2018 6Nations - Game 1: Italy

[Digby]

The big thing for Kruis is he's perhaps more likely to win contact than Lawes or Itoje. And the England system does encourage a side to go sideways if they don't win contact, it may even be worse than the 2-4-2 for that. Whether he gets the enforcer role over Launch I really don't know, but it could well be close

[fivepointer]

Squad update -
Can we run through the injuries?
"Well the only guy that is not training today is Zach Mercer as he's got a bit of a viral infection.

"We've had some miracles, some great recoveries and some fantastic work from the medical and strength and conditioning staff so at this stage we have 34 players here and 33 are available for selection."

So Brown, Robshaw and Itoje are all training?
"They all did some return to play stuff yesterday and they all came through really well."

How has Zach Mercer impressed you over the last week and is he in contention?
"He's doing ok but he has a lot of work to do - physically he has a lot of work to do.

"You put him next to Haskell and you can see the physical work he's got to do to be a Test player but he's got other attributes.

"He's just got to get stronger. We play a very physical game and you need physical strength to play well."

Would Sam Simmonds still be the front runner at this stage?
"Well he is definitely in contention, strongly in contention."

A word on Maro Itoje, he made his debut two years ago how's he developed as a player?
"Exceptionally well. He's played for the Lions and been part of a side that drew a series in New Zealand, won two Six Nations titles so for a young guy he's been in successful teams, plus obviously all his club success.

"Just his maturity is the thing that impresseses me the most, he wants to take more responsibility within the team which is absolutely outstanding.

"He can become a lot better and there's at least one area of his game he can significantly improve and he's working on that pretty hard at the moment - his ball carrying.

"He can be a much more effective attacker and he's working on that at the moment with Steve Borthwick who's doing some great work with him and certainly he's moving in the right direction."

[Timbo]

Robshaw, Itoje and Brown all fit to play. Nowell too.

Not really an injury crisis.

[Oakboy]

Robshaw, Itoje and Brown all fit to play. Nowell too.

Not really an injury crisis.

What's the current list of 'unavailables'?

Realistic starters: Marler, Billy V, Hughes, Haskell, Slade, Tuilagi, Daly, . . . . ?

Others: Taylor, LHs?

[Mikey Brown]

Borthwick teaching Itoje how to carry more effectively. Perfect.

Incidentally, was Hughes doing the old “waltz in totally upright and get smashed backwards” thing for Wasps before he joined up with England?

If they can get Itoje doing whatever Lawes did that would be great.

[p/d]

Borthwick teaching Itoje how to carry more effectively. Perfect.

My first thought.

In summary, he is a gobby git who could do with adding the Borthwick dance steps to his repertoire


.....and Mercer needs to do more weights before launching his 2019 calendar

[Mellsblue]

Robshaw, Itoje and Brown all fit to play. Nowell too.

Not really an injury crisis.

Realistic starters: Billy V, Daly, . . . . ?

Edited for accuracy.

[Puja]

Robshaw's the big good news story. His fitness pushes Lawtoje further away again.

Puja

[jngf]

"He can become a lot better and there's at least one area of his game he can significantly improve and he's working on that pretty hard at the moment - his ball carrying.

"He can be a much more effective attacker and he's working on that at the moment with Steve Borthwick who's doing some great work with him and certainly he's moving in the right direction."

A case of correct diagnosis, incorrect remedy if ever there was one? ( Apologies as I’ve just seen this has already been remarked upon ) on a further point whilst Mercer or Simmonds are physically smaller than Haskell they have at least a specialist No.8 game to call their own.

[Oakboy]

Robshaw, Itoje and Brown all fit to play. Nowell too.

Not really an injury crisis.

Realistic starters: Billy V, Daly, . . . . ?

Edited for accuracy.

Seriously, do you not think Eddie prefers starting with Marler? Props rarely do more than 55 minutes these days and I think Eddie likes Mako later in the game with Marler snarling in the 1st half scrums.

[Oakboy]

Robshaw's the big good news story. His fitness pushes Lawtoje further away again.

Puja

True but he started at 7 last time out didn't he?

[Mellsblue]

Realistic starters: Billy V, Daly, . . . . ?

Edited for accuracy.

Seriously, do you not think Eddie prefers starting with Marler? Props rarely do more than 55 minutes these days and I think Eddie likes Mako later in the game with Marler snarling in the 1st half scrums.

Marler isn’t injured.

[Scrumhead]

"He can become a lot better and there's at least one area of his game he can significantly improve and he's working on that pretty hard at the moment - his ball carrying.

"He can be a much more effective attacker and he's working on that at the moment with Steve Borthwick who's doing some great work with him and certainly he's moving in the right direction."

A case of correct diagnosis, incorrect remedy if ever there was one? ( Apologies as I’ve just seen this has already been remarked upon ) on a further point whilst Mercer or Simmonds are physically smaller than Haskell they have at least a specialist No.8 game to call their own.

True. Although Borthwick being a crap carrier in his playing career doesn’t necessarily mean that he can’t coach someone to do it better than he did.

[Puja]

Robshaw's the big good news story. His fitness pushes Lawtoje further away again.

Puja

True but he started at 7 last time out didn't he?

I am hoping that was a one-off and Eddie will continue to favour Underhill on the openside. Anything but another flank combo of Lawes and Robshaw. If we thought Samoa took the piss out of it, I couldn't bear to imagine what the Welsh would do.

Actually, I don't have to imagine - I can just remember the wonderful success of that 30-3 game.

Puja

[Digby]

And I'm hoping Eddie will favour neither Underhill nor Robshaw for openside, I expect I'll be let down on this front. In which case I hope Underhill performs in ways I've not seen from him

[Scrumhead]

I also have reservations about how well-rounded Underhill’s game is, but for now, he or potentially, Gary Graham would seem to be Eddie’s preference at 7.

[p/d]

And I'm hoping Eddie will favour neither Underhill nor Robshaw for openside, I expect I'll be let down on this front. In which case I hope Underhill performs in ways I've not seen from him

Without Kvesic then imagine Worsley, sorry, Underhill will be the best option. Though can see Lawes and Robshaw making up the backrow with Simmonds.

[Oakboy]

And I'm hoping Eddie will favour neither Underhill nor Robshaw for openside, I expect I'll be let down on this front. In which case I hope Underhill performs in ways I've not seen from him

Without Kvesic then imagine Worsley, sorry, Underhill will be the best option. Though can see Lawes and Robshaw making up the backrow with Simmonds.

That selection would not surprise me, maybe with Mercer on the bench. Otherwise, who covers 8, Robshaw?

[jngf]

I also have reservations about how well-rounded Underhill’s game is, but for now, he or potentially, Gary Graham would seem to be Eddie’s preference at 7.

Two questions re Gary Graham

1. Is he actually an openside or is this another case of Eddie up to his old tricks of picking the biggest guy he can?

2. Why haven’t Scotland already picked him for themselves (assuming he’s test quality)?

[Spiffy]

Robshaw, Itoje and Brown all fit to play. Nowell too.

Not really an injury crisis.

Good news for England. One top player plus three run-of-the-mill types available for selection.

[Scrumhead]

I also have reservations about how well-rounded Underhill’s game is, but for now, he or potentially, Gary Graham would seem to be Eddie’s preference at 7.

Two questions re Gary Graham

1. Is he actually an openside or is this another case of Eddie up to his old tricks of picking the biggest guy he can?

2. Why haven’t Scotland already picked him for themselves (assuming he’s test quality)?

1. From what I have seen, he’s a 6.5. I think Eddie sees him as a reasonably mobile guy who can perform a similar role to Haskell. In fairness to him, he looks like a better carrier/linking player than Underhill.

2. Townsend did say that they were looking at him so he wasn’t completely off the radar.

I would have preferred a number of other players to Graham but he’s there now so I’ll get behind him if he’s picked.

[Puja]

Mercer ruled out of the Italy game with a chest infection. Damned shame - would've been a great game to make his England debut off the bench.

Puja

[Digby]

Got to wonder who else might have the infection

[fivepointer]

England head coach Eddie Jones has retained 25 players ahead of England’s first NatWest 6 Nations match against Italy in Rome on Sunday 4 February 3pm KO GMT.

The group includes three uncapped players with Nathan Earle, Gary Graham and Alec Hepburn named in the 25 ahead of Friday's team announcement.

Full backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins), Nathan Earle (Saracens)*, Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)

Inside backs
Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)


Back five
Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons)*, Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

Front row
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs) *, Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs).

Uncapped *

[Mikey Brown]

Was just going to post this, but not to worry. False alarm. https://www.crashballrugby.com/articles ... ions-debut