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Premiership Rugby 23/24 - Round 13

Yeah, his Dad's a kiwi - imagine he'll go back to France as soon as he can but a year or two in Super Rugby to see where he'd stand with the ABs would be a good move

He's just too good for his international career to be 86 minutes long and over before he turned 21
 
Saracens Men team to play Harlequins:

1 Mako Vunipola

2 Theo Dan

3 Christian Judge

4 Theo McFarland

5 Hugh Tizard

6 Juan Martin Gonzalez

7 Ben Earl

8 Billy Vunipola

9 Ivan van Zyl

10 Owen Farrell (c)

11 Alex Lewington

12 Nick Tompkins

13 Lucio Cinti

14 Rotimi Segun

15 Elliot Daly

Replacements:

16 Jamie George

17 Eroni Mawi

18 Marco Riccioni

19 Nick Isiekwe

20 Tom Willis

21 Andy Christie

22 Gareth Simpson

23 Alex Goode

Quins team:
View attachment 19397


Being shown on ITV at 3.05pm

Nice to see Willis, T on the bench.
Should be a descent games, will be making the trip shortly went to the same fixture last season tickets prices very reasonable.
 
Yeah, his Dad's a kiwi - imagine he'll go back to France as soon as he can but a year or two in Super Rugby to see where he'd stand with the ABs would be a good move

He's just too good for his international career to be 86 minutes long and over before he turned 21
I don’t like players switching nations but really feel he was lied and sold a dream by England coaches and he would thrive with the AB’s imo
 
Taking Billy Vunipola to the RWC ahead of Mercer (or Dombrandt) was mental, but I don’t think Borthwick has lied to him. His move to Gloucester was already confirmed prior to Eddie leaving. If anyone lied or ‘sold a dream’ it was Eddie.

I agree Mercer is too good for an 86min international career. However, I still maintain that at the point the 6N squad was selected, Dombrandt and/or Barbeary were more deserving of selection. He should probably have been selected over CCS, but as it worked out, that was a good call from Borthwick.

If Mercer keeps up this form, he will be putting himself in contention for the summer tour. Earl has probably done him a favour by showing an 8 with a ‘looser’ style is actually much better than asking players our 8s to run in to brick walls. Still - the competition will be stiff with Dombrandt, Barbeary, CCS and Tom Willis all likely to make a pretty compelling case for selection.
 
Taking Billy Vunipola to the RWC ahead of Mercer (or Dombrandt) was mental, but I don't think Borthwick has lied to him. His move to Gloucester was already confirmed prior to Eddie leaving. If anyone lied or 'sold a dream' it was Eddie.

I agree Mercer is too good for an 86min international career. However, I still maintain that at the point the 6N squad was selected, Dombrandt and/or Barbeary were more deserving of selection. He should probably have been selected over CCS, but as it worked out, that was a good call from Borthwick.

If Mercer keeps up this form, he will be putting himself in contention for the summer tour. Earl has probably done him a favour by showing an 8 with a 'looser' style is actually much better than asking players our 8s to run in to brick walls. Still - the competition will be stiff with Dombrandt, Barbeary, CCS and Tom Willis all likely to make a pretty compelling case for selection.

Eddie was who I had in mind when I said that.
Although I also think Borthwick as Eddie's forward coach didn't rate him then either
 
Hope you had a good time anyway and have a safe trip back (and night out if you're having one?).

Get in Glaws as well, pleased with that one.
Cheers. Had a lovely time at Ashton gate and got home at 11:50 safe and sound. The drive back was a slog with most of the motorway at 50 (what the hell is that about).

Enjoyed the away fans and the strong Saints contingent that travelled.
 
I agree Mercer is too good for an 86min international career. However, I still maintain that at the point the 6N squad was selected, Dombrandt and/or Barbeary were more deserving of selection. He should probably have been selected over CCS, but as it worked out, that was a good call from Borthwick.
Yeah Dombrandt was deserving of his recall (though with how little he was used I question whether he should still be there next EPS) - Mercer should've been, and still should be, ahead of CCS though

I doubt Mercer makes any EPS squads moving forwards though, tbh - I reckon Barbeary gets the nod for the summer tour

Had completely forgotten about Tom Willis while he's been out injured - wonder if he might come into contention at 6 (another 6 who doesn't play there for his club!)
 
Yeah Dombrandt was deserving of his recall (though with how little he was used I question whether he should still be there next EPS) - Mercer should've been, and still should be, ahead of CCS though

I doubt Mercer makes any EPS squads moving forwards though, tbh - I reckon Barbeary gets the nod for the summer tour

Had completely forgotten about Tom Willis while he's been out injured - wonder if he might come into contention at 6 (another 6 who doesn't play there for his club!)
Maybe. Although CCS was arguably the discovery of the 6N so it worked out pretty well.
 
I disagree with that tbh, he did as well as expected (maybe a bit better after his poor u20s campaign) but everything he did was massively over hyped by the press/social media. He was good, don't get me wrong, but I think his energy overshadowed his inaccuracy

Still a very good prospect for the future but if I'm picking a 23 there's no way I'd pick him ahead of Mercer
 

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