly Halves - George Ford, Alex Lozowski
Centres - Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te'o, Henry Slade
Back Three - Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Denny Solomona
Utility - Elliot Daly

With that in mind, my squad for this AI series would be:
Props - Marler, Vunipola, Genge, Cole, Williams (for Sinckler's ban)
Hookers - George, Hartley, Haywood (for LCD's injury)
Locks - Lawes, Kruis, Itoje, Isiekwe (addition)
Back Rowers - Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmonds, Hughes, Curry (in for Vunipola with Simmonds in as an 8 rather than a 7)
Scrum Halves - Youngs, Care, Maunder
Fly Halves - George Ford, Alex Lozowski
Centres - Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te'o, Henry Slade
Back Three - Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Denny Solomona, Nathan Earle (addition)
Utility - Elliot Daly

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Great seeing Genge's recent form and Tigers seem to have helped cool his aggression to the extent he is doing less stupid ****. May has also found a vein of form and really looks like a good finisher now.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

So I hear, but I took every opportunity I could to watch him for Ospreys (including on S4C with Welsh commentary) and I just haven't side that side of his game. I'm not saying it doesn't exist and you're certainly not the only person saying it, but I reckon I've seen 15+ games of Underhill, so it can't be a prominent part of his game.

I think he gets his hands on the ball a reasonable amount, but quite often passes rather than taking contact. Which makes perfect sense when you've got others around who are better equipped to run through brick walls.

I'd 100% rather have a flanker who hits hard and aggressively out of instinct and has to work a bit on the more creative side than the other way round.

I think it's too soon to consign Simmonds to the 'good, but ...' category.

What I meant was he's good, but if everyone's fit I don't see him nailing down a starting shirt. Olyy nailed it with the Clifford comparison. if we're wrong that's great, the more competition the better.

 

[MarkyH]

I think we're at the point now that there shouldn't be anyone we want to take to the World Cup who shouldn't by now be in the squad.

My RWC Squad looks like this:
Props - Marler, Vunipola, Genge, Cole, Sinckler
Hookers - George, LCD, Hartley
Locks - Lawes, Kruis, Launchbury
Back Rowers - Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmonds, Vunipola, Hughes
Scrum Halves - Youngs, Care, Maunder
Fly Halves - George Ford, Alex Lozowski
Centres - Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te'o, Henry Slade
Back Three - Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Denny Solomona
Utility - Elliot Daly

With that in mind, my squad for this AI series would be:
Props - Marler, Vunipola, Genge, Cole, Williams (for Sinckler's ban)
Hookers - George, Hartley, Haywood (for LCD's injury)
Locks - Lawes, Kruis, Itoje, Isiekwe (addition)
Back Rowers - Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmonds, Hughes, Curry (in for Vunipola with Simmonds in as an 8 rather than a 7)
Scrum Halves - Youngs, Care, Maunder
Fly Halves - George Ford, Alex Lozowski
Centres - Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te'o, Henry Slade
Back Three - Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Denny Solomona, Nathan Earle (addition)
Utility - Elliot Daly

Very optimistic of you to leave Mike Brown out. I'm 99% sure if he's fit then he will be our starting FB in 2019

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

For me in 2019 i could see Isiekwe overtaking Launchbury.

Would also put Armand over Curry in the AI's.

 

[Nudger]

I think we're at the point now that there shouldn't be anyone we want to take to the World Cup who shouldn't by now be in the squad.

My RWC Squad looks like this:
Props - Marler, Vunipola, Genge, Cole, Sinckler
Hookers - George, LCD, Hartley
Locks - Lawes, Kruis, Launchbury
Back Rowers - Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmonds, Vunipola, Hughes
Scrum Halves - Youngs, Care, Maunder
Fly Halves - George Ford, Alex Lozowski
Centres - Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te'o, Henry Slade
Back Three - Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Denny Solomona
Utility - Elliot Daly

With that in mind, my squad for this AI series would be:
Props - Marler, Vunipola, Genge, Cole, Williams (for Sinckler's ban)
Hookers - George, Hartley, Haywood (for LCD's injury)
Locks - Lawes, Kruis, Itoje, Isiekwe (addition)
Back Rowers - Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmonds, Hughes, Curry (in for Vunipola with Simmonds in as an 8 rather than a 7)
Scrum Halves - Youngs, Care, Maunder
Fly Halves - George Ford, Alex Lozowski
Centres - Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te'o, Henry Slade
Back Three - Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Denny Solomona, Nathan Earle (addition)
Utility - Elliot Daly

Can't see why launchbury doesn't make your autumn squad

 

[Nudger]

Is Thursday squad 36 players?

 

[Scotty]

Hughes dangerous tackle
Hartley striking with the hand
Marler striking with the elbow.

All have disciplinary hears on wednesday. The day before eps release

Marler gives genge a shot at lleast and he will get a ban he went to strike a player in the head with his elbow.
Hartley was reckless but no intent.
Hughes not sure tbh.

What do we think?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Marler will get a ban, and deserves one
Hartley will get a ban because of his past - reckless at most
Don't recall a Hughes incident


Shame for Marler because he's really becoming a top class loosehead, But he keeps getting into this incidents. Sure he was provoked but don't drop an elbow on someone's head!


If Hartley were to miss then where does that leave us with hookers?
George obviously first choice, But with LCD and Taylor out, who's next? McGuigan and Singleton were around over the summer, how have they been playing?

 

[Scotty]

Shame for hartley to it was a total accident even if it was reckless.

I dont really know for hookers it seems to be a lack of depth, LCD abit injury prone and TT unlucky. Is it bad that out of 12 teams and 24 hookers in the match day squads. We have 2 good choices and 2 long term injuries and then no other real choices that really stand up.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Shame for hartley to it was a total accident even if it was reckless.

I dont really know for hookers it seems to be a lack of depth, LCD abit injury prone and TT unlucky. Is it bad that out of 12 teams and 24 hookers in the match day squads. We have 2 good choices and 2 long term injuries and then no other real choices that really stand up.

I don't see why Haywood isn't taken into consideration more often. He's not gonna overtake the other options but if Hartley were to pick up a ban I'd have no concerns with Haywood in the 16 shirt.

 

[BPM]

Tom Dunn was in the training squad so I'd assume he's the next cab off the rank if Hartley is cited.

Is Tom Youngs too crazy to mention? If LCD or Taylor were available it would be a different story, but we could do a lot worse than start George with Youngs on the bench.

His set piece isn't good enough to be in the mix ordinarily, but I always thought he did very well for England TBH.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Nah Youngs throwing has been too poor.

Also think he might prefer to have the 2 weeks off during the AWC.