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Rugby Union
International Test Matches
[November Tests 2017 EOYT] England vs. Argentina (11/11/2017)
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<blockquote data-quote="Vieux Talonneur" data-source="post: 878853" data-attributes="member: 73144"><p>Agreed in terms of all round skill sets, but this is all about team balance. Although Lawes has improved, our front five don't punch their weight ball in hand and we have no big carriers in the backs either. While the game has changed it still remains a hell of a lot easier to play off the front foot. If you've only got Billy he can be marked. Billy plus AN Other up front is posing more problems and taking some of the heat off Billy. Billy plus AN Other plus a Teo or Manu in the backs is all of a sudden offering a whole range of options. Carrying's not the be all and end all, but without more gain line breakers we are never going to get where we want to be. Those couple of extra yards against a retreating defence make all the difference for Ford and the backs to do their stuff. </p><p></p><p>A heavy duty carrier would be a reasonable trade off for a 3rd line out expert. Both Hughes & Underhill can jump a little bit, but how often do we use a third jumper compared to the number of times the ball is carried in to contact? And those 2 might complement each other quite nicely; Underhill's happiest doing the hitting and dirty work while Hughes much prefers the ball in hand. </p><p></p><p>Not saying Hughes at 6 is the answer, but it must be a temptation.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Vieux Talonneur, post: 878853, member: 73144"] Agreed in terms of all round skill sets, but this is all about team balance. Although Lawes has improved, our front five don't punch their weight ball in hand and we have no big carriers in the backs either. While the game has changed it still remains a hell of a lot easier to play off the front foot. If you've only got Billy he can be marked. Billy plus AN Other up front is posing more problems and taking some of the heat off Billy. Billy plus AN Other plus a Teo or Manu in the backs is all of a sudden offering a whole range of options. Carrying's not the be all and end all, but without more gain line breakers we are never going to get where we want to be. Those couple of extra yards against a retreating defence make all the difference for Ford and the backs to do their stuff. A heavy duty carrier would be a reasonable trade off for a 3rd line out expert. Both Hughes & Underhill can jump a little bit, but how often do we use a third jumper compared to the number of times the ball is carried in to contact? And those 2 might complement each other quite nicely; Underhill's happiest doing the hitting and dirty work while Hughes much prefers the ball in hand. Not saying Hughes at 6 is the answer, but it must be a temptation. [/QUOTE]
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[November Tests 2017 EOYT] England vs. Argentina (11/11/2017)
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