Re: Team v France
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 9:29 pm
Interesting that of the 26 retained, Alex Goode is one of them....
That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.Peat wrote:I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.Mellsblue wrote:What both Banquo and Puja said, plus going in to a grand slam game with a second choice club player (behind an uncapped player) with two caps and uncapped player with two weeks in the EPS.Peat wrote:
Lineout aside, I would be delighted by that. Absolutely delighted.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
Bad news for DalyBanquo wrote:Interesting that of the 26 retained, Alex Goode is one of them....
Apart from, probably, DiggersMellsblue wrote:
That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.
.
Well that snowballed quickly!p/d wrote:Apart from, probably, DiggersMellsblue wrote:
That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.
.
though he would suggest Stefler as hooker before Dylan
Probably started around post 17 of this threadDigby wrote:Well that snowballed quickly!p/d wrote:Apart from, probably, DiggersMellsblue wrote:
That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.
.
though he would suggest Stefler as hooker before Dylan
George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.Mellsblue wrote:That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.Peat wrote:I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.Mellsblue wrote:
What both Banquo and Puja said, plus going in to a grand slam game with a second choice club player (behind an uncapped player) with two caps and uncapped player with two weeks in the EPS.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
Secondly, a desire to drop Hartley was based on a desire for long term improvement not when playing for a grand slam. At this moment winning a grand slam is a bigger plus to long term improvement than an extra cap for LCD and Taylor.
p/d wrote: Probably started around post 17 of this thread
I'd disagree with your first assertion but it is subjective. I'd also add that I think George a far superior player regardless of experience.Peat wrote:George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.Mellsblue wrote:That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.Peat wrote:
I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
Secondly, a desire to drop Hartley was based on a desire for long term improvement not when playing for a grand slam. At this moment winning a grand slam is a bigger plus to long term improvement than an extra cap for LCD and Taylor.
How would you rate our chances of winning the Grand Slam with Hartley starting vs. LCD starting?
You've been summonsed to a RR disciplinary hearing. You'd better get baking.Digby wrote:p/d wrote: Probably started around post 17 of this thread
What can I say, I have as much trust in Hartley as I would a gypsy.
I'd rate them better with Hartley. He has more experience and so far this tournament I think he's put in a decent shift (line out has been good) as a player and has stepped up as captain. England have looked assertive. This is a guy used to captaining a side. I don't think there's many else in the side currently that would be able to do that, especially given the added pressure of obtaining the first GS we've had for donkeys (EJ isn't excatly going to hand Robshaw the armband, is he).Peat wrote:George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.Mellsblue wrote:That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.Peat wrote:
I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
Secondly, a desire to drop Hartley was based on a desire for long term improvement not when playing for a grand slam. At this moment winning a grand slam is a bigger plus to long term improvement than an extra cap for LCD and Taylor.
How would you rate our chances of winning the Grand Slam with Hartley starting vs. LCD starting?
To be fair to Jones he has named Robshaw his choice of standout player so far. No fan of the appointment of Jones but got to credit him for saying the right thing to boost a player's confidence.Freks wrote:I'd rate them better with Hartley. He has more experience and so far this tournament I think he's put in a decent shift (line out has been good) as a player and has stepped up as captain. England have looked assertive. This is a guy used to captaining a side. I don't think there's many else in the side currently that would be able to do that, especially given the added pressure of obtaining the first GS we've had for donkeys (EJ isn't excatly going to hand Robshaw the armband, is he).Peat wrote:George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.Mellsblue wrote:
That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.
Secondly, a desire to drop Hartley was based on a desire for long term improvement not when playing for a grand slam. At this moment winning a grand slam is a bigger plus to long term improvement than an extra cap for LCD and Taylor.
How would you rate our chances of winning the Grand Slam with Hartley starting vs. LCD starting?
Has X Factor started already?p/d wrote:Anyway, is it going to be Billy, Owen or Mikey?Freks wrote:I'd rate them better with Hartley. He has more experience and so far this tournament I think he's put in a decent shift (line out has been good) as a player and has stepped up as captain. England have looked assertive. This is a guy used to captaining a side. I don't think there's many else in the side currently that would be able to do that, especially given the added pressure of obtaining the first GS we've had for donkeys (EJ isn't excatly going to hand Robshaw the armband, is he).Peat wrote:
George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.
How would you rate our chances of winning the Grand Slam with Hartley starting vs. LCD starting?
I hadn't seen that. Fair play to him then.p/d wrote:To be fair to Jones he has named Robshaw his choice of standout player so far. No fan of the appointment of Jones but got to credit him for saying the right thing to boost a player's confidence.Freks wrote:
I'd rate them better with Hartley. He has more experience and so far this tournament I think he's put in a decent shift (line out has been good) as a player and has stepped up as captain. England have looked assertive. This is a guy used to captaining a side. I don't think there's many else in the side currently that would be able to do that, especially given the added pressure of obtaining the first GS we've had for donkeys (EJ isn't excatly going to hand Robshaw the armband, is he).
Anyway, is it going to be Billy, Owen or Mikey?
In fairness to Hartley, he's put in a good shift this tournament and I no longer regard him as an utter liability to the team.Peat wrote: I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
The captaincy may be the making of him. The players seem a lot happier and when given the choice they have binned nearly everything from the Burt regime. I was gutted to see the Arnie slogan binned.Puja wrote:In fairness to Hartley, he's put in a good shift this tournament and I no longer regard him as an utter liability to the team.Peat wrote: I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
I'd still rather have George, but it'd be a closer battle between a fit Youngs and Hartley on his current form.
Puja
How much greater though?Mellsblue wrote:I'd disagree with your first assertion but it is subjective. I'd also add that I think George a far superior player regardless of experience.Peat wrote:George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.Mellsblue wrote:
That's when we thought Youngs and George would be in the 23. At no point didn anyone say LCD and Taylor were ahead of Hartley.
Secondly, a desire to drop Hartley was based on a desire for long term improvement not when playing for a grand slam. At this moment winning a grand slam is a bigger plus to long term improvement than an extra cap for LCD and Taylor.
How would you rate our chances of winning the Grand Slam with Hartley starting vs. LCD starting?
I'd obviously rate them greater with Hartley starting. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this exchange.
That is correct. Jones has done a master, Svengali-like job in convincing the media and the punters that there is something special about Hartley and his leadership. Total bollocks on both counts. He has looked the average hooker he is, and is no better captain than Robshaw (though Robshaw's play may have improved from losing the responsibility of captaincy). In the 6N overall Hartly would rank as a hooker as no better than fourth behind his Irish, French and Italian counterparts, and quite possibly lower than that. His limitations are overlooked beause the team is winning.Peat wrote:I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.Mellsblue wrote:What both Banquo and Puja said, plus going in to a grand slam game with a second choice club player (behind an uncapped player) with two caps and uncapped player with two weeks in the EPS.Peat wrote:
Lineout aside, I would be delighted by that. Absolutely delighted.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
regarding Hartley, I don't think he is a long term fixture as captain or player for England. I will be surprised if he is still around by 6N's 2017 as first choice. I think he was brought in as a replacement for Robshaw with EJ's preference for a forward as captain and nothing else but a temporary position until EJ could find someone else, besides the fecking nugget will do something stupid anyway before long to make that happen. Leopards & spots.Spiffy wrote:That is correct. Jones has done a master, Svengali-like job in convincing the media and the punters that there is something special about Hartley and his leadership. Total bollocks on both counts. He has looked the average hooker he is, and is no better captain than Robshaw (though Robshaw's play may have improved from losing the responsibility of captaincy). In the 6N overall Hartly would rank as a hooker as no better than fourth behind his Irish, French and Italian counterparts, and quite possibly lower than that. His limitations are overlooked beause the team is winning.Peat wrote:I'd still back both to at least equal Hartley's average contribution, lineout aside.Mellsblue wrote:
What both Banquo and Puja said, plus going in to a grand slam game with a second choice club player (behind an uncapped player) with two caps and uncapped player with two weeks in the EPS.
edit: Have I missed something? Before this 6N, I could have sworn the majority view here was that Hartley wasn't worth a place in the XV, maybe not the 23. That a deeply average player with more than his fair share of disicpline problems wasn't really worth the candle. Do people now think he's more than deeply average? Do people actually want Hartley in the side? Or is it just nerves about casting in young 'uns for a Grand Slam decider against a comically inept French team?
Enough for our chances of winning to be lesser and, as I've said, a grand slam really should be the priority for both short and long term development.Peat wrote:How much greater though?Mellsblue wrote:I'd disagree with your first assertion but it is subjective. I'd also add that I think George a far superior player regardless of experience.Peat wrote:
George didn't exactly bring more experience than LCD.
How would you rate our chances of winning the Grand Slam with Hartley starting vs. LCD starting?
I'd obviously rate them greater with Hartley starting. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this exchange.
I mean, the fact I keep bringing up the line out obviously means I think our chances would be greater with Hartley starting. Just I think our chances look pretty damn good and substituting Hartley for LCD doesn't weaken us hugely (big glowing question mark over the line out aside).
Puja - Utter liability was always harsh. Set-piece usually solid, work rate usually high, moments of madness usually done for Northampton. Now, utter mediocrity...