England EPS 2017/18 edition.

[BPM]

Please tell me that wasn't a serious post

 

[Hound]

Please tell me that wasn't a serious post

Haven't been following Premiership rugby that long. I'm honestly curious as to why he's been completely out of the hunt for selection for about a decade.

I mean sure... you're probably not looking to throw a 32 year old winger in now... but he does have international level size and pace, a nose for the try line and can finish well.

He's faster than Nowell and a lot of the options being discussed.

I assume it's the '08 incident, but being from down here we didn't get all the headlines and I'm not really sure what's seen him basically get scratched from consideration.

 

[Hound]

Ah. Google is my friend.

The stuff I'd heard was just him and Mike Brown got drunk and were late in the next day... yeah, a lot more involved in that than what I was aware of at the time...

:sheepish:

 

[ratsapprentice]

He's also just not a particularly good player.

 

[curtbob7]

He's also just not a particularly good player.

Neither is Ojo

 

[ncurd]

I genuinely had to look up who the hell you were reffering to but makes sense I can't remember a London Irish player who played for England twice but against NZ so I can see why you remember him.

He's also just not a particularly good player.

Yup you just have to look at his strike rates when we talk about premierships statistics he's nowhere near the talking points.

Out of the pure wingers we usually talk about,

Wade = 67%
Ashton = 64%
Roko = 50%
May = 45%
Banahan (just to point out how stupid this is) = 33%
Ojo = 25%

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I genuinely had to look up who the hell you were reffering to but makes sense I can't remember a London Irish player who played for England twice but against NZ so I can see why you remember him.

Yup you just have to look at his strike rates when we talk about premierships statistics he's nowhere near the talking points.

Out of the pure wingers we usually talk about,

Wade = 67%
Ashton = 64%
Roko = 50%
May = 45%
Banahan (just to point out how stupid this is) = 33%
Ojo = 25%

I hate the fact that statistically Ashton always looks like a good winger as opposed to one who worked for Sarries.

 

[Hound]

I genuinely had to look up who the hell you were reffering to but makes sense I can't remember a London Irish player who played for England twice but against NZ so I can see why you remember him.

Yup you just have to look at his strike rates when we talk about premierships statistics he's nowhere near the talking points.

Out of the pure wingers we usually talk about,

Wade = 67%
Ashton = 64%
Roko = 50%
May = 45%
Banahan (just to point out how stupid this is) = 33%
Ojo = 25%

How much of that is because he's been a career player for London Irish though...

If you take straight try numbers out of the equation and go eye test by his speed, his size, how he finishes the opportunities he DOES get...

Whoever you guys take, he's not going to be getting Irish opportunities... or Saracens opportunities... or Wasps. They'll be getting the looks that show up on the International stage. And at the pace, and space that comes with the International stage.

Ojo has international pace to me. And he looks solid enough to take a hit and keep pushing through. I think if he played on the Chiefs or somewhere we'd probably be having a different conversation.

I figured he must have just been blacklisted after that incident.

That said, he's 32. You don't go chasing wingers in their 30s if you have any regard whatsoever to your future.

...unless you're Australia and go diving for Drew Mitchell again.

 

[Hound]

But yes. I am going very much off eye test from only a very small sample of matches.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Bear in mind Irish were far and away the best attacking side in the country when he won his caps.

Honestly, he just isn't that great. He was a fine player at his peak, but not a standout international, even then.

We have much better prospects.

Also, out of curiosity, are you a Pom expat?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Bath fans are prob just confused that there was a London Irish player they didn't sign up.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I hate the fact that statistically Ashton always looks like a good winger as opposed to one who worked for Sarries.

and Saints and England..................... and 4 tries in 5 games for Toulon.

 

[curtbob7]

Bear in mind Irish were far and away the best attacking side in the country when he won his caps.

Honestly, he just isn't that great. He was a fine player at his peak, but not a standout international, even then.

We have much better prospects.

Also, out of curiosity, are you a Pom expat?

wouldn't say far and away. Only scored two more tries than anyone else and didn't manage a try in the final. The previous season they were bang average.

 

[ncurd]

I hate the fact that statistically Ashton always looks like a good winger as opposed to one who worked for Sarries.

Well strike rates aren't everything and a pretty rudimentary one at that. But when trying to prove someone is completely out of their depth to play at international level its pretty good.

Ashton's problem has never been finishing he'll rarely botch a try scoring opportunity but he needs the opportunity created for him would probably do alright in this English side who actually let the backline see the ball now and again. But we have back 3 options now who can create opportunities for themselves and others now. He also make Roko and Wade look brilliant in defence.

 

[ratsapprentice]

wouldn't say far and away. Only scored two more tries than anyone else and didn't manage a try in the final. The previous season they were bang average.

My memory is that regardless of effectiveness, they were significantly more attack oriented than everyone else.

and Saints and England..................... and 4 tries in 5 games for Toulon.

Aside from Saints' time in the Championship, he has always played for top sides.

His England stats are massively padded by tries against T2 opposition. His try scoring record was terrible for England for a long time.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Aside from Saints' time in the Championship, he has always played for top sides.

His England stats are massively padded by tries against T2 opposition. His try scoring record was terrible for England for a long time.

Whats wrong with playing for top sides though? does that make him less of a winger? He's been a consistent winger in teams he has played for when they provide him good ball that is what a winger should do.

I'm not his fan but to say he isn't a good winger is ludicrous.

 

[curtbob7]

My memory is that regardless of effectiveness, they were significantly more attack oriented than everyone else.

Lets say they had a lot of endeavor then.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Whats wrong with playing for top sides though? does that make him less of a winger? He's been a consistent winger in teams he has played for when they provide him good ball that is what a winger should do.

I'm not his fan but to say he isn't a good winger is ludicrous.

Who's saying he isn't a good winger?

Just that his strike rate is somewhat padded.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Who's saying he isn't a good winger?

Just that his strike rate is somewhat padded.

"I hate the fact that statistically Ashton always looks like a good winger as opposed to one who worked for Sarries"

 

[ratsapprentice]

Fair enough, I'd imagine he's talking about him in the context of "good wingers" though, so a good "good winger".