England V Wales

[Which Tyler]

Please no 6:2 benches

[Oakboy]

Please no 6:2 benches

Agreed but would you (or anybody) be surprised?

I sometimes wonder how many pundits'/fans' pleas Jones delights to negate:

No Farrell in the 23
No 6:2 bench
Anybody but Ewels
Give Smith 80 minutes
Randall at 9
A balanced back row
Players in their proper positions
Etc.

He's the head coach and should be his own man. Maybe, though, he gets distracted occasionally and prioritises wrongly - mentioning Healey at a press conference, for example.

[loudnconfident]

I'd still start Tuilagi on the bench with Slade/Marchant at 12/13. I also would pick Daly on the wing. That leaves the other wing spot between Malins and Nowell. I suspect Wales would rather face Malins so I'd pick Nowell.

Why have Manu on the bench? Start him and he can be replaced if he tires (or is injured...)
Tempting fate to bring him on as a replacement?

[francoisfou]

I hope Launchbury is in the starting XV with Itoje in his usual position, Lawes will surely be at 6 with Chessum on the bench and Ewels sent back to his club - permanently. Tuilagi must start. Is Hassel-Collins in the squad? If so, I’d like to see him given the opportunity to perform at Test level. But Eddie’ll no doubt surprise us all.

[Oakboy]

I'd still start Tuilagi on the bench with Slade/Marchant at 12/13. I also would pick Daly on the wing. That leaves the other wing spot between Malins and Nowell. I suspect Wales would rather face Malins so I'd pick Nowell.

Why have Manu on the bench? Start him and he can be replaced if he tires (or is injured...)
Tempting fate to bring him on as a replacement?

Two reasons: 1. I want continuity at 12/13, 2. The Wales game is not as important/difficult as the next two matches.

[FKAS]

Please no 6:2 benches

Agreed but would you (or anybody) be surprised?

I sometimes wonder how many pundits'/fans' pleas Jones delights to negate:

No Farrell in the 23
No 6:2 bench
Anybody but Ewels
Give Smith 80 minutes
Randall at 9
A balanced back row
Players in their proper positions
Etc.

He's the head coach and should be his own man. Maybe, though, he gets distracted occasionally and prioritises wrongly - mentioning Healey at a press conference, for example.

I fear that if Randall starts at 9 we'll be pinned in our half and forced to play from deep for most of the game. His kicking is below average at Prem level it looks woeful at international level. Biggar and Wales are not stupid they will kick deep with a hard chase, not bother competing in the air with Steward but ensure two chasers are there to get him to ground quickly. Force England into a clearing kick knowing that Randall will get very little distance if he doesn't fluff it.

Wales rolling maul is one of their major attacking weapons. Failing to clear reliably or with little distance as he did Vs Italy will leave us in significant trouble Vs Wales.

[p/d]

At home v an average Wales, and we are worried about starting an attacking 9 because ? You have to start looking beyond Youngs at some stage..

I’d drop Marchant out, keeping Nowell, Malins and Daly

[FKAS]

At home v an average Wales, and we are worried about starting an attacking 9 because ? You have to start looking beyond Youngs at some stage..

I’d drop Marchant out, keeping Nowell, Malins and Daly

I'm not worried about an attack scrum half I'm worried about a scrum half that can't reliably execute a kicking game. If Quirke is deemed fit enough I wouldn't mind him starting.

Wales aren't as bad as their drubbing in Dublin suggests. Youngs can be moved on when the younger guys can show they're better. Randall's inability to control territory or clear effectively is a serious defect in an international scrum half and that was against Italy who provided no pressure. Wales will be all over him if he plays and will actually have a line out drove to make the most of his poor clearances.

[Mellsblue]

I’d rather a flaw in the kicking game than the passing game. England are trying to speed up their game and Youngs inhibits that. Dependent on selection, we could have Smith, Slade, Daly and Malins who can make clearing kicks if Randall truly isn’t up to it.

[Mr Mwenda]

There won't be much chance for speedy play if England can't get out of their half. Penalties ahoy!

[Oakboy]

Of course, we might just see the game move on from box-kicking. By definition it indicates a weak link between 9/10. Blind kicking is speculative. Full-vision kicking (or not) by the FH (if the ball is zipped out) opens up all options. Jones is trapped between a zipper (Randall) and better box-kickers. I prefer Quirke but I would not condemn Randall for weak box-kicking.

[fivepointer]

Eddie Jones has named a 35-player England squad for next weekend’s Guinness Six Nations match against Wales.
England Senior Men
The squad regrouped at the Honda England Rugby Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park in Bagshot this afternoon [Sunday] as they continue preparations for the Wales game, which will be played at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 26 February (4.45pm KO).

Jonny Hill will also continue his rehab in camp.

The match is live on ITV and BBC Radio 5 Live.

FORWARDS
Alfie Barbeary (Wasps, uncapped)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 33 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 38 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 6 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 28 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 63 caps)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 53 caps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 5 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 69 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 90 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 76 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 17 caps)
BACKS
Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 54 caps)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 79 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Louis Lynagh (Harlequins, uncapped)
Max Malins (Saracens, 12 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 9 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps)
Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Adam Radwan (Newcastle Falcons, 2 caps)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 3 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 45 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 7 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 46 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 114 caps)

[Timbo]

Looks like Radwan and Lynagh have overtaken Hassel-Collins.

[fivepointer]

Looks like Radwan and Lynagh have overtaken Hassel-Collins.

Yep. I really like Radwan who has serious pace but i'd put OH-C ahead of Lynagh.

Atkinson and Northmore also left out, which is no great surprise with Tuilagi back.

[Danno]

With 3.5 better locks in the side, can we please wave Bon Voyage to Ewels

[Oakboy]

With 3.5 better locks in the side, can we please wave Bon Voyage to Ewels

If Lawes gets the 6 shirt, it will depend on Launchbury being 100% fit to keep Ewels out of the 23 won't it?

[p/d]

With 3.5 better locks in the side, can we please wave Bon Voyage to Ewels

If Lawes gets the 6 shirt, it will depend on Launchbury being 100% fit to keep Ewels out of the 23 won't it?

I’d take 60

[Mellsblue]

It can’t get any worse….. can it?

[Mellsblue]

With 3.5 better locks in the side, can we please wave Bon Voyage to Ewels

If Lawes gets the 6 shirt, it will depend on Launchbury being 100% fit to keep Ewels out of the 23 won't it?

I’d take 60

I’d take it even if it meant Jones pushing Launchbury around the pitch in a wheelchair.

[p/d]

It can’t get any worse….. can it?

Well, if Randall starts who knows…..

[FKAS]

I’d rather a flaw in the kicking game than the passing game. England are trying to speed up their game and Youngs inhibits that. Dependent on selection, we could have Smith, Slade, Daly and Malins who can make clearing kicks if Randall truly isn’t up to it.

Involves us passing back 15m and then the designated backline kicking being able to get his foot through it before the opposition defence blitzs. If you're in your own 22 it doesn't give much margin for error. There's a reason the box kick is the preferred method of clearing the ball

Thankfully Quirke is in the squad so he might be able to come back in for the weekend.

[Mellsblue]

I’d rather a flaw in the kicking game than the passing game. England are trying to speed up their game and Youngs inhibits that. Dependent on selection, we could have Smith, Slade, Daly and Malins who can make clearing kicks if Randall truly isn’t up to it.

Involves us passing back 15m and then the designated backline kicking being able to get his foot through it before the opposition defence blitzs. If you're in your own 22 it doesn't give much margin for error. There's a reason the box kick is the preferred method of clearing the ball

Thankfully Quirke is in the squad so he might be able to come back in for the weekend.

I appreciate all that - I did play flyhalf to a decent standard at school - and there are plenty of teams that have the 10 clear the ball. It’s all about trade offs unless you have a perfect player, which we don’t.

[p/d]

Dupont and Ntamack work clearance out of their 22 without dependency on the box kick. Mind you I achieved a mediocre standard of water polo at school

[Mellsblue]

Mediocre at water polo is akin to world class in any other sport…… other than pétanque.

[Oakboy]

Mediocre at water polo is akin to world class in any other sport…… other than pétanque.

I tried playing in goal at water polo many years ago. It was just about the hardest physical activity I've ever experienced - slightly easier in salt water but crazily difficult in fresh.