England forward options...4 - 8

[Salad dodger]

With the perceived strength in depth in these areas growing what is the best combination???

Personally I would break up the kruis / itoje axis and start Super Maro at 6 (for the lions also) and have launchbury / lawes in there for 50 mins, then shift maro in as ewers and Hughes are added to the fray?

The future at 7 is very much open to debate....Clifford/Wallace/Harrison/armitage....thacker....Underhill????

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Launchbury or lawes alongside kruis I mean, not axe the lock pair!!!

Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, kruis, launchbury, itoje, armitage, vunipola

Marler, George, brooks, Atwood, lawes, ewers, Harrison, Hughes

Are two full packs of test quality...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I wouldn't break up Krutoje, they're both playing far better than the other options. Launch hasn't looked his best this season and I'm not a massive fan of Lawes at the best of times.
I would really look at Ewers at 6, and anyone in the entire world over Haskell at 7

 

[Salad dodger]

Launchbury and clifford were superb today...that's Haskell gone, and robshaw!

 

[Patchey]

Krutoje stay. Launchbury on the bench.

Kvesic at seven. Clifford at six. Billy at eight.

Harrison/Robshaw/Hask on bench.

A man can dream.

 

[Peat]

Clifford doesn't look like he works hard enough to be a 6. Maybe Vunipola's work rate would rescue him, but I don't see who there really clears that first ruck again and again like Jones wants.

The big question is whether to move Itoje back. I think it makes for a better team short term, but long term, I want England to aim for a tight 5 that is always dominant in the set-piece and where every player plays in the loose like a back row. That would be a huge advantage. And that means keeping Itoje as a lock I think.

Reckon Launch/Itoje would be a better pairing than Kruis/Itoje though.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I also see Launch/Itoje being a better combo than Kruis/Itoje.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Mind ESPN also say
Kvesic made 0 turnovers which I don't believe.

I do think Harrison gave away roughly that many penalties though.

Genge and Hill made more meters than Mullan, Hartley and Cole combined.

 

[ratsapprentice]

The "turnovers" stat on ESPN, is "turnovers conceded", not won.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

The "turnovers" stat on ESPN, is "turnovers conceded", not won.

So Clifford conceded 3 turnovers?

 

[Peat]

Mind ESPN also say
Kvesic made 0 turnovers which I don't believe.

I do think Harrison gave away roughly that many penalties though.

Genge and Hill made more meters than Mullan, Hartley and Cole combined.

One less metre, no? Genge 4, Hartley 3, Cole 1, Hill 6, Mullan 7.

 

[martinspoonboy1]

So Clifford conceded 3 turnovers?

If you win a penalty , it's not considered a turn over on official stats . So kvesic may have won 3 turnover penalties but they don't technically count as turnovers .

 

[ratsapprentice]

If you win a penalty , it's not considered a turn over on official stats . So kvesic may have won 3 turnover penalties but they don't technically count as turnovers .

Nah - the TO stat on ESPN is turnovers conceded.

They don't display a turnovers won stat.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Kvesic won a turnover almost immediately- which was strange because most turnovers won by England back rowers consist of getting into a position that looks like jackaling, then holding the ball in until a penalty is won.
Whereas Kev actually ripped it free and passed it out.

He also slowed the ball very effectively a few times without stealing the ball, which isn't included in the stats- something that Teimana Harrison was very, very good at, to my eyes.

 

[j'nuh]

Kruis and Itoje start now, but I'm team Launchbury in the long term.

4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Beaumont*
7. Kvesic
8. Vunipola
19. Launchbury
20. Ewers

* It's an experiment I would like to see. If it doesn't work, shift to 20 with Ewers on the field. IMO, it's a matter of time before Beaumont is playing for England, and I think it would be nice to be ahead of the curve.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

England could basically have a pack for the 2023 RWC who where are capped already:

1) Genge (28)
2) Taylor (31)
3) Hill (28)
4) Itoje (28)
5)
6) Clifford (30)
7) Kvesic (31)
8) Vunipola (30)

Pretty damn Cool IMO.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

England could basically have a pack for the 2023 RWC who where are capped already:

1) Genge (28)
2) Taylor (31)
3) Hill (28)
4) Itoje (28)
5)
6) Clifford (30)
7) Kvesic (31)
8) Vunipola (30)

Pretty damn Cool IMO.

Launchbury would be 32, Cowan Dickie 29, Jamie George 29, Sinckler 30, Kruis 33, Harrison 30.

All of them could be in contention- though realistically at least a few will have lost form or been forgotten.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Launchbury would be 32, Cowan Dickie 29, Jamie George 29, Sinckler 30, Kruis 33, Harrison 30.

All of them could be in contention- though realistically at least a few will have lost form or been forgotten.

Wouldn't George be 32?

Yep forgot a few of them, has Sinckler been capped?

 

[Peat]

Wouldn't George be 32?

Yep forgot a few of them, has Sinckler been capped?

Would turn 33 during the tournament. And no, Sinckler hasn't.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I wouldn't mind seeing any of these combos to be bedded in the next 3 years:

Itoje, Kruis, Clifford, Underhill and BV;

Launchbury, Kruis, Itoje, Underhill,BV;

Launchbury, Itoje, Clifford, Underhill , BV.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Would turn 33 during the tournament. And no, Sinckler hasn't.

Wikipedia listing Jamie George as 22, tbf I thought he was older too, must be a mistake.