England squad announcement

[FKAS]

I'd just assumed Dolly was a late-20s journeyman with a small handful of Aus caps. Not sure why exactly - just seemed like a Tigers sort of signing.

Can't blame you on previous form, but we've recently gone much more to the Wasps style of shopping around the Championship and hoovering up ex-age grade players who've fallen through elsewhere. Much better value for money, IMO.

Dolly's not got an earthly chance of getting in the EPS though. He's got got lineout basics and is very good at hiding behind a maul, but apart from that, he's squad ballast.

Puja

But harsh on Dolly. He's got a good workrate and get around the field in attack and defence, importantly the lineout works and he's good at a rolling maul. Not nearly enough for a call up but having started the season as fourth choice I suspect he's the best fourth choice hooker in the league by a distance.

Agree on the value for money of former age grade players.

[Tigersman]

Also Dolly is leading the league in Lineouts won (Throwing wise)
Personally don't think he's big enough for International rugby though

[Stom]

Is Walker worth a shout? Or just give him another few months to get up to speed as first choice again.

[Peej]

I'm not sure McGuigan is mobile enough for Eddie, though he is going well for Falcons. Dunno how far Barbeary is away from playing, wouldn't surprise me if Eddie called him in for training

[Puja]

I'd just assumed Dolly was a late-20s journeyman with a small handful of Aus caps. Not sure why exactly - just seemed like a Tigers sort of signing.

Can't blame you on previous form, but we've recently gone much more to the Wasps style of shopping around the Championship and hoovering up ex-age grade players who've fallen through elsewhere. Much better value for money, IMO.

Dolly's not got an earthly chance of getting in the EPS though. He's got got lineout basics and is very good at hiding behind a maul, but apart from that, he's squad ballast.

Puja

But harsh on Dolly. He's got a good workrate and get around the field in attack and defence, importantly the lineout works and he's good at a rolling maul. Not nearly enough for a call up but having started the season as fourth choice I suspect he's the best fourth choice hooker in the league by a distance.

Agree on the value for money of former age grade players.

I mean, I won't deny that he's the best fourth choice in the league by a distance - frankly, I wouldn't mind him continuing as our second choice. Just the lineout quality that he brings is worth a hell of a lot. But he's not a regular first choice quality player, let alone an international option.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

I'm another who has wondered why McGuigan has never been looked at. Maybe not looked close enough but he seems like a solid all rounder.

[Raggs]

I Think he has been looked at a while ago?

[Danno]

Announcement is at 3pm for anyone wondering.

[Puja]

Announcement is at 3pm for anyone wondering.

I was just trying to find that out, so thanks!

Puja

[Tom Moore]

Announcement is at 3pm for anyone wondering.

Appreciated, stops me refreshing Twitter every 5 minutes.

[Danno]

Announcement is at 3pm for anyone wondering.

Appreciated, stops me refreshing Twitter every 5 minutes.

That's exactly what inspired me to find out

[16th man]

Oghre’s current ban and playing mostly at 7 this season is not the ideal recipe for a call-up.

So you're saying a classic "Eddie knows best" pick then?

[Peej]

Mail reporting that Dolly is in, and that Smith will play 10 with Farrell at 12 with Ford missing out

[Puja]

Mail reporting that Dolly is in, and that Smith will play 10 with Farrell at 12 with Ford missing out

Startling if true (Dolly, not Farrell's miraculous survival). I mean, being able to hit lineouts with near 100% accuracy is possibly even more useful at internationals than at Prem, but I'm startled that the rest of his game is considered so highly. Mind, with Eddie, he could be on the bench for 239 minutes across the 3 matches.

In sad news, Dolly's likely to stay up the Leicester pecking order for a bit longer, as TYoungs has taken indefinite leave to look after his seriously ill wife. Hope she and the Youngs clan are doing okay.

Puja

[twitchy]

Forwards: Jamie Blamire (Newcastle), Callum Chick (Newcastle), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Tom Curry (Sale), Trevor Davison (Newcastle), Nic Dolly (Leicester), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jonny Hill (Exeter), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Martin (Leicester), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol), Will Stuart (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath)

Backs: Mark Atkinson (Gloucester), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Tommy Freeman (Northampton), George Furbank (Northampton), Max Malins (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester), Raffi Quirke (Sale), Adam Radwan (Newcastle), Harry Randall (Bristol), Henry Slade (Exeter), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester), Manu Tuilagi (Sale), Anthony Watson (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester)

[Danno]

There's a few curveballs in there as usual.

Cupboard is terribly bare in the second row and we're stuffed completely if Maro is unavailable. What's George done to upset him?

Atkinson??

[Shiny]

Forwards: Jamie Blamire (Newcastle), Callum Chick (Newcastle), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Tom Curry (Sale), Trevor Davison (Newcastle), Nic Dolly (Leicester), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jonny Hill (Exeter), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Martin (Leicester), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol), Will Stuart (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath)

Backs: Mark Atkinson (Gloucester), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Tommy Freeman (Northampton), George Furbank (Northampton), Max Malins (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester), Raffi Quirke (Sale), Adam Radwan (Newcastle), Harry Randall (Bristol), Henry Slade (Exeter), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester), Manu Tuilagi (Sale), Anthony Watson (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester)

Distinct lack of Vunpolas in there.

[Danno]

Indeed. Has to be a record low no. of Sarries overall. McCall might have played a blinder by publicly insisting they should be picked

[Oakboy]

If LCD and Itoje are unfit, will he call on replacements?

[Puja]

Some of that makes aggressively little sense and smacks of Jones changing things because he said he'd change things. Why do we need B&I Lion and experienced test match player Jamie George when we have Newcastle and Leicester's reserve hookers? Is Atkinson really going to play in the RWC? Why was Ludlow the captain in the summer and behind Chick and Martin now?

I'm happy that Quirke's there and we have moved on from Robson. Aside from that, I'm mostly confused.

Puja

[Danno]

It gets weirder and weirder the more you look at it

[Peej]

Oh good, Sarries with a point to prove coming up for Wasps this weekend......

There are some real oddities in there. Chick? Davison? Really? Two hookers when one of them went off with an injury at the weekend?

So at a guess:

1. Sinck
2. LCD (if not broken)
3. Genge
4. Lawes
5. Itoje
6. Underhill
7. Curry
8. Dombrandt

9. Youngs (FFS)
10. Smith
11. May
12. Farrell
13. Manu
14. Radwan
15. Steward

Wow

[Peej]

Giving Smith a fully fit and firing Manu to play with will be fun, if he's allowed to set the tempo and game plan and Farrell doesn't dictate everything.

[Shiny]

At least he seems to have gotten over his Daly man crush.

[Oakboy]

It would be fascinating to know what influence the new coaches had on selection. Was a style of play change a factor? Etc.