RugbyRebels

FKAS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 2:29 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 1:51 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 9:24 am


Coles is apparently drawing interest from Scotland though I'm not sure how accurate the rumours are as it would be a wait before his three years were up and he'd be eligible to switch.

well quite. Still think he has an intl future with us

Yeah I think he could very much come good in the near future. With Lawes retiring their couple be an opening at 6 for a hybrid style player and his work rate is good for a big lock which always suits Borthwick's system.

Puja wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:16 pm Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

p/d wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:23 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:16 pm Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

Absolutely.
You are a lock and competing against players x, y etc.
Ditto back row specialists - plus Slade or any back with long arms.

Puja wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 4:24 pm

p/d wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:23 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:16 pm Agreed. Fed up with hybrid lock/back rows now.

Puja

Absolutely.
You are a lock and competing against players x, y etc.
Ditto back row specialists - plus Slade or any back with long arms.

If we suddenly get a surfeit of outstanding locks and an abrupt disappearance of our back row options, then maybe reopen the subject for debate, but while there are three good back row options, that is what we should be playing.

Puja

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:32 am I’m not sure on the size of the squad, but revisiting this based upon form and injuries across the season so far, I’d go with:

1. F. Baxter / P. Brantingham
2. D. Frost / S. Riley
3. A. Opoku-Fordjour / J. Harper
4. A. Moon / G. Hammond
5. R. Tuima / H. Tizard
6. C. Cunningham-South
7. W. Evans / G. Pepper
8. G. Fisilau / F. Harding
9. G. Warr / W. Porter
10. C. Atkinson / L. Johnson
11. A. Reed / Ibitoye
12. O. Hartley / S. Atkinson
13. M. Ojomoh / D. Kelly
14. T. Roebuck
15. G. Hendy / J. Carpenter

Originally, I picked Painter, Coles, Barbeary and Ben Curry who I’d elevate to the senior squad plus Kenningham who is ruled out by injury.

It seems odd to pick all of the possible pretenders at 12 in one squad, but at this point I don’t think any are clearly and obviously ready for the senior squad so I’d see this as a bit of a ‘battle royale’.

No idea who’d captain a side this green, but I’d probably go with Baxter as a former England captain at U18 and U20.

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:33 am

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:32 am I’m not sure on the size of the squad, but revisiting this based upon form and injuries across the season so far, I’d go with:

1. F. Baxter / P. Brantingham
2. D. Frost / S. Riley
3. A. Opoku-Fordjour / J. Harper
4. A. Moon / G. Hammond
5. R. Tuima / H. Tizard
6. C. Cunningham-South
7. W. Evans / G. Pepper
8. G. Fisilau / F. Harding
9. G. Warr / W. Porter
10. C. Atkinson / L. Johnson
11. A. Reed / Ibitoye
12. O. Hartley / S. Atkinson
13. M. Ojomoh / D. Kelly
14. T. Roebuck
15. G. Hendy / J. Carpenter

Originally, I picked Painter, Coles, Barbeary and Ben Curry who I’d elevate to the senior squad plus Kenningham who is ruled out by injury.

It seems odd to pick all of the possible pretenders at 12 in one squad, but at this point I don’t think any are clearly and obviously ready for the senior squad so I’d see this as a bit of a ‘battle royale’.

No idea who’d captain a side this green, but I’d probably go with Baxter as a former England captain at U18 and U20.

Is Radwan in your senior squad?

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:25 pm Radwan would be in my senior squad. On this season’s form, Seb Atkinson wouldn’t.

It’s early days for him and personally, I’d go with Lawrence, Slade, Dingwall and Joseph as the centres for the main squad.

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:32 am I’m not sure on the size of the squad

Gerard Meagher, Guardian wrote:O’Shea was at pains to stress that an enhanced contract does not guarantee England selection. The players, for their part, previously had the potential to earn more via the £23,000 England match fees – assuming they were fit and ever-present for the national side – but crucially the enhanced contracts provide security in the event of injury.

The group of 25 will sit inside a wider elite player squad of 50 – those without enhanced contracts will still receive one-off match fees if they play for England – while there will also be an “A” squad of 35, made up of the bottom end of the wider EPS and from recent under-20s graduates. England A play Portugal during next year’s Six Nations and the intention is to bring back regular fixtures for what was previously known as the Saxons side.

Chris Foy, Daily Mail wrote:There will be attempts to organise four ‘A’ team fixtures per season – with tentative arrangements already taking shape to face New Zealand’s second-string side and Ireland ‘A’ next season.

Chris Jones, BBC wrote:A "consistent and regular" programme of England 'A' matches, including a tour in the summer of 2025

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:00 am It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:10 am

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:00 am It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

There is also the question of 'form today' v 'potential tomorrow'. Care should be in according to the first but Quirke the second etc.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 9:04 am

Oakboy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:10 am

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:00 am It will be interesting to see what sort of time frame the central contracts work on. Does it become a bit like the EPS itself where players come and go season by season based on form? That sounds difficult from a contract perspective, but I’m not sure how you keep it in line with performances.

There is also the question of 'form today' v 'potential tomorrow'. Care should be in according to the first but Quirke the second etc.

I would have assumed guys like Care and Marler are too old to be considered, with Farrell/Ford/George etc. probably being at the upper limit.

I haven't had a go at guessing the top 25 but I wouldn't think a player like Quirke would be in the conversation either way, to be honest.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:37 am Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 1:22 pm

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:37 am Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

There is a definite argument for that. There's talent there in him that we're not currently getting full use out of, and we're short enough in that position that it's worthwhile chasing it. Maybe we could get more by having him on a hybrid contract and taking some of his development and training schedules out of the hands of Pat Lam.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:09 am What's Watson done to upset you?

Puja

16th man wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 1:44 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 1:22 pm

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:37 am Sinckler seems exactly the sort of player that should be on hybrid contract - ie someone who has been nowhere near their peak for a number of seasons in a position of scarce test quality alternatives who is attracting interest from the Top 14.

There is a definite argument for that. There's talent there in him that we're not currently getting full use out of, and we're short enough in that position that it's worthwhile chasing it. Maybe we could get more by having him on a hybrid contract and taking some of his development and training schedules out of the hands of Pat Lam.

Puja

This is my view too. Sinkler was looking like developing into being one of the best tight heads in the world coming off the back of 2019. He then moved to Bristol and just went off a cliff. If a central contract gets him more time with different coaches, or the financial security to move to a different club for less pay from them, then it would be fascinating to see if it really was the club coaching which was at fault.