I still think George will have faced better front fives for Sarries in Europe, a good portion of which will have been away at French teams. Stades Mayol and Marcel Michelin are probably as, if not more, intimidating than the Stade de France.iLovett wrote:Yes on George, but in time, he's still green for France away, not that it matters as he's crockedMellsblue wrote:Hartley is world class.....come on.iLovett wrote:
I'll be that one then!
IMHO he's the best tight 5 hooker we have by a fair whack (right now), and it's the tight 5 that needed most improvement from the WC / Ireland loss last year.
J George is obviously very promising, but still too green for nasty 6nations front rows at full tilt. His time will come... Hartley if fit enough MUST start vs an always beastly french front row away from home. Admittedly Youngs is the best in the loose, (centre? ) but that's irrelevant to the nuts & bolts of being a world class hooker which Hartley clearly is, and has been for some time.
Seeing young / mobile hookers sprinting about in the loose is definitely fun, but they should really be keeping the ruck secure & the maul going forwards (or down on oppo ball!)
People suggesting 'lineout aside'; lol... the lineout is one of the most important facets in the game, look what happened to Wales when they did / didn't get lineout ball on Saturday.
I reckon George will have faced nastier frontrows and tight fives in Europe than anything he's faced in this 6N.
Good thing about George is his set piece is as good as Hartley's and he's far better in the loose. Imagine having a hooker who's good in both facets.
On Hartley; ask Gatland, Schmit Jones, Woodward, McGeeghan, Johnson, in fact anyone who's been a top class coach.. he's right up there with the best in the world. Doesn't do a ton in the loose so you won't see it on TV but he gets about I tells ya! Nobody recalls him ousting Steve Thompson who everyone admitted was class, with his WC medal & all. Really like the look of the French 2 though, he's got game! We need to be wary of this French team, they have a good performance in them if things go their way, like a lineout or 2 or a green front row getting minced
Some of those coaches are top class, some not so much and some are Scott Johnson. Can't say I've heard Schmidt, Woodward or Geech comment on him, we know Gatland and Jones rate him.
Hartley made his Eng debut in 2008 - he didn't replace a world class Steve Thompson.