6 Nations Squad 2022

[fivepointer]

At least Atkinson is a bona fide 12 who plays there every week. The other options dont. I like him as a player but the worry that he isnt up to international class is a real one. Slade could move in to 12 if you didnt want essentially new players at 10 and 12, and having Marchant at 13 doesnt exactly make our 3 quarters without threat.
Farrell's injury does open up some possibilities - at last - in what we do in the centres.
As far as a back up 10 goes, i imagine Ford wont be recalled, though his case seems pretty overwhelming to me.

[Oakboy]

Maybe, Jones will again be forced by injury to pick Smith, Slade and Marchant. It reminds me of Bobby Robson constantly and wrongly picking Brian Robson and Ray Wilkins only to be forced by injury and suspension to pick Hoddle and Reid.

[Banquo]

At least Atkinson is a bona fide 12 who plays there every week. The other options dont. I like him as a player but the worry that he isnt up to international class is a real one. Slade could move in to 12 if you didnt want essentially new players at 10 and 12, and having Marchant at 13 doesnt exactly make our 3 quarters without threat.
Farrell's injury does open up some possibilities - at last - in what we do in the centres.
As far as a back up 10 goes, i imagine Ford wont be recalled, though his case seems pretty overwhelming to me.

IMO its pretty much dereliction of duty not to pick Ford (or at least a full time 10) for the Scotland game squad. Yeah Malins, Furbank or even Slade could fill in, but if Smith gets crocked in the 1st minute, you'd not want them for a whole game....or even a half tbf.

[Mikey Brown]

When did Malins actually last play 10?

[Freddo]

When Manu went off injured against SA how was the backline set up? Was it Slade at 12, Marchant at 13 and Malins at 14?

[jngf]

Assuming Lawes is given captaincy in lieu of Farrell, I recommend he select himself back at lock. I would start first test with Lawes and Johnny Hill as for me Itoje was a bit below par in the AIs and I’d like to see Curry back at 6

[jngf]

Must be a slow news day Warriors made BBC1 News at 6!

[Mellsblue]

Would it be terribly unfashionable of me to say I actually rate Atkinson and would quite like to see him play?

I'm a big fan of his type of i/c and he's played well in the prem- my worry even before he played internationally was his agility and reaction times- which will be exposed by pace of play and intensity.....and the first signs didn't make me less worried. His time was probably a couple of years ago, but not averse to giving him a shot.

I agree with all of this, particularly the bolded bit. I did say similar when he was first talked of as a test option a few years back, ie he gets caught flat flooted in d. I think everything else is there…… other than age and caps.

[Mellsblue]

At least Atkinson is a bona fide 12 who plays there every week. The other options dont. I like him as a player but the worry that he isnt up to international class is a real one. Slade could move in to 12 if you didnt want essentially new players at 10 and 12, and having Marchant at 13 doesnt exactly make our 3 quarters without threat.
Farrell's injury does open up some possibilities - at last - in what we do in the centres.
As far as a back up 10 goes, i imagine Ford wont be recalled, though his case seems pretty overwhelming to me.

IMO its pretty much dereliction of duty not to pick Ford (or at least a full time 10) for the Scotland game squad. Yeah Malins, Furbank or even Slade could fill in, but if Smith gets crocked in the 1st minute, you'd not want them for a whole game....or even a half tbf.

Agreed, again. Isn’t the internet boring without a manufactured argument.

[Timbo]

A niggle ruling Bailey out so Eddie can pick Ford and Lozowski would suit me fine.

Agreed on the doubts around Atkinson. I never saw top international potential in him. Not quite good enough at any one thing to make an impression as a test player I reckon. That said, he could probably do a job in the right circumstances.

[Spiffy]

My concern is it brings Atkinson a step closer to being included. Farrell is an international level 12, with a world class work rate. He's not a good international 12, but he's at the level. I don't believe Atkinson is even there, and I don't think he's going to make it either.

A good work rate is commendable, but does not substitute for real rugby skills/vision.

[morepork]

A niggle ruling Bailey out so Eddie can pick Ford and Lozowski would suit me fine.

Agreed on the doubts around Atkinson. I never saw top international potential in him. Not quite good enough at any one thing to make an impression as a test player I reckon. That said, he could probably do a job in the right circumstances.

That is an accurate assessment of Owen Farrell.

[Oakboy]

A niggle ruling Bailey out so Eddie can pick Ford and Lozowski would suit me fine.

Agreed on the doubts around Atkinson. I never saw top international potential in him. Not quite good enough at any one thing to make an impression as a test player I reckon. That said, he could probably do a job in the right circumstances.

That is an accurate assessment of Owen Farrell.

And he has how many caps? IMO, he needs to be tactically injured, long-term without permanent damage, for everybody's sake. Either that or sack Jones. No, forget I said that. It's too obvious a solution.

[Banquo]

Assuming Lawes is given captaincy in lieu of Farrell, I recommend he select himself back at lock. I would start first test with Lawes and Johnny Hill as for me Itoje was a bit below par in the AIs and I’d like to see Curry back at 6

Great idea dropping our only world class player.

[Banquo]

A niggle ruling Bailey out so Eddie can pick Ford and Lozowski would suit me fine.

Agreed on the doubts around Atkinson. I never saw top international potential in him. Not quite good enough at any one thing to make an impression as a test player I reckon. That said, he could probably do a job in the right circumstances.

That is an accurate assessment of Owen Farrell.

And he has how many caps? IMO, he needs to be tactically injured, long-term without permanent damage, for everybody's sake. Either that or sack Jones. No, forget I said that. It's too obvious a solution.

You'd still find the next coach along would be picking Farrell. No coach hasn't...as it were..

[Oakboy]

That is an accurate assessment of Owen Farrell.

And he has how many caps? IMO, he needs to be tactically injured, long-term without permanent damage, for everybody's sake. Either that or sack Jones. No, forget I said that. It's too obvious a solution.

You'd still find the next coach along would be picking Farrell. No coach hasn't...as it were..

2 or 3 years back I would have agreed. Now, I am not so sure. Farrell has not convinced of late. Taking both Saracens' relegation and the 6N 5th place into account, I'm not sure a new head coach would have him on the pedestal that Jones still favours. Even Gatland dumped him. Punditry no longer sees him as bedrock.

[loudnconfident]

And he has how many caps? IMO, he needs to be tactically injured, long-term without permanent damage, for everybody's sake. Either that or sack Jones. No, forget I said that. It's too obvious a solution.

You'd still find the next coach along would be picking Farrell. No coach hasn't...as it were..

2 or 3 years back I would have agreed. Now, I am not so sure. Farrell has not convinced of late. Taking both Saracens' relegation and the 6N 5th place into account, I'm not sure a new head coach would have him on the pedestal that Jones still favours. Even Gatland dumped him. Punditry no longer sees him as bedrock.

As it's Scotland first up, I think we should remember OFs contribution last year..

[Danno]

Shut the fuck up Ugo

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... d-at-no-13

[Magic_sponge]

13 is one of those positions I don't like playing someone whose natural position isn't there. Such a tough defensive job, and when we've got at least one decent option there in Marchant I don't know why we'd do this. Particularly as BT sport commentators keep telling us Eddie is looking at Marchant for the wing.

That really would be something having Nowell 13 and Marchant on the wing!

[fivepointer]

Seems a winner to me. (yes i know he doesnt play there for his club and the one time it was tried with England it failed miserably but you gotta stick with these things sometimes)

The Nowell at 13 bandwagon starts here.

[Banquo]

13 is one of those positions I don't like playing someone whose natural position isn't there. Such a tough defensive job, and when we've got at least one decent option there in Marchant I don't know why we'd do this. Particularly as BT sport commentators keep telling us Eddie is looking at Marchant for the wing.

That really would be something having Nowell 13 and Marchant on the wing!

Agreed! (that last option would be daft- Nowell is actually a good player to do the roving blindside wing thing that is Eddie's shiny new toy)

[Banquo]

And he has how many caps? IMO, he needs to be tactically injured, long-term without permanent damage, for everybody's sake. Either that or sack Jones. No, forget I said that. It's too obvious a solution.

You'd still find the next coach along would be picking Farrell. No coach hasn't...as it were..

2 or 3 years back I would have agreed. Now, I am not so sure. Farrell has not convinced of late. Taking both Saracens' relegation and the 6N 5th place into account, I'm not sure a new head coach would have him on the pedestal that Jones still favours. Even Gatland dumped him. Punditry no longer sees him as bedrock.

Eh? Not sure of the relevence of Sarries relegation? Gatland took him on the last Lions tour, and I don't see McCall dumping him either. I do agree he's no longer the press's golden child tho.

[Mikey Brown]

13 is one of those positions I don't like playing someone whose natural position isn't there. Such a tough defensive job, and when we've got at least one decent option there in Marchant I don't know why we'd do this. Particularly as BT sport commentators keep telling us Eddie is looking at Marchant for the wing.

That really would be something having Nowell 13 and Marchant on the wing!

If only there was a way Eddie could do his third centre thing at the same time as his third winger thing, but would it still leave space for 3 playmakers in midfield and 3 number 8s in the 23?

[Scrumhead]

Assuming Lawes is given captaincy in lieu of Farrell, I recommend he select himself back at lock. I would start first test with Lawes and Johnny Hill as for me Itoje was a bit below par in the AIs and I’d like to see Curry back at 6

Great idea dropping our only world class player.

Maybe he’s not dropping him? Could be he’s going back to his ‘Itoje at 8’ obsession.

[jngf]

Seems a winner to me. (yes i know he doesnt play there for his club and the one time it was tried with England it failed miserably but you gotta stick with these things sometimes)

The Nowell at 13 bandwagon starts here.

Given Slade is imo a bit slow and stodgy for the test 13 berth but a rather more exciting fit at 12 this band waggon might have some wheels