RugbyRebels

Team for Italy Sun 3.30pm. live streamed on World Rugby site i assume.

Trinder ruled out by injury. James Kenny from Exeter comes into the squad.

England U20s side to play Italy:

15. Tom Parton (London Irish)
14. Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins)
13. Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
12. Will Butler (Worcester Warriors)
11. Ben Loader (London Irish)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
9. Rory Brand (London Irish)
1. Alex Seville (Gloucester Rugby)
2. Henry Walker (Gloucester Rugby)
3. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
4. Joel Kpoku (Saracens)
5. Sam Lewis (Leicester Tigers)
6. Tom Willis (Wasps Rugby)
7. Ben Curry - captain (Sale Sharks)
8. Josh Basham (London Irish)

Replacements

16. Gabriel Oghre (Wasps Rugby)
17. Ciaran Knight (Gloucester Rugby)
18. Ehren Painter (Northampton Saints)
19. James Scott (Worcester Warriors)
20. Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester Rugby)
21. Ben White (Leicester Tigers)
22. Tom Hardwick (Leicester Tigers)
23. Jordan Olowofela (Leicester Tigers)

It's a start towards rotation. With luck, we'll win this by a distance and will rest Parton, Ibitoye*, Dingwall, Walker, Kpoku, Curry and Basham for the final game. Curry especially - with his work rate and his importance as captain, I do not want to see another Mercer situation.

ETA. Actually, on second thoughts, it's Walker that I want wrapped in cotton wool. I only saw the second half of the first game, but we appeared to have a functioning lineout, which is rarer than dynamic Hartley carrie at this level.

Puja

*Yes, I know he was technically benched for the first game, but given he played the majority of it, I still want him to have another rest.

Trinder is out injured for the rest of the tournament

Any news on Crossdale yet? I'm counting it as promising that he's not yet been ruled out for the tournament.

Puja

Puja wrote:Any news on Crossdale yet? I'm counting it as promising that he's not yet been ruled out for the tournament.

Puja

No news yet. They’ve more cover in the existing squad so wouldn’t necessarily rush to call someone up, like Trinder.

Any stream links. World rugby says it's not available in my location? I watched the last game fine.

e - Never mind it seems to be working now.

Looking forward to Wales meeting England at some point just to see the two Basham No8's go head to head.
Josh for England & Taine for Wales, never has a back-rower had a more apt name & now we have two in the same position & tournament.[emoji16]

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That’s lovely!! Superb support play!!

Sexy try.

It’s almost unfair playing Smith

Reckon Italy has been unlucky with the ref.

Some calls might have gone different ways, but Italy are killing themselves in the restarts and set pieces… The try they scored showed they can do things - but realistically, their defence just capitulates whenever we get through a tackle

That is a ridiculous red card. How the hell is Lewis meant to stop on a sixpence?

Puja

Certainly a yellow, but the Italian player was heading down even before contact. Given he did make contact above the neck I don't mind the red, he clearly didn't need to make contact in such fashion and he was in the end high even if the lad was already taking a dive

Puja wrote:That is a ridiculous red card. How the hell is Lewis meant to stop on a sixpence?

Puja

He was making an illegal block and got perhaps a little unlucky that the player ducked into the challenge (or was already taking a dive) but it was a very daft play

Epaminondas Pules wrote:It’s almost unfair playing Smith

He is such a quality player, a real joy to watch.

Off topic but I've watching some league on the tv while I had this game on. A really good match st helens's vs hull in the last 10 mins.

Lewis shouldnt have put himself in the position to start with. It was bloody stupid. Pity as he had a very solid all round game. He'll miss the next match, i assume.
England again a mix of sublime and rather scrappy. When they put it together they looked terrific. Having Smith is such a major advantage. Very impressed with our props who all put in strong efforts.

Puja wrote:That is a ridiculous red card. How the hell is Lewis meant to stop on a sixpence?

Puja

It is unlucky when you see a NZ player completely smash a player high and no attempt to wrap and only get a Yellow.

fivepointer wrote:Lewis shouldnt have put himself in the position to start with. It was bloody stupid. Pity as he had a very solid all round game. He'll miss the next match, i assume.
England again a mix of sublime and rather scrappy. When they put it together they looked terrific. Having Smith is such a major advantage. Very impressed with our props who all put in strong efforts.

We shouldn't as a team have lost the ball (again) creating the entire situation Lewis found himself in

I think Lewis is being tried by slow-motion here. He's a big bloke, moving at pace, he's not changed direction, and he's been red carded because he took a step, rather than instantly halting his momentum.

Mind, England should have had a yellow for the tackle in the air before Loaders try, so it does even out a bit.

Puja

Puja wrote:I think Lewis is being tried by slow-motion here. He's a big bloke, moving at pace, he's not changed direction, and he's been red carded because he took a step, rather than instantly halting his momentum.

Mind, England should have had a yellow for the tackle in the air before Loaders try, so it does even out a bit.

Puja

Was that Curry making contact in the air with the Italian 10? I thought that a fair contest myself

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:I think Lewis is being tried by slow-motion here. He's a big bloke, moving at pace, he's not changed direction, and he's been red carded because he took a step, rather than instantly halting his momentum.

Mind, England should have had a yellow for the tackle in the air before Loaders try, so it does even out a bit.

Puja

Was that Curry making contact in the air with the Italian 10? I thought that a fair contest myself

Not sure who it was, but they did run into someone who was jumping for the ball. It wouldn't've been particularly fair, as he was going for the ball, but under the laws he should've been penalised because he wasn't jumping and didn't take care not to clean out the opposite man with his chase.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:I think Lewis is being tried by slow-motion here. He's a big bloke, moving at pace, he's not changed direction, and he's been red carded because he took a step, rather than instantly halting his momentum.

Mind, England should have had a yellow for the tackle in the air before Loaders try, so it does even out a bit.

Puja

Was that Curry making contact in the air with the Italian 10? I thought that a fair contest myself

Not sure who it was, but they did run into someone who was jumping for the ball. It wouldn't've been particularly fair, as he was going for the ball, but under the laws he should've been penalised because he wasn't jumping and didn't take care not to clean out the opposite man with his chase.

Puja

I thought they were now looking for a fair contest not simply for two players in the air, but if you're right then you're right (and it was Curry)

Yeah, I thought Curry's hands reached the ball, and he didn't tackle the player, as such, fair contest - but I don't know the ins and outs of the rules