Your country match day 23 for rugby world cup 2023

[Dropkick1]

What would be Your country match day 23 for rugby world cup 2023 guys ?

 

[BPM]

I'll bite on this ... and then laugh at myself in 3 years time:

England 2023:

1. E. Genge
2. J. George
3. K. Sinckler
4. M. Itoje
5. J. Launchbury
6. T. Hill
7. T. Curry
8. Z. Mercer
9. A. Mitchell
10. O. Farrell
11. J. Cokanasiga
12. O. Lawrence
13. J. Marchant
14. A. Watson
15. M. Malins

16. L. Cowan-Dickie
17. M. Vunipola
18. W. Stuart
19. C. Lawes
20. J. Willis
21. D. Robson
22. G. Ford
23. H. Slade

I actually found it pretty tough.

Front row:

If Genge continues on his recent trajectory, I think he can be first choice. His carrying is already very good and his scrummaging has improved so I think he offers the best all-round proposition at loosehead. I don't really see any reason to change George or Sinckler unless they have a significant loss off form. Mako could/should be an excellent impact sub and I expect Stuart to develop in to a genuine contender at tighthead.

Second row:

Very tricky here. We're transitioning from a solid group of 4 excellent locks but don't have players of the same standard to replace them. I'm hoping that the enforced break from lockdown might prolong the careers of Launchbury and Lawes. Otherwise, I'm hoping Moon, Kpoku or Isiekwe really step up.

Back row:

Even trickier, but I've gone for specialists. Hill is already an excellent player and I think he'll keep getting better. As a genuine blindside, I think he'll pick himself. Curry is marginally superior to Underhill IMO, although I'd still have the latter in the squad. I've gone for Willis on the bench as I think he'll surely play his way in to the squad and is best equipped to cover across the back row.

Mercer seems to be underrated. Whenever I watch him I think he's hugely influential and I think he has the most rounded skill set of all our options at 8. I love Dombrandt and would be very happy to see him in the squad but I think Mercer is the better of the two right now. That could change though ...

Scrum Half:

Almost impossible. Mitchell seems to be the guy being earmarked and if he takes the opportunity from Reinach's departure with both hands, he could become a key player for England. If he can replicate how he played in the Barbarians game, I'd be very happy. I've gone for Robson as my second option to offer impact from the bench but it's completely up in the air. Maybe the move to Bath will be what Spencer needs to strengthen his case?

Fly Half:

Hard to look past Farrell and Ford and if it's a choice between the two Owen will always win with Eddie (even if I'd have the opposite). Smith or Simmonds will challenge.

Centre:

I know it's a bit of a long shot, but Lawrence looks like the real deal and I'm hoping he continues his development. I really think he could be special. Marchant is quality. Perhaps I'm biased as a Quins fan, but I genuinely think he'll be our next long term 13. I like Slade a lot but I think Marchant offers a bit more of what I'd personally want at 13. Slade is also a great 23.

Wing:

I can still see a place for May. He's definitely undroppable at the moment, but in fast-forward mode, I wonder whether he'll retain the pace to make him an automatic pick. Cokanasiga could be hot on his heels and would offer a different threat to my relatively small midfield. Watson is class and fitness permitting will be hard for anyone to leapfrog.

Fullback:

I've gone well out there on this one but I think Malins offers what Eddie was looking for from Daly. The move to Bristol could be the making of him. I know it's not going to be popular, but I also wouldn't rule out Mallinder.

 

[EdBirch]

I'll bite on this ... and then laugh at myself in 3 years time:

England 2023:

1. E. Genge
2. J. George
3. K. Sinckler
4. M. Itoje
5. J. Launchbury
6. T. Hill
7. T. Curry
8. Z. Mercer
9. A. Mitchell
10. O. Farrell
11. J. Cokanasiga
12. O. Lawrence
13. J. Marchant
14. A. Watson
15. M. Malins

16. L. Cowan-Dickie
17. M. Vunipola
18. W. Stuart
19. C. Lawes
20. J. Willis
21. D. Robson
22. G. Ford
23. H. Slade

I actually found it pretty tough.

Front row:

If Genge continues on his recent trajectory, I think he can be first choice. His carrying is already very good and his scrummaging has improved so I think he offers the best all-round proposition at loosehead. I don't really see any reason to change George or Sinckler unless they have a significant loss off form. Mako could/should be an excellent impact sub and I expect Stuart to develop in to a genuine contender at tighthead.

Second row:

Very tricky here. We're transitioning from a solid group of 4 excellent locks but don't have players of the same standard to replace them. I'm hoping that the enforced break from lockdown might prolong the careers of Launchbury and Lawes. Otherwise, I'm hoping Moon, Kpoku or Isiekwe really step up.

Back row:

Even trickier, but I've gone for specialists. Hill is already an excellent player and I think he'll keep getting better. As a genuine blindside, I think he'll pick himself. Curry is marginally superior to Underhill IMO, although I'd still have the latter in the squad. I've gone for Willis on the bench as I think he'll surely play his way in to the squad and is best equipped to cover across the back row.

Mercer seems to be underrated. Whenever I watch him I think he's hugely influential and I think he has the most rounded skill set of all our options at 8. I love Dombrandt and would be very happy to see him in the squad but I think Mercer is the better of the two right now. That could change though ...

Scrum Half:

Almost impossible. Mitchell seems to be the guy being earmarked and if he takes the opportunity from Reinach's departure with both hands, he could become a key player for England. If he can replicate how he played in the Barbarians game, I'd be very happy. I've gone for Robson as my second option to offer impact from the bench but it's completely up in the air. Maybe the move to Bath will be what Spencer needs to strengthen his case?

Fly Half:

Hard to look past Farrell and Ford and if it's a choice between the two Owen will always win with Eddie (even if I'd have the opposite). Smith or Simmonds will challenge.

Centre:

I know it's a bit of a long shot, but Lawrence looks like the real deal and I'm hoping he continues his development. I really think he could be special. Marchant is quality. Perhaps I'm biased as a Quins fan, but I genuinely think he'll be our next long term 13. I like Slade a lot but I think Marchant offers a bit more of what I'd personally want at 13. Slade is also a great 23.

Wing:

I can still see a place for May. He's definitely undroppable at the moment, but in fast-forward mode, I wonder whether he'll retain the pace to make him an automatic pick. Cokanasiga could be hot on his heels and would offer a different threat to my relatively small midfield. Watson is class and fitness permitting will be hard for anyone to leapfrog.

Fullback:

I've gone well out there on this one but I think Malins offers what Eddie was looking for from Daly. The move to Bristol could be the making of him. I know it's not going to be popular, but I also wouldn't rule out Mallinder.

Can't argue with the Front Row. Second row i'd put Ewels and Kpoku in instead of Launchbury and Lawes. 8 is so in the balance between Earl, Dombrandt, Mercer et al. Agree with 9. I reckon you're right with 10 although i would rather see Smith over Ford. Centre is an interesting one, i like your picks and i can't think of anyone else to slot in. Wing is on the money. Hodge for fullback potentially?

 

[BPM]

Hodge is a great shout. I'll be really keen to see how he develops. I can't say I've seen any of him in the Championship but he's looked the business at U20 level.

A season of starting in the Championship might be the making of Kpoku. If he can establish himself in the Saracens side for their inevitable return to the Premiership, he'll definitely be there or thereabouts.

I do think one positive outcome of the COVID-19 enforced break is that some careers will be prolonged. Lawes will be 34 in 2023. Definitely at the latter end of his career, but he's a phenomenal athlete and with the benefit of having had an extended break, I think he could still be a very viable selection in 3yrs time.

If the likes of Ewels and Kpoku are performing better then I'd be happy to transition Lawes and Kruis out of the picture, but if they're still playing well and are fit enough, I don't see age alone as a barrier.

 

[EdBirch]

Hodge is a great shout. I'll be really keen to see how he develops. I can't say I've seen any of him in the Championship but he's looked the business at U20 level.

A season of starting in the Championship might be the making of Kpoku. If he can establish himself in the Saracens side for their inevitable return to the Premiership, he'll definitely be there or thereabouts.

I do think one positive outcome of the COVID-19 enforced break is that some careers will be prolonged. Lawes will be 34 in 2023. Definitely at the latter end of his career, but he's a phenomenal athlete and with the benefit of having had an extended break, I think he could still be a very viable selection in 3yrs time.

If the likes of Ewels and Kpoku are performing better then I'd be happy to transition Lawes and Kruis out of the picture, but if they're still playing well and are fit enough, I don't see age alone as a barrier.

That's fair, i agree lawes is a great athlete and if still fit and able, should be a great shout.

The battle for the 8 jersey is one i'm particularly interested in

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Fortunately I haven't got time to do a full reply but I'd totally expect to see LCD starting. Things are cyclical and Sinckler's offloading will have been sussed so Stuart at TH. Dombrandt at 8 paired with 2 of Curry, Underhill and Willis. On another thread Isiekwe was talked about as a 6 but he'll start at lock, probably alongside Itoje.

Slade's a class act and will be cemented in at 13. Ford will have been replaced by Simmons but Faz will prob still start at 10. Glad BPM has remembered Coka, reading about his injuries recently, he's really had a rough time of it.

 

[BPM]

I'm not sure Simmonds will overhaul Ford. Eddie's shown no obvious interest in him so far.

There's a lot more to Sinckler's game than offloading. He's already widely regarded as being one of the top tightheads in the NH and I think he'll get better at Bristol. Don't get me wrong, I think Stuart has got loads of potential and three years is a fairly long time. However, I think it would need a big loss of form from Sinckler and a big rise from Stuart for the pecking order to be reversed.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Gotta say this is really tough for nz. Especially picking wingers as these have been young players at the last two world cups. And locks because during any given year in the last 25 we've tended to have between zero and 3 of a high calibre (in top 10 in world, say), we simply don't produce them like we do players in other positions (yeah I know we've had Retallick, Whitelock, Romano, thorn, Keith Robinson, Jack, Ali Williams, Ian Jones, Robin Brooke, so it looks like we are stong in that department but honestly the next tier has been a big drop off during this time). And so many of our experienced players will be quite old - 32 to 36.

But I can try

Tuungafasi. Moli.
Taylor. Aumua
Laulala. Tokolahi
Retallick
S barrett. P parkinson
Jacobson
Cane
A Savea. H sotutu.
Tahuriorangi. Perenara
Mounga. Havili
L fainaanuku
Lienert brown
Goodhue.
Alaimalo
J Barrett. C clarke

 

[BPM]

No Ennor or Jordan? I'd have thought both would be high up the list.