RugbyRebels

What's the issue? 3 class locks, at least, is what we should be aiming for. With the frequency of injuries and reliance on benches we need 3 or more serious players for those two positions. I have no doubt Launchbury will have more great games for England.

Galfon wrote:Whither Launch now ?
He was seen as Eng. great white hope after the WC but EJ has found himself 2 talented athketic locks who will only get better.
He is not dynamic enough for a modern 8 i.m.o., and too big for a 7.
He's too good a player to be a long-term 16-23 crew-member.
Maybe he can get properly fit for the summer tour and really hold his hand up.

Launchbury would be on a list with Cole, Marler, Lawes, BVunipola, Robshaw, Haskell and possibly JJ and Watson, as players for whom it would be best for both them and the team in the long run to have a summer off. Though Robshaw and Haskell would be closer to being dropped than rested.

The only issue is a good one for EJ & Eng. in that Itoje & Kruis have stepped up to the mark so quickly., meaning that if JL is to be a lock or a lock, then he may not get the oppirtunities that may have been there...so he'll have to fight for his spot.Interesting to see what condition Attwood can get himself to.

Galfon wrote:The only issue is a good one for EJ & Eng. in that Itoje & Kruis have stepped up to the mark so quickly., meaning that if JL is to be a lock or a lock, then he may not get the oppirtunities that may have been there...so he'll have to fight for his spot.Interesting to see what condition Attwood can get himself to.

I'm happy to have all three scrapping for 2 places. For far too long, players have had a position by default and I'm very happy to have one position where players need to constantly be improving to keep their place.

Puja

On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

Doubt that Toner will get close to the Lions, but the currently-injured Henderson will challenge.

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

4. Lawes
5. Lauchbury
6. Itoje
7. J. Gray
8. Jones

Bench. R. Gray, Toner

Galfon wrote:Whither Launch now ?
He was seen as Eng. great white hope after the WC but EJ has found himself 2 talented athketic locks who will only get better.
He is not dynamic enough for a modern 8 i.m.o., and too big for a 7.
He's too good a player to be a long-term 16-23 crew-member.
Maybe he can get properly fit for the summer tour and really hold his hand up.

If Launchbury gets back to his best then it'll be great to have him fighting it out to start at lock. He hasn't yet looked his old self to me though since his neck surgery.

Len wrote:

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

4. Lawes
5. Lauchbury
6. Itoje
7. J. Gray
8. Jones

Bench. R. Gray, Toner

Why is Lawes so highly rated here? He has the occasional good game or big hit but is not a consistent player and often fairly anonymous.

Spiffy wrote:

Len wrote:

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

4. Lawes
5. Lauchbury
6. Itoje
7. J. Gray
8. Jones

Bench. R. Gray, Toner

Why is Lawes so highly rated here? He has the occasional good game or big hit but is not a consistent player and often fairly anonymous.

I just chucked him in there TBF.

Spiffy wrote:

Len wrote:

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

4. Lawes
5. Lauchbury
6. Itoje
7. J. Gray
8. Jones

Bench. R. Gray, Toner

Why is Lawes so highly rated here? He has the occasional good game or big hit but is not a consistent player and often fairly anonymous.

Err... he isn't?

Except by Len?

Which probably says all you need to know.

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

Toner's muck.

I'd still slide a lock back to the back row for a window or two (personnel pending) but we've done that one to death.

Spiff - Very good lineout jumper, outstanding wide defence, great maul defence, decent ball in hand. Underrated around these parts if anything.

Lawes' problem is the injuries just don't stop.

Mikey Brown wrote:

Spiffy wrote:

Len wrote:
4. Lawes
5. Lauchbury
6. Itoje
7. J. Gray
8. Jones

Bench. R. Gray, Toner

Why is Lawes so highly rated here? He has the occasional good game or big hit but is not a consistent player and often fairly anonymous.

Err... he isn't?

Except by Len?

Which probably says all you need to know.

All you need to know is your mums minge is exceptional.

Why on earth would I need to know that?

6N CHAMPIONS..!!...Good Work.

(Sco beat France 29-18 in Murrayfield.)

U18 games KO @ 5PM on S4C

bitts wrote:

Oakboy wrote:

Banquo wrote: Agreed....simply put, he buggers the backs up.

Is Youngs Ford's main problem or is it deeper than that?

I don't think he's on top form at the moment. I do think he's playing better than many people seem to say, and his passing and kicking out of hand is vastly superior to Faz even now.

Young's isn't helping, some of his passing is god awful. There was one yesterday which had Ford jumping up.

I actually think we'll see him back to his best with a running threat at 12. Then space will open up that simply isn't there at the moment.

yep

firstphase wrote:Good (GIF-heavy) analysis as always from Charlie Morgan over at the Torygraph:

The seven defining moments from England's win over Wales
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/ ... g-moments/

great analysis, and shows what attention to detail and good tactical thinking can do to help a team perform. interesting that Farrell is doing a lot of things that Barritt used to do.

I find it interesting to reflect on what EJ is getting out of players compared with Burt. Are there any who are not doing more?

Several have made strides: Kruis, Haskell, Cole, Hartley, for example.

Some, there might be debate about but the team benefits from their contribution, pundit-recognised or not: Nowell and Robshaw especially.

Loads would have Billy top of the list. Interesting that he conceded possession to the opposition the first two occasions he touched the ball and nobody even mentioned it! He does soak up the opposition's energy though and is worth his place for that alone.

Maybe, the two who are not making progress are Brown and Ford. Both are skilful fundamentally and it is no surprise if somebody loses a bit of form.

Overall, things are on the up, never mind the results.

I personally thought Ford has grown into this tournament and am now more convinced of his potential than ever. It's been a while since we've had a chance at having the world's best fly-half. He might not make it, but I don't mind Jones pushing the possibility of that happening as hard as possible.

Spiffy wrote:

Puja wrote:On that subject - how tough is the selection decision going to be for the Lions second row?! Quite apart from our three, I'm just watching the Scotland match and the two Gray bros are having a stormer. Plus there's some not bad options in Jones and Toner.

Pity about the rest of the side, but the second row should be good.

Puja

Doubt that Toner will get close to the Lions, but the currently-injured Henderson will challenge.

I knew I was missing someone obvious from Ireland and that Toner probably wasn't it, but that was the best that my terrible memory could provide at the time.

Puja

Anyone concerned about fitness levels?

Seemed to be an issue in the world cup. Has EJ had enough time with the squad to make a noticeable difference in this area?

Tigersman wrote:U18 games KO @ 5PM on S4C

Don't suppose you know if they fared any better than the U20s?

WaspInWales wrote:Anyone concerned about fitness levels?

Seemed to be an issue in the world cup. Has EJ had enough time with the squad to make a noticeable difference in this area?

No, and he never will. Best he can do is hand out work-outs to do in their own time.

In any case, I'm not sure sheer aerobic fitness is the answer anyway. It's all about being about to execute skills and make decisions while knackered in the 70th minute of a high-intensity high-pressure game of rugby. A high level of aerobic fitness is obviously a part of that, but nothing will prepare them better for doing the mentioned than actually doing it as often as possible, and that won't happen unless the AP speeds up.

Galfon wrote:Whither Launch now ?
He was seen as Eng. great white hope after the WC but EJ has found himself 2 talented athketic locks who will only get better.
He is not dynamic enough for a modern 8 i.m.o., and too big for a 7.
He's too good a player to be a long-term 16-23 crew-member.
Maybe he can get properly fit for the summer tour and really hold his hand up.

If we get to a position when a fully fit Launcbury is being kept on the bench then we will be in a very good position indeed regards locks