England EPS 2017/18 edition.

[Ragey Erasmus]

He's a talented athlete, but this doesn't seem to have translated to being an effective rugby player now he's playing against adults.

His moments of skill always seem to me to be akin to this guy....



Flashy, but ultimately not very good.

That video is so damn satisfying.

 

[Nudger]

So starting 15 is one player short of eddys best team?
Mako
Hartley
Cole
Launchbury
Itojo
Lawes
Robshaw
Simmonds
Young
Ford
Watson
Farrell
Hi
May
Brown

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

So starting 15 is one player short of eddys best team?
Mako
Hartley
Cole
Launchbury
Itojo
Lawes
Robshaw
Simmonds
Young
Ford
Watson
Farrell
Hi
May
Brown

I'd have thought he'd have Daly over a winger and at 8 we're 2 players short really.

 

[BPM]

I think Will has a huge about of potential skill wise he is better than our other 7's.

But and it's a big But he isn't as big as the others and doesn't have the physicality of the others yet. Some say size doesn't matter but it does at the top level.

I rate Evans, but I wouldn't have said he's more skilful than the Curry twins. Ben Curry in particular looks like a very instinctive, natural rugby player and I've seen him put in some kicks backs would be happy with.

Evans reminds me more of James Davies. I reckon they're not far off being the same size and play a similar-ish style. The problem is that England are unlikely to play in a way that suits that kind of 7.

That said, a bigger 6 like Shields might allow us to re-examine the balance.

 

[MarkyH]

So, looking past what will be an injury plagued six nations, and with the small hope we will go to SA and then the AIs, a year out from the world cup with a fully fit squad. I'm bored, so i've banged an EPS squad together I would love to see in October

Mako, Marler, Genge
Hartley, George, LCD
Cole, Sinckler, Williams
Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes,
Robshaw, Shields, Underhill
Curry, Curry, Simmonds
Billy, Hughes

Young, Care, Robson
Ford, Smith,
Farrell, Te'o
Joseph, Slade, Tuilagi
May, Nowell, Daly, Earle
Brown, Watson

(standby players like Ewels, Kruis, Dunn, Loz)

We could put out a fantastic squad, esp if Tuilagi improves as the season goes on as I still feel a carrying back is required as a plan B. Overload on the back 3 forwards but we have carrying, pace, turnover, link players, power, defence.

Plenty to be optimistic about for England into the next 18 months, we just need to come out of the 6N without any more broken bodies.

 

[Scotty]

So, looking past what will be an injury plagued six nations, and with the small hope we will go to SA and then the AIs, a year out from the world cup with a fully fit squad. I'm bored, so i've banged an EPS squad together I would love to see in October

Mako, Marler, Genge
Hartley, George, LCD
Cole, Sinckler, Williams
Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes,
Robshaw, Shields, Underhill
Curry, Curry, Simmonds
Billy, Hughes

Young, Care, Robson
Ford, Smith,
Farrell, Te'o
Joseph, Slade, Tuilagi
May, Nowell, Daly, Earle
Brown, Watson

(standby players like Ewels, Kruis, Dunn, Loz)

We could put out a fantastic squad, esp if Tuilagi improves as the season goes on as I still feel a carrying back is required as a plan B. Overload on the back 3 forwards but we have carrying, pace, turnover, link players, power, defence.

Plenty to be optimistic about for England into the next 18 months, we just need to come out of the 6N without any more broken bodies.

Currently

8 of your pack havnt been picked (injury ban or what ever)

You wouldn't have Mercer? Surprised B Curry hasnt been picked this 6N tbh

 

[MarkyH]

Oh yeah, this isn't meant to be a 6N squad. More of a dream scenario moving into the summer and AIs. Its all JFF.

I like Mercer, but if we have all the fully fit backrow options then I'd struggle to fit him in. First reserve if one gets injured maybe? And I agree on B Curry, should be around the squad right now, but if Robshaw injury rumours carry on I can see him being called up after the Portugal break (if hes not there already as part of the extended EPS)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

WIll Shields be one of the few forwards signed directly from a NZ super rugby team to really impress at prem level?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

On Shields, I'm really not sure that he's the solution to our problems that people seem to think he is. What our pack really lacks is ball carriers; in a first choice pack our only real carriers are the Vunipola bros. Shields really isn't much of a ball carrier, he's a very physical defender but ball in hand really isn't much of a threat. What we really need to do is find a dominant ball carrier to put into either 2nd row or 6 to take the pressure off of the Vunipola bros. As we've already got our 2nd row stocks sorted, I'd like to see Ewers given a run at 6 to give that 3rd giant ball carrier.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If only Fearns wasn't so precious (wrt Eddie Jones saying he wouldn't walk into starting XV) - him at 6 would solve a lot of problems. Big lump, good carrier, aggressive, loves hitting rucks etc.

Ironically he probably would walk straight into the starting XV if he was in England now.
Ewers would be next best bet but EJ doesn't seem to like him for whatever reason.

 

[curtbob7]

If only Fearns wasn't so precious (wrt Eddie Jones saying he wouldn't walk into starting XV) - him at 6 would solve a lot of problems. Big lump, good carrier, aggressive, loves hitting rucks etc.

Ironically he probably would walk straight into the starting XV if he was in England now.
Ewers would be next best bet but EJ doesn't seem to like him for whatever reason.[/QUOTE]

Because everyone else can see he would add something and likes him. Eddie is unbelievably stubborn.

 

[Hound]

I don't know if it's that Eddie doesn't like him so much as England's second row depth and the versatility of Itoje, where he'll get bookmarked at 6. So fewer opportunities.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Jones does seem to have slipped into keeping his favourites pretty quickly. If said favourite was someone like Launchbury, who can put in some great performances and be world class then ok but it isn't, his favourites are distinctly average players. The worst bit, those average favourites are keeping out players who look like they could be beyond average. Imagine if the likes of Itoje or Watson never got a look in over the incumbent. Jones has given a lot of caps but they are feeling less and less like development caps because they aren't being followed up with more caps. capping a lot of players 1 or 2 times is not the same as creating depth, which requires capping the non-favourites on a more regular basis.

I can't understand it. I know you want an experienced team going in to the world cup but Robshaw, Hartley or Brown missing out 5-8 caps each won't change much for them, if anything it might spur them on. 5-8 caps spent on potentially unearthing a great talent is invaluable though, as long as it isn't spread between lots of players.

 

[NickBD]

Jones does seem to have slipped into keeping his favourites pretty quickly. If said favourite was someone like Launchbury, who can put in some great performances and be world class then ok but it isn't, his favourites are distinctly average players. The worst bit, those average favourites are keeping out players who look like they could be beyond average. Imagine if the likes of Itoje or Watson never got a look in over the incumbent. Jones has given a lot of caps but they are feeling less and less like development caps because they aren't being followed up with more caps. capping a lot of players 1 or 2 times is not the same as creating depth, which requires capping the non-favourites on a more regular basis.

I can't understand it. I know you want an experienced team going in to the world cup but Robshaw, Hartley or Brown missing out 5-8 caps each won't change much for them, if anything it might spur them on. 5-8 caps spent on potentially unearthing a great talent is invaluable though, as long as it isn't spread between lots of players.

He's lost 1 game in 2 years, shouldn't he? I know reading other threads the response is England on the pitch over the past 12 months haven't been spectacular which is true but I wouldn't say bad and results wise it's been excellent. Unless things take a real turn I don't why he should change his selection and approach.

 

[curtbob7]

He's lost 1 game in 2 years, shouldn't he? I know reading other threads the response is England on the pitch over the past 12 months haven't been spectacular which is true but I wouldn't say bad and results wise it's been excellent. Unless things take a real turn I don't why he should change his selection and approach.

I think the thing is we haven't actually played well since 2016-ish.

 

[NickBD]

I think the thing is we haven't actually played well since 2016-ish.

Outside of the Italy, Samoa, Ireland games I can't remember England being bad last year, Australia, Scotland games England were very good and the rest good. With all the injures and Lions tour it's understandable to not be as consistent.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Sickler has been sent home with injury...

 

[TommiG88]

Outside of the Italy, Samoa, Ireland games I can't remember England being bad last year, Australia, Scotland games England were very good and the rest good. With all the injures and Lions tour it's understandable to not be as consistent.

Argentina at home was bad. I thought we were good against Samoa, and just lacked a bit of calmness in the odd moments.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

https://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/2018-six-nations-england-squad.40594/

 

[ratsapprentice]

U18 squad: