6 Nations 2020

[TheNomad]

Hmmm. Maybe they see Earl, Curry and Hill as options for 8?

Disappointed not to see Willis there. Is he injured?

[Mikey Brown]

Blimey. Jones must’ve had a good time in Lyon at the weekend.

What was he doing there? Are we moving the England training facilities to Lyon to accommodate Farrell?

[Mellsblue]

Blimey. Jones must’ve had a good time in Lyon at the weekend.

What was he doing there? Are we moving the England training facilities to Lyon to accommodate Farrell?

He’s been out there helping with the groundworks.

[Oakboy]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

[Raggs]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

He did just get us to a world cup final. Has that credit now been all lost?

[Beasties]

I'm happy to see Devoto in there and one or two others, but then we also have the wtf selections.

Eddie continues to be mad as a box of frogs but did we really expect anything different for this selection?

[Which Tyler]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

On the other hand, Devoto is the best specialist IC in the country; whilst Simmonds, Simmonds and Hill play in much, much more competitive positions.
Yes, Simmonds, Simmonds and Hill can feel a little hard done by - though none can claim any particular seniority over those who've been selected ahead of them; but using Devoto's inclusion really doesn't help your case here.

[Scrumhead]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

He did just get us to a world cup final. Has that credit now been all lost?

Let’s not open up the EJ debate again. Oakboy will simply not let it go and will not provide a rational, reasoned response, nor any actual solution.

I agree that the Simmonds brothers and Hill deserve a place in the squad though.

Perplexed at the lack of Willis. Ludlam can only be there by virtue of ‘credit in the bank’.

[fivepointer]

Ha! When I saw Moon and Hill I assumed it was Ben and Johnny.

Umaga? Crikey thats come out of left field. Playing well mind and is perhaps worth a proper look at. Alex Moon is not the Saints lock I thought might get a call up. Back row selection is horribly unbalanced, leaving effectively one No 8, though i like Earl and Ted Hill has been earmarked for international honours from a long way out.
2 very ordinary SH's just leaves me feeling depressed. Spencer and Robson, along with every other young SH, may as well pack their bags. They arent going to get a look in under Jones. Devoto is a good call, as are Furbank and Thorley. Dingwall is a bit of a bolter.
Very pleased for the 2 Bath front rowers who are in excellent form, and i think both apprentices are good shouts.
So its a very typical Jones squad. Some good calls, some ultra conservative, some sensible and some that leave you thinking wtf??
I fully expect the starting line up in Paris to be Mako, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis (he isnt going to Japan presumably), Curry, Underhill, Earl, Youngs, Farrell, May, Tuilagi, Joseph, Watson, Daly

[Scrumhead]

Also worth adding that I saw an interesting article with Alex Moon in TRP yesterday. It turns out he’s a real lineout nause so is probably seen as a direct replacement for Kruis.

FWIW, I think he’s been quietly very good for Saints for a while now and has typically been more consistent than Ribbans.

[Raggs]

For me, Umaga has shown some very very deft little touches. Others may be better 10s right now, but I think he's shown a better potential ceiling.

[Digby]

Eddie's going to Eddie

[Tigersman]

I think Alex moon is a good pick IMO.
He has been great for Saints.

But do we need a 6th lock I guess.

[Oakboy]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

On the other hand, Devoto is the best specialist IC in the country; whilst Simmonds, Simmonds and Hill play in much, much more competitive positions.
Yes, Simmonds, Simmonds and Hill can feel a little hard done by - though none can claim any particular seniority over those who've been selected ahead of them; but using Devoto's inclusion really doesn't help your case here.

Maybe Exeter would argue that (Sam) Hill is ahead of Devoto at 12? I'd guess that he's worn the shirt more often than Devoto in the time that the latter has been with the club.

[jimKRFC]

Don't know what Tom Dunn has done to be in ahead of Thacker either.

Bristol the only premiership side with no players in the 6N.

[Stom]

Don't know what Tom Dunn has done to be in ahead of Thacker either.

Bristol the only premiership side with no players in the 6N.

Not be small...

OK, thoughts...

Dunn wouldn't be my choice, but I'm fine with it.
Williams wouldn't be my choice, but OK.
6 locks? I would have dumped 2 of the established 4 to make places for the new 2 if I wanted to bring 2 new faces in.
No 8...Dombrandt, Simmonds, Mercer (yes, only just back from injury, but he'll have had some gametime before the 6N, no?) Clusterfuck
No Willis? wtf?
Youngs and Heinz? No Robson, Mitchell only an apprentice, no Maunder, none of the Bristol pair...

So...meh.

[jimKRFC]

Not be small...

[Digby]

Main concerns are with no number 8s are we back to a lock at 6? And that we're going to get little change in our attack at 9, 10 and 12

[Stom]

Main concerns are with no number 8s are we back to a lock at 6? And that we're going to get little change in our attack at 9, 10 and 12

Maybe that's it...

The team might end up as:

4. Moon
5. Kruis
6. Ewels
7. Lawes
8. Itoje
19. Launchbury
20. T.Hill

[Adam_P]

Alex Moon is enormous. Is he any good?

Yep, has been very good all round this season. Very decent at the lineout and gives good ballast in the scrum.

[Mr Mwenda]

So the saffas buggering the pack has lead to a response. Interesting I suppose, but i thought all the senior players failing to rise to the occasion was as big a concern. I really hope scrumhalf moves up the action list. Even if Jones doesn't see it as a problem i can't imagine either youngs or heinz will make the next wc.

[jngf]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

He did just get us to a world cup final. Has that credit now been all lost?

Credit largely lost for me when Jones and co frankly pissed it up against the wall in the final!

[Mikey Brown]

Alex Moon is enormous. Is he any good?

Yep, has been very good all round this season. Very decent at the lineout and gives good ballast in the scrum.

Looks rather willowy (from stills, never consciously watched/followed him in a game) and certainly nowhere near the 125kg listed, but that might just be a false impression given your second comment?

[Mikey Brown]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

He did just get us to a world cup final. Has that credit now been all lost?

Credit largely lost for me when Jones and co frankly pissed it up against the wall in the final!

This whole discussion somehow prompted me to look back at this video.

This segment (timestamped) about Ben Youngs and the scrum-half situation made me laugh.



Then I remembered he's still in the squad.

[Digby]

If I was going to make a case for there only being three Exeter players in the country's best 35 I could not explain why Devoto is in but the two Simmonds and Hill are not.

It is almost as if Jones is desperate to promote the Saracens cause and denigrate Exeter. The man should not be England's head coach.

He did just get us to a world cup final. Has that credit now been all lost?

Credit largely lost for me when Jones and co frankly pissed it up against the wall in the final!

That's much too harsh given anyone can louse up a match on a given day. I would though like to see Eddie push the attack and not decide with some new faces it's time to revisit defence and the set piece