England vs USA on Patriotism Day!

[Danno]

That a big chunk of Vs

[Puja]

Vavavoom

Vuja

[FKAS]

What has he said?

I’d guess the team is weird in large parts due to the cancelled A game, but yeah it’s a bit strange balance wise.

"We've got to understand he's only a very young 10 so he's still got a long way to go in his game," Jones explained.

"Being a Test 10 is always about making good decisions for the team… at 22 he is going to make some bad decisions, as we've seen with most Test 10s.

"At some time playing for England, the whole country is looking at you and every part of your game is examined… we aren't sure how Marcus will cope with that.

"His development as a player will be how quickly his game adapts from club rugby to Test rugby."

I will note that those "quotes" have a lot of ellipses in them, so significant amounts of context are missing. Plus it's from the BBC, who are not above stirring the pot with selective quoting. But it isn't, "We're excited, we want to see him do well," which is what you'd normally expect with a young 10 on their debut.

Puja

Sounds like Eddie is trying to ease off the level of expectation which could be heading towards over the top following the Prem final.

[fivepointer]

There are another four uncapped players on the bench with Jones opting for six forwards, revealing he even considered a 7-1 split.

Genge, Underhill, Slade and Ewels appeared more obvious captaincy candidates but Jones insisted: “I had no understanding you had to have a cap to be captain. We select the captain on the basis that he is the best leader of the team, that is why Lewis has got the nod. From our observation we found Lewis to be the most effective club captain. He is a clear communicator, he is a good, sincere person and he is the best person to captain England on Sunday.”

A 7-1 bench split really??

Ludlam has very obviously made the right kind of impression.

[Puja]

There are another four uncapped players on the bench with Jones opting for six forwards, revealing he even considered a 7-1 split.

Genge, Underhill, Slade and Ewels appeared more obvious captaincy candidates but Jones insisted: “I had no understanding you had to have a cap to be captain. We select the captain on the basis that he is the best leader of the team, that is why Lewis has got the nod. From our observation we found Lewis to be the most effective club captain. He is a clear communicator, he is a good, sincere person and he is the best person to captain England on Sunday.”

A 7-1 bench split really??

Ludlam has very obviously made the right kind of impression.

Psssst, I think you mean Ludlow.

As a forward myself, I can get behind the idea that backs are lazy workshy do-nothings who don't exert themselves enough to need replacing.

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

Jones likes to test people under pressure. Seems to me he's trying to make this game as much of a deep end immersion as possible (to torture things). Playing pool-itics as it were.

[Banquo]

There are another four uncapped players on the bench with Jones opting for six forwards, revealing he even considered a 7-1 split.

Genge, Underhill, Slade and Ewels appeared more obvious captaincy candidates but Jones insisted: “I had no understanding you had to have a cap to be captain. We select the captain on the basis that he is the best leader of the team, that is why Lewis has got the nod. From our observation we found Lewis to be the most effective club captain. He is a clear communicator, he is a good, sincere person and he is the best person to captain England on Sunday.”

A 7-1 bench split really??

Ludlam has very obviously made the right kind of impression.

Psssst, I think you mean Ludlow.

As a forward myself, I can get behind the idea that backs are lazy workshy do-nothings who don't exert themselves enough to need replacing.

Puja

On the other hand, as finely tuned athletes we are walking the high wire of injury compared to the leaden footed donkeys from 1-8

[Raggs]

Eddie's comments seem more like a way to relieve pressure on Smith to me. They expect him to make mistakes but the picked him regardless. It's ok to make mistakes. Ford made mistakes and he's still the number one 10 etc. If he then goes well Eddie can pile on the praise.

Edit one constant with Eddie is he protectsthe players from the media. I reckon this is what he's doing here.

[Banquo]

Eddie's comments seem more like a way to relieve pressure on Smith to me. They expect him to make mistakes but the picked him regardless. It's ok to make mistakes. Ford made mistakes and he's still the number one 10 etc. If he then goes well Eddie can pile on the praise.

Edit one constant with Eddie is he protectsthe players from the media. I reckon this is what he's doing here.

Yep, that's one of the reasons the players really like him- well at least those in the squads . I also know he's very good at keeping in contact with those on the fringes of the squad. TBH players do need to be tough to succeed and to deal with all sorts of 'noise'.

[Gloskarlos]

There are another four uncapped players on the bench with Jones opting for six forwards, revealing he even considered a 7-1 split.

Genge, Underhill, Slade and Ewels appeared more obvious captaincy candidates but Jones insisted: “I had no understanding you had to have a cap to be captain. We select the captain on the basis that he is the best leader of the team, that is why Lewis has got the nod. From our observation we found Lewis to be the most effective club captain. He is a clear communicator, he is a good, sincere person and he is the best person to captain England on Sunday.”

A 7-1 bench split really??

Ludlam has very obviously made the right kind of impression.

Psssst, I think you mean Ludlow.

As a forward myself, I can get behind the idea that backs are lazy workshy do-nothings who don't exert themselves enough to need replacing.

Puja

On the other hand, as finely tuned athletes we are walking the high wire of injury compared to the leaden footed donkeys from 1-8

I concur, having moved in my dotage from 7 to 13, and notwithstanding the age element of just being decrepit, I get injured far more now. In fact the entirety of Old leamingtonians aged backline are regularly crocked. Forwards, not so much.

[jngf]

Quick question - will Lewis Ludlum or Ted Hill be the back up to Callum Chick at no.8?

[Digby]

Eddie's comments seem more like a way to relieve pressure on Smith to me. They expect him to make mistakes but the picked him regardless. It's ok to make mistakes. Ford made mistakes and he's still the number one 10 etc. If he then goes well Eddie can pile on the praise.

Edit one constant with Eddie is he protectsthe players from the media. I reckon this is what he's doing here.

Yep, that's one of the reasons the players really like him- well at least those in the squads . I also know he's very good at keeping in contact with those on the fringes of the squad. TBH players do need to be tough to succeed and to deal with all sorts of 'noise'.

Also no coach has a style that works for all players, and most coaches annoy a lot of players a lot of the time, even the ones being picked (though that is a massive issue either way), the better coaches manage it better overall, and mostly a better environment helps, but tbh many players would happily play for Darth Vader if they were being picked and winning

[Mikey Brown]

You’d guess Ludlum, having actually played there, with Hill I guess getting a trial as a lock.

[FKAS]

You’d guess Ludlum, having actually played there, with Hill I guess getting a trial as a lock.

Hill finished the season playing lock for Worcester. Not the a new thing for him but possibly one which would make him more likely to get caps.

[Spiffy]

What has he said?

I’d guess the team is weird in large parts due to the cancelled A game, but yeah it’s a bit strange balance wise.

"We've got to understand he's only a very young 10 so he's still got a long way to go in his game," Jones explained.

"Being a Test 10 is always about making good decisions for the team… at 22 he is going to make some bad decisions, as we've seen with most Test 10s.

"At some time playing for England, the whole country is looking at you and every part of your game is examined… we aren't sure how Marcus will cope with that.

"His development as a player will be how quickly his game adapts from club rugby to Test rugby."

I will note that those "quotes" have a lot of ellipses in them, so significant amounts of context are missing. Plus it's from the BBC, who are not above stirring the pot with selective quoting. But it isn't, "We're excited, we want to see him do well," which is what you'd normally expect with a young 10 on their debut.

Puja

Usual Jones bollocks. England will hump the USA at a canter. Smith faces tougher opposition every week in the League. He could not ask for an easier start. Probably be MOTM.

[Puja]

What has he said?

I’d guess the team is weird in large parts due to the cancelled A game, but yeah it’s a bit strange balance wise.

"We've got to understand he's only a very young 10 so he's still got a long way to go in his game," Jones explained.

"Being a Test 10 is always about making good decisions for the team… at 22 he is going to make some bad decisions, as we've seen with most Test 10s.

"At some time playing for England, the whole country is looking at you and every part of your game is examined… we aren't sure how Marcus will cope with that.

"His development as a player will be how quickly his game adapts from club rugby to Test rugby."

I will note that those "quotes" have a lot of ellipses in them, so significant amounts of context are missing. Plus it's from the BBC, who are not above stirring the pot with selective quoting. But it isn't, "We're excited, we want to see him do well," which is what you'd normally expect with a young 10 on their debut.

Puja

Usual Jones bollocks. England will hump the USA at a canter. Smith faces tougher opposition every week in the League. He could not ask for an easier start. Probably be MOTM.

I think that's probably been predetermined by the commentators before the game has even started.

Puja

[jngf]

McNally’s a big unit - (shade under 20 stone) - is he an enforcer as such or at least a hard ball carrying option?

[FKAS]

McNally’s a big unit - (shade under 20 stone) - is he an enforcer as such or at least a hard ball carrying option?

From memory he's the Bath lineout lock. I can't remember him being particularly powerful ball on hand but neither would I say it's a weakness of his game.

[Stom]

McNally’s a big unit - (shade under 20 stone) - is he an enforcer as such or at least a hard ball carrying option?

From memory he's the Bath lineout lock. I can't remember him being particularly powerful ball on hand but neither would I say it's a weakness of his game.

In other words you’re saying he’s completely forgettable. Ewels Mark II…

[jngf]

McNally’s a big unit - (shade under 20 stone) - is he an enforcer as such or at least a hard ball carrying option?

From memory he's the Bath lineout lock. I can't remember him being particularly powerful ball on hand but neither would I say it's a weakness of his game.

In other words you’re saying he’s completely forgettable. Ewels Mark II…

Borthwick Mark n+1 ( I sincerely hope we’re underestimating McNally rather than Jones has c..ked up second row selection )

[Timbo]

McNally is a donkey. A quite useful and hardworking donkey, but a donkey none the less. He’s not a high impact player at all, even at prem level, but he’ll be a reasonable workhorse for a couple of tests and then hopefully never seen again.

[Puja]

From memory he's the Bath lineout lock. I can't remember him being particularly powerful ball on hand but neither would I say it's a weakness of his game.

In other words you’re saying he’s completely forgettable. Ewels Mark II…

Borthwick Mark n+1 ( I sincerely hope we’re underestimating McNally rather than Jones has c..ked up second row selection )

We're definitely not underestimating McNally, but who else is there right now? I think the only possible change anyone would make is Wells in and that's more of a sympathy vote for him having played out of his skin this season, rather than because he's actually a future international.

Puja

[Timbo]

From memory he's the Bath lineout lock. I can't remember him being particularly powerful ball on hand but neither would I say it's a weakness of his game.

In other words you’re saying he’s completely forgettable. Ewels Mark II…

Borthwick Mark n+1 ( I sincerely hope we’re underestimating McNally rather than Jones has c..ked up second row selection )

Through Lions, Injuries, suspension and playing abroad he’s missing 7 or 8 of his better lock options. Who else should he go with?

[chris1850]

Beaumont?

[Timbo]

Beaumont?

Didn’t play in any of Sales big games at the end of the season. Pretty sure he is/was injured.