2018 6Nations - Game 1: Italy

[Timbo]

Looking at who we’ve got left after injuries and suspensions....it’s still actually not a million miles away from our strongest team. And there’s even enough left over for a good bench. But we really can’t afford too many more to be missing. No doubt it’s not going to be as intimidating a team as it could be without Billy, Daly, Marler and Hughes in particular, but it should still be strong. Hope that Robshaw and Brown pull through, otherwise there’s going to be some inexperience in the backrow and back 3.

For this game i predict we’ll go;

1. MVunipola
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Launchbury
6. Itoje
7. Underhill
8. Simmonds
9. Care
10. Ford
11. May
12. Farrell
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

16. George 17. Hepburn 18. Williams
19. Kruis 20. Mercer
21. Youngs 22. Lozowski 23. Te’o

Thoughts?

[Scrumhead]

Will Te’o make the bench though?

I doubt it. I think it’s more likely Nowell will be in the 23 shirt if his ankle comes through or failing that, I guess it’ll be Earle?

We’re still a week and a half away from the game so I’m hopeful the guys with niggles will be OK by then.

[Timbo]

Eddie says Te’o is not only over his injury but is ‘flying in training’. He’ll be in the 23, I’m sure of it.

[Scrumhead]

OK - good to hear. At least someone is fit!

Just read Nowell is 3 or 4 weeks away so won’t be available until the Scotland game at the earliest.

[Puja]

I'll be honest, I am openly expecting:

Mako
Hartley
Cole
Lawes
Kruis
Itoje
Robshaw
Simmonds

Youngs
Ford
May
Fazlet
Te'o
Watson
Brown

Boyce, Dunn, Williams, Launchbury, Isiekwe, Care, Lozowski, Joseph

Which I think would be fairly close to the most disappointing XXIII that could be named, barring silly choices.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

I’d be surprised to see Dunn ahead of George and Boyce ahead of Hepburn.

[Puja]

I’d be surprised to see Dunn ahead of George and Boyce ahead of Hepburn.

Eddie's been talking in the media about how much he loves a hard-luck story and difficult upbringing and that's why Boyce is in the squad. I think he'll be ahead of Hepburn for 'character'.

As for Dunn, Eddie likes the defensive work and thrills in thumbing the nose to the people insisting George should be ahead of Hartley. What better way to screw with the experts than to bump him down to third choice?

Puja

[Mellsblue]

O’Shea has picked his England team:
Vunipola
Hartley
Cole
Lawes
Launch
Itoje
Robshaw
Simmonds

Care/Youngs
Ford
Watson
Farrell
Joseph
May
Brown

[Scrumhead]

I’d be surprised to see Dunn ahead of George and Boyce ahead of Hepburn.

Eddie's been talking in the media about how much he loves a hard-luck story and difficult upbringing and that's why Boyce is in the squad. I think he'll be ahead of Hepburn for 'character'.

As for Dunn, Eddie likes the defensive work and thrills in thumbing the nose to the people insisting George should be ahead of Hartley. What better way to screw with the experts than to bump him down to third choice?

Puja

I hate all that $hit. That side of Eddie is starting to grate on me as it seems more like it’s a game/to mess with people rather than anything productive.

However ‘tough’ some players’ uprbringings may have been, I doubt they would have been tougher than Don Armand’s but that doesn’t seem to have done him any favours. All total bollocks and I seriously worry that this kind of thing is just as likely to alienate good players rather than spur them on.

I like Dunn and I can see why he’s in the squad, but to pick him over George just to ‘screw the experts’ would be a new low on the WTF list IMO. I doubt we will need a hooker making 20 tackles against Italy but we probably will want a more dynamic player in the last 30mins.

[Mellsblue]

If Jones sees Dunn as his third or fourth choice hooker then Italy seems a sensible game to give him experience. Picking him as a fu to the media would be ridiculous, though.

[twitchy]

Itjoe has fucked his hip and lawes has flu, it's turning into a farce.

[Digby]

I doubt we will need a hooker making 20 tackles against Italy but we probably will want a more dynamic player in the last 30mins.

We'd want one in the opening 50 too, but it is what it is. Saying that I don't think Eddie will pick a team in any sort of swipe at some in the media, it's just about winning for him. Now maybe like Clive from 2002 onward he's getting carried away with his own brilliance, but he still just seems like Eddie to me

[fivepointer]

Its turning into a very significant challenge for Eddie and his coaches. They have a number of issues to get through over the next 10 days. Fingers crossed no one else gets crocked.
Assuming the worst and along with Nowell, Sinckler and Slade missing, Robshaw and Brown dont make it either we are going to field a highly compromised selection.
I'm expecting Mako, Hartley, Cole, Itoje, Launchbury, Lawes, Underhill, Simmonds, Youngs, Ford, May, Faz, JJ, Solomona, Watson

[Timbo]

Itjoe has fucked his hip and lawes has flu, it's turning into a farce.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about them being fit for the Italy game.

On Eddie in general, I agree with Digby, there’s absolutely no chance that Eddie picks players based on anything said in the media, to agree with them or to spite them. And, imo, there’s far too much consternation around some of Eddies fringe selections and media pronouncements. By and large when he’s selected somebody out of the blue he’s been proven right (Genge, Sinckler, Lozowski, Marcus Smith...even Haskell). Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Garry Graham, for eg, has a really good 6Nations and in a years time we’ve forgotten that he was a debatable pick. Eddie has flaws, but he’s got a hell of a keen eye for talent.

[Oakboy]

Its turning into a very significant challenge for Eddie and his coaches. They have a number of issues to get through over the next 10 days. Fingers crossed no one else gets crocked.
Assuming the worst and along with Nowell, Sinckler and Slade missing, Robshaw and Brown dont make it either we are going to field a highly compromised selection.
I'm expecting Mako, Hartley, Cole, Itoje, Launchbury, Lawes, Underhill, Simmonds, Youngs, Ford, May, Faz, JJ, Solomona, Watson

I think you've got it right. The bench will be interesting. Boyce, George, Williams, Isiekwe, Mercer, Care, T'eo, Lozowski perhaps?

[Banquo]

Brown is iffy, and if we have the Lawtoje at 6 combo I'll scream.

[Oakboy]

Itjoe has fucked his hip and lawes has flu, it's turning into a farce.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about them being fit for the Italy game.

On Eddie in general, I agree with Digby, there’s absolutely no chance that Eddie picks players based on anything said in the media, to agree with them or to spite them. And, imo, there’s far too much consternation around some of Eddies fringe selections and media pronouncements. By and large when he’s selected somebody out of the blue he’s been proven right (Genge, Sinckler, Lozowski, Marcus Smith...even Haskell). Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Garry Graham, for eg, has a really good 6Nations and in a years time we’ve forgotten that he was a debatable pick. Eddie has flaws, but he’s got a hell of a keen eye for talent.

That's a brave statement, Timbo. Has he really brought in a surprise and stuck with him in the XV to date? I see him as trying a few (e.g. Maunder) but not sticking. Have I missed someone? Maybe, you could make a marginal case for Underhill or Sinckler, I suppose.

[Banquo]

Itjoe has fucked his hip and lawes has flu, it's turning into a farce.

we've created a farce.

[Banquo]

Itjoe has fucked his hip and lawes has flu, it's turning into a farce.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about them being fit for the Italy game.

On Eddie in general, I agree with Digby, there’s absolutely no chance that Eddie picks players based on anything said in the media, to agree with them or to spite them. And, imo, there’s far too much consternation around some of Eddies fringe selections and media pronouncements. By and large when he’s selected somebody out of the blue he’s been proven right (Genge, Sinckler, Lozowski, Marcus Smith...even Haskell). Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Garry Graham, for eg, has a really good 6Nations and in a years time we’ve forgotten that he was a debatable pick. Eddie has flaws, but he’s got a hell of a keen eye for talent.

That's a brave statement, Timbo. Has he really brought in a surprise and stuck with him in the XV to date? I see him as trying a few (e.g. Maunder) but not sticking. Have I missed someone? Maybe, you could make a marginal case for Underhill or Sinckler, I suppose.

Daly on the wing. Others are being brewed up

[Oakboy]

Brown is iffy, and if we have the Lawtoje at 6 combo I'll scream.

That bugs you doesn't it!

Maybe, if he does it, either with Robshaw missing or at 7, he could argue that it has never let him down? And, with Simmonds at 8, he needs simple poundage and height? I'm not necessarily advocating it but I can see a case.

[Oakboy]

I don’t think there’s any doubt about them being fit for the Italy game.

On Eddie in general, I agree with Digby, there’s absolutely no chance that Eddie picks players based on anything said in the media, to agree with them or to spite them. And, imo, there’s far too much consternation around some of Eddies fringe selections and media pronouncements. By and large when he’s selected somebody out of the blue he’s been proven right (Genge, Sinckler, Lozowski, Marcus Smith...even Haskell). Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Garry Graham, for eg, has a really good 6Nations and in a years time we’ve forgotten that he was a debatable pick. Eddie has flaws, but he’s got a hell of a keen eye for talent.

That's a brave statement, Timbo. Has he really brought in a surprise and stuck with him in the XV to date? I see him as trying a few (e.g. Maunder) but not sticking. Have I missed someone? Maybe, you could make a marginal case for Underhill or Sinckler, I suppose.

Daly on the wing. Others are being brewed up

Don't be daft. He got that one from reading my posts!!!!

[Banquo]

Brown is iffy, and if we have the Lawtoje at 6 combo I'll scream.

That bugs you doesn't it!

Maybe, if he does it, either with Robshaw missing or at 7, he could argue that it has never let him down? And, with Simmonds at 8, he needs simple poundage and height? I'm not necessarily advocating it but I can see a case.

They are both ordinary to pants international 6's. It further hampers a limited game.

[Timbo]

Itjoe has fucked his hip and lawes has flu, it's turning into a farce.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about them being fit for the Italy game.

On Eddie in general, I agree with Digby, there’s absolutely no chance that Eddie picks players based on anything said in the media, to agree with them or to spite them. And, imo, there’s far too much consternation around some of Eddies fringe selections and media pronouncements. By and large when he’s selected somebody out of the blue he’s been proven right (Genge, Sinckler, Lozowski, Marcus Smith...even Haskell). Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Garry Graham, for eg, has a really good 6Nations and in a years time we’ve forgotten that he was a debatable pick. Eddie has flaws, but he’s got a hell of a keen eye for talent.

That's a brave statement, Timbo. Has he really brought in a surprise and stuck with him in the XV to date? I see him as trying a few (e.g. Maunder) but not sticking. Have I missed someone? Maybe, you could make a marginal case for Underhill or Sinckler, I suppose.

Not brave, unquestioned imo. Certainly historically with bringing through the likes of George Smith and Matt Giteau for Oz etc. For England, I don’t think many other coaches would have picked Genge, Tom Curry or Isiekwe when he did. There were very few calls for Sinckler, now he’s a test Lion. He brought Te’o straight in. All 5 of those will be in our next World Cup squad if fit.

[Digby]

Andy Robinson would have been able to see George Smith was worth picking at 7

[Stom]

I think we can ink in the majority of the team, it's the injuries that are causing a few headaches...

Mako
Hartley
Cole
Lawes/Itoje/Lawtoje
Kruis
Robshaw/Lawtoje
Underhill
Simmonds
Youngs
Ford
May
Farrell
Joseph
Watson/Solomona
Brown/Watson

George, Boyce, Williams, Lawes/Itoje/Launch, Mercer, Care, Lozowski, Te'o.