[November Tests 2016 EOYT] England vs. Australia (3/12/2016)

[Which Tyler]

Yup - as I say the rest will do them dome good; but I'd far rather have them playing against Sarries with a point to prove, and give them a rest during one of the useless cups.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Disappointing to see Yarde start

 

[Jaguares]

Wallabies lineup to face England

1 Scott Sio
2 Stephen Moore (c)
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Kane Douglas
5 Rob Simmons
6 David Pocock
7 Michael Hooper
8 Lopeti Timani
9 Nick Phipps
10 Bernard Foley
11 Sefa Naivalu
12 Reece Hodge
13 Tevita Kuridrani
14 Dane Haylett-Petty
15 Israel Folau

16 Tolu Latu
17 James Slipper
18 Tom Robertson
19 Dean Mumm
20 Sean McMahon
21 Nick Frisby
22 Quade Cooper
23 Henry Speight

 

[Jakedood]

Wallabies lineup to face England

1 Scott Sio
2 Stephen Moore (c)
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Kane Douglas
5 Rob Simmons
6 David Pocock
7 Michael Hooper
8 Lopeti Timani
9 Nick Phipps
10 Bernard Foley
11 Sefa Naivalu
12 Reece Hodge
13 Tevita Kuridrani
14 Dane Haylett-Petty
15 Israel Folau

16 Tolu Latu
17 James Slipper
18 Tom Robertson
19 Dean Mumm
20 Sean McMahon
21 Nick Frisby
22 Quade Cooper
23 Henry Speight

That back row is full of highlight reel players, but there's no workhorse really there... I always feel a backrow needs someone who does the unseen jobs, making tackles, in most rucks, just being a pain in the ass... Chris Robshaw style, or Scott Fardy used to do that role so well, if not so much recently... I wonder how they'll do without that sort of player over the weekend

 

[spartan32]

Roko being dropped was inevitable but none sense. He's clearly the better player and poses a much greater threat then Yard. The Aussies will be thanking EJ for that one.

Once Watson and Nowell return Yard will not feature for England again.

We need Hughes to massively step up, and both Robshaw and Wood also need to step up again. If our back three are strong and competitive I think that could be the thing that tips it all in our favour. I agree with a previous comment that when the Aussies start to lose a game they tend to fracture. Given that a large part of their game plan depends on the effectiveness of their back three, we would do well to neutralise them.

As always strong set piece is required. Hammer in the scrum, have Faz tick the points over and then hammer it home in the last 30.

Still think we can win, but this game is by no means certain.

 

[valley commando]

Bookies are being generous to Oz backers 10/11 with a 10 pt start on the h/cap or 3/1 on a straight win.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Bookies are being generous to Oz backers 10/11 with a 10 pt start on the h/cap or 3/1 on a straight win.

10/3 with a couple of generous ones. I thought this was generous too. As I hinted above, the balance of opinion (including that of neutrals) in this thread disagrees with us. I'm starting to think that they're calling it about right, or at least close enough that there's not sufficient value to wipe out the over-round. The same goes for total points with a mickey taking 5/6 on whichever side of 47.5 you prefer. My NAP of the weekend - no bet!

 

[TW27BA]

Yarde over Roko is confirmed. Roko cut from the 23 altogether. Reason he's given is that Yarde's work rate is better than Roko

That, and Hughes is at 8.

Not my choice, but I'm not the successful England coach with 12 successive wins to his credit. As long as Eddie keeps us winning, that's all I am concerned about.

Considering the players unavailable for selection , ie Watson, Nowell Itoje, Launchbury, Haskell, Tuilagi, Daly, BillyV, the future looks bright enough to me.

 

[Which Tyler]

Once Watson and Nowell return Yard will not feature for England again.

Yup - Roko potentially could challenge May, Nowell & Watson for starts; especially if one of them moves to FB. Whilst 32 is pushing it for the next RWC, he doesn't have a decade of top tier rugby under his belt (or inside his knees), so he's got a better shot at it than most wingers his age.
Yarde can only ever be an injury crisis stop-gap; and will never challenge the established trio; even ifhe CAN go through to 2023, he still won't be good enough at playing rugby.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Eddie's constantly said that he likes one speed merchant and one work-horse for wingers... it'll be interesting to see if/how he sticks to that mantra once both Nowell and Watson are back, joining May.

If he sticks to what he's said, then Nowell walks back into the side as soon as he's match fit IMO. This policy could be the saving grace of his career as an England winger.

However, Jones has plenty of previous for saying one thing and doing another. The comments from the camp regarding selection thus far have struck me as rationalising what they have gone for in any way that they an in order to keep the peace. Like any interested party, I'd love to have half an hour of Eddie Jones' time with a vial of truth serum inside him!

 

[Every Time Ref]

If he sticks to what he's said, then Nowell walks back into the side as soon as he's match fit IMO. This policy could be the saving grace of his career as an England winger.

However, Jones has plenty of previous for saying one thing and doing another. The comments from the camp regarding selection thus far have struck me as rationalising what they have gone for in any way that they an in order to keep the peace. Like any interested party, I'd love to have half an hour of Eddie Jones' time with a vial of truth serum inside him!

He needs a saving grace?

 

[spartan32]

I can see a future back three of Daly Watson and May given the way EJ has selected this far. Which is fine by me. Pretty potent group of attackers there and with Nowell ready to fill any gaps I rekon we've got the back three nailed down.

In fact I can't see EJ moving away from Faz at 12. Why would he. It's been working pretty well so far. Then if Manu ever gets back to where he was then he comes on as an impact sub. Or if not and Teo proves his worth that becomes his role.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

He needs a saving grace?

Completely agree, Jack Nowell is our most consist back. He's never had a bad game and does all the basics extremely well. He'll shoot straight back into the team.

 

[RedruthRFC]

He needs a saving grace?

Don't get me wrong, I'm his biggest fan, I just think that at some point his lack of pace is going to lead to him getting dropped for two pacier wingers who are playing well. This is pretty much what happened in the World Cup. If Jones appreciates the value of the other work that he does, there's less chance of this happening. FWIW, I'm a member of the "his ceiling is higher at FB" camp.

- - - Updated - - -

I can see a future back three of Daly Watson and May given the way EJ has selected this far. Which is fine by me. Pretty potent group of attackers there and with Nowell ready to fill any gaps I rekon we've got the back three nailed down.

If Jones is true to his word, who's your work horse out of those three?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Cheika really is easy to wind up isn't he? He is constantly *****ing about refs and the other team cheating. Eddie Jones has a little dig at the Aussie scrum, blatantly to get back at Cheika accusing us of cheating prior to our tour of Aus and Cheika is getting in a flap about it. The guy really doesn't see the hypocrisy of his actions at all, half his press statements regarding England are accusing us of cheating. He accused Cole of cheating before the Autumn tour only for it to become abundantly obvious that it was Sio collapsing the scrums. I found it particularly funny that he got so wound up about Jones asking they both speak to the ref beforehand about the other sides scrum, despite the fact Cheika had no qualms setting this bad precedent when we toured Aus.

He is beginning to look more and more pathetic in front of the media.

 

[Which Tyler]

Completely agree, Jack Nowell is our most consist back. He's never had a bad game and does all the basics extremely well. He'll shoot straight back into the team.

Apart from running fast - which is the single most basic element for a winger (I appreciate it's more complicated than that; but still).

ETA: And count me as a member of the club feeling he has a higher ceiling at FB or OC - not that I can see Exeter switching him to either so that we can find out, but hey

If Jones is true to his word, who's your work horse out of those three?

If, being the operative word. IF Jones is true to his word, then we can expect Roko to get 40-odd caps

 

[Every Time Ref]

Don't get me wrong, I'm his biggest fan, I just think that at some point his lack of pace is going to lead to him getting dropped for two pacier wingers who are playing well. This is pretty much what happened in the World Cup. If Jones appreciates the value of the other work that he does, there's less chance of this happening. FWIW, I'm a member of the "his ceiling is higher at FB" camp.

I see, I misunderstood - thought you were suggesting his career to this point was a disaster.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Apart from running fast - which is the single most basic element for a winger (I appreciate it's more complicated than that; but still).

I disagree, Nowell may not match someone like May for speed but he really isn't that slow and makes up for being a bit slower by having a low centre of gravity and lots of agility.

 

[Makos]

once again everybody hates Australia

No one hates Australia mate.

Cheika probably needs a PR team though, he's pretty horrible in the media. Easily wound up.

Whenever he loses he won't accept responsibility or acknowledge the better side won.

It's always "The refs fault" "They played dirty" "We had a try disallowed" "They called me names in the media, boo hoo".

He's pathetic to put it nicely.

He doesn't have a sense of professionalism, he has no composure and has a childish rhetoric nearly every interview.

He needs to sort his sh*t out fast, or he's not going to last the distance.

 

[spartan32]

What Nowell has is a lot of raw power and strength. He would certainly have made a good centre but that time has passed it think. May isn't going to break tackles, but will opt to take a guy on the outside and burn him, where as Nowell can take on a couple of tacklers at once and come off ok.