Team for Argentina

[Digby]

I'd suggest that Roko or Solomona are way down the scale in class from Daly. Really disappointed. Hopefully, we'll see May, Watson and Brown for the first two tests.

chalk and cheese, certainly Roko and Daly, pose entirely different questions. Depends what you want/need.

Cheese please.

[Scrumhead]

More like beef or lamb. Both good, at their best excellent, but very different tastes.

[Puja]

Just had a look at this and maybe that's all I've been judging Solomona on. There's a great pick-up and a great tight finish in the corner but that's all I've really seen from him, which is certainly nothing on his competitors, but I've probably missed a whole lot of other stuff. I just resented the salivating over that try where he does an awful chip straight towards Wade, but Wade politely just falls over.

This one's certainly pretty good, although if the TMO had had a look at that tiptoeing along the dead ball line, then it would've been ruled out because he touches the line twice. I'd rather have Roko, but he is (annoyingly) talented. Both are a country mile behind Watson, Daly, May and Nowell though.

Roko deserves his call up.

Nathan Earle scored 2 very tasty tries at the w/e. Keep that up and he might force his way into the reckoning.

That second try was the first time that I've seen what all the fuss might be about. Granted, beating Alex Lewington is a low bar to get over, but he did it very neatly indeed and better defenders than that would've been beaten by that footwork. More of that please.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Well, exactly. I noticed that blunder at the time. The line between the commentators jizzing themselves and us laughing at a Leguizamon-esque, botched try is the TMO not bothering to look at it.

[Puja]

Anyone know when the team announcement is?

Puja

[Tom Moore]

Anyone know when the team announcement is?

Puja

Would presume Thursday am, partly because usual and partly because I've got to go to my daughter's class assembly so I'd miss it.

26 retained named here:

http://www.englandrugby.com/news/englan ... tina-game/

Simmonds has neither been picked nor sent back to his club it seems- quite literally in Limbo.

[Puja]

BBC believes Simmonds sent back to Exeter. Their list is, "Forwards Tom Dunn, Nick Isiekwe, Charlie Ewels, Sam Simmonds and Zach Mercer, and backs Piers Francis and Denny Solomona, have been left out."

I'm just glad Roko's kept and Drunkie Denny isn't.

Puja

[Puja]

So 26 man squad is:

Fullbacks

Mike Brown (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby).

Inside backs

Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Forwards

Back five

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby).

Front row

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs).

So we've got one surplus back 5 player and 2 surplus backs. So, if Daly and May don't make the cut, then it'll be Roko, Watson, Brown starting, with Lozowski and Slade/Joseph on the bench. If both Daly and May are fit, then it's going to be very interesting - does that mean Brown keeps the 15 and Watson the 14, so Daly and May are fighting between them for the 11 and 23? Or does Brown go and Watson to full back to accomodate both of them? May's definitely the form player in the league, so I would prefer to see him starting, but Eddie does have a soft spot for Daly.

Puja

[twitchy]

I read that simmonds has a shoulder injury, not sure if that was old news though.

[Timbo]

I read that May is still carrying a very slight injury, but Daly is 100% and taking a full part in training.

[twitchy]

I can't wait for the game now, it feels like we have had such a long build up.

[Oakboy]

So, after all the waffle, is Eddie actually going to rest anyone?

[TheNomad]

So, after all the waffle, is Eddie actually going to rest anyone?

Doesn't look like it!

[Stom]

I would still love to see May and Roko on the wings, just to give Daly and Watson a bit of a rest.

And no Itoje. And bench Mako.

Looks like we may see full strength, though. Which means Daly and Watson on the wings again, I guess. When will Watson play 15 for England?

[fivepointer]

I didnt expect anything radical for Argentina. A bit of tweaking here and there was all that i thought was likely to happen and it seems that is what we're going to get. Maybe Genge and Williams starting, Farrell and Brown on the bench is going to be as far as Eddie will go with the Aussies next up.
I'm afraid talk of resting Lions is turning out to be another smokescreen, possibly due to fact that a few players who might have featured arent available.

[Stom]

I didnt expect anything radical for Argentina. A bit of tweaking here and there was all that i thought was likely to happen and it seems that is what we're going to get. Maybe Genge and Williams starting, Farrell and Brown on the bench is going to be as far as Eddie will go with the Aussies next up.
I'm afraid talk of resting Lions is turning out to be another smokescreen, possibly due to fact that a few players who might have featured arent available.

Surely we can afford to give Maro a rest and give Mako a couple of weeks on the bench. And Daly needs some rest, too, I think, so surely we can rest him, too, if May is fit. If not, I have no issue with his presence in the 23.

[Puja]

I didnt expect anything radical for Argentina. A bit of tweaking here and there was all that i thought was likely to happen and it seems that is what we're going to get. Maybe Genge and Williams starting, Farrell and Brown on the bench is going to be as far as Eddie will go with the Aussies next up.
I'm afraid talk of resting Lions is turning out to be another smokescreen, possibly due to fact that a few players who might have featured arent available.

Surely we can afford to give Maro a rest and give Mako a couple of weeks on the bench. And Daly needs some rest, too, I think, so surely we can rest him, too, if May is fit. If not, I have no issue with his presence in the 23.

Agreed. Some players aren't available, but if we can't rest Vunipola, Itoje, Fazlet, Daly, and Watson, for a game against a weakened Argentina, when Genge, Launchbury, Lozowski, May, and Rokoduguni are available, then that is ridiculous.

Quite apart from anything else, there's arguments to be made that three of those swaps wouldn't weaken the team in the slightest.

Puja

[fivepointer]

I didnt expect anything radical for Argentina. A bit of tweaking here and there was all that i thought was likely to happen and it seems that is what we're going to get. Maybe Genge and Williams starting, Farrell and Brown on the bench is going to be as far as Eddie will go with the Aussies next up.
I'm afraid talk of resting Lions is turning out to be another smokescreen, possibly due to fact that a few players who might have featured arent available.

Surely we can afford to give Maro a rest and give Mako a couple of weeks on the bench. And Daly needs some rest, too, I think, so surely we can rest him, too, if May is fit. If not, I have no issue with his presence in the 23.

I'd agree but Eddie will want most of his best 23 to have an outing against Argentina, as we have Australia the week after when he will want to put out his best available starting XV.
Changes for Samoa, with a few Lions getting a break is pretty likely i'd say.

[Puja]

I didnt expect anything radical for Argentina. A bit of tweaking here and there was all that i thought was likely to happen and it seems that is what we're going to get. Maybe Genge and Williams starting, Farrell and Brown on the bench is going to be as far as Eddie will go with the Aussies next up.
I'm afraid talk of resting Lions is turning out to be another smokescreen, possibly due to fact that a few players who might have featured arent available.

Surely we can afford to give Maro a rest and give Mako a couple of weeks on the bench. And Daly needs some rest, too, I think, so surely we can rest him, too, if May is fit. If not, I have no issue with his presence in the 23.

I'd agree but Eddie will want most of his best 23 to have an outing against Argentina, as we have Australia the week after when he will want to put out his best available starting XV.
Changes for Samoa, with a few Lions getting a break is pretty likely i'd say.

Hmm. I do see your point, but I'd rather they had two weeks away from full games rather than just one. And even if rested, they'd still be getting 15-20 off the bench, so they'd hardly be ring-rusty.

Puja

[Stom]

I didnt expect anything radical for Argentina. A bit of tweaking here and there was all that i thought was likely to happen and it seems that is what we're going to get. Maybe Genge and Williams starting, Farrell and Brown on the bench is going to be as far as Eddie will go with the Aussies next up.
I'm afraid talk of resting Lions is turning out to be another smokescreen, possibly due to fact that a few players who might have featured arent available.

Surely we can afford to give Maro a rest and give Mako a couple of weeks on the bench. And Daly needs some rest, too, I think, so surely we can rest him, too, if May is fit. If not, I have no issue with his presence in the 23.

I'd agree but Eddie will want most of his best 23 to have an outing against Argentina, as we have Australia the week after when he will want to put out his best available starting XV.
Changes for Samoa, with a few Lions getting a break is pretty likely i'd say.

I know he doesn't want the team going in cold, but a couple of changes isn't terrible. Mako and Maro should be able to come straight in against Aus without any issue. So bench/rest them. Farrell, too. And I'd say May is our most in form winger, so I'd want him playing anyway.

[Mellsblue]

The Times reporting that Jones is minded to go full strength with the Lions but if he rests any then it will be Itoje and Farrell. Loz to replace Farrell. They also think Joseph will start at 13 over Slade.

[Mikey Brown]

FFS. If they want Joseph and they’re resting Farrel anyway just stick Slade at 12. They’re the same fucking position.

[Puja]

The Times reporting that Jones is minded to go full strength with the Lions but if he rests any then it will be Itoje and Farrell. Loz to replace Farrell. They also think Joseph will start at 13 over Slade.

That would actually make sense of the 26 man squad instead of the usual 23. Itoje and Farrell are kept so that England can determine their training and rest periods, but with no intention of actually involving them, while Roko is covering for if May doesn't make it.

Puja

[Digby]

The Times reporting that Jones is minded to go full strength with the Lions but if he rests any then it will be Itoje and Farrell. Loz to replace Farrell. They also think Joseph will start at 13 over Slade.

Does that include George?

[Oakboy]

The Times reporting that Jones is minded to go full strength with the Lions but if he rests any then it will be Itoje and Farrell. Loz to replace Farrell. They also think Joseph will start at 13 over Slade.

Notice the 'if'. I have to say that I want our strongest 23 for Argentina with a view to achieving maximum performance level in preparation for Australia. But then, I always have wanted that. The debate has only happened because Eddie declared his intention to rest the Lions. Maybe that was just hot air or maybe he changed his mind based on club selections. Who knows?

The point is (and, yes, I know it's my hobby horse) that we are behind where we should be because of the Lions disruption and NZ are ahead of where they should be for the same reason.
We now have only 12 games to get a world-beating XV in place - which had to be Eddie's job description leader.