England squad for start of 6N’s

[Peej]

JJ not injured according to Blackadder, just cramping up and a bit knackered. That was a seriously heavy pitch.

Let's hope it's not the same quality of diagnosis that saw Faletau announced as being fit and healthy after the Wasps game, then less than 12 hours later a quiet press release stated he'd broken an arm.

[JellyHead]

JJ added to the squad according to the BBC

[Mikey Brown]

Well that seems questionable to say the least. Hopefully he’s just refamiliarising himself and not expected to hit test pace vs Ireland after all this time.

[Which Tyler]

Looked sharp against Wasps.
I'd happily have him around the squad, send him back to play 80 against Glosninnthe pointless cup, think about putting him in the 23 shirt against Ireland before handing that one to Nowell.

But then, I do have a man-crush on JJ

[twitchy]

Apparently owen beat best at connect 4 at the presser. Jubilant scenes on twitter.

[Mikey Brown]

Looks like the grandslam is back on.

[Mellsblue]

Thank goodness. After Tindall’s fawning over Farrell on the house of rugby podcast I was worried we were on for the wooden spoon should the injury be serious.

[Digby]

Many fly halves are reliant on their handling but Farrell doesn’t allow for weaknesses in his game

[Mikey Brown]

Many fly halves are reliant on their handling but Farrell doesn’t allow for weaknesses in his game

I was pondering that. Say they totally biff the operation, how many dozens of passes would need to hit the floor before a commentator dare comment on it?

[old-n-slo-2nd-row]

think about putting him in the 23 shirt against Ireland before handing that one to Nowell.

It is interesting how people see different things in players. I think Nowell is one of the most talented rugby players in England, seems many don't. I would have him on the pitch, blindside wing or fullback.

[Stom]

think about putting him in the 23 shirt against Ireland before handing that one to Nowell.

It is interesting how people see different things in players. I think Nowell is one of the most talented rugby players in England, seems many don't. I would have him on the pitch, blindside wing or fullback.

If Nowell had managed more games at FB, I would have him there. But he's not had enough gametime there. I just feel like he gets done in defense a bit too often, plus he's not got the top end pace to seriously trouble the opposition. When he's competing with May and Daly for a wing slot...

[Puja]

think about putting him in the 23 shirt against Ireland before handing that one to Nowell.

It is interesting how people see different things in players. I think Nowell is one of the most talented rugby players in England, seems many don't. I would have him on the pitch, blindside wing or fullback.

If Nowell had managed more games at FB, I would have him there. But he's not had enough gametime there. I just feel like he gets done in defense a bit too often, plus he's not got the top end pace to seriously trouble the opposition. When he's competing with May and Daly for a wing slot...

Exactly the same. He' a great player, but he's just a pace off the speed needed for a top-level international wing. He makes up for it elsewhere, but we're fortunate on the wing at the moment. May is a guaranteed selection on one wing and it's tough to make a case for him over Daly or the raw potential and ceiling of Cokanasiga.

I wouldn't be overly disappointed if he plays though. Good player, just not in my personal starting XV.

Puja

[old-n-slo-2nd-row]

I don't think Nowell's defence is as bad as some make out. He played a blinder against Munster and does trouble even the best teams' defenders. Agree he is not the fastest on the pitch but believe his other attributes more than make up for this. I also have to admit, and understand I am in the minority, that I am not a big Jonny May fan, but that's just me. I like rugby players who understand rugby

[Digby]

Many fly halves are reliant on their handling but Farrell doesn’t allow for weaknesses in his game

I was pondering that. Say they totally biff the operation, how many dozens of passes would need to hit the floor before a commentator dare comment on it?

You can talk

[Mikey Brown]

I think May's quality is maybe a bit overstated on here, he can still look a bit headless at times, but he's come a long way and his finishing is fantastic.

I didn't get the impression Nowell gets slated for his defending that much except by me, who admittedly won't shut up about it, since Banquo left.

But in the same way he'll regularly miss a simple, basic tackle, he will find a way through a defence when he has no right to. He's definitely got some talent, and he's good under the high ball, but I feel like Cokanasiga (and even Ashton) just has that point of difference to be able to shift either Daly or May from their spot.

[Mikey Brown]

Many fly halves are reliant on their handling but Farrell doesn’t allow for weaknesses in his game

I was pondering that. Say they totally biff the operation, how many dozens of passes would need to hit the floor before a commentator dare comment on it?

You can talk

a) My passing success rate is probably better than Farrell's

b) Every single mistake I make gets talked about

c) I'm not a fly-half

[Scrumhead]

May has performed consistently well for a good while now and has a great strike rate. He deserves to keep his place. If anyone should be under threat, it’s Daly.

[Puja]

I don't think Nowell's defence is as bad as some make out. He played a blinder against Munster and does trouble even the best teams' defenders. Agree he is not the fastest on the pitch but believe his other attributes more than make up for this. I also have to admit, and understand I am in the minority, that I am not a big Jonny May fan, but that's just me. I like rugby players who understand rugby

I think May gets a bad rap. He might be (allegedly) thick in real life, but I feel he's grown into a very astute rugby player across the last 2-3 years. He's got a much better understanding of manipulating defences, what he can and can't get away with, his positioning in defence is excellent, and he's now involved in attack a lot more through his reading of the game and when to involve himself inside. Most importantly, for a player who plays with Ben Youngs, he's learned to read when Youngs isn't going to make it to a ruck, and go in to play scrum-half to speed up the game.

He might look goofy running across the pitch, but I don't remember the last time he got caught doing that, whereas in his youth, he was always misjudging it and getting snared behind his forwards.

Puja

[Oakboy]

May has performed consistently well for a good while now and has a great strike rate. He deserves to keep his place. If anyone should be under threat, it’s Daly.

Agreed. As he was performing before the FB experiment, I'd argue that Daly was right up there with the world's best wingers and, arguably, our best rugby player. Now, we, as distant spectators, cannot possibly have sufficient information to know (from training etc.) whether he is still off the boil. Based on his last appearance for England and his last one or two for Wasps, he should be on the bench at best. However, if he is buzzing in training and if neither Slade nor Farrell play he might need to be picked for his kicking.

I'd definitely pick Brown at FB for Dublin and I'd want either Nowell (preferably) or Slade in the 23 as FB cover. Even relying on Daly as FB cover in the 23 would be a mistake, IMO, especially against Ireland away.

[morepork]

He looks like a new born calf.

[p/d]

It is interesting how people see different things in players. I think Nowell is one of the most talented rugby players in England, seems many don't. I would have him on the pitch, blindside wing or fullback.

Agree. Best back 3 player we have. That said love to see Thorley let loose before Jones and co feck him over

[Doorzetbornandbred]

He looks like a new born calf.

As in covered in membrane, some shite and being chased round a pugged up calving paddock by a Filipino dairy worker riding a mule with a trailer load of bobby calves in tow?

[Scrumhead]

Thorley looks very exciting, but I think Cokanasiga is the more likely World Cup bolter. His size and power give him a point of difference Thorley doesn’t really have right now.

I can absolutely see Thorley being better than some of the current crop in the not too distant future, just not in the next 8mths.

[Scrumhead]

I’d be very happy to cap him against Italy though

[morepork]

He looks like a new born calf.

As in covered in membrane, some shite and being chased round a pugged up calving paddock by a Filipino dairy worker riding a mule with a trailer load of bobby calves in tow?

That. And maybe a dangerously unsupervised cheap Argentine "vet".