Next up, Ireland

[Digby]

Sadly Goode is let down by having the athletic ability of Rab C Nesbitt

[Which Tyler]

I can imagine May being extremely chatty. I just can't imagine the 10 being that interested in the latest adventures of his cranial chicken, the goings on in the crowd, or whatever treasures he's just found up his nostrils.

[Timbo]

Farrell is obviously known as being a particularly excellent communicator, Daly is also definitely a talker, and May and Tuilagi are both very experienced and have played tonnes of rugby with these inside backs- Youngs, Ford and Farrell.

Communication wouldn’t be an especially big concern of mine with this backline.

[Oakboy]

I think the problem with this team is in decision-making rather than communication. Kicking with no chase may be an example of both, mind.

[loudnconfident]

It's obvious what will happen early in the second half. Francis and Joseph will come on for Tuilagi and Ford. Farrell will move to 10 no matter what the state of the game.

The team is Ok apart from Farrell at 12 though I think Launchbury is unlucky if this means he is only 4th choice lock.

Of course, one unintended consequence and the odd injury in a few games time could see Slade at 12 and Tuilagi at 13, my favourite centre pairing.

(reply to all, really, rather than just Oakboy)

i think you're all being a bit harsh. As other posters have stated, this selection is a real step forward. Don't forget, we have the AIs, then next year's 6N such that we can bed the partnerships down before the 2020 RWC in Japan.

[Mellsblue]

It's obvious what will happen early in the second half. Francis and Joseph will come on for Tuilagi and Ford. Farrell will move to 10 no matter what the state of the game.

The team is Ok apart from Farrell at 12 though I think Launchbury is unlucky if this means he is only 4th choice lock.

Of course, one unintended consequence and the odd injury in a few games time could see Slade at 12 and Tuilagi at 13, my favourite centre pairing.

(reply to all, really, rather than just Oakboy)

i think you're all being a bit harsh. As other posters have stated, this selection is a real step forward. Don't forget, we have the AIs, then next year's 6N such that we can bed the partnerships down before the 2020 RWC in Japan.

Ha. Very good.

[Spiffy]

Farrell is obviously known as being a particularly excellent communicator, Daly is also definitely a talker, and May and Tuilagi are both very experienced and have played tonnes of rugby with these inside backs- Youngs, Ford and Farrell.

Communication wouldn’t be an especially big concern of mine with this backline.

Yes. They could all talk for England. Now the rugby.............

[Which Tyler]

Any new injury announcements yet?

[oldbackrow]

Any new injury announcements yet?

Just been announced, Underhill and Curry are both going to miss the Ireland game.

They're not injured its just EJ playing mind games!

[WaspInWales]

Any new injury announcements yet?

Just been announced, Underhill and Curry are both going to miss the Ireland game.

They're not injured its just EJ playing mind games!

Eddie has cloned Farrell twice so we're sorted!

Hang on...if he can clone Faz twice, what could 15 Faz's do? Fuck that, 23 Farrells!

Eddie, spit some Farrell DNA into a Petri dish...quick!

[Digby]

Any new injury announcements yet?

Just been announced, Underhill and Curry are both going to miss the Ireland game.

They're not injured its just EJ playing mind games!

Eddie has cloned Farrell twice so we're sorted!

Hang on...if he can clone Faz twice, what could 15 Faz's do? Fuck that, 23 Farrells!

Eddie, spit some Farrell DNA into a Petri dish...quick!

You think Eddie goes that far in his fluffing of Farrell?

[Digby]

Farrell is obviously known as being a particularly excellent communicator, Daly is also definitely a talker, and May and Tuilagi are both very experienced and have played tonnes of rugby with these inside backs- Youngs, Ford and Farrell.

Communication wouldn’t be an especially big concern of mine with this backline.

There's a world of difference between players who've played lots of games, and players who identify potential targets and communicate as well as say Conrad Smith. I'm not saying the players in this side don't do that, it's just not apparent to me who does. And Daly might be more use talking to his 10 from the wing than from 15, 15s aren't irrelevant, but they'd seem to me lesser than the 12, 13, 11 and 14 for communicating ideas back toward the 10

And I don't watch England at get the impression there's much communication, it all seems to stay on script more than makes sense

[Mellsblue]

I’d say there is no one in the team who has a better vantage point on the pitch than the 15. I used to demand mine talk to me, even if 90% of the info was useless.

[Oakboy]

I’d say there is no one in the team who has a better vantage point on the pitch than the 15. I used to demand mine talk to me, even if 90% of the info was useless.

The trouble is that if you were at 15 and not especially good nobody listened to a word you said. In fact, I used to get basic instructions at the top of the captain's voice, such as 'catch it', 'kick it', 'don't fucking kick it', 'run it' etc., usually followed by 'I don't know why I wasted my breath'.

[Timbo]

Farrell is obviously known as being a particularly excellent communicator, Daly is also definitely a talker, and May and Tuilagi are both very experienced and have played tonnes of rugby with these inside backs- Youngs, Ford and Farrell.

Communication wouldn’t be an especially big concern of mine with this backline.

There's a world of difference between players who've played lots of games, and players who identify potential targets and communicate as well as say Conrad Smith. I'm not saying the players in this side don't do that, it's just not apparent to me who does. And Daly might be more use talking to his 10 from the wing than from 15, 15s aren't irrelevant, but they'd seem to me lesser than the 12, 13, 11 and 14 for communicating ideas back toward the 10

And I don't watch England at get the impression there's much communication, it all seems to stay on script more than makes sense

I agree that the sort of communication you’re talking about is a hugely under rated skill and of vital importance.

Beyond a vague impression, and second hand anecdotes etc, it’s almost impossible to know how good this back line is in that area. It’s something you can only know from playing with someone really. Personally, it’s not a huge concern of mine looking at this particular set of players.

[Digby]

Farrell is obviously known as being a particularly excellent communicator, Daly is also definitely a talker, and May and Tuilagi are both very experienced and have played tonnes of rugby with these inside backs- Youngs, Ford and Farrell.

Communication wouldn’t be an especially big concern of mine with this backline.

There's a world of difference between players who've played lots of games, and players who identify potential targets and communicate as well as say Conrad Smith. I'm not saying the players in this side don't do that, it's just not apparent to me who does. And Daly might be more use talking to his 10 from the wing than from 15, 15s aren't irrelevant, but they'd seem to me lesser than the 12, 13, 11 and 14 for communicating ideas back toward the 10

And I don't watch England at get the impression there's much communication, it all seems to stay on script more than makes sense

I agree that the sort of communication you’re talking about is a hugely under rated skill and of vital importance.

Beyond a vague impression, and second hand anecdotes etc, it’s almost impossible to know how good this back line is in that area. It’s something you can only know from playing with someone really. Personally, it’s not a huge concern of mine looking at the players we have with this particular set of players.

It is a concern of mine when we do seem to stick to the script as provided by Eddie, when surely there must be chances in games when opposition teams are resourced badly or have some turned in/out shoulders, and then almost no one in this backline seems to be a thinker on the game of rugby beyond Ford and Farrell, who are both very good, but are also both close in.

[Which Tyler]

Any new injury announcements yet?

JJ out, Marchant in

Marchant not Watson? Granted he's the closest like-for-like with JJ, but not going to Japan versus going to Japan? When we'd rather play a hooker on the flank than draft in a flanker?

[Mellsblue]

It doesn’t matter how many times I see or read it, I can’t get over Heinz being our second choice 9.

[Which Tyler]

Streams?

[Mellsblue]

Could Farrell not have dotted that ball with foot out for a scrum in Ire 22?

[Oakboy]

Kick away turnover ball - bloody Farrell. Then an early tackle missed by ref. Bad start.

[Mellsblue]

Kick away turnover ball - bloody Farrell. Then an early tackle missed by ref. Bad start.

Was it not Ford....from slow turnover ball, into open space that we regained?

[badback]

Streams?

Found any?

[Mellsblue]

Streams?

Found any?

NOW TV - £9

[Oakboy]

Kick away turnover ball - bloody Farrell. Then an early tackle missed by ref. Bad start.

Was it not Ford....from slow turnover ball, into open space that we regained?

Could have been. Bloody Ford, then.