England vs Australia 19th of Oct, 8.15am GMT

[Oakboy]

Where is the Youngs/Farrell combo ranked in the 9/10 units of the quarter-finalists? Has any other country got a worse pairing?

[Mellsblue]

Maybe Eddie's worried about the temptation for Faz to tackle Kerevi in the face and finally get that long-awaited red card.

Just noticed, what's happened to Nowell? He must really be worried about Slade's ability to last the game.

Nowell has an injury, or so it's reported

I am surprised.

[Digby]

Maybe Eddie's worried about the temptation for Faz to tackle Kerevi in the face and finally get that long-awaited red card.

Just noticed, what's happened to Nowell? He must really be worried about Slade's ability to last the game.

Nowell has an injury, or so it's reported

I am surprised.

Thank god we took so many (injured) wingers

[TheNomad]

Why the hell have we dropped Ford. I'm pretty annoyed by that

[Bloggs]

Where is the Youngs/Farrell combo ranked in the 9/10 units of the quarter-finalists? Has any other country got a worse pairing?

Genia/Toomua.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Maybe Eddie's worried about the temptation for Faz to tackle Kerevi in the face and finally get that long-awaited red card.

Just noticed, what's happened to Nowell? He must really be worried about Slade's ability to last the game.

Nowell has an injury, or so it's reported

Indeed. He’s not trained this week.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Aus:

15 Beale
14 Hodge
13 Petaia
12 Kerevi
11 Koroibete
10 Leiliifano
9 Genia
8 Naisarani
7 Hooper
6 Pocock
5 Arnold
4 Rodda
3 Alaalatoa
2 Latu
1 Sio

[Banquo]

Maybe Eddie's worried about the temptation for Faz to tackle Kerevi in the face and finally get that long-awaited red card.

Just noticed, what's happened to Nowell? He must really be worried about Slade's ability to last the game.

Nowell has an injury, or so it's reported

Indeed. He’s not trained this week.

What a surprise. Never a risk taking such a robust player as Nowell......

[Stom]

Just watched highlights of us vs Aus 2017. And, well, Danny Care off the bench was the game winner.

Set up 2, scored 1.

Why the flying fuck was he discarded...

Eddie Jones, you've pissed us all off again, just when we were coming round.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Nowell has an injury, or so it's reported

Indeed. He’s not trained this week.

What a surprise. Never a risk taking such a robust player as Nowell......

I suspect most teams would take a punt on a British Lion.

And he missed a couple of days of training apparently, my mistake. Wilson is back training but the impression is he’s still not quite right coupled with Ludlum playing well.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Just watched highlights of us vs Aus 2017. And, well, Danny Care off the bench was the game winner.

Set up 2, scored 1.

Why the flying fuck was he discarded...

Eddie Jones, you've pissed us all off again, just when we were coming round.

I’ll give you one example. In training England were working on clearing their own rucks with a tackle of the competing (defensive) player. Lawes was absolutely excellent at it, as an aside. The premise of such was that it cleared our ball for the SH and also created a gap to exploit with the snipe. They took the drill into match scenarios and despite the tackle clear being used Danny Care failed to spot it over and over again having just been through it in the drills. That’s the kind of thing that marks your card with EJ, rightly or wrongly.

[Banquo]

Indeed. He’s not trained this week.

What a surprise. Never a risk taking such a robust player as Nowell......

I suspect most teams would take a punt on a British Lion.

And he missed a couple of days of training apparently, my mistake. Wilson is back training but the impression is he’s still not quite right coupled with Ludlum playing well.

Well, I wouldn't with all the other injuries being carried in the backs, and given how easily he breaks and how long he'd been out for.

[Banquo]

Just watched highlights of us vs Aus 2017. And, well, Danny Care off the bench was the game winner.

Set up 2, scored 1.

Why the flying fuck was he discarded...

Eddie Jones, you've pissed us all off again, just when we were coming round.

I’ll give you one example. In training England were working on clearing their own rucks with a tackle of the competing (defensive) player. Lawes was absolutely excellent at it, as an aside. The premise of such was that it cleared our ball for the SH and also created a gap to exploit with the snipe. They took the drill into match scenarios and despite the tackle clear being used Danny Care failed to spot it over and over again having just been through it in the drills. That’s the kind of thing that marks your card with EJ, rightly or wrongly.

Interesting stuff. Eddie does have remarkable attention to that sort of detail. Maybe misses the bigger picture

[Mellsblue]

Just watched highlights of us vs Aus 2017. And, well, Danny Care off the bench was the game winner.

Set up 2, scored 1.

Why the flying fuck was he discarded...

Eddie Jones, you've pissed us all off again, just when we were coming round.

I’ll give you one example. In training England were working on clearing their own rucks with a tackle of the competing (defensive) player. Lawes was absolutely excellent at it, as an aside. The premise of such was that it cleared our ball for the SH and also created a gap to exploit with the snipe. They took the drill into match scenarios and despite the tackle clear being used Danny Care failed to spot it over and over again having just been through it in the drills. That’s the kind of thing that marks your card with EJ, rightly or wrongly.

I can see why it would mark his card but his performances on the field haven’t justified being dropped, especially for an average player like Heinz. It’s even more a surprise given that Care is our best sniping 9, tackle clear or no tackle clear. I’m also wondering whether the forwards, Lawes aside, have mastered it given the defence of Youngs’ ponderous play and poor passing is often explained away by poor ball presentation.

[Oakboy]

Just watched highlights of us vs Aus 2017. And, well, Danny Care off the bench was the game winner.

Set up 2, scored 1.

Why the flying fuck was he discarded...

Eddie Jones, you've pissed us all off again, just when we were coming round.

I’ll give you one example. In training England were working on clearing their own rucks with a tackle of the competing (defensive) player. Lawes was absolutely excellent at it, as an aside. The premise of such was that it cleared our ball for the SH and also created a gap to exploit with the snipe. They took the drill into match scenarios and despite the tackle clear being used Danny Care failed to spot it over and over again having just been through it in the drills. That’s the kind of thing that marks your card with EJ, rightly or wrongly.

I can see why it would mark his card but his performances on the field haven’t justified being dropped, especially for an average player like Heinz. It’s even more a surprise given that Care is our best sniping 9, tackle clear or no tackle clear. I’m also wondering whether the forwards, Lawes aside, have mastered it given the defence of Youngs’ ponderous play and poor passing is often explained away by poor ball presentation.

Care's omission sounds like a classic case of judging a player only on what he can't do rather than on what he can. I'd be happy for Care and Cipriani to be starting on Saturday, or Spencer and Cipriani, or Care and Ford, or Spencer and Ford.

[Peej]

Don't forget Robson on that list.

Just don't understand why you play a combo that's never played together in a World Cup quarter final, let alone one that makes glaring omissions based on the quality of discarded options.

[Raggs]

Bollocks to the Ford Farrell thing.

If Farrell, Daly and Slade can't exploit a novice 13, we've got bigger issues.

[Banquo]

Don't forget Robson on that list.

Just don't understand why you play a combo that's never played together in a World Cup quarter final, let alone one that makes glaring omissions based on the quality of discarded options.

Which combo is that?

[Banquo]

On Care its tricky; its not long ago heads were in hands at the brain farts he'd quite regularly have, which often outweighed his excellent natural ability. However, he still seems a much better bench option than Heinz.......

[jngf]

We’re in for a bumpy ride if Billy is significantly less than 100% fit - don’t like the idea at all of Curry being our back up 8. Even less like the idea of Farrell at 10 mind you

[Mellsblue]

On Care its tricky; its not long ago heads were in hands at the brain farts he'd quite regularly have, which often outweighed his excellent natural ability. However, he still seems a much better bench option than Heinz.......

The last sentence is the crux, especially if you take in to account the ‘finishers’ shtick. As flawed as Care is, I’d argue he’s no more flawed than Youngs.
I do worry the bench lacks a certain oomph if we’re behind with 15/20 mins to go. 17, 18, 19 & 21 are quite a bit less dynamic than their starters.

[Mikey Brown]

We’re in for a bumpy ride if Billy is significantly less than 100% fit - don’t like the idea at all of Curry being our back up 8. Even less like the idea of Farrell at 10 mind you

Haha. Of course that’s the big talking point.

I think everyone has basically covered it, but anyway;

Ford dropped is insane. We’ve removed our best player, in the most pivotal position, because our captain isn’t good enough at his current role? I really like the idea of Tuilagi doing his thing at 12 but it seemed like he/EJ have only made good use of him at 13.

Slade has just about hobbled on to the pitch for cameos at 15 and inside centre, to then take a starting spot at 13 from a guy who was tearing it up? Joseph is worth a spot in the squad but we’ve limited ourselves with bench options (Slade covering 15 with Daly to wing again?) to account for a player who is probably not fully fit.

I’m sad for Wilson that he hasn’t got a chance or got fit enough to take part.

Lawes seems to be at a point he offers you the same amount in a 25 minute burst off the bench as he does overall when starting, whereas Kruis is only really there to fix the set piece of it goes wrong. I assumed we were going to attack Australia’s set piece from the off and avoid letting it get loose. Don’t understand this selection at all.

[Peej]

Don't forget Robson on that list.

Just don't understand why you play a combo that's never played together in a World Cup quarter final, let alone one that makes glaring omissions based on the quality of discarded options.

Which combo is that?

The Farrell, Tuilagi, Slade combo. As far as I know they've not turned out together before. Let alone the fact that Manu has looked back to being close to his best at 13, and that Farrell has looked far worse than Ford at 10

[Puja]

Don't forget Robson on that list.

Just don't understand why you play a combo that's never played together in a World Cup quarter final, let alone one that makes glaring omissions based on the quality of discarded options.

Which combo is that?

The Farrell, Tuilagi, Slade combo. As far as I know they've not turned out together before. Let alone the fact that Manu has looked back to being close to his best at 13, and that Farrell has looked far worse than Ford at 10

Didn't Farrell, Tuilagi, and Slade play the entire 6N? I mean, I still don't like it, but that's because we're dropping Ford and moving Tuilagi out of his most dangerous position, rather than because it' inexperienced.

Puja

[Banquo]

Don't forget Robson on that list.

Just don't understand why you play a combo that's never played together in a World Cup quarter final, let alone one that makes glaring omissions based on the quality of discarded options.

Which combo is that?

The Farrell, Tuilagi, Slade combo. As far as I know they've not turned out together before. Let alone the fact that Manu has looked back to being close to his best at 13, and that Farrell has looked far worse than Ford at 10

they played all the 6N bar Italy. I wouldn't pick them mind, esp given the end to the 6N