Exeter vs Munster

[Epaminondas Pules]

I thought Armand was excellent. Some of his tackles close in where he stopped an opposing forward dead (or even drove him back) was exactly what I did not see from Shields last night. Add on some significant carries and skilful offloads and I'm bewildered why the NZ import is in the squad and the Zimabwean is not. Will someone explain?

Jones doesn’t rate him. He’s a good all-rounder without a stand out feature and we already have that but with more caps in Robshaw. If we were to pick one from Exeter’s backrow, it should be Kvesic. He was excellent....again. As was Skinner. He also has a ridiculous haircut.

Kevs has really started to improve his game/ It is probably too early for the AI's but I would love to see him carry this form through and then he simply has to play a part in the 6Ns you'd think.

[Oakboy]

I thought Armand was excellent. Some of his tackles close in where he stopped an opposing forward dead (or even drove him back) was exactly what I did not see from Shields last night. Add on some significant carries and skilful offloads and I'm bewildered why the NZ import is in the squad and the Zimabwean is not. Will someone explain?

Jones doesn’t rate him. He’s a good all-rounder without a stand out feature and we already have that but with more caps in Robshaw. If we were to pick one from Exeter’s backrow, it should be Kvesic. He was excellent....again. As was Skinner. He also has a ridiculous haircut.

Solution - dump Jones now.

[Timbo]

I thought Armand was excellent. Some of his tackles close in where he stopped an opposing forward dead (or even drove him back) was exactly what I did not see from Shields last night. Add on some significant carries and skilful offloads and I'm bewildered why the NZ import is in the squad and the Zimabwean is not. Will someone explain?

Jones doesn’t rate him. He’s a good all-rounder without a stand out feature and we already have that but with more caps in Robshaw. If we were to pick one from Exeter’s backrow, it should be Kvesic. He was excellent....again. As was Skinner. He also has a ridiculous haircut.

Agree with both of you. Armand was outstanding for Exe, fully went toe-to-toe with POM in a great battle. Kvesic and Ewers put in top efforts too.

Haven’t seen enough of Shields yet, but have to say that Robshaw would be nowhere near my England squad. Only thing he has on about 7/8 other contenders is that he picked up 30/40 caps under Lancaster when there was very little competition for his place. If Armand had 50 caps and Robshaw 0 nobody would be calling for Armand to be dropped for Robshaw.

[fivepointer]

I thought all the Exe back row were first rate. In a sane world, all of them should be under consideration by England. I also thought LCD was tremendous with Nowell not far behind.
a draw is never completely satisfactory but, on balance, it was the right result. Pity that the weather had such a bearing on the game.

[Timbo]

I thought all the Exe back row were first rate. In a sane world, all of them should be under consideration by England. I also thought LCD was tremendous with Nowell not far behind.
a draw is never completely satisfactory but, on balance, it was the right result. Pity that the weather had such a bearing on the game.

Not sure how Ewers would go at a higher level. Not sure he has enough to his game. For Exe he’s very effective though, when he latches on to a carrier its like tank rolling up the field.

[Mikey Brown]

Aye. He’s limited, but that one-man-maul thing he does is just great to watch. Imagine Billy, Mako, George with that behind them.

[Stom]

I thought Armand was excellent. Some of his tackles close in where he stopped an opposing forward dead (or even drove him back) was exactly what I did not see from Shields last night. Add on some significant carries and skilful offloads and I'm bewildered why the NZ import is in the squad and the Zimabwean is not. Will someone explain?

Jones doesn’t rate him. He’s a good all-rounder without a stand out feature and we already have that but with more caps in Robshaw. If we were to pick one from Exeter’s backrow, it should be Kvesic. He was excellent....again. As was Skinner. He also has a ridiculous haircut.

Agree with both of you. Armand was outstanding for Exe, fully went toe-to-toe with POM in a great battle. Kvesic and Ewers put in top efforts too.

Haven’t seen enough of Shields yet, but have to say that Robshaw would be nowhere near my England squad. Only thing he has on about 7/8 other contenders is that he picked up 30/40 caps under Lancaster when there was very little competition for his place. If Armand had 50 caps and Robshaw 0 nobody would be calling for Armand to be dropped for Robshaw.

You can't just ignore those caps, though...

A better question would be:

If Armand, Robshaw, Ewers, Shields, Haskell, et al, all had the same number of test caps and were all fighting for one spot, who would you pick.

And I would pick Robshaw for that slot. There's no better defensive leader around.

But that's not to say I wouldn't pick Armand in a different role... I would give serious thought to it.

[Oakboy]

Jones doesn’t rate him. He’s a good all-rounder without a stand out feature and we already have that but with more caps in Robshaw. If we were to pick one from Exeter’s backrow, it should be Kvesic. He was excellent....again. As was Skinner. He also has a ridiculous haircut.

Agree with both of you. Armand was outstanding for Exe, fully went toe-to-toe with POM in a great battle. Kvesic and Ewers put in top efforts too.

Haven’t seen enough of Shields yet, but have to say that Robshaw would be nowhere near my England squad. Only thing he has on about 7/8 other contenders is that he picked up 30/40 caps under Lancaster when there was very little competition for his place. If Armand had 50 caps and Robshaw 0 nobody would be calling for Armand to be dropped for Robshaw.

You can't just ignore those caps, though...

A better question would be:

If Armand, Robshaw, Ewers, Shields, Haskell, et al, all had the same number of test caps and were all fighting for one spot, who would you pick.

And I would pick Robshaw for that slot. There's no better defensive leader around.

But that's not to say I wouldn't pick Armand in a different role... I would give serious thought to it.

I'm not necessarily advocating Armand instead of Robshaw but I am definitely in favour of Armand ahead of Shields as back-up. As ever, 'I'd not be starting from here'. I'd have had Armand starting at 6 for the last 18 months at least. From where we are now I'd probably pick Robshaw with Armand on the bench depending on the opposition's line-out. Armand is by far the best available 6 in that area unless you include Itoje.

[Stom]

Agree with both of you. Armand was outstanding for Exe, fully went toe-to-toe with POM in a great battle. Kvesic and Ewers put in top efforts too.

Haven’t seen enough of Shields yet, but have to say that Robshaw would be nowhere near my England squad. Only thing he has on about 7/8 other contenders is that he picked up 30/40 caps under Lancaster when there was very little competition for his place. If Armand had 50 caps and Robshaw 0 nobody would be calling for Armand to be dropped for Robshaw.

You can't just ignore those caps, though...

A better question would be:

If Armand, Robshaw, Ewers, Shields, Haskell, et al, all had the same number of test caps and were all fighting for one spot, who would you pick.

And I would pick Robshaw for that slot. There's no better defensive leader around.

But that's not to say I wouldn't pick Armand in a different role... I would give serious thought to it.

I'm not necessarily advocating Armand instead of Robshaw but I am definitely in favour of Armand ahead of Shields as back-up. As ever, 'I'd not be starting from here'. I'd have had Armand starting at 6 for the last 18 months at least. From where we are now I'd probably pick Robshaw with Armand on the bench depending on the opposition's line-out. Armand is by far the best available 6 in that area unless you include Itoje.

I'd think about him on the bench. But he'd be up against Mercer for me and I like the idea of that extra pace off the bench.

I would like to see

Robshaw
Curry
Billy
Mercer
Armand

As the WC backrow options. You can pick 5 because of Armand. I do really like Simmonds as an option but will he a) be fit enough and b) would England get the most out of him anyway...

[Oakboy]

I'd think about him on the bench. But he'd be up against Mercer for me and I like the idea of that extra pace off the bench.

I would like to see

Robshaw
Curry
Billy
Mercer
Armand

As the WC backrow options. You can pick 5 because of Armand. I do really like Simmonds as an option but will he a) be fit enough and b) would England get the most out of him anyway...

You are obviously not a Hughes fan. I can make a case for Mercer ahead of him too but we are having to debate all this in the context of Jones's likely squad. He seems to want 19/20 stones on the hoof at 8 and appears not to even consider Exeter's style of having brawn at 6/7 with pace at 8. Maybe, Mercer would make a good compromise but will Jones put him in the squad? Possibly for the AIs if Hughes is suspended perhaps?

[Scrumhead]

Mercer is in with a good shout of replacing Hughes. Even before Simmonds’ injury, I think he was edging ahead in Eddie’s mind. Personally, I’m a big fan of Wilson. 8/10 performer every week and has always looked good for England.

As a regular viewer of SR, I’m confident that Shields can offer more than he’s shown so far. However, he doesn’t deserve to be near the squad ATM. Certainly not ahead of Mercer, Wilson or Armand. James Chisholm is worthy of a shout out too. He’s been great for Quins this season and is being pushed by Gustard which may count for something with England.

I’d rather not have Rhodes thanks.

[Timbo]

I missed the end of the Exeter game, and only just seen the last scrum of the game. My god, in a weekend of some ludicrously poor officiating, not giving a penalty to Exeter in front of the sticks after that scrum....

[Mikey Brown]

I hadn't seen this. Any idea what the rules are here? Doesn't seem like it should be okay.

[twitchy]

Ridiculous.

[fivepointer]

It should have been a penalty to Exeter at the very least. Yellow wouldnt have been undeserved. Amazingly ref brushed it aside.
The standard of officiating this weekend has left a lot to be desired.

[Scrumhead]

Whether the elbow/forearm to the side of the head was deliberate, it was ridiculously reckless. Especially considering Steenson was unbalanced and in no position to protect himself after kicking the ball.

At least a yellow IMO. Surely he will be cited?

[Beasties]

It was when he set off that made it ludicrous.

[Oakboy]

Whether the elbow/forearm to the side of the head was deliberate, it was ridiculously reckless. Especially considering Steenson was unbalanced and in no position to protect himself after kicking the ball.

At least a yellow IMO. Surely he will be cited?

Seeing it for the first time at full speed my reaction was red. Thereafter, I was not so sure but it was definitely a card offence by current standards.