Mike Brown vs Alex Goode plus why does Twelvetrees not start

[martinspoonboy1]

Is it just me or does anyone else hide behind the sofa every time Mike Brown has to defend or kicks through rather than going through phases? Alex Goode seems to read the game and be at ease with himself. Brown also seems liable to start a fight in a telephone box.

Second, why oh why does Billy Twelvetrees not start? He is another player with big match temperament. He has time on the ball and his head works independently of his legs. He draws players in before offloading the ball and is as strong in defence as attack.

Goode is nowhere near the level as Brown. He runs sideways stutters and isn't as good under the high ball.
Agree about 12tress for though. After the Ireland game I would have brought him in as it was clear that Burell wasn't the an for the job.

 

[Peat]

ideally Goode would never play for England again, but I'm not sure Lancaster sees it that way.

Ideally Twelvetrees would never play for England again either, but the door for selection is so wide open there it's a pointless idealism.

Irrelevant. I would be confident in Brown taking that whilst Goode showed me why I have no confidence in him. Brown is one of our few players who can actually compete in the air, Goode can't.

If the guy's position and positional attributes are irrelevant, why mention them?

I wouldn't be confident in Brown or any one of our full-backs beating Henshaw to that ball.

 

[TW27BA]

Mike Brown is England #1 full back without question. Goode is pedestrian in comparison. I really hope Foden can get fit enough to put his hand up for reserve FB at the RWC.
Billy has had numerous chances at 12 without really doing anything to say he is first choice. The same is happening with Burrell who is surely keeping the shirt warm for Manu.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

ideally Goode would never play for England again, but I'm not sure Lancaster sees it that way.

Ideally Twelvetrees would never play for England again either, but the door for selection is so wide open there it's a pointless idealism.



If the guy's position and positional attributes are irrelevant, why mention them?

I wouldn't be confident in Brown or any one of our full-backs beating Henshaw to that ball.

Brown has taken the high ball well plenty of times, I'm yet to see Goode do it. Does he even jump?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Goode is certainly very passive under the high ball.
If the kicks going in his direction I'm confident he's not going to botch the catch, but if there's a good chase/competition then I'd back the other guy.

Very much like Luke McLean, he's leaked two tries for Sale when waiting for the ball and having a guy jump over him to get it.


I can't remember the Henshaw try in 100% clarity, but i do think Brown would have put up more of a "fight". If not actually getting to the ball then getting underneath Henshaw/trying to get him to the touchline.

 

[Peat]

Notice that Henshaw is able to start accelerating before Goode is, and due to his starting position, is able to approach the ball at a quicker pace. Notice that Goode is having to watch and judge a ball going over his head and coming down over his shoulder, while Henshaw is able to run onto it. The scenario completely favours the attacker. If both players are equal in the air, I'm expecting the attacker to get that more often that not, and I don't think Mike Brown is sufficiently better in the air than Henshaw.

Maybe Brown would have dropped quicker from his 2 on 2 defensive position. Maybe he would have somehow legally managed to bundle an airborne player into touch. But I am dubious. In any case, we will never know. And blaming Goode for what happens in that video is rather harsh. Now, I like being harsh, so I'm happy to blame him, but I am aware I'm being quite harsh in doing so. And saying he should be outjumping Henshaw just because he was wearing 12 that day and not 15?

That's not harsh, that's just very misinformed.

 

[HowieLO6]

it makes me weep that the likes of Goode and 12trees are still sniffing around the England 23, when the likes of Daly and Slade can't get a look in.

Personally, I'd rather have the former of those way ahead of Goode in the pecking order.

 

[thechosenfamily]

A really good point and I agree!!

The oft maligned, often by me, Ian Balshaw was brilliant, when he played for Biarritz at any rate, at organizing everyone in the back line which you could probably only see if you were there! Just to add that he was also a good catcher, tackler and runner who struck me as having had his fragile confidence ruined by Henry on the Lions tour........and maybe was just that tiny bit precious!!!!

He was good at Biarritz but horrible IMHO when he played for Englnd, so much so he is known among my close rugby friends as "he who must not be named"

 

[Tony Manx]

............... when he played for Englnd, so much so he is known among my close rugby friends as "he who must not be named"

I think that that is the period that followed the Lions Tour which I referred to as setting him back and would agree!

Prior to that tour he was not the greatest but was a perfectly acceptable International player!

 

[Jakedood]

To be honest, you say legally, Mike Brown is so aggressive and up for the contest, he wouldnt have just allowed himself to be outjumped as meekly as Alex Goode, yes it wouldn't be easy, but two men contesting in the air, if it's a good challenge on both sides then it's rare the ball gets caught cleanly, and Goode just isn't aggressive enough, he was very wishy washy the entire game