England A

[Banquo]

Coles is apparently drawing interest from Scotland though I'm not sure how accurate the rumours are as it would be a wait before his three years were up and he'd be eligible to switch.

well quite. Still think he has an intl future with us

Yeah I think he could very much come good in the near future. With Lawes retiring their couple be an opening at 6 for a hybrid style player and his work rate is good for a big lock which always suits Borthwick's system.

Think he needs to stick at lock tbh

[Puja]

Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

[p/d]

Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

Absolutely.
You are a lock and competing against players x, y etc.
Ditto back row specialists - plus Slade or any back with long arms.

[Puja]

Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

Absolutely.
You are a lock and competing against players x, y etc.
Ditto back row specialists - plus Slade or any back with long arms.

If we suddenly get a surfeit of outstanding locks and an abrupt disappearance of our back row options, then maybe reopen the subject for debate, but while there are three good back row options, that is what we should be playing.

Puja

[Puja]

If we're talking about dual-qualified players that we'd prefer not to see poached, I'd be interested in locking down Arron Reed. He's having a belter of a season and I wouldn't particularly want to see him playing in red in the future.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Good call on Reed. The guy is electric.

[FKAS]

Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

Absolutely.
You are a lock and competing against players x, y etc.
Ditto back row specialists - plus Slade or any back with long arms.

If we suddenly get a surfeit of outstanding locks and an abrupt disappearance of our back row options, then maybe reopen the subject for debate, but while there are three good back row options, that is what we should be playing.

Puja

I don't mind it if it suits the opposition we are playing and it helps the balance of the backrow overall. Vs the Boks or France it might well make sense.

[Scrumhead]

I’m not sure on the size of the squad, but revisiting this based upon form and injuries across the season so far, I’d go with:

1. F. Baxter / P. Brantingham
2. D. Frost / S. Riley
3. A. Opoku-Fordjour / J. Harper
4. A. Moon / G. Hammond
5. R. Tuima / H. Tizard
6. C. Cunningham-South
7. W. Evans / G. Pepper
8. G. Fisilau / F. Harding
9. G. Warr / W. Porter
10. C. Atkinson / L. Johnson
11. A. Reed / Ibitoye
12. O. Hartley / S. Atkinson
13. M. Ojomoh / D. Kelly
14. T. Roebuck
15. G. Hendy / J. Carpenter

Originally, I picked Painter, Coles, Barbeary and Ben Curry who I’d elevate to the senior squad plus Kenningham who is ruled out by injury.

It seems odd to pick all of the possible pretenders at 12 in one squad, but at this point I don’t think any are clearly and obviously ready for the senior squad so I’d see this as a bit of a ‘battle royale’.

No idea who’d captain a side this green, but I’d probably go with Baxter as a former England captain at U18 and U20.

[Banquo]

I’m not sure on the size of the squad, but revisiting this based upon form and injuries across the season so far, I’d go with:

1. F. Baxter / P. Brantingham
2. D. Frost / S. Riley
3. A. Opoku-Fordjour / J. Harper
4. A. Moon / G. Hammond
5. R. Tuima / H. Tizard
6. C. Cunningham-South
7. W. Evans / G. Pepper
8. G. Fisilau / F. Harding
9. G. Warr / W. Porter
10. C. Atkinson / L. Johnson
11. A. Reed / Ibitoye
12. O. Hartley / S. Atkinson
13. M. Ojomoh / D. Kelly
14. T. Roebuck
15. G. Hendy / J. Carpenter

Originally, I picked Painter, Coles, Barbeary and Ben Curry who I’d elevate to the senior squad plus Kenningham who is ruled out by injury.

It seems odd to pick all of the possible pretenders at 12 in one squad, but at this point I don’t think any are clearly and obviously ready for the senior squad so I’d see this as a bit of a ‘battle royale’.

No idea who’d captain a side this green, but I’d probably go with Baxter as a former England captain at U18 and U20.

Is Radwan in your senior squad?

[Epaminondas Pules]

I’m not sure on the size of the squad, but revisiting this based upon form and injuries across the season so far, I’d go with:

1. F. Baxter / P. Brantingham
2. D. Frost / S. Riley
3. A. Opoku-Fordjour / J. Harper
4. A. Moon / G. Hammond
5. R. Tuima / H. Tizard
6. C. Cunningham-South
7. W. Evans / G. Pepper
8. G. Fisilau / F. Harding
9. G. Warr / W. Porter
10. C. Atkinson / L. Johnson
11. A. Reed / Ibitoye
12. O. Hartley / S. Atkinson
13. M. Ojomoh / D. Kelly
14. T. Roebuck
15. G. Hendy / J. Carpenter

Originally, I picked Painter, Coles, Barbeary and Ben Curry who I’d elevate to the senior squad plus Kenningham who is ruled out by injury.

It seems odd to pick all of the possible pretenders at 12 in one squad, but at this point I don’t think any are clearly and obviously ready for the senior squad so I’d see this as a bit of a ‘battle royale’.

No idea who’d captain a side this green, but I’d probably go with Baxter as a former England captain at U18 and U20.

Is Radwan in your senior squad?

#JusticeforRadwan?

Seb Atkinson has to be in the senior squad, surely! And yes, I did call you Shirley!

[Scrumhead]

Radwan would be in my senior squad. On this season’s form, Seb Atkinson wouldn’t.

It’s early days for him and personally, I’d go with Lawrence, Slade, Dingwall and Joseph as the centres for the main squad.

[FKAS]

Radwan would be in my senior squad. On this season’s form, Seb Atkinson wouldn’t.

It’s early days for him and personally, I’d go with Lawrence, Slade, Dingwall and Joseph as the centres for the main squad.

As long as Freeman is in there as a fifth centre/utility option.

If Seb Atkinson can put another good display in against Quins this weekend he could push himself back into contention. He had a great start to the season before being rotated out the starting line up this month.

[Slater582]

I’m not sure on the size of the squad

35 in future apparently but some of those players will be from the Senior squad that don't feature in Tests.

O’Shea was at pains to stress that an enhanced contract does not guarantee England selection. The players, for their part, previously had the potential to earn more via the £23,000 England match fees – assuming they were fit and ever-present for the national side – but crucially the enhanced contracts provide security in the event of injury.

The group of 25 will sit inside a wider elite player squad of 50 – those without enhanced contracts will still receive one-off match fees if they play for England – while there will also be an “A” squad of 35, made up of the bottom end of the wider EPS and from recent under-20s graduates. England A play Portugal during next year’s Six Nations and the intention is to bring back regular fixtures for what was previously known as the Saxons side.

I say in future, as that is meant to be part of the new PGP deal, so the squad against Portugal may be of a different composition.

Apparently Ireland & New Zealand are potential opponents next season and there may be a summer tour.

There will be attempts to organise four ‘A’ team fixtures per season – with tentative arrangements already taking shape to face New Zealand’s second-string side and Ireland ‘A’ next season.

A "consistent and regular" programme of England 'A' matches, including a tour in the summer of 2025

[Mikey Brown]

It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

[Oakboy]

It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

There is also the question of 'form today' v 'potential tomorrow'. Care should be in according to the first but Quirke the second etc.

[Mikey Brown]

It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

There is also the question of 'form today' v 'potential tomorrow'. Care should be in according to the first but Quirke the second etc.

I would have assumed guys like Care and Marler are too old to be considered, with Farrell/Ford/George etc. probably being at the upper limit.

I haven't had a go at guessing the top 25 but I wouldn't think a player like Quirke would be in the conversation either way, to be honest.

[FKAS]

It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

There is also the question of 'form today' v 'potential tomorrow'. Care should be in according to the first but Quirke the second etc.

I would have assumed guys like Care and Marler are too old to be considered, with Farrell/Ford/George etc. probably being at the upper limit.

I haven't had a go at guessing the top 25 but I wouldn't think a player like Quirke would be in the conversation either way, to be honest.

Agreed. If you're looking at the best 25 players you're going to have to be pretty ruthless with who gets a deal.

As an aside Marler is only a year older than Farrell and in a position that ages better.

Genge
George, LCD
Stuart, Sinckler
Chessum, Itoje, Martin
Curry, Underhill
?
Mitchell, JvP
Ford, Farrell, M Smith
Lawrence, Manu
Watson
Steward

That takes you up to 19. Five more on top of those fairly safe bets you'd assume.

[Danno]

I'd rather the RFU did a KLF stunt and just burned a pile of money instead of giving contracts to LCD, Stuart, Sinckler, Farrell, Manu and Watson.

[Puja]

What's Watson done to upset you?

Puja

[FKAS]

Bit harsh on Stuart and LCD as well.

Sinckler, Farrell and Manu I get the frustration with although they are likely to be seen as big names in need of keeping in the short term.

[Mellsblue]

Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

[Puja]

Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

There is a definite argument for that. There's talent there in him that we're not currently getting full use out of, and we're short enough in that position that it's worthwhile chasing it. Maybe we could get more by having him on a hybrid contract and taking some of his development and training schedules out of the hands of Pat Lam.

Puja

[16th man]

Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

There is a definite argument for that. There's talent there in him that we're not currently getting full use out of, and we're short enough in that position that it's worthwhile chasing it. Maybe we could get more by having him on a hybrid contract and taking some of his development and training schedules out of the hands of Pat Lam.

Puja

This is my view too. Sinkler was looking like developing into being one of the best tight heads in the world coming off the back of 2019. He then moved to Bristol and just went off a cliff. If a central contract gets him more time with different coaches, or the financial security to move to a different club for less pay from them, then it would be fascinating to see if it really was the club coaching which was at fault.

[Danno]

What's Watson done to upset you?

Puja

Just perma crocked, same with LCD and Manu.

[FKAS]

Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

There is a definite argument for that. There's talent there in him that we're not currently getting full use out of, and we're short enough in that position that it's worthwhile chasing it. Maybe we could get more by having him on a hybrid contract and taking some of his development and training schedules out of the hands of Pat Lam.

Puja

This is my view too. Sinkler was looking like developing into being one of the best tight heads in the world coming off the back of 2019. He then moved to Bristol and just went off a cliff. If a central contract gets him more time with different coaches, or the financial security to move to a different club for less pay from them, then it would be fascinating to see if it really was the club coaching which was at fault.

It does seem a bit like a backwards step a prop going to Bristol. First Sinckler and now Genge went there in good form and have regressed.

Be interesting to see if more time spent working with Harrison and Borthwick on a hybrid contract brings more out of them.