RugbyRebels

Just throw a few quid to Wasps and draft Barbeary straight in at 12

Raggs wrote:Think Simonds has played a bit at 12 (and 15).

You'd think that Simmonds (J) could play at 12 - he's like Farrell, only quicker and better at kicking

With the right time there - so in particular he could develop his understanding of defense in the position - I reckon he could be brilliant.

And he's probably our best kicker too

TheNomad wrote:

Raggs wrote:Think Simonds has played a bit at 12 (and 15).

You'd think that Simmonds (J) could play at 12 - he's like Farrell, only quicker and better at kicking

With the right time there - so in particular he could develop his understanding of defense in the position - I reckon he could be brilliant.

And he's probably our best kicker too

Could pair him with Smith, then. Get the best of both worlds.

TheNomad wrote:

Raggs wrote:Think Simonds has played a bit at 12 (and 15).

You'd think that Simmonds (J) could play at 12 - he's like Farrell, only quicker and better at kicking

With the right time there - so in particular he could develop his understanding of defense in the position - I reckon he could be brilliant.

And he's probably our best kicker too

Baxter will keep him at 10 then.

Raggs wrote:

TheNomad wrote:

Raggs wrote:Think Simonds has played a bit at 12 (and 15).

You'd think that Simmonds (J) could play at 12 - he's like Farrell, only quicker and better at kicking

With the right time there - so in particular he could develop his understanding of defense in the position - I reckon he could be brilliant.

And he's probably our best kicker too

Baxter will keep him at 10 then.

He'd be mad not to.

Converting a 10 is an idea, or how about a winger to 12? Gordon D'arcy made a very successful switch some years ago for Ireland so it can be done.
We've seen Wasps use Odogwu at 13 - jury still out on that one - but is there anyone else out there who might have the skillset to adjust to a new role?
Jack Nowell seems an obvious candidate but are there others.

fivepointer wrote:Converting a 10 is an idea, or how about a winger to 12? Gordon D'arcy made a very successful switch some years ago for Ireland so it can be done.
We've seen Wasps use Odogwu at 13 - jury still out on that one - but is there anyone else out there who might have the skillset to adjust to a new role?
Jack Nowell seems an obvious candidate but are there others.

For 12?

Surely the most important thing for a convert is that they have the handling skills already. Nowell doesn't.

Of all the back 3 players who could make a fist of 12...

Brown could have. Goode could have.

Mallinder obviously has played plenty at 12. Not sure there's anyone else I'd want to see there who has played in the back 3. I mean, Thorley would do well I reckon, but you'd just negate his biggest assets. Simmons could, perhaps, but he's small and has only just (re)converted. Coka possibly, but his brother already plays there.

Stom wrote:For 12?

Surely the most important thing for a convert is that they have the handling skills already. Nowell doesn't.

Of all the back 3 players who could make a fist of 12...

Brown could have. Goode could have.

Mallinder obviously has played plenty at 12. Not sure there's anyone else I'd want to see there who has played in the back 3. I mean, Thorley would do well I reckon, but you'd just negate his biggest assets. Simmons could, perhaps, but he's small and has only just (re)converted. Coka possibly, but his brother already plays there.

If you're looking for a current back3 player to shift to 2, then Mallinder and DeGlanville would be the obvious choices - both of whom converted to the back 3 from FH (same goes for Goode - I'm not convinced that Brown could have though)

It’s between Sam Simmonds, Alfie Barbeary and Tom Youngs for me.

Which Tyler wrote:

Stom wrote:For 12?

Surely the most important thing for a convert is that they have the handling skills already. Nowell doesn't.

Of all the back 3 players who could make a fist of 12...

Brown could have. Goode could have.

Mallinder obviously has played plenty at 12. Not sure there's anyone else I'd want to see there who has played in the back 3. I mean, Thorley would do well I reckon, but you'd just negate his biggest assets. Simmons could, perhaps, but he's small and has only just (re)converted. Coka possibly, but his brother already plays there.

If you're looking for a current back3 player to shift to 2, then Mallinder and DeGlanville would be the obvious choices - both of whom converted to the back 3 from FH (same goes for Goode - I'm not convinced that Brown could have though)

TdG is a good call, actually. Think he'd be good there.

But yeah, Mikey nails it: SSimmonds or Barbeary.

Stom wrote: For 12?

Surely the most important thing for a convert is that they have the handling skills already. Nowell doesn't.



Brown could have.

That just made me smile

p/d wrote:

Stom wrote: For 12?

Surely the most important thing for a convert is that they have the handling skills already. Nowell doesn't.



Brown could have.

That just made me smile

Ha!

Why would Mike 'Die With the Ball' Brown not have had enough hands to play centre for England?

In his defence, his hands were pretty decent in close quarters. It was out wide where he got his reputation from always looking at a defensive line and believing that he stood a better chance of breaking it than the man outside him.

Puja

His hands were bad, but not as amusing as the trait he had for a long time of kicking the ball back if it was kicked to his left and running it back were it kicked to his right, rarely does one see a supposed test standard player so consistently respond like one of Pavlov's dogs

Stom wrote:

fivepointer wrote:Converting a 10 is an idea, or how about a winger to 12? Gordon D'arcy made a very successful switch some years ago for Ireland so it can be done.
We've seen Wasps use Odogwu at 13 - jury still out on that one - but is there anyone else out there who might have the skillset to adjust to a new role?
Jack Nowell seems an obvious candidate but are there others.

For 12?

Surely the most important thing for a convert is that they have the handling skills already. Nowell doesn't.

Of all the back 3 players who could make a fist of 12...

Brown could have. Goode could have.

Mallinder obviously has played plenty at 12. Not sure there's anyone else I'd want to see there who has played in the back 3. I mean, Thorley would do well I reckon, but you'd just negate his biggest assets. Simmons could, perhaps, but he's small and has only just (re)converted. Coka possibly, but his brother already plays there.

Most international centres worth their salt would have run straight through him at 12. Goode would have had to bulk up substantially to play there and that might have killed his footwork.

Young Freddie Steward could be a candidate to move from 15 to 12 but seems a bit of a waste when he's so good under the high ball and has an absolute cannon of a right foot. Built like an athletic lock or blindside he's a good defender and can throw a big pass.

Pop Sam Simmonds in there. Explosive ball carrying, big tackles and offloads. Hybrid player time.

And so another thread trends inexorably towards the conclusion that all that matters is getting back rowers on the pitch....

Or converting people to 12 on, well, I'm not sure what criteria. Thorley, Cokanasiga, Brown, Steward

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Or converting people to 12 on, well, I'm not sure what criteria. Thorley, Cokanasiga, Brown, Steward

After over a decade of mediocre 12s we've all become a bit desperate

Danno wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Or converting people to 12 on, well, I'm not sure what criteria. Thorley, Cokanasiga, Brown, Steward

After over a decade of mediocre 12s we've all become a bit desperate

Tbh, if you offered me a peak Brad Barritt right now, I would take your hand off at the wrist.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Danno wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Or converting people to 12 on, well, I'm not sure what criteria. Thorley, Cokanasiga, Brown, Steward

After over a decade of mediocre 12s we've all become a bit desperate

Tbh, if you offered me a peak Brad Barritt right now, I would take your hand off at the wrist.

Puja

Indeed

'Tis an interesting thing to look at a side struggling for fluency in attack and conclude Barritt is any part of an acceptable answer. Why not just say you'd take Burgess back while you're at it? (obviously supposing the wide beating hadn't happened, as is he shouldn't be in anyone's side)

Digby wrote:'Tis an interesting thing to look at a side struggling for fluency in attack and conclude Barritt is any part of an acceptable answer. Why not just say you'd take Burgess back while you're at it? (obviously supposing the wide beating hadn't happened, as is he shouldn't be in anyone's side)

That's a terrible comparison. Barritt ran decent lines, was decent on the crash ball, had solid enough hands, and was great in defence. Not an all-star by any means, but he'd certainly be a good foil to Slade at 13. Whereas [redacted] was getting to be a decent flanker before he ran home to mummy, but had still had no idea where to stand or what to do in the centre and made up for it by being big and having tonnes and tonnes of "character".

Puja

Yup, Barritt was not often the spark of life needed between Farrell and Tuilagi in the Burt era, but between Ford and Slade/Joseph I think he could have offered something. Realistically though when was his peak? Has he actually retired yet? He's one of those guys who will probably always be capable of turning in the odd performance through sheer grit, but his body must be feeling it.

Mikey Brown wrote:Yup, Barritt was not often the spark of life needed between Farrell and Tuilagi in the Burt era, but between Ford and Slade/Joseph I think he could have offered something. Realistically though when was his peak? Has he actually retired yet? He's one of those guys who will probably always be capable of turning in the odd performance through sheer grit, but his body must be feeling it.

Puja