RugbyRebels

I'd say its the perfect time for some experimentation. He will want his WC squad to be largely nailed down by the end of the 6N's. That gives him 8 games to make a few change and see how combinations work.

Oakboy wrote:I suppose it is all about Eddie's RWC squad. He must have all but a few (4 or 5?) chalked in already. Arguably, he has two options or more for every position (with caps). We might consider that there are unresolved issues at 7, 9, 12 etc. but I'm not so sure that he thinks the same way. Maybe, his experimentation in the AIs will be marginal. Perhaps, building game-plans for differing scenarios will be more important in his mind. Or, simply, he will want to give game time to those already on the plane.

He said before the Argentina tour that he has 75% of his squad inked-in (injuries permitting), so it’s potentially more like 6 or 7 places up for grabs.

I think these AIs are a good time to experiment and by the looks of things, injuries are likely to force Eddie’s hand on that in any case.

These three games are not the most difficult 3 ever, so some guys I'd try to limit game time. So I'd like to see something like:

ARG
Genge
Hartley
Cole
Launchbury
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Hughes
Youngs
Ford
May
Te'o
Joseph
Yarde
Brown

George, Marler, Williams, Itoje, Clifford, Care, Lozowski, Watson

AUS
Genge
George
Cole
Itoje
Lawes
Robshaw
Underhill
Hughes
Youngs
Ford
May
Te'o
Joseph
Daly
Watson

Hartley, Mako, Williams, Launchbury, Clifford, Care, Farrell, Nowell

SAM
Mako
George
Williams
Launchbury
Itoje
Robshaw
Curry
Hughes
Youngs
Ford
May
Te'o
Slade
Nowell
Watson

Hartley, Marler, Cole, Lawes, Underhill, Care, Farrell, Daly

So no one believes he won’t be playing the Lions, other than the ones we don’t want selecting

I thought he suggested he was just going to mix and match as he feels?

Mikey Brown wrote:I thought he suggested he was just going to mix and match as he feels?

Is that an amendment to his original point of view,likely I missed it. I’d hope that some get a rest

I thought it was more recently. But I do have a tendency to just make things up.

Odds on Itoje playing all 3 tests and a full AP/EC season?

Banquo wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:I thought he suggested he was just going to mix and match as he feels?

Is that an amendment to his original point of view,likely I missed it. I’d hope that some get a rest

It's all a bit muddled. If Eddie originally believed that some of his key players would need resting to avoid burn-out, any such concern has surely been discarded based on clubs' selection policy. Add on the certainty (IMO), that the likes of Daley, George, Farrell and Itoje would prefer to play every game than miss any caps, and I think omitting for the AIs will only be pure selection policy. Eddie might leave key players out to look at alternatives but I don't think he will be truly resting anyone.

Daly had a few weeks off, and they were rest, not injury etc. Itoje surely needs a break though.

Hard to see now when Itoje gets a break, unless England call him up to rest him. Which is what I'd do, and each week just say one of the locks has a niggle and keep him in camp as cover

I'm hoping the fact Sarries have played him so much is in agreement that he goes to the Eng camp during the AI's and doesn't play.

Think what I would do is use the top players from the Argentina tour as the core of my squad. And rotate the fringe players. The Lions I'd use sparingly in positions where the fringe players aren't likely to make the WC.

The core of my team would be:

Genge
Hartley

Launchbury

Robshaw

Hughes
Youngs
Ford
May
Slade

Yarde

Id then mix and match as best I could over the three games

If he doesn't miss the AI then he's looking at missing the start to Sarries' European defence, or games ahead of the 6N, or the 6N, or we're starting to get into the run in when it gets harder and harder to rest a player.

What is a useful rest? If we are comparing the Lions with the England tourists, has a reduction of pre-season training for the former group already compensated to an extent?

I'm not sure what good missing one or two AIs does for Itoje, for example. Maybe he'd simply prefer to play if asked. I'd suggest that unless a player is looking jaded or has impact damage that needs recovery time, he'd be better to play if Eddie's selection policy needs him to.

I guess the thinking is that for a 22 year old playing in one of the most attritional positions and leagues (and one as absurdly competitive as Itoje, who I'd bet will take every minute of game time available) you don't want them getting to the point of being visibly jaded/knackered.

I watched exactly the same thing happen to Jonny Gray last season, whom I rate in a similar capacity. He was blindingly good for about 3 seasons, but playing 80 minutes basically every week and looked completely knackered just in time for the Lions, falling out of form a bit and then getting injured.

Mark McCall has said Sarries and England have an agreement over the resting of Itoje, so presumably he will get some down time soon. If Sarries are willing to rest him for their home game against Irish and England for the Argentina game then he has a nice window from 21st Oct-12 Nov to put his feet up. Makes sense to me.

bitts wrote:Think what I would do is use the top players from the Argentina tour as the core of my squad. And rotate the fringe players. The Lions I'd use sparingly in positions where the fringe players aren't likely to make the WC.

The core of my team would be:

Genge
Hartley

Launchbury

Robshaw

Hughes
Youngs
Ford
May
Slade

Yarde

Id then mix and match as best I could over the three games

Thats pretty much how I would go. The difference being is that I would look to play my best XV in the 3rd game against Australia.
use Argentina and Samoa to take a look at a few fringe players.
Itoje can easily sit out the first 2 games allowing the other locks to press their claims. Its not a weak position and frankly any pairing of Lawes, Launchbury, Kruis and Ewels would serve us just fine.
I'd like Cole to be stood down too but Sinkclers ban has made that a bit less likely.

This highlights the need to rest Itoje, especially as the number don't include international/Lions tour matches:

Mellsblue wrote:This highlights the need to rest Itoje, especially as the number don't include international/Lions tour matches:

We do have three freaks at lock don't we?

I guess now Skelton is back Itoje will get some time off?

I can't be arsed to look at the graphs,...ok I did look,...
Launch is the best forward. So there.