England v Barbarians

[Mellsblue]

Please tell me Daly - Brown is an admin error.

[Banquo]

Quilter Cup: England side to play Barbarians

15 Elliot Daly (Wasps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
13 Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby)
12 Piers Francis (Northampton Saints)
11 Mike Brown (Harlequins)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

1 Joe Marler (Harlequins)
2 Jack Singleton (Worcester Warriors)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
4 Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby)
5 Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
8 Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)

Finishers

16 George McGuigan (Leicester Tigers)
17 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
18 Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors)
19 Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)
20 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
21 Dan Robson (Wasps)
22 Danny Cipriani (Wasps)
23 Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)

Was about to say, fair play. But then spotted Brown at 11! Seriously, wtf. Unless its a typo between he and Daly

[fivepointer]

"Mike Brown (Harlequins) will play on the left wing, with Elliot Daly (Wasps) wearing the number 15 jersey"

Its real enough. On the one hand, good that Daly is given a go at 15, but MB on the wing.....

[Banquo]

"Mike Brown (Harlequins) will play on the left wing, with Elliot Daly (Wasps) wearing the number 15 jersey"

Its real enough. On the one hand, good that Daly is given a go at 15, but MB on the wing.....

nuts. I'd support giving the 1st choice back three time together in position, or trying a new combo, but this is Frankensteins version

[Scrumhead]

Hmm - I suspect it’s to accommodate Cipriani coming on at 15 and Daly moving back to the wing later on.

Other than that, I like the team. It’s a nice, balanced back row and I’m pleased to see Trinder starting.

I’d have preferred Te’o at 12 over Francis but I guess they’d prefer the same dual playmaker system to the first XV.

[Banquo]

Hmm - I suspect it’s to accommodate Cipriani coming on at 15 and Daly moving back to the wing later on.

Other than that, I like the team. It’s a nice, balanced back row and I’m pleased to see Trinder starting.

I’d have preferred Te’o at 12 over Francis but I guess they’d prefer the same dual playmaker system to the first XV.

double error whammy

[Which Tyler]

I can only assume that it's one of
A] "Numbers don't matter" and they'll chop and change
B] That he doesn't want Brown on the bench in case Daly is cruelly exposed (wants to be able to make changes without using a sub)
C] The plot has been well and truly lost, and there's just no way back from here.

[Puja]

Quilter Cup: England side to play Barbarians

15 Elliot Daly (Wasps)
11 Mike Brown (Harlequins)

Lolwut

Puja

[Digby]

If England stick with the same attack shape in any serious game picking a team like that they'll need to move the ball much faster than normal without seeing errors creep in. There's Sinckler and Genge on the bench who offers a carrying game that's overtly physical, and that's it. It doesn't perhaps much matter in this game, but it also doesn't answer questions as to what to do we want to achieve in attack and how do we think we can do that

[Stom]

Yeah, I also glossed over Mikey's name...

Err...

At least it means Drunken Denny is only on the bench...

The backrow looks good, too

Actually, there's only really 2 issues with that team, 11 and 12. Which is pretty damn good.

[Puja]

"Mike Brown (Harlequins) will play on the left wing, with Elliot Daly (Wasps) wearing the number 15 jersey"

Its real enough. On the one hand, good that Daly is given a go at 15, but MB on the wing.....

nuts. I'd support giving the 1st choice back three time together in position, or trying a new combo, but this is Frankensteins version

On reflection, I'd rather have Brown on the wing than Solomona. So needs must as the devil drives. Makes a mockery out of not calling up Nowell though.

Puja

[Puja]

Yeah, I also glossed over Mikey's name...

Err...

At least it means Drunken Denny is only on the bench...

The backrow looks good, too

Actually, there's only really 2 issues with that team, 11 and 12. Which is pretty damn good.

I was fully expecting Redpath to play 12 for this game. It seems ideal - chuck him in to see what he can do and whether he can be 2018's Giteau as a late charge for Fazlet's backup. If he's not playing here, what's the point in him going on tour at all?

Puja

[fivepointer]

Redpath is crocked according to RugbyInsideLine.

Francis and Trinder in shootout to get a place on tour it seems.

[Which Tyler]

I was fully expecting Redpath to play 12 for this game. It seems ideal - chuck him in to see what he can do and whether he can be 2018's Giteau as a late charge for Fazlet's backup. If he's not playing here, what's the point in him going on tour at all?

Given that he was having surgery on his knee yesterday; it's unlikely that he'll be going on tour to anywhere - unless it's a beach-side rehab clinic.
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/exclusiv ... cl-injury/

[Digby]

Actually, there's only really 2 issues with that team, 11 and 12. Which is pretty damn good.

I don't see how this team continues to play the England attack system and contests well in any serious game, maybe it is just a team for a BaaBaas game and nothing more should be read into it

[Mikey Brown]

Riiiiight.

[Puja]

I was fully expecting Redpath to play 12 for this game. It seems ideal - chuck him in to see what he can do and whether he can be 2018's Giteau as a late charge for Fazlet's backup. If he's not playing here, what's the point in him going on tour at all?

Given that he was having surgery on his knee yesterday; it's unlikely that he'll be going on tour to anywhere - unless it's a beach-side rehab clinic.
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/exclusiv ... cl-injury/

Well fuck.

Hopefully Trinder will get his place on tour. We need an outside centre who isn't a fly-half or Te'o.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

I was fully expecting Redpath to play 12 for this game. It seems ideal - chuck him in to see what he can do and whether he can be 2018's Giteau as a late charge for Fazlet's backup. If he's not playing here, what's the point in him going on tour at all?

Given that he was having surgery on his knee yesterday; it's unlikely that he'll be going on tour to anywhere - unless it's a beach-side rehab clinic.
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/exclusiv ... cl-injury/

Well fuck.

Hopefully Trinder will get his place on tour. We need an outside centre who isn't a fly-half or Te'o.

Puja

Trinder is a winger now I'd say. Get him in the 15 shirt.

[morepork]

Jesus christ, another 10 playing 12?

[Mikey Brown]

What was he actually good at when he was with the Blues? He doesn't really look commanding enough to be a 10 but a good all rounder, sort of like why Slade wasn't as suited at 10, and looks sort of fine at 12. Not sure what has got him in there except being a Kiwi. Played at Edinburgh too and was pretty similar.

[Tigersman]

Jesus christ, another 10 playing 12?

Francis was always a 12 being disguised as a 10 for Saints, hence the Bigger signing.

He played well in Argentina in the centres.

[Timbo]

If Brown is on the wing against South Africa i’ll be concerned. But given that Eddie quite reasonably wants to look at Daly as a 15 in a low pressure game, but also needs to get some game time into his (probable) first choice fullback, the selection makes sense. If Brown is required to play that first test against South Africa and doesn’t start this weekend, he won’t have started a game for 5 weeks.

[Timbo]

"Mike Brown (Harlequins) will play on the left wing, with Elliot Daly (Wasps) wearing the number 15 jersey"

Its real enough. On the one hand, good that Daly is given a go at 15, but MB on the wing.....

nuts. I'd support giving the 1st choice back three time together in position, or trying a new combo, but this is Frankensteins version

On reflection, I'd rather have Brown on the wing than Solomona. So needs must as the devil drives. Makes a mockery out of not calling up Nowell though.

Puja

Nowell is having surgery this summer, so not considered to tour.

[morepork]

Fair enough if he is normally a 12. He was a steady as they go sort of chap at the Bloos, not really anywhere near an international I would have thought. Not really given him much attention because the Bloos have been so bad for years.

Eddie's accommodation of Brown by putting him on the wing is just bizarre though. Looks like you will be sticking to an ultraconservative game plan for the foreseeable future.

[Banquo]

I was fully expecting Redpath to play 12 for this game. It seems ideal - chuck him in to see what he can do and whether he can be 2018's Giteau as a late charge for Fazlet's backup. If he's not playing here, what's the point in him going on tour at all?

Given that he was having surgery on his knee yesterday; it's unlikely that he'll be going on tour to anywhere - unless it's a beach-side rehab clinic.
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/exclusiv ... cl-injury/

aargh, bad luck for the lad. ATB