England vs New Zealand

[Beasties]

NZ team named:

1. Karl Tu'inukuafe (10)
2. Codie Taylor (39)
3. Owen Franks (104)
4. Samuel Whitelock (106)
5. Brodie Retallick (72)
6. Liam Squire (21)
7. Ardie Savea (32)
8. Kieran Read - captain (115)
9. Aaron Smith (80)
10. Beauden Barrett (70)
11. Rieko Ioane (21)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (50)
13. Jack Goodhue (5)
14. Ben Smith (74)
15. Damian McKenzie (20)

16. Dane Coles (57)
17. Ofa Tuungafasi (23)
18. Nepo Laulala (14)
19. Scott Barrett (26)
20. Matt Todd (15)
21. TJ Perenara (52)
22. Richie Mo'unga (5)
23. Ryan Crotty (42)

F##k.
No big names there.
Gonna be a hard day at the office on Saturday.
errr....look at the number of caps on the bench......

I dunno. Our loosehead is an ex-bouncer who only went pro about 5 minutes ago. We’ve got to try and get 25-30 minutes out of a reserve hooker just back from injury. We’re so short of loosies that we’ve broken our own rule about not selecting overseas-based players. Our 10 can’t kick goals and our 12 is a yellow waiting to happen. Thirteen is another beginner. We’ve got a fullback on the wing and a 10 at fullback. There’s no back 3 cover so any change there will require a reshuffle. Smith and Barrett can cover full back but if a wing goes down, I guess we’ll have to put SBW out there?

England have no excuses against this dog’s breakfast.

Proper shambles.

[Peej]

He has, but the more encouraging thing for me is that he’s shown he can carry/run a decent line and has an offload in his locker.

His problem is that he was overhyped too early and the promise he’s actually shown isn’t quite on the scale it was expected to be.

He reminds me a bit of Sam Cane as a powerful, confrontational 7 who’s got enough a whiff of 6.5 for people to grumble.

Fair enough, I just haven't seen any of that. To me, he's just this generation's Worsley - a phenomenal tackler that will fill a role, but not offer much else. But I don't watch enough games to pick up on any of the stuff you guys clearly have, so here's hoping he can bring some more of that to the game at the weekend if he gets a chance

[Scrumhead]

He’s had a few good games for Bath this season where he’s done more than just tackle.

As I mentioned, it’s encouraging, but I still think he has a fair way to go to conclusively demonstrate he’s more than just a tackling machine.

I dare say we’ll need a tackling machine this weekend though ...

[Digby]

He might be a tackle machine but somewhere above it was suggested his tackling made him similar to Crane. And even just considering tackling that's not an observation I'd share

[p/d]

He might be a tackle machine but somewhere above it was suggested his tackling made him similar to Crane. And even just considering tackling that's not an observation I'd share

................... don't think they meant the blonde bombshell!!

[Digby]

He might be a tackle machine but somewhere above it was suggested his tackling made him similar to Crane. And even just considering tackling that's not an observation I'd share

................... don't think they meant the blonde bombshell!!

Ah, yes, conceivably there's a typo in there

[Scrumhead]

I compared him to Cane on the basis that they are criticised for similar reasons and are derided for what they don’t have, rather than getting much credit for their strengths.

I don’t think they’re that similar, but there are some obvious similarities. Both are physical, defensively-minded 7s. At the moment Underhill doesn’t carry as much as Cane, but it’s not a particularly notable part of Cane’s game anyway.

[Digby]

I didn't know Cane was criticised, bar that whilst he appears significantly the more physical of the two he does make some dodgy hits. A top player though is Cane

If Underhill tackled like Cane and was the same nuisance at the breakdown I'd be much happier with his inclusion, he is at least improving and still very young

[Raggs]

England
15 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 22 caps)
14 Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks, 40 caps)
13 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 14 caps)
12 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, 14 caps)
11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 38 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 62 caps) co-captain
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 78 caps)
1 Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 94 caps) co-captain
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 14 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 23 caps)
5 George Kruis (Saracens, 26 caps)
6 Brad Shields (Wasps, 3 caps)
7 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 6 caps)
8 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)

Finishers
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 29 caps)
17 Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs, 3 caps)
18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
19 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
20 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 65 caps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 82 caps)
22 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 48 caps)
23 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 27 caps)

[Mellsblue]

No Mercer!!!! Ffs.

[Puja]

A fine reward for Mercer, although Ewels did have a monster 5 minutes. Gods help us if Underhill or Wilson go down.

Really don't get the utility of swapping Nowell and Ashton. Moon and Hepburn look to be the right way round this week.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Gods help us if Underhill or Wilson go down.

Puja

This doesn’t bear thinking about.

[p/d]

fecking 'Finishers'!!! ................. what a bag of shyte that is.

[Mikey Brown]

Underhill goes down and we’ve got Lawes/Shields/Wilson? Slowest backrow in history?

[TheDasher]

If Tuilagi is fit again then Eddie is a prick, we want/need him on the bench.

Two locks on the bench, illogical back row, no Mercer.

What the fuck is this man doing!! I can't bear it.

[Mikey Brown]

Ashton seems a good shout if we’re determined to pick a winger that can’t tackle.

[TheDasher]

Underhill goes down and we’ve got Lawes/Shields/Wilson? Slowest backrow in history?

Still hateful as an option but hopefully he'd put Itoje at 6... Lawes at 6 I just cannot stomach.

[TheDasher]

Ashton seems a good shout if we’re determined to pick a winger that can’t tackle.

I 100% agree but this is the least of our problems quite honestly. The pack and bench are just criminal.

[Mikey Brown]

Underhill goes down and we’ve got Lawes/Shields/Wilson? Slowest backrow in history?

Still hateful as an option but hopefully he'd put Itoje at 6... Lawes at 6 I just cannot stomach.

Ah yes. That’ll be fine then. Itoje fresh from 60 minutes in the front five to inject some pace.

[TheDasher]

Ah yes. That’ll be fine then. Itoje fresh from 60 minutes in the front five to inject some pace.

It would depend on when the injury happens to Underhill to make that happen...

[Mikey Brown]

I admire the logic.

[Stom]

Jesus fuck.

[fivepointer]

I really dont understand the Mercer omission. Seems very foolish to go in against NZ without a back rower on the bench. I would have thought you wanted more pace in that area in the final quarter (if not before) than likely less if/when Itoje moves back to 6.

Moon for Hepburn is fair enough. I can accept Ashton for Nowell, though i dont think it necessarily improves the side.

Manu cannot be fit enough, otherwise he would surely have featured.

[TheDasher]

I really dont understand the Mercer omission. Seems very foolish to go in against NZ without a back rower on the bench. I would have thought you wanted more pace in that area in the final quarter (if not before) than likely less if/when Itoje moves back to 6.

Moon for Hepburn is fair enough. I can accept Ashton for Nowell, though i dont think it necessarily improves the side.

Manu cannot be fit enough, otherwise he would surely have featured.

The Mercer omission is utterly mad, unless he's injured/ill surely. There's just no reason for it. And to have two locks on the bench.

[Mikey Brown]

I really dont understand the Mercer omission. Seems very foolish to go in against NZ without a back rower on the bench. I would have thought you wanted more pace in that area in the final quarter (if not before) than likely less if/when Itoje moves back to 6.

Moon for Hepburn is fair enough. I can accept Ashton for Nowell, though i dont think it necessarily improves the side.

Manu cannot be fit enough, otherwise he would surely have featured.

Don’t worry, we might only be 5 minutes in to the game when Underhill gets injured.