Team news for Wales

[Scrumhead]

I mean he clearly hasn't. He's looked dodgy at the back of the scrum and been knocked back in the tackle once or twice (not Nathan Hughes bad but not great) but he's still been a very useful player to have on the pitch. I agree it's not the best use of his talents to have him focussed so much on carrying, though he's had some good ones too.

I'd still agree he's not an 8, it's more that he's such a good player he's looked passable there.

Would you say he has looked as comfortable at 8 as Kvesic? I know club/country comparisons are daft. It's just that Kvesic's switch there for Exeter looked comfortable. Curry has never looked natural in the shirt and it is a waste of his talent at 6/7.

Kvesic played a lot as an 8 before Chiefs at Worcester. P/D will confirm .

Curry has looked iffy though improving at the base, but otherwise has played well.

Agreed. Although playing at the base of a super heavyweight scrum at Exeter may also have helped Kvesic. I don’t recall him dropping back a great deal for kick returns etc. so I’m not sure what he was asked to do in those situations? As always with Exeter, there’s a difference between packing down at 8 and playing a typical 8’s role.

[Stom]

Team leaked...

Marler
George
Sinckler
Itoje
Kruis
Lawes
Underhill
Curry
Youngs
Farrell
May
Tuilagi
Slade
Watson
Daly

LCD, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Wilson, Heinz, Ford, Joseph

[twitchy]

For me being able to "do a job" as it were at test level doesn't cut it. This is supposed to be elite level sport.

[Banquo]

For me being able to "do a job" as it were at test level doesn't cut it. This is supposed to be elite level sport.

He does a splendid job in loose play imo, but is learning its tough at the base.

[Mikey Brown]

Team leaked...

Marler
George
Sinckler
Itoje
Kruis
Lawes
Underhill
Curry
Youngs
Farrell
May
Tuilagi
Slade
Watson
Daly

LCD, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Wilson, Heinz, Ford, Joseph

Aha. Crafty from EJ. Want Wilson at 6? Well you get Curry at 8. Want Wilson at 8? Well I guess we've got Lawes at blindside for 80 minutes.

Though I guess he could give Ewels another bash at learning how to play 8 in a test match.

[Stom]

Team leaked...

Marler
George
Sinckler
Itoje
Kruis
Lawes
Underhill
Curry
Youngs
Farrell
May
Tuilagi
Slade
Watson
Daly

LCD, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Wilson, Heinz, Ford, Joseph

Aha. Crafty from EJ. Want Wilson at 6? Well you get Curry at 8. Want Wilson at 8? Well I guess we've got Lawes at blindside for 80 minutes.

Though I guess he could give Ewels another bash at learning how to play 8 in a test match.

lol.

[twitchy]

For me being able to "do a job" as it were at test level doesn't cut it. This is supposed to be elite level sport.

He does a splendid job in loose play imo, but is learning its tough at the base.

Sure but he could do that from another position as well. I suppose it's just who you have available for each slot and finding the balance.

[Banquo]

For me being able to "do a job" as it were at test level doesn't cut it. This is supposed to be elite level sport.

He does a splendid job in loose play imo, but is learning its tough at the base.

Sure but he could do that from another position as well. I suppose it's just who you have available for each slot and finding the balance.

Well yes- Eddie's take is that having him at 8 does that, one assumes

[Banquo]

Team leaked...

Marler
George
Sinckler
Itoje
Kruis
Lawes
Underhill
Curry
Youngs
Farrell
May
Tuilagi
Slade
Watson
Daly

LCD, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Wilson, Heinz, Ford, Joseph

only 4 locks?? WTAF. Mind, he has 3.5 13's to compensate.

[Digby]

Is Launch injured, or is Ewels rated ahead of Launch?

And Ford wasn't brilliant against Ireland, but that's quite a harsh drop for him

[Banquo]

Is Launch injured, or is Ewels rated ahead of Launch?

And Ford wasn't brilliant against Ireland, but that's quite a harsh drop for him

if true squad, then both these, plus Lawes at 6 again. It does signal that Faz is undroppable and the number one 10 in reality.

[Which Tyler]

Team leaked...

I disbelieve it.
I don't think there's been a single leaked teamsheet since EJ took over - and barely any accurate guesses from press watching sessions and seeinghow the players are lining up.

Of course, there's also the element that posters on here have a reputation for inventing team sheets, and presenting them as "leaked", often with no source attached to the leak

[Digby]

Is Launch injured, or is Ewels rated ahead of Launch?

And Ford wasn't brilliant against Ireland, but that's quite a harsh drop for him

if true squad, then both these, plus Lawes at 6 again. It does signal that Faz is undroppable and the number one 10 in reality.

Farrell probably was better the last game, but over a longer period... not so much.

Much easier from the outside to ignore of course a player like Farrell driving standards on and off the pitch

[Banquo]

Is Launch injured, or is Ewels rated ahead of Launch?

And Ford wasn't brilliant against Ireland, but that's quite a harsh drop for him

if true squad, then both these, plus Lawes at 6 again. It does signal that Faz is undroppable and the number one 10 in reality.

Farrell probably was better the last game, but over a longer period... not so much.

Much easier from the outside to ignore of course a player like Farrell driving standards on and off the pitch

Which game?

I hate to reference Eddie's book again, but your second point is what he is very keen on; he is very vocal, even if not a great role model for on-field standards both technically an dbehaviourally.

[Banquo]

Team leaked...

I disbelieve it.
I don't think there's been a single leaked teamsheet since EJ took over - and barely any accurate guesses from press watching sessions and seeinghow the players are lining up.

Of course, there's also the element that posters on here have a reputation for inventing team sheets, and presenting them as "leaked", often with no source attached to the leak

Not sure it will be far off, given what I've been hearing. Though dropping Ford would surprise me a tad.

[Digby]

if true squad, then both these, plus Lawes at 6 again. It does signal that Faz is undroppable and the number one 10 in reality.

Farrell probably was better the last game, but over a longer period... not so much.

Much easier from the outside to ignore of course a player like Farrell driving standards on and off the pitch

Which game?

I hate to reference Eddie's book again, but your second point is what he is very keen on; he is very vocal, even if not a great role model for on-field standards both technically an dbehaviourally.

Ireland

I can live with the idea Farrell is a great leader, but could he please stop talking about taking it up a level, if the team are buying into what Farrell is saying we must have gone up roughly 82,361 levels under his captaincy

[Mikey Brown]

I'd love to hear one of those player mic things for Farrell to know what it is he actually says on the pitch. He definitely says a lot and it appears to be quite effective.

[Banquo]

Farrell probably was better the last game, but over a longer period... not so much.

Much easier from the outside to ignore of course a player like Farrell driving standards on and off the pitch

Which game?

I hate to reference Eddie's book again, but your second point is what he is very keen on; he is very vocal, even if not a great role model for on-field standards both technically an dbehaviourally.

Ireland

I can live with the idea Farrell is a great leader, but could he please stop talking about taking it up a level, if the team are buying into what Farrell is saying we must have gone up roughly 82,361 levels under his captaincy

Better at 10?

[Banquo]

I'd love to hear one of those player mic things for Farrell to know what it is he actually says on the pitch. He definitely says a lot and it appears to be quite effective.

Its all in Northern rhyming slang so you wpuldn't understand.

[Stom]

Team leaked...

I disbelieve it.
I don't think there's been a single leaked teamsheet since EJ took over - and barely any accurate guesses from press watching sessions and seeinghow the players are lining up.

Of course, there's also the element that posters on here have a reputation for inventing team sheets, and presenting them as "leaked", often with no source attached to the leak

shh. It's got such a nice discussion going

The key is in making it as realistic as possible. I would not be surprised if that was the real team...

[Puja]

I'd love to hear one of those player mic things for Farrell to know what it is he actually says on the pitch. He definitely says a lot and it appears to be quite effective.

It appears to be quite effusive, certainly, but can anyone recall a time under his captaincy where we were behind and came back to win? Or where we started losing control of a game and arrested the slide?

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

I'd love to hear one of those player mic things for Farrell to know what it is he actually says on the pitch. He definitely says a lot and it appears to be quite effective.

It appears to be quite effusive, certainly, but can anyone recall a time under his captaincy where we were behind and came back to win? Or where we started losing control of a game and arrested the slide?

Puja

I remember a game against Wales fairly recently that wasn't going particularly well. Farrell came off the bench and I think we won.

Obviously the way that read in the media was that Farrell saved the game but I can't remember what actually happened. I don't remember anything like that when Ford was superb off the bench against Australia.

[Buggaluggs]

I remember a game against Wales fairly recently that wasn't going particularly well. Farrell came off the bench and I think we won.

Obviously the way that read in the media was that Farrell saved the game but I can't remember what actually happened. I don't remember anything like that when Ford was superb off the bench against Australia.

What? You lot may have scored more points, but you certainly didn't win.

[Stom]

I'd love to hear one of those player mic things for Farrell to know what it is he actually says on the pitch. He definitely says a lot and it appears to be quite effective.

It appears to be quite effusive, certainly, but can anyone recall a time under his captaincy where we were behind and came back to win? Or where we started losing control of a game and arrested the slide?

Puja

I can only remember us having late game upticks when Ford has been on the bench.

Surprising, really, when he's our most creative player.

What's the stat now about tries scored per minute when Ford is at 10 compared to when Farrell is at 10?

[Digby]

Which game?

I hate to reference Eddie's book again, but your second point is what he is very keen on; he is very vocal, even if not a great role model for on-field standards both technically an dbehaviourally.

Ireland

I can live with the idea Farrell is a great leader, but could he please stop talking about taking it up a level, if the team are buying into what Farrell is saying we must have gone up roughly 82,361 levels under his captaincy

Better at 10?

nein