Team news for Ireland.

[jngf]

What's Ludlum done to go from being 1st choice to out of the 23?

Gone back to his club for some decent coaching

[Banquo]

(b)Could be argued he picked up a good squad [/b]who would have progressed had they not been humped by Aus (which can happen - see NZ in 2019 semi), went on to land a grand slam and has been on a downward projection since.

Well you could argue that if you had selective amnesia.He picked up a decent core of unfit and poorly lead players who were sh*t in the world cup, and produced a very good squad who have produced very good results in the round; the big issue has been the players inability to react to adversity as someone else has pointed out, and frankly there have been at least 5 games that would have been won but for colossally brain dead decision making on the park when games needed closing down. There have been two massively disappointing games for me where we haven't really shown up/been blown away. Unfortunately Eddie has not been able to instil basic rugby intelligence in sufficient quantity, or at least rugby intelligence that doesn't fall apart under pressure-- and I guess he has to cop some of that, systematic as it appears.

Burt had a bloody good 6n 2014 & 2015. Plus he did it all with Burrell in the team. Think people just look at the WC and dismiss Stu-pots tenure.

I don't- and it was you who started with the word cup? . It was a poor period with unfit players and rubbish leadership. A couple of runners up slots in the 6N hardly offsets a 61% win record and a pant RWC where the prep was a shambles. Nice guy, decent coach, but was weighed and found sadly wanting in a home world cup.

[Banquo]

Clown shoes backrow - Oakboy you’ll get vindicated I expect this weekend!

whilst I agree, you are hardly in a position to throw rocks, given your option at 8.

[jngf]

Clown shoes backrow - Oakboy you’ll get vindicated I expect this weekend!

whilst I agree, you are hardly in a position to throw rocks, given your option at 8.

Think I’d take my chances with Macbeth (C) there rather than Curry. At least the former can make more than a nanometer’s worth of advance beyond the gain line carrying through tight traffic and each time he attempts to doesn’t get knocked straight backwards on his ass like jemima the rag doll!

Jones has stunk Twickers out with his latest selection..

[Spiffy]

Anyone got the slightest clue if Joseph is any good under a high ball? I was genuinely going to put him there in that joke team but thought it was less believable than Lawes at 7.

We will soon see. Murray/Sexton will be salivating at the thought of trying him out.
Henderson out for Ireland. Quite a significant loss.

[p/d]

Anyone got the slightest clue if Joseph is any good under a high ball? I was genuinely going to put him there in that joke team but thought it was less believable than Lawes at 7.

We will soon see. Murray/Sexton will be salivating at the thought of trying him out.

Probably have fun with Daly first

[Banquo]

Clown shoes backrow - Oakboy you’ll get vindicated I expect this weekend!

whilst I agree, you are hardly in a position to throw rocks, given your option at 8.

Think I’d take my chances with Macbeth (C) there rather than Curry. At least the former can make more than a nanometer’s worth of advance beyond the gain line carrying through tight traffic and each time he attempts to doesn’t get knocked straight backwards on his ass like jemima the rag doll!

Jones has stunk Twickers out with his latest selection..

Sorry, but that's just nuts.

The selection is a shambles though- its not like he can do some sort of clever switcheroo having fooled Ireland into thinking we will turn out in one configuration, and do something different.

[Banquo]

Anyone got the slightest clue if Joseph is any good under a high ball? I was genuinely going to put him there in that joke team but thought it was less believable than Lawes at 7.

We will soon see. Murray/Sexton will be salivating at the thought of trying him out.
Henderson out for Ireland. Quite a significant loss.

Conway is a pretty good chaser too. Daly and JJ do not inspire in those positions.

[Oakboy]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at blazerdom after this selection. I wonder if Erasmus is being kept on an open line.

[jngf]

Michael Foot wrote the first longest suicide note in history in ‘83, Jeremy Corbyn wrote the second one in ‘19, Eddie Jones attempts the hat trick with a selection in late Feb ‘20. Please can the RFU blazers end this misery!

[Banquo]

I'm really conflicted now; the selection is so botched that I kind of want it to fail. On the other hand, I never want England to lose, and more importantly, if we lose........imagine these two

[morepork]

Jaysus man, you're on the damn spectrum.

[Shiny]

I can picture the coaches selection meeting.

Steve Borthwick - "Listen Mr Jones. The media and the fans have some concern that your selections are getting a bit erratic and you seem to be on the verge of having a bit of a breakdown with your logic. The rest of us coaches have said surely you can't go as wild again".

Eddie Jones - "Hold my beer and watch this".

[p/d]

I blame Matt Conceitedleg

[Banquo]

I blame Matt Conceitedleg

extensive use of thesaurus there.

[Puja]

I can picture the coaches selection meeting.

Steve Borthwick - "Listen Mr Jones. The media and the fans have some concern that your selections are getting a bit erratic and you seem to be on the verge of having a bit of a breakdown with your logic. The rest of us coaches have said surely you can't go as wild again".

Eddie Jones - "Hold my beer and watch this".

Got sent this on my rugby team's groupchat:

received_564122694189371.jpeg

Puja

[jngf]

Moving to some of selections themselves, can someone tell me why Ewels is back in 23?

If we’re going to pick a Bath impact lock why not go for Stooke or even Garvey at least they bring something a bit different to the mix. I’m sure Ewels is a nice guy but I see too much of an unholy trinity of Borthwick, Louis Deacon and a Kruis Tribute band in his play for comfort

[Oakboy]

I'm really conflicted now; the selection is so botched that I kind of want it to fail. On the other hand, I never want England to lose, and more importantly, if we lose........imagine these two

Ah, forget the thread bollix. I never want us to lose either. What I was alluding to with mentioning the debate after Sunday is that it's a no-win for fans. The selection is so cranky that the consequences of the daft sod's picks make it equally worrying win or lose. He is just bad for English rugby if he stays. I'll reluctantly buy in to the opinion that you and others have expressed that he has done good things up till now but . . .

[Banquo]

Jaysus man, you're on the damn spectrum.

pretty binary I'd say

[Banquo]

Moving to some of selections themselves, can someone tell me why Ewels is back in 23?

If we’re going to pick a Bath impact lock why not go for Stooke or even Garvey at least they bring something a bit different to the mix. I’m sure Ewels is a nice guy but I see too much of an unholy trinity of Borthwick, Louis Deacon and a Kruis Tribute band in his play for comfort

jeez mate.

[Oakboy]

Moving to some of selections themselves, can someone tell me why Ewels is back in 23?

If we’re going to pick a Bath impact lock why not go for Stooke or even Garvey at least they bring something a bit different to the mix. I’m sure Ewels is a nice guy but I see too much of an unholy trinity of Borthwick, Louis Deacon and a Kruis Tribute band in his play for comfort

Banquo and I have been sniping at each other on here for 15 years (or, according to him, probably, he's been attempting to educate me). He's a cracking guy and I'm delighted he enjoyed the book. However, IF Jones rated Borthwick as a player (as Banquo reported), there is absolutely no hope. Borthwick was a skilled lineout operator and a useless international second row in all other aspects. Jones is a conman, IMO. We'd have been better to reappoint SCW, not that I'm seriously advocating that.

[Freddo]

That team is pretty shocking. Is there no back rowers who are also line out optons if that's the reason Lawes is in? Shame about Furbank but Thorley should be there imo.

[Banquo]

Moving to some of selections themselves, can someone tell me why Ewels is back in 23?

If we’re going to pick a Bath impact lock why not go for Stooke or even Garvey at least they bring something a bit different to the mix. I’m sure Ewels is a nice guy but I see too much of an unholy trinity of Borthwick, Louis Deacon and a Kruis Tribute band in his play for comfort

Banquo and I have been sniping at each other on here for 15 years (or, according to him, probably, he's been attempting to educate me). He's a cracking guy and I'm delighted he enjoyed the book. However, IF Jones rated Borthwick as a player (as Banquo reported), there is absolutely no hope. Borthwick was a skilled lineout operator and a useless international second row in all other aspects. Jones is a conman, IMO. We'd have been better to reappoint SCW, not that I'm seriously advocating that.

Yeah the Borthwick a a player bit surprised me too- I think he was referring to him as a club player, his intellectual approach, attention to detail and homework he did on the opposition even as a player. He was a very average international, but outstanding at club level (there's a pattern here )-- I think Jones might have poached him from Bath back to Sarries, which caused a storm at the time.

[jngf]

That team is pretty shocking. Is there no back rowers who are also line out optons if that's the reason Lawes is in? Shame about Furbank but Thorley should be there imo.

Ludlum’s done nothing to deserve being dropped - imo he’s been a better and more convincing 6 than Curry (let alone Lawes)and whilst he’s not got the line out jumping proess of a lock that Lawes obviously has, in every other facet of back row play he’s the better choice to start at 6.
Lawes can do a good job as a back row finisher with his hard carrying put he lacks the mobility/pace over the park, engine, work rate and fetching skills to start at 6.

[jngf]

Moving to some of selections themselves, can someone tell me why Ewels is back in 23?

If we’re going to pick a Bath impact lock why not go for Stooke or even Garvey at least they bring something a bit different to the mix. I’m sure Ewels is a nice guy but I see too much of an unholy trinity of Borthwick, Louis Deacon and a Kruis Tribute band in his play for comfort

Banquo and I have been sniping at each other on here for 15 years (or, according to him, probably, he's been attempting to educate me). He's a cracking guy and I'm delighted he enjoyed the book. However, IF Jones rated Borthwick as a player (as Banquo reported), there is absolutely no hope. Borthwick was a skilled lineout operator and a useless international second row in all other aspects. Jones is a conman, IMO. We'd have been better to reappoint SCW, not that I'm seriously advocating that.

Yeah the Borthwick a a player bit surprised me too- I think he was referring to him as a club player, his intellectual approach, attention to detail and homework he did on the opposition even as a player. He was a very average international, but outstanding at club level (there's a pattern here )-- I think Jones might have poached him from Bath back to Sarries, which caused a storm at the time.

One could say Tom Curry is a carrier in the Borthwick mould ... meow