Japan vs England - Sat 6.50am

[Epaminondas Pules]

TEAM TO PLAY JAPAN

15. George Furbank
14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
13. Henry Slade - vice-captain
12. Ollie Lawrence
11. Tommy Freeman
10. Marcus Smith
9. Alex Mitchell
1. Bevan Rodd
2. Jamie George - captain
3. Dan Cole
4. Maro Itoje - vice-captain
5. George Martin
6. Chandler Cunningham-South
7. Sam Underhill
8. Ben Earl - vice-captain
Replacements
16. Theo Dan
17. Joe Marler - vice-captain
18. Will Stuart
19, Charlie Ewels
20. Tom Curry
21. Harry Randall
22. Fin Smith
23. Tom Roebuck

[Epaminondas Pules]

Four vice captains????

[Oakboy]

Good team, that, but the decision to play Itoje is surprising.

[Oakboy]

Anybody know much about Rugbypass TV? Is it the only place to watch the game and will it be free to stream?

[FKAS]

Pretty much the wide you'd expect to play against NZ, perhaps changes on the bench. I'd have preferred to rotate a bit more up front.

Looks like we're going to try Bevan Rodd in the Genge role. He's not got as strong a carrying game but we could see him in the Mako distributor role what with how handling skills.

[TheNomad]

Outside of further flogging Itoje, I think that's a really exciting team

[Puja]

Anybody know much about Rugbypass TV? Is it the only place to watch the game and will it be free to stream?

It is the only place you can watch the game and you need a free account - would recommend signing up early rather than trying to do it on the morning, as it's not unknown for them to have tech issues at busy times.


On the team, looks like a complete lack of any rotation and we're using this as a warm-up match for our XV's cohesion, rather than any kind of audition. I can understand the logic of it, even if I'm not thrilled about risking Cole and Itoje. I am surprised by Rodd being picked over Baxter, but I'm willing to put that one down to form in training and unironically say IBWT for the first time in a while.

ETA. Just looked at the bench - Ewels over Coles and Randall over Spencer are also big calls against what you might think of Prem form (albeit, I'm happy not to have Spencer based on past experience).

Puja

[Puja]

Four vice captains????

Also, this is ridiculous.

Puja

[Banquo]

Pretty much the wide you'd expect to play against NZ, perhaps changes on the bench. I'd have preferred to rotate a bit more up front.

Looks like we're going to try Bevan Rodd in the Genge role. He's not got as strong a carrying game but we could see him in the Mako distributor role what with how handling skills.

agreed, looks like the 1st team.

[twitchy]

Good team, this should be a fun game.

[Puja]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... ll1d0jqj1o

This makes me wonder about what kind of training workload we've adopted prior to this game. It would be absolutely on-brand for Spinbike Bastard and Walters to utterly leather fitness, with the aim of peaking for the first New Zealand test, but that's a dangerous risk against Japan (and no-one wants to hear from a cocky Eddie Jones). Plus it's also surely not sensible to be doing at the end of a long season, so I'm hoping not?

Guess we'll see if the players look like they're dragging lead weights around on the pitch this weekend.

Puja

[p/d]

Rodd and CCS starting. Marvellous!
Roebuck on bench. Excellent

[Mikey Brown]

Pretty much as others have said.

Good side. Less rotation than expected. Randall a bit of a surprise but Spencer has previously underwhelmed a bit. Roebuck ahead of Sleightholme maybe a surprise on form, though I like Roebuck who is playing well too and been in the squad longer.

A huge chance for Rodd.

[TheDasher]

I really would like Joe Heyes to get some time to be honest, it'd be good to see what he can bring to the party - perhaps Cole needs some minutes to maintain fitness. As good as he may be, I'm not sure I see the point in Ewels, but perhaps Coles needs a rest. 100% would've gone for Baxter over Marler too. Still annoying that Ted Hill isn't there too. To have him and CCS competing for that 6 shirt would be great.

[FKAS]

I am surprised by Rodd being picked over Baxter, but I'm willing to put that one down to form in training and unironically say IBWT for the first time in a while.

In isolation I'd take Baxter over Rodd but in the context of the pack if we do that then we are going into the game with Baxter and Cole at prop and neither carry much ball in hand. Rodd is more threat in the loose both in terms of mobility and handling skills. We've tended towards one prop for loose play and one for the set piece in the 6N. Pairing Genge/Cole and Marler/Stuart. Rodd is in for Genge.

I'd have liked to see Heyes in for Cole and Baxter for Marler just for this game though.

[Puja]

I am surprised by Rodd being picked over Baxter, but I'm willing to put that one down to form in training and unironically say IBWT for the first time in a while.

In isolation I'd take Baxter over Rodd but in the context of the pack if we do that then we are going into the game with Baxter and Cole at prop and neither carry much ball in hand. Rodd is more threat in the loose both in terms of mobility and handling skills. We've tended towards one prop for loose play and one for the set piece in the 6N. Pairing Genge/Cole and Marler/Stuart. Rodd is in for Genge.

I'd have liked to see Heyes in for Cole and Baxter for Marler just for this game though.

Fair point - hadn't thought about it in terms of the balance of the loose play of the props. I too would prefer Baxter over Marler on the bench - if we get an injury, it's a hell of an ask for him to be in the XXIII for his debut against NZ away.

Puja

[FKAS]

I am surprised by Rodd being picked over Baxter, but I'm willing to put that one down to form in training and unironically say IBWT for the first time in a while.

In isolation I'd take Baxter over Rodd but in the context of the pack if we do that then we are going into the game with Baxter and Cole at prop and neither carry much ball in hand. Rodd is more threat in the loose both in terms of mobility and handling skills. We've tended towards one prop for loose play and one for the set piece in the 6N. Pairing Genge/Cole and Marler/Stuart. Rodd is in for Genge.

I'd have liked to see Heyes in for Cole and Baxter for Marler just for this game though.

Fair point - hadn't thought about it in terms of the balance of the loose play of the props. I too would prefer Baxter over Marler on the bench - if we get an injury, it's a hell of an ask for him to be in the XXIII for his debut against NZ away.

Puja

Exactly and not only that but Baxter does look every bit the likely long term replacement for Marler so we might as well start drip feeding him experience as soon as possible.

[fivepointer]

Thought we might get a touch more rotation. Would have been nice to see Dan starting and Heyes getting some game time for instance.

I'm happy enough with Rodd but Baxter on the bench would have been my preference. I'm also content to see Randall in the 23. He played really well for Bristol over the closing months of the season.

The 4 VC's is utterly ridiculous.

[p/d]

Four vice captains????

What more does Cole have to do!

[Mikey Brown]

[Beasties]

I’m liking Rodd’s selection because he’s a turnover machine and his scrummaging is now at the required level. I like Baxter a lot but I have Rodd ahead in the taxi queue. Tradeoffs innit. I’d have had Baxter on the bench but hey ho. And we know Japan will play with high tempo. Exciting team though.

[Puja]

[francoisfou]

Opportunity lost for Dan to start with Oghre on the bench.

[Puja]

Opportunity lost for Dan to start with Oghre on the bench.

I mean, we're saying that (me included), but the Leicester players last played 5 weeks ago, and the Saracens players last played 4 weeks ago. There are two weeks to the first NZ test, so if we don't play Cole and George now, they'd be coming in cold with 7 and 6 weeks since their last match - I'm willing to InBarbiedollWeTrust on the decision to give his starting XV a warm-up instead of capping Gabriel Oghre.

Puja

[Banquo]

Four vice captains????

What more does Cole have to do!

speak?