RugbyRebels

fivepointer wrote:

Beasties wrote:

Mellsblue wrote: I think you’d a few of those for transition and leadership purposes. Hartley, Robshaw and Brown standout; though, you could argue they could’ve been phased out earlier - I’ve come to the conclusion the winning run was a curse rather than a blessing.

I agree with this. He has wasted a huge amount of caps on players he really shouldn't have. Whether they are/were good enough is arguable but where would the harm ahve been in giving possibles 20 mins or so rather than 5 mins at the end of games which is what he did such a lot of the time. Wtf are you gonna learn giving someone new 5 mins?

I don't suppose anyone will ever understand what Eddie's been thinking, so much of what he's done selectionwise (never mind what he's said) has been utterly baffling. He's given cap after cap after cap to players in poor form then dropped them completely when they started playing well. Hughes had been gash for two years and got many caps, then just as he was starting to play well for Wasps again he was ejected forever.

But then you have the other side of the coin where he's picked Ludlam from seemingly nowhere and the lad had a great game on his debut. It'd be interesting to wonder whether Shields would have been in instead if he hadn't got injured........

we had more of this nonsense on Sunday with Singleton and Marchant coming on in the 78th minute. Its insulting. If you dont want to play someone, then dont put them on.
Jones has done this to Isiekwe and Maunder while on tour, and given Robson and Spencer just enough time to require their kit to go into the wash. Tommy Taylor had 4 minutes to win his only cap. Devoto had 5 minutes. Armand did manage to get off the bench for a few minutes in both his games. Poor Jonny Hill had the indignity of seeing Shields come in at lock ahead of him in SA.

I had a sense that he'd done that quite a few times but seeing them all written down like that it's really quite unimpressive.

It's one thing to use that short window at the end of a game to get those first-cap nerves out of the way if you're then able/planning to give them more exposure, but you don't get the sense that's what was happening with most of them. Imagine how many more Ludlams we may have seen if given the chance.

Mellsblue wrote:

Quite the turnover.

That's a bit disingenuous though, as the third test involved a few changes and a few injuries. From the first test, it's 15 of the 23, and that number would've been higher by 4 if Launch, Lawes, Kruis, Nowell, and Watson had been fit (assuming three locks in the matchday squad, which is not a given).

Puja

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

fivepointer wrote:Can your 31 man squad be augmented by other players once the WC starts.
For instance, could we have 4 or 5 extra players with the squad in Japan, who would take part in training and be on standby?
Its a long flight in case we do need a replacement.

Pretty sure you’re not allowed other players to train with the 31 man squad once you’re out there. They could be there on ‘holiday’ but can’t train with the squad.

IIRC Martyn Wood flew out in 2003. He was'nt allowed to mix with the squad: only when a squad member leaves could he have joined the group. In Wood's case we was'nt required and flew home. Air miles the only reward I suppose

Mellsblue wrote:

Quite the turnover.

Other than Robshaw and Hughes it is mainly bench options, players we assumed wouldn't get picked (Cipriani) and Brown on the wing...

England: E Daly (Wasps); J May (Leicester Tigers), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), O Farrell (Saracens, capt), M Brown (Harlequins); D Cipriani (Wasps), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers); J Marler (Harlequins), J George (Saracens), K Sinckler (Harlequins), J Launchbury (Wasps), M Itoje (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins), T Curry (Sale Sharks), N Hughes (Wasps)

Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), A Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), H Williams (Exeter Chiefs), J Hill (Exeter Chiefs), M Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), S Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), B Spencer (Saracens), D Solomona (Sale Sharks)

Still not the squad I thought it was going to be mind you.

You can make some very strong XVs, and also 23s with that 31. It's just the strongest ones in my mind don't have Farrell starting, and I can't see that happening.

Raggs wrote:You can make some very strong XVs, and also 23s with that 31. It's just the strongest ones in my mind don't have Farrell starting, and I can't see that happening.

especially as he is captain...

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F
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Banquo wrote:

Raggs wrote:You can make some very strong XVs, and also 23s with that 31. It's just the strongest ones in my mind don't have Farrell starting, and I can't see that happening.

especially as he is captain...

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F
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Is that our midfield?

Farrell
Francis
Sinckler

Or would Shields be more suited to the 13 shirt

Just get it over with and make Farrell player-coach.

Stom wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Raggs wrote:You can make some very strong XVs, and also 23s with that 31. It's just the strongest ones in my mind don't have Farrell starting, and I can't see that happening.

especially as he is captain...

F
F
S

Is that our midfield?

Farrell
Francis
Sinckler

Or would Shields be more suited to the 13 shirt

Slade?

Peat wrote:

Stom wrote:

Banquo wrote: especially as he is captain...

F
F
S

Is that our midfield?

Farrell
Francis
Sinckler

Or would Shields be more suited to the 13 shirt

Slade?

Shh.

morepork wrote:Just get it over with and make Farrell player-coach.

What makes you think he isn't?

Stom wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Raggs wrote:You can make some very strong XVs, and also 23s with that 31. It's just the strongest ones in my mind don't have Farrell starting, and I can't see that happening.

especially as he is captain...

F
F
S

Is that our midfield?

Farrell
Francis
Sinckler

Or would Shields be more suited to the 13 shirt

It definitely shouldn't be the tight-head standing out as the only exciting running talent in that midfield.

Lizard wrote:1 American
1 Aussie
2 Kiwis
1 Fijian
1 Samoan

Pretty restrained on the poaching front this time.

If you ignore the WUM and just use the numbers, he's got a point. I think this is probably the least poachy England squad since 2004 - the only one who's not legitimately and obviously English is Heinz, and even he's got heritage and 4 years serving his time in the country behind him. Much better than we've been used to and not the squad I was worried about when Jone first came and was sniffing after the likes of Mitch Lees and Mike Williams.

Puja

Banquo wrote:

Raggs wrote:You can make some very strong XVs, and also 23s with that 31. It's just the strongest ones in my mind don't have Farrell starting, and I can't see that happening.

especially as he is captain...

F
F
S

Farrell faces square is going to be one of the things Eddie loves most about him, quite why he's such a love of the square 10 to the detriment of so much else I don't know, bar it's a hooker's take on what it takes to play as a pivot

Sink earns his place! ..
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/rugby-union/49885955

Puja wrote:

Lizard wrote:1 American
1 Aussie
2 Kiwis
1 Fijian
1 Samoan

Pretty restrained on the poaching front this time.

If you ignore the WUM and just use the numbers, he's got a point. I think this is probably the least poachy England squad since 2004 - the only one who's not legitimately and obviously English is Heinz, and even he's got heritage and 4 years serving his time in the country behind him. Much better than we've been used to and not the squad I was worried about when Jone first came and was sniffing after the likes of Mitch Lees and Mike Williams.

Puja

Not trying to start anything and he's not someone I would complain about playing for England but I definitely read an article before the WC with Tuilagi saying he considers himself Samoan.

Cameo wrote:

Puja wrote:

Lizard wrote:1 American
1 Aussie
2 Kiwis
1 Fijian
1 Samoan

Pretty restrained on the poaching front this time.

If you ignore the WUM and just use the numbers, he's got a point. I think this is probably the least poachy England squad since 2004 - the only one who's not legitimately and obviously English is Heinz, and even he's got heritage and 4 years serving his time in the country behind him. Much better than we've been used to and not the squad I was worried about when Jone first came and was sniffing after the likes of Mitch Lees and Mike Williams.

Puja

Not trying to start anything and he's not someone I would complain about playing for England but I definitely read an article before the WC with Tuilagi saying he considers himself Samoan.

Not got a problem with that - he can be both. Just cause he's English and a British passpirt holder doesn't mean he's got to renounce and denounce his heritage.

Puja

If I'm remembering the same conversation he said that he is Samoan but England/Leicester is his home and part of his culture now too. That's the side of it that I never bought with Te'o, among others. Sure I'll live in Worcester and play 3 games a year for them if I get the England gig, but the second that's over I'm off.

Look. He’s had a drunken altercation with the police in a midlands city and disgraced himself whilst abroad. He’s as English as they come.

Mellsblue wrote:Look. He’s had a drunken altercation with the police in a midlands city and disgraced himself whilst abroad. He’s as English as they come.

Danno wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Look. He’s had a drunken altercation with the police in a midlands city and disgraced himself whilst abroad. He’s as English as they come.

Digby wrote:

Danno wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Look. He’s had a drunken altercation with the police in a midlands city and disgraced himself whilst abroad. He’s as English as they come.

Love it.

Oakboy wrote:

Digby wrote:

Danno wrote:

Love it.

He is brilliant live.