Team for Samoa?

[Stom]

So, after that's done, any thoughts about what we need to look at for Samoa?

First off the bat, partly because it's #1, Mako needs a rest. Keep him in the squad, but don't play him. Why not start Genge?

Surely Williams ahead of Cole, and surely George is overdue his first start.

I'd keep Itoje on the bench again, but perhaps Lawes could do with a breather...

If Underhill is good to go, him again. If not, bring Ben Curry in. Start Simmonds at 8 and Hughes from the bench.

Care to start. Roko in for Daly.

So:

Genge
George
Williams
Launch
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Simmonds
Care
Ford
May
Farrell
Joseph
Roko
Watson

Hartley, Marler, Cole, Itoje, Hughes, Youngs, Slade, Daly

[Mr Mwenda]

No place for Lozowski? Felt his cameo last week warranted another run out.

[Stom]

No place for Lozowski? Felt his cameo last week warranted another run out.

Farrell is the 12, like it or not. And Slade is likely to be the like-for-like replacement, if needed. I don't see the point in giving Loz the minutes right now, as I think he has a lot to work on before he's ready to start a test match, more than Slade.

[Bloggs]

Accidental double post

[Bloggs]

Genge
George
Williams
Ewels
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Simmonds

Care
Farrell
daly
Slade
Joseph
Roko
Watson

Hartley
Marler
Sinckler
Itoje
Hughes
Youngs
Ford
May

Bit of a chance for the squad to get some caps

[Puja]

So, after that's done, any thoughts about what we need to look at for Samoa?

First off the bat, partly because it's #1, Mako needs a rest. Keep him in the squad, but don't play him. Why not start Genge?

Surely Williams ahead of Cole, and surely George is overdue his first start.

I'd keep Itoje on the bench again, but perhaps Lawes could do with a breather...

If Underhill is good to go, him again. If not, bring Ben Curry in. Start Simmonds at 8 and Hughes from the bench.

Care to start. Roko in for Daly.

So:

Genge
George
Williams
Launch
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Simmonds
Care
Ford
May
Farrell
Joseph
Roko
Watson

Hartley, Marler, Cole, Itoje, Hughes, Youngs, Slade, Daly

You and I are in complete agreement, which should really concern you.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

So, after that's done, any thoughts about what we need to look at for Samoa?

First off the bat, partly because it's #1, Mako needs a rest. Keep him in the squad, but don't play him. Why not start Genge?

Surely Williams ahead of Cole, and surely George is overdue his first start.

I'd keep Itoje on the bench again, but perhaps Lawes could do with a breather...

If Underhill is good to go, him again. If not, bring Ben Curry in. Start Simmonds at 8 and Hughes from the bench.

Care to start. Roko in for Daly.

So:

Genge
George
Williams
Launch
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Simmonds
Care
Ford
May
Farrell
Joseph
Roko
Watson

Hartley, Marler, Cole, Itoje, Hughes, Youngs, Slade, Daly

You and I are in complete agreement, which should really concern you.

Puja

Make that 3, which is really disturbing

[switchskier]

Thought that Joseph was very quiet yesterday from the highlights programme. If you look purely at AP form I'd select Slade ahead of him so why not give him a run in the simplest of the games that you have in these AIs?

[Tom Moore]

Thought that Joseph was very quiet yesterday from the highlights programme. If you look purely at AP form I'd select Slade ahead of him so why not give him a run in the simplest of the games that you have in these AIs?

Thought Slade was poor against Argentina, and I'd be more inclined to keep 10 12 13 together to try and get some fluency.

On a different subject, how did we think Lawes went at 6? I've always said locks who play like flankers are too valuable to waste as flankers, but I'm beginning to wonder if Lawes is now more of a 6 than he is a 5. Or at the very least a serviceable 5.5.

[Puja]

On a different subject, how did we think Lawes went at 6? I've always said locks who play like flankers are too valuable to waste as flankers, but I'm beginning to wonder if Lawes is now more of a 6 than he is a 5. Or at the very least a serviceable 5.5.

It didn't look particularly comfortable to me. Looked very much like we had three locks on the pitch and Robshaw was left on his own. I'm glad that Underhill's injury meant that we had the chance to check it out in a big match so at least we know, but I don't think it's a viable tactic going forwards.

Puja

[Beasties]

He had some good moments and some not so good. Twill ever be thus.

[Scrumhead]

So, after that's done, any thoughts about what we need to look at for Samoa?

First off the bat, partly because it's #1, Mako needs a rest. Keep him in the squad, but don't play him. Why not start Genge?

Surely Williams ahead of Cole, and surely George is overdue his first start.

I'd keep Itoje on the bench again, but perhaps Lawes could do with a breather...

If Underhill is good to go, him again. If not, bring Ben Curry in. Start Simmonds at 8 and Hughes from the bench.

Care to start. Roko in for Daly.

So:

Genge
George
Williams
Launch
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Simmonds
Care
Ford
May
Farrell
Joseph
Roko
Watson

Hartley, Marler, Cole, Itoje, Hughes, Youngs, Slade, Daly

You and I are in complete agreement, which should really concern you.

Puja

Make that 3, which is really disturbing

Almost 4 ... I was at the game so I don’t know exactly what happened, but I’m assuming Underhill didn’t pass his HIA (rather than it being tactical) so presumably his availability will be subject to the return to play protocols.

If he’s not fit, I’d leave Hughes at 8 and have Simmonds at 7.

[fivepointer]

i'd go with major changes up front with just one change in the backs. I'd refresh the bench and bring in a few new faces.

Genge, George, Williams, Launchbury, Itoje, Robshaw, Underhill, Simmons
Youngs, Ford, Roko, Farrell, JJ, May, Watson

Marler, Dunn, Schonert, Ewels, B Curry, Care, Slade, Daly

[Tom Moore]

On a different subject, how did we think Lawes went at 6? I've always said locks who play like flankers are too valuable to waste as flankers, but I'm beginning to wonder if Lawes is now more of a 6 than he is a 5. Or at the very least a serviceable 5.5.

It didn't look particularly comfortable to me. Looked very much like we had three locks on the pitch and Robshaw was left on his own. I'm glad that Underhill's injury meant that we had the chance to check it out in a big match so at least we know, but I don't think it's a viable tactic going forwards.

Puja

On rewatch I think you're probably right- the locks in and of themselves had good individual games, but the back row didn't work as a unit. Potentially contributed to Robshaw having what for him constituted a minor breakdown during the second half.

Somebody has definitely taught Lawes to pass.

[Tom Moore]

It didn't look particularly comfortable to me. Looked very much like we had three locks on the pitch and Robshaw was left on his own. I'm glad that Underhill's injury meant that we had the chance to check it out in a big match so at least we know, but I don't think it's a viable tactic going forwards.

Puja

I'm also a bit perturbed about Underhill getting injured so often, wondering if he might be a bit too made of glass to be a realistic long-term option.

[Scrumhead]

I think it’s difficult to avoid injury when you play in as physical a way as Underhill does. It’s a bit like Moody 2.0.

[jngf]

I think it’s difficult to avoid injury when you play in as physical a way as Underhill does. It’s a bit like Moody 2.0.

I think Underhill’s got a lot more physical presence and carrying power than Moody had but less raw pace. I think Underhill’s in the Team for the long haul, at 7 up to RWC 2019 then at maybe taking over from Robshaw at 6.

I’ve been really impressed by Simmonds impact from the bench and he certainly has the work rate and mobility to play flanker and I’m more coming round to the fact that he’s might be our third no.8 behind Billy and Hughes.

[Mellsblue]

Marler
George
Williams
Launch
Itoje
Robshaw
Underhill/Curry
Simmonds
Youngs
Ford
Daly
Farrell
Joseph
May
Watson

Hartley
Genge
Cole
Ewels
Mercer
Care
Slade
Roko

[Puja]

Somebody has definitely taught Lawes to pass.

I think Lawes gets a bad rap sometimes - he has always had the ability to pass and to draw and give (the famous 2010 try for Chris Ashton vs Aus came from a Lawes pass), but he's not always been in teams where they approve of locks playing out wide.

Puja

[bitts]

I'm not sure whether Eddie should experiment or should put out his SN side. I've ended up going with a mix.

Genge
George
Williams
Launch
Lawes
Robshaw
Simmonds (Think he may be the best option we have to balance our back row and we need more carriers)
Hughes
Care
Ford
Daly
Farrell (Ford-Faz is a deeply unbalanced 10-12 axis. It's also the best option we have right now. If Slade had played well against Argentina I would suggest he start)
Joseph
Roko (with orders to try and make yards through the middle)
Watson

Hartley (last hurrarh as long as one of Taylor or LCD stay fit)
Marler (Mako - could do with a rest- for the SN i hope we have a Mako-Genge combo)
Cole (if only Sinclair wasn't an idiot),
Itoje (Amazing player, but at this point, I think Lawes and Launch are slightly ahead)
Underhill
Youngs
Slade
May (kind of showed why he should and shouldn't be starting against Oz, on balance I think he's a finisher)

[Adam_P]

I'd like to see a back row of 6. Underhill 7. Simmonds 8. Hughes if Underhill is fit. Think that could be pretty decent. Definitely want to see both Genge and Williams starting in the front row, I was annoyed that Genge dropped out for the Aus game, he is one of our very few truly destructive carriers

[Mellsblue]

That’s very inexperienced and with two players out of position. Hughes would be senior player when he really should just be concentrating on trying to hold on to the ball.

[Banquo]

On a different subject, how did we think Lawes went at 6? I've always said locks who play like flankers are too valuable to waste as flankers, but I'm beginning to wonder if Lawes is now more of a 6 than he is a 5. Or at the very least a serviceable 5.5.

It didn't look particularly comfortable to me. Looked very much like we had three locks on the pitch and Robshaw was left on his own. I'm glad that Underhill's injury meant that we had the chance to check it out in a big match so at least we know, but I don't think it's a viable tactic going forwards.

Puja

On rewatch I think you're probably right- the locks in and of themselves had good individual games, but the back row didn't work as a unit. Potentially contributed to Robshaw having what for him constituted a minor breakdown during the second half.

Somebody has definitely taught Lawes to pass.

Not sure how the revised back row would be likely to work as a unit, in truth.

[Banquo]

Thought that Joseph was very quiet yesterday from the highlights programme. If you look purely at AP form I'd select Slade ahead of him so why not give him a run in the simplest of the games that you have in these AIs?

They are quite different players in style and contribution terms, and you probably wouldn't expect to see much of JJ bar a very good finish in the highlights of a game where he touched it four times- once was a try, and once was an excellent miss pass btw.

[Mikey Brown]

Don't really give a shit except that we drop Hughes. I've really tried to get on board with the big, showboating dickhead but I can't stand watching him waltz upright in to contact and lose the ball yet again. Doesn't even look like he gives a shit that 14 other players are busting their arses to get hold of the ball in the first place.

Yes he can play much better than that. But the gulf between him and Vunipola is enormous. Were the 2 or 3 fanboys of his on here at all impressed yesterday?

Incidentally, Chisholm/Armand looking great today.