In all fairness i couldnt pick a fault if that was the backline and if i did id be nit picking. Lacking a bit of height in the back three maybe, but they're all strong/ ish under the high ball. And Freeman can move about...
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South Africa vs England - 04/07/26
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I wouldn’t say centre is where we have depth limitations. I think we have a good mix of experienced players with a number of U20s coming through. We have:
Core: De Allende, Kriel, Esterhuizen
Back-ups: Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie, Lukhanyo Am
Utility covers: Willemse, Pollard (at a real desperation push)
Young new players: Markus Muller, Ethan Adams
Markus Muller left high school last year and has had almost as much attention on him as SFM had. I think he is good, but I haven’t seen him be game breaking just yet. He played for SA A last week. Ethan Adams was very dominant in the U20 rugby championship earlier this year and is in the Esterhuizen bash mould. I’m sure at least one of these two will be at the World Cup next year.
Rassie in general seems to be prioritizing the longer term depth by bringing in youngsters vs potentially bringing in BJVR who is already 29.
And he should be prioritizing youth.
England have REALLY struggled with centres for years. The common joke being most of our flankers/ No 8's (Simmonds, Earl, Pollock etc) should really have been centres. So with that in mind BJVR is actually a good player to bring in regardless of whether he'd get in the Bok side or not. He will be an improvement.
BUT
The issue we all have with him is hes only here on residency and is seen (it might not be reality) to align with South Africa more than England and that never really sits right with England fans (even though we have had player sin the past who are even less eligible playing for England).
But we also have young centres who many feel should be getting the gametime more than BJVR will...
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Literally impossible, seeing as he's not eligible atm
Have we ever had a player in the training and touring squad, before, who is not eligible to play for England?
I suspect Geordie is referencing the likes of Flutey and Hape who actively played for another nation (albeit in League) before representing England.
My first instinct was to query it as well.
For myself, I'm okay with 5 years residency - I'm not okay with changing the previous rule, and applying it retrospectively to someone who had been captured by the rules at the time. I'm REALLY not okay with the RFU actively fighting to get that exception made - or with includig him in squads, and even a match, BEFORE being qualified.
If BJVR hadn't played for the Jr Boks, I wouldn't really have a problem with his selection - once actually eligible.
As it is, I reserve the right to complain every single time he is selected in a squad - wider or match-day.
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It keeps Tom Lichfield away from Borthwick. Long live BJVR the England Goat.
Yeah Henry Paul and Vainikolo...players who were playing league and that still classed as the resisdency...
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Honesty i don't like the BJVR thing(him playing or how he is eligibe) but we arnt a team that does it a lot, we only have 1(him) in the entire squad, so ive decided to accept it and stop moaning because I ain't ever going to stop supporting England and he isnt playing today.
I
I
Is Litchfield primarily a 12 or 13?
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13.
I think you may be surprised.
Hannekom is a generational player by the looks of it. Wiese has some years left but Hannekom seems to have the higher ceiling, even though Wiese is great right now and does not really need growth.
Kolisi will likely still start a lot of matches due to his role but not only is he aging rapidly, Paul De Villiers is apparently destroying the other Springboks in training, and we know what he can do in the breakdown. The World Cup is a long way out and a full URC season to come. These younger guys if injury free will only go from strength to strength.
I can see Rassie pulling a brave move and benching Kolisi in a massive World Cup game
He was quiet in Twickenham versus Ireland too. The action was in the rucks and he didn’t fancy it.
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Got to respect Pollock, he's absolutely maximised his relevance and is probably making far more than a player of his quality and age should.
At the moment he's either an impact sub to inject pace into a game or a luxury player who would enhance an already top class pack - needs to find a hard edge and become more useful in the tight to be anything more to be honest.
I think he'd be a more interesting player if he was South African. Rassie would find some mad ways to use him.
At the moment he's either an impact sub to inject pace into a game or a luxury player who would enhance an already top class pack - needs to find a hard edge and become more useful in the tight to be anything more to be honest.
I think he'd be a more interesting player if he was South African. Rassie would find some mad ways to use him.
Guess people didnt watch his semi final and final performances.
Semi Final
23 Carries
Meters Gained - 122 (Most of any player)
Tackles made - 12
Turnovers - 1
Defenders Beaten - 8
Try assist on the opening try.
Final
19 Carries
Tackles made - 18
Rucks hit / involvement - 20
Turnovers - 1 (The critical one 3 mins from time)
Post Contact Meters Made - 81
Hes a flashy player...but he can do the hard stuff and he grafts as hard as the best of them
He reminds me of Michael Hoopper.
Between him and Pepper we're in a very good place for 7 going forward.
Semi Final
23 Carries
Meters Gained - 122 (Most of any player)
Tackles made - 12
Turnovers - 1
Defenders Beaten - 8
Try assist on the opening try.
Final
19 Carries
Tackles made - 18
Rucks hit / involvement - 20
Turnovers - 1 (The critical one 3 mins from time)
Post Contact Meters Made - 81
Hes a flashy player...but he can do the hard stuff and he grafts as hard as the best of them
He reminds me of Michael Hoopper.
Between him and Pepper we're in a very good place for 7 going forward.
England's issues at centre are all self-inflicted
You go all the way back to the days of Anthony Allen, who was heads and shoulders the best 12 in England for years, and yet he never got a look in. Hell, we even picked Hape over him...
We have had good players who never got the chance to fully step up at centre because coaches just can't have a plan B
I mean it doesn't change much from what people already said. He's an amazing player with a pack going forward.
No one is doubting his class. But while a player like Curry or Underhill won't put up the numbers, if the pack loses dominance he helps shore it up whereas we haven't seen that from Pollock YET.
Like name me one game Pollock has impressed in while the Saints pack was getting pushed back? It's why Coles and Kemeny is soooo important to Saints really they allow him to do what he does. At the international level, especially v packs like SA, Ireland and France that becomes even harder
There's an opinion from someone who hasn't watched him in a year (or has, but with views that are slow to change based on evidence)
Show me any game changing offensive minded player who plays well in a beaten side! George Ford has done that his entire career.
The crticisim of Pollock is that hes a luxury player. Im showing the stats that shows he puts huge tackle numbers, hits rucks, wins turnovers, makes huge meters ball in hand...has an incredible work rate and engine. He also runs support lines as good as Chris Ashton did in his prime...which is VERY high praise.
Thats not the stats of a "luxury" player.
South Africa is monumental for him, and he may well get put on his backside a few times...but hes a 21 year old lad and this is all massive experience for someone who seems to be learning quickly.
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Press is saying Borthwick is benching him anyway
Thought they might.
I mean, isn't that the argument really?
Does England currently need a game-changing, offensive-minded forward to start?
Like no one is questioning his ability, the question is, does the English pack and play style currently suit Pollock as a starter? It's less about Pollock and more about England on the whole. Hell we don't even really know who is our best Lock and back row in general at this moment
On Ford wasn't that exactly why he never secured the starting shirt full time for England?
TBH, I'd say that's a good decision.
I don't think you can start Pollock and Earl in the same backrow - and currently, Earl has the jersey. That'll change as Pollock matures, probably in time for the RWC, but for now, I'd be starting Earl. He's less likely to lose his cool and less likely to make a costly decision (also less likely to make a crazy break*). For now, Pollock is still learning, and improving with every new experience - let him get that from the bench until he's actually better than Earl. RWC is 1 year away, now is the time for consolidating, not looking to the future (except hooker, where both our starters are on the decline, with no-one ready to slot in).
Pair either Earl/Pollock with Pepper, and a lock/blindside.
I'd argue that the answer to that question is Jones' obsession with Owen Farrell, and making any other FH play like Owen
* If our pack is going backwards, then costly decision are a biger defecit than crazy breaks are a benefit.
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Prem =/= international rugby and he's been exactly what I describe at international.
Max Deegan is a cracking URC player, shows it all at that level, never made a dent in the international game - Pollock is better but needs to add something if he wants to be effective on his own.
IF you ignore the 2025AIs and 2026 6N, then yes.
If you don't ignore those, then no.
Yeah - what he needs to add is experience (and a bit more pre-frontal cortex development), and the improved calmness and decision making that comes with it.
He's already got the hard edge and tight work you're saying he doesn't
I would argue yes. We need carriers in the side...something i believe we sorely miss.
We have plenty of battlers. Tom Curry, Underhill, Pepper etc....
Earl is the only one who is really an explosive carrier and hes not your heavy duty carrier which we need at 6 and 8.
Hopefully George Martin can help in that area aswell....
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He started one of those games and was battered. Great impact player in the others (apart from throwing the French game) but I never denied that.
I've not seen it at international level. Easy to do with Northampton and against tired legs - Ryan Baird was a master of it in his early 20s, he's only become a legitimate starting option in the past 18 months.
There's also strength, running lines and timing that comes into it, he's not shown he's there yet.
Also a defensive aspect to tight play that hasn't been discussed. He's not weak but not a point of difference there.
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Pollock’s new agency are going to prove a problem at some point.
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He will if it's with the same people who worked on Rugby365
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Tbh I don't think Saints are exactly known for there pack. If you said we've been consistently soft in the forwards over the last few years I'd agree. Holding our own is the best I've hoped for.
As for England it's not like many have been performing for the team. It's not like we are stacked with players who go toe too toe with the SA pack. I hate the idea England continue to pick mindless drones who will only conform to Borthwicks dull tactics. But if that is the style then pick players suited to it I guess
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No issue with Pollock being benched at the moment. Right call. For now.
But in among all the luxury player, flat track bully type comments the one thing I haven’t really seen is an acknowledgement that the game IS shifting to a much more attacking style that will massively suit him. Already happened in the carnage of the Prem and is increasingly happening at international level too. Teams are more often going at it from the start, it’s not just opening up in the last 20 mins. Shaun Edwards a while back put a number on it illustrating the defensive goal posts have now shifted as more points are simply being scored as teams become more ambitious.
Pollock’s 21 so of course he’s got loads to learn. But his basics aren’t at all bad and in a couple of years I think we’ll be looking at a genuine superstar whose skillset and attitude suit the evolving game perfectly.
But in among all the luxury player, flat track bully type comments the one thing I haven’t really seen is an acknowledgement that the game IS shifting to a much more attacking style that will massively suit him. Already happened in the carnage of the Prem and is increasingly happening at international level too. Teams are more often going at it from the start, it’s not just opening up in the last 20 mins. Shaun Edwards a while back put a number on it illustrating the defensive goal posts have now shifted as more points are simply being scored as teams become more ambitious.
Pollock’s 21 so of course he’s got loads to learn. But his basics aren’t at all bad and in a couple of years I think we’ll be looking at a genuine superstar whose skillset and attitude suit the evolving game perfectly.
