England EPS 2017/18 edition.

[Which Tyler]

harry mallinder, nathan earle, solomona, lewis boyce, tom dunn, gary graham, alec Hepburn all surprises for me. Some unpleasant.

That's a squad of 40, so several will only be there for Eddie to run his eye over them in camp - much like previous training camps. I'm sure that when he gets down to a match-day 23 it'll look far more sensible. Although it still leaves us with one of Boyce or Hepburn for the bench (gotta be the latter).

As far as suprises about who IS there, only really Mallinder and Boyce surprise me; and whilst I'd have at least one other of Exeter's backrow in there - and a different Newcastle flanker, I can't argue with the backrowers who are. Eddie obviously still sees Lawes at 6 as viable...

Am I clutching at straws here?

 

[curtbob7]

That's a squad of 40, so several will only be there for Eddie to run his eye over them in camp - much like previous training camps. I'm sure that when he gets down to a match-day 23 it'll look far more sensible. Although it still leaves us with one of Boyce or Hepburn for the bench (gotta be the latter).

As far as suprises about who IS there, only really Mallinder and Boyce surprise me; and whilst I'd have at least one other of Exeter's backrow in there, I can't argue with the backrowers who are. Eddie obviously still sees Lawes at 6 as viable...

Am I clutching at straws here?

A little, maybe.

Just think that Ewers, Armand and Cowan-Dickie have been hard done by. Goode is also twice the player of Mallinder for me.

 

[MarkyH]

Christ. Uninspiring. I had to google a couple of the players...

No Curry.
No Ewers.
No Armand.

Mallinder ?!

 

[MarkyH]

Anyway. Here is my lineup I'd like to see for Italy, and iit looks pretty good, mix of youth in there too.

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Kyle Sinkler
4. Maro Itoje
5. Joe Launchbury
6. Chris Robshaw
7. Sam Simmonds
8. Zach Mercer

9. Ben Youngs
10. George Ford
11. Jonny May
12. Owen Farrell
13. Jonathan Joseph
14. Anthony Watson
15. Mike ******* Brown

Hepburn, Hartley, Williams, Lawes, Underhill, Care, Slade, Nowell

 

[Giraffatitan]

Mallinder is the big surprise to me still.

One other point of note is that Nowell has been included as an 'Inside Back' with Eddie supposedly seeing him as a realistic option at 13..

 

[TRF_Olyy]

**** me, that's worse than I imagined

 

[ratsapprentice]

Really dislike Mallinder being given a go.

Like Boyce being included (a lot, I think he's really good), same goes for Earle.

Dissapointed LCD and Ewers in particular aren't involved.

 

[MarkyH]

TBH we're being tested due to injuries a lot. But in general its not the worst. A few of the players are young enough to improve. The backs are basically the same that has been very successful in the last 24 months.

I just think some of us are disappointed that a few stand out players seem to be missed.

The back up backs are fine, would of like to have seen Hill get in mind. Forwards just lacking that massive carrier but we have plenty of youth and experience in there. Would deffo want to see a Curry rather than a Graham in there. That I don't understand

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

TBH we're being tested due to injuries a lot. But in general its not the worst. A few of the players are young enough to improve. The backs are basically the same that has been very successful in the last 24 months.

I just think some of us are disappointed that a few stand out players seem to be missed.

The back up backs are fine, would of like to have seen Hill get in mind. Forwards just lacking that massive carrier but we have plenty of youth and experience in there. Would deffo want to see a Curry rather than a Graham in there. That I don't understand

Curry might come in later. If the thinking is that we cap Graham so that scotland cant, then italy is the best game to do it

 

[curtbob7]

Forgot about the Curries! Id even have Will Evans ahead of Graham. Worst squad in a long time. Happy to be proved wrong after they put 50+ points on Italy.

 

[MarkyH]

Forgot about the Curries! Id even have Will Evans ahead of Graham. Worst squad in a long time. Happy to be proved wrong after they put 50+ points on Italy.

Hows Will Evans coming along? I know he's highly rated but not sure if he's getting game time in that awful Leicester pack

 

[curtbob7]

Hows Will Evans coming along? I know he's highly rated but not sure if he's getting game time in that awful Leicester pack

Bits here and there but stands out almost everytime. Good over the ball, spots gaps and links play. Ok we tend to lose a lot but at least he shines .

 

[MarkyH]

So, anyone have anything good to say about Mallinder? 6ft 5 17 stone inside centre, sometimes FH. Should be the exact player we want on paper. I'm guessing he's just not very good?

I agree with the sentiment about his face

 

[BenJeffrey]

So, anyone have anything good to say about Mallinder? 6ft 5 17 stone inside centre, sometimes FH. Should be the exact player we want on paper. I'm guessing he's just not very good?

I agree with the sentiment about his face

For such a big lad, he never seems to utilise it. Although Northampton, statistically, play a lot better with him at 10, then at 15.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

So, anyone have anything good to say about Mallinder? 6ft 5 17 stone inside centre, sometimes FH. Should be the exact player we want on paper. I'm guessing he's just not very good?

I agree with the sentiment about his face

He was embarrisingly bad at big game 10...

 

[curtbob7]

So, anyone have anything good to say about Mallinder? 6ft 5 17 stone inside centre, sometimes FH. Should be the exact player we want on paper. I'm guessing he's just not very good?

I agree with the sentiment about his face

Will never get anywhere near starting 10 for England. Doesn't tackle well enough or use his size for a 12. Full back ive not really seen him too much but I know his tackling is poor so not a good start.

Think we have high expectations of him considering his name, game time and under 20's record.

I say all this but right now he would probably start at 15 for Tigers...

 

[Chief Pete]

Although I'm not a fan of Mallinder, the kid's lacking confidence big time and prob a bit lost since his dad got sacked, so although he'll get nowhere near the matchday squad, I think EJ has called him in to maybe put an arm around him and offer him some guidance with his game, especially as EJ like's him and is looking 3 - 4 years in the future...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Bits here and there but stands out almost everytime. Good over the ball, spots gaps and links play. Ok we tend to lose a lot but at least he shines .

He's prem quality. Nothing more.

 

[curtbob7]

He's prem quality. Nothing more.

He's 20. Eddie is including youth for the future so that's why I mentioned him.

 

[NickBD]

So Mercer is now in as a uncapped player and not a apprentice. Marcus Smith still is though.