RugbyRebels

Ireland habe had Stockdale and Ryan recently, any others? Is that really a million miles from us with Itoje and Curry? We had a very good team just a few years back, it's not as though the testteam is loaded with 35 year olds because no one younger is breaking through.

What's the age breakdown between Ireland and England for this test series?

To be fair, Aspland-Robinson’s injury cost him the game time rather than Quins being reluctant to play him. I’m sure he would have featured last season had he been fit.

Stockdale and Ryan really skew the picture on the Irish side as the only others really to make a mark so far at senior level are Porter and Deegan. Daly, Byrne and McPhillips have had bit parts but similar to our guys.

You could also argue that was their best side in years. I’m struggling to think of any other Ireland U20 products in recent years.

Raggs wrote:Ireland habe had Stockdale and Ryan recently, any others? Is that really a million miles from us with Itoje and Curry? We had a very good team just a few years back, it's not as though the testteam is loaded with 35 year olds because no one younger is breaking through.

What's the age breakdown between Ireland and England for this test series?

If we're looking at the last 5 years U20s, then we have Genge, LCD, Sinckler, Itoje, Isiekwe, Curry, Spencer, Slade, Watson and Nowell, currently in the EPS, along with Underhill, Simmonds, Lozowksi, and Ford who were either skipped ahead or who evaded the U20s.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

Timbo wrote: There were stats during the JWC that young English players are getting more minutes in their domestic league than Irish and Scottish counterparts.

Take out Smith and Curry and that stat doesn’t look quite so rosey.

And add in Isiekwe and TCurry (and Earl to a lesser extent) and it gets rosier again. And just looking back at the 2016 and 2017 squads, we've got the likes of Singleton, Boyce, Willis, Mercer, Chick, Mallinder, Marchant, Brophy-Clews, Thorley, and Cokanasiga who got regular game time last year (and Aspland-Robinson and Williams expecting their summer moves to result in more game time).

Puja

Agreed. I’m not arguing we don’t give youngsters game time, just that that particular stat is misleading. Earl also had gametime at Goldington Rd which is simply unquantifiable.

Tigersman wrote:Not sold on sales signings really.
Addison and Haley will be missed, RJVR and Ashton are great players, but who has ever looked at the Sale team and thought they are two backs off a really good team?
Diamonds just doesn't seem to want to sign a really top tight 5 player for some reason (Especially considering where he played when playing) I just don't see how much improvement they will do without getting in some top props and locks.

If Sale can get hold of a decent LH and 9 as back up, then they could be really good this season. Without these two, Sale are one injury away from a shit season

Losing Haley and Addison will hurt, but Ashton and RJVR aren’t exactly bad replacements. And having a fit JOC and Beaumont will help as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk