Manu v Wales?

[p/d]

no votes for Manu starting at 13. Apart from his one excursion to the wing not sure he has played much elsewhere.

I think this, if anything, highlights the issues we have had with the 12 shirt.

I'd move Joseph to the wing, Manu in at 13 and Watson to fb. And for the 12 berth go with.. go with.. go with ... oh yeah, bollocks.

He played 12 on the SA tour and in the 2011 RWC (though he and Tindall swapped around a bit).

Plus, as Banquo keeps telling us, there is very little difference between 12 and 13 regards skill requirements

[Banquo]

no votes for Manu starting at 13. Apart from his one excursion to the wing not sure he has played much elsewhere.

I think this, if anything, highlights the issues we have had with the 12 shirt.

I'd move Joseph to the wing, Manu in at 13 and Watson to fb. And for the 12 berth go with.. go with.. go with ... oh yeah, bollocks.

He played 12 on the SA tour and in the 2011 RWC (though he and Tindall swapped around a bit).

Plus, as Banquo keeps telling us, there is very little difference between 12 and 13 regards skill requirements

Interesting to both quote and reference me....

[p/d]

He played 12 on the SA tour and in the 2011 RWC (though he and Tindall swapped around a bit).

Plus, as Banquo keeps telling us, there is very little difference between 12 and 13 regards skill requirements

Interesting to both quote and reference me....

ha!! I thought I was replying to old Diggers. similar posting styles you see...

[Banquo]

Plus, as Banquo keeps telling us, there is very little difference between 12 and 13 regards skill requirements

Interesting to both quote and reference me....

ha!! I thought I was replying to old Diggers. similar posting styles you see...

'tis a remarkable serendipitous event. Circumlocutory-wise, if one is to not go unaround the houses, I think you may have a proximate event.

[Mellsblue]

Interesting to both quote and reference me....

ha!! I thought I was replying to old Diggers. similar posting styles you see...

'tis a remarkable serendipitous event. Circumlocutory-wise, if one is to not go unaround the houses, I think you may have a proximate event.

Diggers give Banquo his laptop back.

[TheNomad]

To change the direction on the Manu debate - a mate of mine is convinced that wing is the best position for him. I can't say I agree but I'm always open to persuasive arguments.

Anyone have a view on what his best position will be long term?

[16th man]

To change the direction on the Manu debate - a mate of mine is convinced that wing is the best position for him. I can't say I agree but I'm always open to persuasive arguments.

Anyone have a view on what his best position will be long term?

Centre, partnered with someone like Slade, meaning that both are capable of playing 12 and 13 so they can mix it up depending on opposition, field position, quality of ball etc.

[Renniks]

To change the direction on the Manu debate - a mate of mine is convinced that wing is the best position for him. I can't say I agree but I'm always open to persuasive arguments.

Anyone have a view on what his best position will be long term?

He was pretty woeful last time he played wing internationally -
Centre (and wing cover at a push) for me… if we lose a winger or FB this weekend, I wouldn't be bringing Tuilagi on to help the situation…

[WaspInWales]

Definitely centre and I can certainly see Eddie's insistence on him being a 12 too. He needs to develop a few areas of his game though but at 24, time is on his side.

[Puja]

To change the direction on the Manu debate - a mate of mine is convinced that wing is the best position for him. I can't say I agree but I'm always open to persuasive arguments.

Anyone have a view on what his best position will be long term?

I didn't know you were mates with Burt!

His best position is going to be either centre, in my opinion. Stick him out on the wing and he becomes a poor man's Rougerie/Alesana Tuilagi, just boshing his way up and down the pitch. He's got a huge amount of value in creating space for other people and needs to be closer to the action.

Puja

[Peat]

To change the direction on the Manu debate - a mate of mine is convinced that wing is the best position for him. I can't say I agree but I'm always open to persuasive arguments.

Anyone have a view on what his best position will be long term?

He was pretty woeful last time he played wing internationally -
Centre (and wing cover at a push) for me… if we lose a winger or FB this weekend, I wouldn't be bringing Tuilagi on to help the situation…

Was he?

I don't recall him getting done defensively and, well, as with so many games against New Zealand, he didn't get much of an opportunity to attack.

I'd be perfectly content to push him out there if needed but it seems very clear he prefers the centre and, vision and decision making aside, that's the better place for him. That said, the wing is a decent place to put quick* centres with vision and decision making issues...

*I expect an argument on that; I think he looks very quick over short distances. Actually breaks down if you ask him to sprint the length of the pitch though.

[skidger]

To change the direction on the Manu debate - a mate of mine is convinced that wing is the best position for him. I can't say I agree but I'm always open to persuasive arguments.

Anyone have a view on what his best position will be long term?

He was pretty woeful last time he played wing internationally -
Centre (and wing cover at a push) for me… if we lose a winger or FB this weekend, I wouldn't be bringing Tuilagi on to help the situation…

Was he?

I don't recall him getting done defensively and, well, as with so many games against New Zealand, he didn't get much of an opportunity to attack.

I'd be perfectly content to push him out there if needed but it seems very clear he prefers the centre and, vision and decision making aside, that's the better place for him. That said, the wing is a decent place to put quick* centres with vision and decision making issues...

*I expect an argument on that; I think he looks very quick over short distances. Actually breaks down if you ask him to sprint the length of the pitch though.

I watched the hilights of that game last week. He was not bad but he is no winger that is for sure. That was the game he also got chased down on a length of the pitch run.

[Oakboy]

What Tuilagi needs is the opportunity to hit gaps and break the line. That requires him to run the right angle at the right time on to the right pass. He did it well early on in his international career but then deteriorated, IMO, appearing to have become addicted to smashing flesh. I believe he is less of a try-creating threat at 12 and I much prefer his presence at OC, his best position by a distance. That seems not to be EJ's idea, though.

With Joseph and Daly available at OC and no available alternative at 12, Tuilagi is heading for the shirt. He will represent a better attacking threat overall than Farrell but I think he will restrict our ultimate attacking potential because the best international opposition will quickly learn how to stifle his effectiveness. If he had better hands and subtlety/variety things might be different. It is worth discovering whether EJ can get that extra inventiveness out of him but I have my doubts.

Maybe, Slade will develop into the quality all-round IC that the side craves. If he does and Tuilagi gets back to 100% fitness with his original attacking lines and better game intelligence, that pairing will be the ultimate theoretically much as I now rate Joseph and Daly. I'd like to see both those two develop their games as well with a view to providing alternatives at IC. In the long run, we could have four quality centres capable of playing in either shirt.

It may be too that Slade develops into a better FH than Ford or Farrell if Exeter see him as their long-term option there. With Cipriani still in the mix, the future looks good - provided that we can find a SH!!!!!

[Banquo]

What Tuilagi needs is the opportunity to hit gaps and break the line. That requires him to run the right angle at the right time on to the right pass. He did it well early on in his international career but then deteriorated, IMO, appearing to have become addicted to smashing flesh. I believe he is less of a try-creating threat at 12 and I much prefer his presence at OC, his best position by a distance. That seems not to be EJ's idea, though.

With Joseph and Daly available at OC and no available alternative at 12, Tuilagi is heading for the shirt. He will represent a better attacking threat overall than Farrell but I think he will restrict our ultimate attacking potential because the best international opposition will quickly learn how to stifle his effectiveness. If he had better hands and subtlety/variety things might be different. It is worth discovering whether EJ can get that extra inventiveness out of him but I have my doubts.

Maybe, Slade will develop into the quality all-round IC that the side craves. If he does and Tuilagi gets back to 100% fitness with his original attacking lines and better game intelligence, that pairing will be the ultimate theoretically much as I now rate Joseph and Daly. I'd like to see both those two develop their games as well with a view to providing alternatives at IC. In the long run, we could have four quality centres capable of playing in either shirt.

It may be too that Slade develops into a better FH than Ford or Farrell if Exeter see him as their long-term option there. With Cipriani still in the mix, the future looks good - provided that we can find a SH!!!!!

To my mind, its much easier to bring the back three into the game with a runner/bosher at 12 than at 13. So IF we want to do that, Manu at 12 and the runner/distribution options of Daly or JJ at 13 is worth a good look for me. To be honest, I don't think his distribution at 12 will be as much of an issue as maintaining his depth and hitting the tackle line at pace- think he needs a bit of help here, esp at 12.

[Renniks]

To my mind, its much easier to bring the back three into the game with a runner/bosher at 12 than at 13. So IF we want to do that, Manu at 12 and the runner/distribution options of Daly or JJ at 13 is worth a good look for me. To be honest, I don't think his distribution at 12 will be as much of an issue as maintaining his depth and hitting the tackle line at pace- think he needs a bit of help here, esp at 12.

I agree…

Ideally Manu will develop his passing and offloading game - but I think he won't feel the need at premiership level as the bosh method works a lot better.