6 Nations 2020

[Timbo]

So wilson and T curry are both injured?

Tom Curry? I think he played the full 80 yesterday with no problems? What have you heard?

Mark Wilson is essentially now fit I *think*, but obviously zero game time at the moment.

[twitchy]

I for some reason thought he was out (I'm wrong).

[Scrumhead]

How do you want to play if you bring in Simmonds at 8? And do you want to keep Cunderhill?

This. Simmonds deserves a shot, but it would require a complete re-think as it won’t be alongside Curry and Underhill who absolutely don’t deserve to be dropped. Simmonds is good, but not so good that you’d dismantle the rest of your back row to accommodate him.

Dombrandt is probably most suited to replacing some of what Billy offers.

[twitchy]

Yeah I think he is definitely the next best player.

[fivepointer]

Suspect both Simnmonds and Dombrandt will make the squad if Billy is ruled out.

He wont make the squad, but cant help feeling Dave Ewers would be a handy bloke to have around. He's been tremendous this season.

[Timbo]

Suspect both Simnmonds and Dombrandt will make the squad if Billy is ruled out.

He wont make the squad, but cant help feeling Dave Ewers would be a handy bloke to have around. He's been tremendous this season.

Was thinking this about Ewers too. I’ve always had him down as just a bit too one dimensional to be a top test player, and maybe that’s still right, but if you want raw physicality and work rate you won’t find many better.

[Scrumhead]

I wouldn’t hate seeing Ewers, but I’d rather invest in Dombrandt who has a significantly higher ceiling IMO.

I’ve mentioned this before, but Ben Earl packs down at 8 (despite wearing 7) a lot for Sarries when Billy isn’t playing and Eddie liked him enough to take him to SA so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as an option for covering 7 and 8 - potentially instead of Simmonds.

[Timbo]

Yes, I’m pretty sure Ewers missed the boat when he had all those knee injuries post 2015 World Cup.

I’ve seen Ben Earl packing down at 8 with Billy on the flank from some attacking scrums this season. Definitely expect him to be named tomorrow.

[Oakboy]

How do you want to play if you bring in Simmonds at 8? And do you want to keep Cunderhill?

Before making any long/medium term decisions on style of play, I'd try Simonds with Curry and Underhill, say, for the whole 6N. Yes, the overall weight of the back row would be 5 stones lighter but what would that really cost in gain-line effectiveness? I'd probably prefer Willis to Underhill anyway.

[Timbo]

Rumours that T Harrison AND S Simmonds getting another shot.

[Puja]

Rumours that T Harrison AND S Simmonds getting another shot.

TBF, Harrison has been in belting form this year. I would begrudge having another look at him.

Puja

[jngf]

How do you want to play if you bring in Simmonds at 8? And do you want to keep Cunderhill?

This. Simmonds deserves a shot, but it would require a complete re-think as it won’t be alongside Curry and Underhill who absolutely don’t deserve to be dropped. Simmonds is good, but not so good that you’d dismantle the rest of your back row to accommodate him.

Dombrandt is probably most suited to replacing some of what Billy offers.

If Eddie went for 6 Underhill 7 Simmonds 8 Dombrandt there would be the making of a nicely balanced and complementary skilled back row - however I don’t think he will. Feel T Curry at 6 is a little too close to T Wood at 6 for comfort ( I.e stick a 7 at 6 and hope for the best ...)

Also imo it’s time England started looking at a different and more creative way to play the number no.8 role than the Billy keep it tight, up the jumper, stodge style - plus not expect every other test no.8 selected to be an erstatz Billy clone.

[Scrumhead]

Rumours that T Harrison AND S Simmonds getting another shot.

TBF, Harrison has been in belting form this year. I would begrudge having another look at him.

Puja

He’s been in good form for a long while. As much as I don’t think he’s anything other than a stop-gap solution, I wouldn’t begrudge him getting a call-up either. Moriarty has done well enough at 8 for Wales and I don’t think he’s much bigger or a better player than Harrison.

[Mikey Brown]

How do you want to play if you bring in Simmonds at 8? And do you want to keep Cunderhill?

This. Simmonds deserves a shot, but it would require a complete re-think as it won’t be alongside Curry and Underhill who absolutely don’t deserve to be dropped. Simmonds is good, but not so good that you’d dismantle the rest of your back row to accommodate him.

Dombrandt is probably most suited to replacing some of what Billy offers.

If Eddie went for 6 Underhill 7 Simmonds 8 Dombrandt there would be the making of a nicely balanced and complementary skilled back row - however I don’t think he will. Feel T Curry at 6 is a little too close to T Wood at 6 for comfort ( I.e stick a 7 at 6 and hope for the best ...)

Also imo it’s time England started looking at a different and more creative way to play the number no.8 role than the Billy keep it tight, up the jumper, stodge style - plus not expect every other test no.8 selected to be an erstatz Billy clone.

Now that is a baffling take for a couple of reasons.

[Mellsblue]

Rumours that T Harrison AND S Simmonds getting another shot.

TBF, Harrison has been in belting form this year. I would begrudge having another look at him.

Puja

He’s been in good form for a long while. As much as I don’t think he’s anything other than a stop-gap solution, I wouldn’t begrudge him getting a call-up either. Moriarty has done well enough at 8 for Wales and I don’t think he’s much bigger or a better player than Harrison.

He’s going well but if we’re picking a no8, I’d have Simmonds, Mercer and Dombrandt ahead of him. I might even have Chisholm ahead of him, as well.

[Which Tyler]

He’s going well but if we’re picking a no8, I’d have Simmonds, Mercer and Dombrandt ahead of him. I might even have Chisholm ahead of him, as well.

Zach was in brilliant form before his injury - but he's not played for a bit now.

[Mellsblue]

He’s going well but if we’re picking a no8, I’d have Simmonds, Mercer and Dombrandt ahead of him. I might even have Chisholm ahead of him, as well.

Zach was in brilliant form before his injury - but he's not played for a bit now.

I’m picking with with the next few years and the World Cup in mind rather than what is best fit this 6N. I think the first three and possibly Chisholm all have higher ceilings.

[Oakboy]

He’s going well but if we’re picking a no8, I’d have Simmonds, Mercer and Dombrandt ahead of him. I might even have Chisholm ahead of him, as well.

Zach was in brilliant form before his injury - but he's not played for a bit now.

I’m picking with with the next few years and the World Cup in mind rather than what is best fit this 6N. I think the first three and possibly Chisholm all have higher ceilings.

In terms of future planning how do you react to paper gossip that Heinz will be in the squad at 33?

For me, it is nonsensical short-termism that aligns with Jones being there for two more years.

[Scrumhead]

For once I agree with you.

The Mail is reporting that Youngs and Heinz are being retained at 9 and Cole, Robson and Dombrandt will miss out. All of that barring Cole seems ‘nonsensical’.

[Which Tyler]

For once I agree with you.

The Mail is reporting that Youngs and Heinz are being retained at 9 and Cole, Robson and Dombrandt will miss out. All of that barring Cole seems ‘nonsensical’.

I've not watched much of Quins this season - but isn't Dombrandt supposed to be in poor form this season, and not deserving of a place?
If so, then even if you'd want him in there for development, and an infusion of confidence; it's hard to call it "nonsensical"
Besides which, of course, any rumours around would have been from before Billy's injury

[Scrumhead]

Lawday was seemingly preferred to Dombrandt until he got injured, but ‘The Dominator’ has been typically good when he’s played and picked up back-to-back MoMs in the last two ECC games.

[TheNomad]

For once I agree with you.

The Mail is reporting that Youngs and Heinz are being retained at 9 and Cole, Robson and Dombrandt will miss out. All of that barring Cole seems ‘nonsensical’.

I've not watched much of Quins this season - but isn't Dombrandt supposed to be in poor form this season, and not deserving of a place?
If so, then even if you'd want him in there for development, and an infusion of confidence; it's hard to call it "nonsensical"
Besides which, of course, any rumours around would have been from before Billy's injury

Agree with this. If we're talking about a hard carrying back row player, who could notionally play 8, I'd have thought Earl and possibly Harrison would be more deserving given their all round contribution

[Mikey Brown]

I'm not sure I've got the strength to continue supporting England if we carry on picking Youngs.

The Dombrandt stuff is nonsense. Yeah he's rough around the edges but I'm not sure much more so than Vunipola was when Jones took over.

[twitchy]

Yeah I feel like dombrandt would massively benefit from a camp with eddie coaching him also. He should be put in.

[Tigersman]

Umaga over Smith, Grayson and Simmonds