England squad for start of 6N’s

[Digby]

It's not like Ireland asked many questions of Manu or our defence in general

[Banquo]

It's not like Ireland asked many questions of Manu or our defence in general

.....your snowball is half drunk this morning. The key word was yesterday.



(I know you like an edit)

[Digby]

It's not like Ireland asked many questions of Manu or our defence in general

.....your snowball is half drunk this morning. The key word was yesterday.



(I know you like an edit)

Ireland never really show much in open play for me absent of the opposition dropping lots of Murray's kicks but they have run some really well executed strike moves against us in the recent past, but we got nothing from them yesterday bar say some individual questions posed by such as Stockdale

[Banquo]

It's not like Ireland asked many questions of Manu or our defence in general

.....your snowball is half drunk this morning. The key word was yesterday.



(I know you like an edit)

Ireland never really show much in open play for me absent of the opposition dropping lots of Murray's kicks but they have run some really well executed strike moves against us in the recent past, but we got nothing from them yesterday bar say some individual questions posed by such as Stockdale

Cause and effect, perchance. But I don't see the point in downplaying a good defensive effort because the other team didn't trouble us in attack

In open play, Ireland tend to dominate the gainline as their method, and couldn't yesterday.

[Mellsblue]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

[Stom]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

Which still requires a refreshing and overdue maturity from him.

[Banquo]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

Which still requires a refreshing and overdue maturity from him.

I'd give coaches some credit here. Plan and roles looked well thought through to me.

[Oakboy]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

I've seen/heard some pundits suggesting that Farrell in his redesigned FH role is now running things well in terms of verbal instructions/leadership etc. Maybe they are right and it's a big part of the thinking. I'd guess you'd have to be on the touchline to know. I see nothing on TV to argue against it.

[Banquo]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

I've seen/heard some pundits suggesting that Farrell in his redesigned FH role is now running things well in terms of verbal instructions/leadership etc. Maybe they are right and it's a big part of the thinking. I'd guess you'd have to be on the touchline to know. I see nothing on TV to argue against it.

Plenty wrong with the communication tween Faz and Youngs.

[Stom]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

Which still requires a refreshing and overdue maturity from him.

I'd give coaches some credit here. Plan and roles looked well thought through to me.

Absolutely. Just Farrell has previous for seemingly veering off course in defence.

[Oakboy]

I wonder if having an IC who is not an IC reined in Farrell a little bit. He might’ve been less inclined to hare out of the line if he knew Tuilagi might need some help positionally.

I've seen/heard some pundits suggesting that Farrell in his redesigned FH role is now running things well in terms of verbal instructions/leadership etc. Maybe they are right and it's a big part of the thinking. I'd guess you'd have to be on the touchline to know. I see nothing on TV to argue against it.

Plenty wrong with the communication tween Faz and Youngs.

True but most would suggest that is down to Youngs. As an aside, Youngs, Ford, Tuilagi and May all play together for Leicester where the backline (acceptedly with less than perfect ball from their forwards) does not exactly look slick. I think Youngs inflicts ceiling limitations and was disappointed that Robson got no game time. Why replace Care and then leave Youngs on? Care rarely sat the game out.

[Raggs]

Definitely thought after the intercept that Robson would be on. Great first cap. Still a bit of time to actually run around.

[Puja]

They did look pretty ropey. Scotland played well mind, but Italy look a long way off the other teams.

I thought Scotland were very patchy too.

After just the one round of games, the only non-patchy performance was ours. Compared with most of our wins under Jones, yesterday's performance stood out for a cracking start that was maintained over 80 minutes. Preparation was spot-on. I've hardly ever (if at all) said that about us since Jones took over.

It makes me wonder if Mitchell has made a big difference. I'm no expert on defence but was it fair to suggest that Tuilagi was well-coached? He has not looked that reliable defensively in any of the Leicester games that I have seen. Often, he can be a loose cannon, just as Farrell used to be at 12 before Mitchell's appointment.

I think Mitchell's helped as an assistant and a dilution of Jones as much as anything else. You can't deny we've had a fresh impetus since he joined, not just in defence, but in overall intensity.

Puja

[Banquo]

I've seen/heard some pundits suggesting that Farrell in his redesigned FH role is now running things well in terms of verbal instructions/leadership etc. Maybe they are right and it's a big part of the thinking. I'd guess you'd have to be on the touchline to know. I see nothing on TV to argue against it.

Plenty wrong with the communication tween Faz and Youngs.

True but most would suggest that is down to Youngs. As an aside, Youngs, Ford, Tuilagi and May all play together for Leicester where the backline (acceptedly with less than perfect ball from their forwards) does not exactly look slick. I think Youngs inflicts ceiling limitations and was disappointed that Robson got no game time. Why replace Care and then leave Youngs on? Care rarely sat the game out.

Eh? He clearly was struggling to find Faz in the first half, and that's down to Faz.

[Dubai7]

Btw if any of you is feeling confident get some money on. Ireland are bizarrely massive favourites on the Betfair betting exchange. England are 3/1.

Yep! the £20 return on a £5 stake paid for my round last night! And I got 10/1 for a grand slam from Betfair.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Plenty wrong with the communication tween Faz and Youngs.

True but most would suggest that is down to Youngs. As an aside, Youngs, Ford, Tuilagi and May all play together for Leicester where the backline (acceptedly with less than perfect ball from their forwards) does not exactly look slick. I think Youngs inflicts ceiling limitations and was disappointed that Robson got no game time. Why replace Care and then leave Youngs on? Care rarely sat the game out.

Eh? He clearly was struggling to find Faz in the first half, and that's down to Faz.

And fat lads being stood in the way at times.

[Mikey Brown]

Definitely thought after the intercept that Robson would be on. Great first cap. Still a bit of time to actually run around.

It was so predictable. EJ put himself in a position he couldn't risk a debutant in such a tight game. I think there's a lot to be positive about but it's the kind of selection mistake he seems to make repeatedly.

[morepork]

True but most would suggest that is down to Youngs. As an aside, Youngs, Ford, Tuilagi and May all play together for Leicester where the backline (acceptedly with less than perfect ball from their forwards) does not exactly look slick. I think Youngs inflicts ceiling limitations and was disappointed that Robson got no game time. Why replace Care and then leave Youngs on? Care rarely sat the game out.

Eh? He clearly was struggling to find Faz in the first half, and that's down to Faz.

And fat lads being stood in the way at times.

Both of them are comical in broken play.

[Banquo]

True but most would suggest that is down to Youngs. As an aside, Youngs, Ford, Tuilagi and May all play together for Leicester where the backline (acceptedly with less than perfect ball from their forwards) does not exactly look slick. I think Youngs inflicts ceiling limitations and was disappointed that Robson got no game time. Why replace Care and then leave Youngs on? Care rarely sat the game out.

Eh? He clearly was struggling to find Faz in the first half, and that's down to Faz.

And fat lads being stood in the way at times.

True, but that's up to Faz, mainly, to clear em out the way.

[Banquo]

Eh? He clearly was struggling to find Faz in the first half, and that's down to Faz.

And fat lads being stood in the way at times.

Both of them are comical in broken play.

Surprising how much backward Youngs has gone in that respect; when he first appeared he was an instinctive player, dangerous in open play. Years of being told to box kick have fckd his game.

[Gloskarlos]

You would think after years of box kicking practise he would realise when his chaser is at the bottom of a ruck right at his very feet, not dally for an eternity, then sticking one up anyway...... thinking that’s his best option.

[Banquo]

You would think after years of box kicking practise he would realise when his chaser is at the bottom of a ruck right at his very feet, not dally for an eternity, then sticking one up anyway...... thinking that’s his best option.

weird, isn't it. Suspect he may not be awfully bright.

[Raggs]

You would think after years of box kicking practise he would realise when his chaser is at the bottom of a ruck right at his very feet, not dally for an eternity, then sticking one up anyway...... thinking that’s his best option.

Thing is, I was watching for that, and at least twice before, he deliberately ran another phase, just so May could get up off the floor from the previous one, then checked he was in position. Then he decides not to bother for that one.

[Digby]

You would think after years of box kicking practise he would realise when his chaser is at the bottom of a ruck right at his very feet, not dally for an eternity, then sticking one up anyway...... thinking that’s his best option.

Thing is, I was watching for that, and at least twice before, he deliberately ran another phase, just so May could get up off the floor from the previous one, then checked he was in position. Then he decides not to bother for that one.

He did indeed seem to be checking much more than he has in the past before box kicking

[Gloskarlos]

You would think after years of box kicking practise he would realise when his chaser is at the bottom of a ruck right at his very feet, not dally for an eternity, then sticking one up anyway...... thinking that’s his best option.

Thing is, I was watching for that, and at least twice before, he deliberately ran another phase, just so May could get up off the floor from the previous one, then checked he was in position. Then he decides not to bother for that one.

He did indeed seem to be checking much more than he has in the past before box kicking

Dithering, dallying, stalling, faffing, pondering, and indeed 'checking' was what he was doing mostly.