RugbyRebels

Losng Marchant's a damned shame - I was expecting this to be a breakout tour for him. Maunder would be upsetting as well, although I'd accept both in return for Solomona missing out.

Who have we got to take Marchant's place? All of our remaining centres are fly-half centres: Lozowski, Slade, Francis, Mallinder, James - have we got anyone who can run a line left?

Puja

Nick Tompkins will probably be called up.

fivepointer wrote:Nick Tompkins will probably be called up.

Excellent shout. He's a very useful option as well.

Puja

Get devoto in.

twitchy wrote:Get devoto in.

He'd be yet another 10/12 though.

Puja

Adam Powell or Matty Tait

Henry Trinder!

I think Slade is a top notch 13

p/d wrote:I think Slade is a top notch 13

I think he's a top notch player who happens to have played some games at 13. And i'd really like more of a running threat at 13

I thought Sam James was meant to be exactly that? A strong running 13 who can actually threaten the gain-line?

I'm sad for Marchant too though, this would have been a really good opportunity with Joseph temporarily out of the way.

I feel like Slade is going to miss the boat again here. Just back from injury and not worked his way back in to the Exeter team but involved enough to miss out on that vacant 12 shirt for England.

What about The Quins blonde bombshell Hopper? I know Mikey and Stom champion him

Manu for a surprise call up just in time to break him for next season.

Mikey Brown wrote:I thought Sam James was meant to be exactly that? A strong running 13 who can actually threaten the gain-line?

I'm sad for Marchant too though, this would have been a really good opportunity with Joseph temporarily out of the way.

I feel like Slade is going to miss the boat again here. Just back from injury and not worked his way back in to the Exeter team but involved enough to miss out on that vacant 12 shirt for England.

Why would Slade miss out? He's already in the squad and is probably the most logical choice for the 12 or 13 shirt.

I think it's more a question of who partners him. I'd go with Slade at 12 with James at 13 with the license to interchange.

I imagine Marchant's replacement will be Devoto or Tompkins.

As M Brown says, James is 13 who has had a few games at 10.

Scrumhead wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:I thought Sam James was meant to be exactly that? A strong running 13 who can actually threaten the gain-line?

I'm sad for Marchant too though, this would have been a really good opportunity with Joseph temporarily out of the way.

I feel like Slade is going to miss the boat again here. Just back from injury and not worked his way back in to the Exeter team but involved enough to miss out on that vacant 12 shirt for England.

Why would Slade miss out? He's already in the squad and is probably the most logical choice for the 12 or 13 shirt.

I think it's more a question of who partners him. I'd go with Slade at 12 with James at 13 with the license to interchange.

I imagine Marchant's replacement will be Devoto or Tompkins.

I suppose I was just sort of jumbling all my thoughts about Sunday and the whole tour. I can't keep track of who is available when. Don't ask me to think, just give me the ball so I can run in to someone.

Yes to Devoto though.

Puja wrote:

twitchy wrote:Get devoto in.

He'd be yet another 10/12 though.

He really wouldn't.

I'd have thought the next options at centre would be Devoto > Thompkins > Hill / MClark / JWIlliams


Mentions of Powell, Tait, Hooper, Trinder... all too old for Eddie, especially when there are talented youngsters available.

Massive shame about Marchant

Are we getting a replacement for Haskell too? What about Chisholm?

TheNomad wrote:Massive shame about Marchant

Are we getting a replacement for Haskell too? What about Chisholm?

Do we need to bring another backrow? There's quite a few already.

I'd look to replace Haskell with a lock TBH; or at least someone who covers 2nd and back rows (a Beaumont or a Garvey for example) - Eddie does seem to like players who can do both.

I think Sam Hill, Johnny Williams and Chisholm are all injured.

TheNomad wrote:Massive shame about Marchant

Are we getting a replacement for Haskell too? What about Chisholm?

Are Evans and Ludlum or possibly even Thacker available?

With Haskell promoted, I'm hoping that both Curries and Underhill will get a chance to show how they thrive in the 7 (at in at least in one case the 6 role) in Argentina - that said Robshaw at blindside and Wood at openside may well be the Eddie conservative first choice back row selection and should come as no surprise were it to transpire.

Think its more likely Haskell will be replaced by a lock. Only 3 picked and one of those is a 19 year old. A good outing on Sunday might well accelerate Spencer's career.

At this point I think i've given up predicting what Eddie will do

That being said... hopefully Beaumont will get called up to cover 8 and lock, but at very least some one that can play 8.

Personally I think the back row should be Robshaw, Hughes and which ever one of the young opensides impresses the most in training (same one for both tests and maybe a second on the bench). I think some of the people advocating Hughes have partially blamed his under performance during the 6Ns on being paired with Tom Wood and an unfit Haskell - and I can see some logic to that. I think giving him two more tests with Robshaw, all most as a last chance saloon or at least go back to Wasps and work on your game, is fair.

If Hughes plays poorly ( and assuming Billy might not back for the autum internationals) then it's time to try plan C, so some one needs to get some time with the squad over the summer. If both Hughes and the openside play well than maybe see if we can find an upgrade on Robshaw, and If Hughes plays well and the open side struggles, than maybe we think about trying another openside in autum - or maybe just give a young guy another few tests to settle in.

Which Tyler wrote:I'd look to replace Haskell with a lock TBH; or at least someone who covers 2nd and back rows (a Beaumont or a Garvey for example) - Eddie does seem to like players who can do both.

Yep. Agree with this. Beaumont is surely in the box seat considering he has been in camp and will most likely start agains the Barbarians. Spencer would probably be next.

I must admit, my instant reaction for replacing Marchant was Devoto, but Max Clark isn't a bad shout given that he would offer something different to the other centres in the squad.

All seems fair. I just hope anyone else given a go gets given as good a shot as Hughes has.

I thought Beaumont was in already. I'd like to see him too but Garvey would be a good shout. I could see Eddie liking him.