England Six Nations thread

[ratsapprentice]

"We want to play the game a certain way, with two first receivers. If we play Burgess in place of Kyle or Ollie or Gavin we can't play that way."
"He's a warrior this kid. You want players like that to have an influence in the pack. I'm not too worried where he plays, but you want your best warrior, your talisman in the pack as a leader. And that's what he is. Where does he fit into our gameplan? Maybe the gameplan is moulded around him."

Might be something Sam would be interested in considering the kudos he would get being the second ever convert to play in the forwards (assuming he is successful there!)

Toby Booth, who clearly disagrees with his boss on Burgess's likely best position, added: "Sam Burgess will decide where he plays. Not by his choice but how quickly he progresses. How he does in attacking contact will decide his rate of progression. His defence is perfect!"

The coaches acknowledged that Kyle Eastmond's conversion had been held back by playing too much on the wing, and they would not repeat the error. The coaches intend to use Kyle's experience to guide the plan for Burgess.

Intriguingly Booth talked about using players creatively, citing Matt Banahan possibly moving into the lineout while Burgess moves into the centre for an individual move.

 

[Patchey]

Might be something Sam would be interested in considering the kudos he would get being the second ever convert to play in the forwards (assuming he is successful there!)

This makes me doubly glad that the RFU didn't stump up for any of Sam's transfer fee. Booth is talking a lot of sense here. Playing Burgess at 12 would fundamentally change Bath's style of play and stunt the development of Eastmond and Devoto. Equally he's such a strong guy (Ewis would say he has serious mass) that he may well be suited to playing in the pack, assuming he can adapt to rucking.

How does this effect his England chances?

Also, Banahan in the line out? What is that about?

 

[ratsapprentice]

It's Ford that sees him as a forward, not Booth.

The Banahan thing - if Sam is a 6 or a 4 then occasionally you could put Banahan in the lineout and put Sam in the Midfield for a set play.
Not so that Banahan can be used in the lineout, but so that Sam can be used off set-piece.

Ford has been talking quite a lot about how they are going about coaching the team at the moment and I have to say I am very impressed.
They seem to want to have prioritised improving their players strengths, rather than bringing their weaknesses up*. And that fundamentally they don't want to pigeonhole people.
Very open-minded and potentially experimental without being bat****.

*I believe it was suggested that this is what Catt's role is with England.

 

[St George]

Also, Banahan in the line out? What is that about?

The way i'm reading it is that for certain individual moves/plays off of a Lineout, they would have Big Banahan the Centre/Wing in on the Lineout due to his height. This would leave a hole in the Centre where he plays now. Burgess ( i presume as a Forward) would be switched to Centre for some crashball off of the Lineout.

At the moment it is all speculation until Burgess does some training and drills and starts to work on Union tactics. He may end up the biggest Scrumhalf in history....

 

[ratsapprentice]

Dan Cole is out for 3 months according to Cockerill.

Taking that as a base it could be anywhere between 2-6 months if we compare it to previous projections for recovery.

 

[Crapspray]

Is it just me hoping that he misses the rest of the season? Not wishing the injury, but I could see Cockerill throwing him straight back in at the end of the season and forcing yet more 80-minute games out of him. Breaking him again soon after; similar to what happened with Corbisiero in the autumn tests.

If he misses the New Zealand tour that's seven months off. So he only has to endure a season of overplaying before the world cup.

 

[LooseHeadProp87]

i think something needs to be done other wise cole is going to end up with some serious injurys which will effect his life in all sorts of ways. in the modern game there is no need for a prop to be playing 80 mins week in week out

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Is a lot of this because tigers haven't replaced Castro with a suitable back up for cole?

 

[j'nuh]

I can't remember who made the point, but Castro leaving Tigers and Tigers not having a replacement for him to rival Cole, has ultimately been bad for all parties - Cole, Leicester and England.

By extension, I don't think it's a surprise that Cole was at his absolute best, back when he had just overtaken Castro as first-choice at Tigers. Started the big games and got all the experience from that, but also wasn't overplayed since Castro got a lot of game time. Gave him the perfect balance of rest and high-intensity rugby in which to develop.

At least Thomas isn't under any pressure, joining Bath to be behind Wilson. Hopefully it'll kick his game up a notch.

 

[Peat]

In fairness, Schuster was meant to be that replacement and, well, wasn't. I'd imagine they'll bring someone else in.

 

[Maverick1987]

What do you guys think Lancaster should do when Tuilagi comes back from injury ? (Maybe not in the 6N but in the future) Burrell has really been playing well 36 has been ok but not lit the world on fire .

I think I'd like to see a Burrell, Tuilagi centre partnership

 

[Mumbles119]

What do you guys think Lancaster should do when Tuilagi comes back from injury ? (Maybe not in the 6N but in the future) Burrell has really been playing well 36 has been ok but not lit the world on fire .

I think I'd like to see a Burrell, Tuilagi centre partnership

I agree. Been a fan of 36 for a while, but seems to be capping his potential, with less than expected. Hope he proves me wrong.

But would like to see more of the three following centre options used more:

Burrell/Tuilagi
Eastmond/Tuilagi
Eastmond/Burrell

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I don't want tuilagi back! Burrell just looks better there. Let tuilagi up his game and fight for a spot.

12 trees will only get better the more he plays. I rate him, no idea why he gets so much stick?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, I'd like to see Tuilagi earn his shirt back.
Too often you see players back from injury and straight into a side without proving their form.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Collier out until the "tail-end" of the season.
Sinkler starts in his place for Quins.

Wouldn't mind if Kyle could suddenly start dominating scrums like he did for the U20's!
Gloucester should give him a game to get some purchase.

Yarde also back on the bench for Irish.

 

[McTallshort]

Yeah, I'd like to see Tuilagi earn his shirt back.
Too often you see players back from injury and straight into a side without proving their form.

Yeah I agree but saying that we havnt seen Burell under any real pressure yet and I kind of think with a fit Tuilagi we would have scored more than 20 points against Scotland.

 

[Maverick1987]

I don't want tuilagi back! Burrell just looks better there. Let tuilagi up his game and fight for a spot.

12 trees will only get better the more he plays. I rate him, no idea why he gets so much stick?

36 isn't doing anything special though . I'd rather eastmond, do we really need an IC that can kick ? Burrells defense is too suspect for me at OC he's an IC that's why he plays for saints there . Tuilagi is too good a player to be left out I'm a big fan of Burrell but he wouldn't have been able to do what Tuilagi did to NZ that day at twickers

 

[Maverick1987]

Yeah I agree but saying that we havnt seen Burell under any real pressure yet and I kind of think with a fit Tuilagi we would have scored more than 20 points against Scotland.

With Burrell at IC and Tuilagi OC we would have scored 70 haha

I mean I'm happy if there is no Leicester players in the team we can have our team back then and not have 20 players missing all season !

 

[McTallshort]

With Burrell at IC and Tuilagi OC we would have scored 70 haha

I mean I'm happy if there is no Leicester players in the team we can have our team back then and not have 20 players missing all season !

No way greatest thing about us is the number of internationals we produce its almost insulting when like now we have no players in the starting match 23 apart from Youngs.

 

[Maverick1987]

No way greatest thing about us is the number of internationals we produce its almost insulting when like now we have no players in the starting match 23 apart from Youngs.

In fairness though croft cole parling and tuilagi would probably be in the 23 if they were fit

It's seems we have stopped spending money as much as others bath , Northampton

We have some good young lads coming through though I think