England Rugby 2018/19 Thread

[Vieux Talonneur]

Marchant called up!!

It's a 35 man squad and includes Loz who isn't even available.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

My main worry is that England didn't even look like threatening to score a try v the Boks - can't remember one clear chance. The fact you need a minimum 30 points to even think about beating the ABs and England aren't going to win by Farrell and Daly kicking 10 penalties this Saturday.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

My main worry is that England didn't even look like threatening to score a try v the Boks - can't remember one clear chance. The fact you need a minimum 30 points to even think about beating the ABs and England aren't going to win by Farrell and Daly kicking 10 penalties this Saturday.

We created chances towards the end, had Daly passed for one of them I'd have backed May to beat the last defender. In general though yeah, we look like we have no plan beyond 1 out passing and box kicking.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

It's a 35 man squad and includes Loz who isn't even available.

I know... Don't crush my dreams tho!

 

[Reiser99]

It's a 35 man squad and includes Loz who isn't even available.

You forget this is Eddie Jones logic, which is less logical than quantum mechanics.

 

[Reiser99]

Tbh for next week I hope we see:

1. Moon
2. Hartley
3. Williams
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Wilson
7. Curry (if fit, if not the Underhill)
8. Mercer
9. Youngs
10. Faz
11. May
12. Tuilagi
13. Daly
14. Nowell
15. Brown


16. George
17. Hepburn
18. Sinks
19. Lawes
20. Shields
21. Care
22. Ford
23, Ashton/Teo

I like that team, though would you keep Shields on the bench to cover more of the back row if Curry starts or have Underhill with Wilson potentially moving to 8 if Mercer needs a rest?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

All this talk of Underhill - thought the whole point of the Currys was that if one got hurt you just call up the other and no-one notices.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Curry deffo out.

 

[TommiG88]

So I just looked, and Morgan was out injured...

 

[Which Tyler]

All this talk of Underhill - thought the whole point of the Currys was that if one got hurt you just call up the other and no-one notices.

Nah, they screwed up when Sale told us there were two of them.
We were supposed to keep one in the changing room, have him wear the muddy shirt, and put him on at half-time as a free substitution.
Steve Diamond though, has obviously never watched The Prestige (you just knownhed have no ethical problem doing that...)

 

[Reiser99]

So positives...
Forwards were better and more balanced with Underhill showing his class. Going forward I would love to see Underhill at 6, Curry at 7 with Binny or Wilson at 8. Sub would depend on weather, opposition and form, but could see a mix of Mercer/Wilson/Simmonds/Shields if he keeps playing better. Moon showed that not all is lost up front and he seems like he either needs to start or not play as he secures the scrum from the start.
Backs were better with catching the ball and running, getting over the gainline. Kicking overall was better. May looked good at the end once he got the ball in his hands and Ashton did well for his try. Slade played better, though still not the impact he has for Exeter.
7 penalties conceded with none of them being for anything completely ridiculous like last week, was one of the big reasons we were competing so well. Itoje especially.

Defence was a mix bag, with it being fantastic in the first half and then completely fell away in the last 2 minutes. Apparently we missed 39 tackles with a tackle percentage of 80%. I know the weather will have been a factor, but that's still not good enough, especially with the way NZ scored their try. I also still feel the way we tackle and support limits our opportunities for turnovers compared with other international teams.
Kicking still not great, Farrell kicked out on the full and Youngs is just too inconsistent to be reliable.
I also felt Youngs, especially at the start was passing and moving the ball like he used to. It did fall away, but he showed he can do it still. Again it's consistency.

Negatives...
Decision making cost us and in such a tight game we needed the points. Lawes at the end with his pass to Slade.
Lineout belonged to NZ at the end and Itoje was well and truly beaten. Considering you have Itoje, Kruis and George in that setup, who play with each other week in week out and are supposedly fantastic in the linout, it was no where near good enough.
Te'o did what is officially known as '**** all'. I really hope Manu wasn't 100% fit, because otherwise there is no justification for him starting. I honestly don't think he should be near the squad for the rest of the AI's and should have been playing in the rugby cup to get some form back. 4 carries for 5 metres, 8 tackles and 2 missed with only 1 that I can remember. Waste of space.

Finally the miraculous...Youngs actually ******* went in a secured the ball in a ruck when England looked like they might lose it. I honestly thought Donald Trump would come clean about his ties to Russia before that would happen.

Overall England looked like a team that could compete with anyone and win. Let's see if we can keep this up. We now need two good wins to set us up for then 6Nations.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

It's strange how in the space of 2 years and because Jones finally stopped with the old guard, we've gone from a back row consisting of Robshaw and Haskell 90% of the time to potentially one with Underhill, Wilson, Curries and Mercer. Personally I think this is a pretty significant improvement, especially with Curries ability at 7 to actually turn the damn ball over. I just hope Jones sticks with a combination of them and doesn't let Hughes anywhere near the squad again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah I really hope we've seen the last of Hughes - Wilson has done a better job at 8 than Hughes ever has for England (even though I think he'd be better served at 6). Mercer had a fantastic showing from the bench last week too.
Binny's injury actually worked out well for us this series.





Also I thought Slade had a far better game today. Not saying he'd be my first choice or anything, but credit where it's due.
Teo was almost completely anonymous though (I remember one big tackle, but that was it).

 

[Reiser99]

I just hope Jones sticks with a combination of them and doesn't let Hughes anywhere near the squad again.

Yeah I really hope we've seen the last of Hughes.

Eddie Jones after the match: "We've got Mako and Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes all to come back into contention so it's a good situation for us to be in."

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

12 is still the biggest issue by miles for England. I actually liked Farrell at 10, Ford for all his skills is a boy in a mans game.

So Farrell or Foard at 10 but 12 is a complete mess. T'eo does not offer enough at 12 to start for an international team.

Manu is not an option there, he's never going to be fit for England anyhow but he's never shown any great skill at 13 either, he's a 13 all day long.

Then in the premiership you have J Williams who looks very good but untested, Piers Francis who is a good premiership player but think we need a bigger 12 really. Or my long shot which is Mills who I really rate when's he's not injured.

Not really any 12s coming through before the World Cup either.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

If everyone was fit (ha) I'd like to see:

1. Genge
2. Hartley (c)
3. Williams
4. Kruis
5. Lawes
6. Wilson. Close call with Shields who was much better yesterday, whoever's on form.
7. Underhill. His aggression and the tempo setting of his tacking outweighs the possibility of an odd turnover from Curry. Wouldn't be devastated to see them paired together though. In time, Underhill / Willis might be a very sexy combo too.
8. Binny
9. Youngs
10. Farrell
11. May
12. Lozowski - decent running and kicking games, spiky, hits above his weight. Williams an improving out and out 12, might make a late charge.
13. Joseph
14. Cokanasiga. Back line's not small, but it's not big either. We need one monster and we can't rely on Manu. Gives a cross kick option too.
15. Daly with reservations

16. Cowan-Dickie. If you're going to have a wobbly line out you might as well have the hooker with the best loose game.
17. Mako. Always a bencher for me, likewise Sinckler.
18. Sinckler
19. Itoje
20. Simmonds. Again tough on Curry, but Simmonds offers a lot when the game breaks up and can cover all back row positions. EDIT Forgot about Mercer. Would be happy to see him as our prime back row cover. Either or.
21. Care I guess
22. Ford
23. Watson

That's a bench that could really up the ante.

No space for Manu, even if he's fit, in 5 minutes he won't be. Shame, but we move on. Particularly tough on Launchbury who I'd never be upset to see involved and hopefully it won't be long before Isiekwe's back in the conversation too.

 

[NDC89]

What do we want to see against Japan? Big win or build up experience of some fringe members? I think we need to find some form of balance really. I'd be tempted to go with something like this:

1. Moon
2. George
3. Williams
4. Ewels
5. Lawes
6. Wilson
7. Underhill.
8. Mercer
9. Youngs (he was good against NZ, so his next game will be bad. Get it out of the way before Aus)
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell (I'd like to see Lozowski, but lets be honest, Jones doesn't really trust Ford on his own)
13. Tuilagi (if fit, if not give Slade some more game time)
14. Cokanasiga.
15. Daly (needs as much time at Fb as possible before WC)

16. Hartley (I'd like to give LCD a go, but he isn't in autumn squad)
17. Hepburn
18. Sinckler
19. Itoje
20. Shields
21. Care
22. Slade
23. Nowell

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

What do we want to see against Japan? Big win or build up experience of some fringe members? I think we need to find some form of balance really. I'd be tempted to go with something like this:

1. Moon
2. George
3. Williams
4. Ewels
5. Lawes
6. Wilson
7. Underhill.
8. Mercer
9. Youngs (he was good against NZ, so his next game will be bad. Get it out of the way before Aus)
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell (I'd like to see Lozowski, but lets be honest, Jones doesn't really trust Ford on his own)
13. Tuilagi (if fit, if not give Slade some more game time)
14. Cokanasiga.
15. Daly (needs as much time at Fb as possible before WC)

16. Hartley (I'd like to give LCD a go, but he isn't in autumn squad)
17. Hepburn
18. Sinckler
19. Itoje
20. Shields
21. Care
22. Slade
23. Nowell

I know it's a long shot, but considering the fitness of our centre options, it might be worth giving Marchant a bench spot just incase we have a crisis pre wc

 

[Every Time Ref]

I suspect we'll see the same 10-12, I think EJ sees it as the pairing for the WC and will want to give them as much game time together as possible. Not a fan but there you go. Ditto Daly at FB.

I'd like and hope to see starts for a couple of youngsters, Mercer and Cokanasiga spring to mind, not just because they're Bath boys.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Young guys have to be brought in for this game - it's how you let them accrue experience before dropping them into bigger games.

That should be fairly systematic, IMO - facing a Tier 2 side, or having a "less important" test? Play at least 1 guy from the start, and chuck a couple on the bench.

It's not about having a jolly - it's just as important as picking a strong side for a "big" game.