RugbyRebels

I think Eddie may have actually done the impossible and picked the best 23 available! I never thought I'd see the day but he has selected a great bunch of 23 players.

There may be some arguments about Haskell, Nowell and Farrell, but im pretty sure most people would be happy with Clifford, Daly and tuilagi taking their place.

No Wood
No Barrett
No Goode.

We may even have an explosive and balanced bench.

All in all things are looking up.

Really happy with the direction…

Now, if we can fix the backrow, and fix scrumhalf, and not play Farrell at 12…

Oh and find better players in lots of the other positions then it'll be amazing

from the other thread
ENGLAND SQUAD:


Forwards (14)
Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)

Backs (10)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Brookes displaces Hill, George has a knock hence LCD.

Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

think you are right on both counts....but Goode shouldn't really have been there on balance in the first place. Hill looked a better carrier than Brookes.

Banquo wrote:

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

think you are right on both counts....but Goode shouldn't really have been there on balance in the first place. Hill looked a better carrier than Brookes.

Agree regards Goode, never seen him as a quality test player.

Hill, on the other hand, looks the dogs nuts. See him taking to the international arena with ease, dare I say it but in the same way as Kruis has.

Brookes looks like a Davey 'boy' Wilson in the making.

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Puja wrote:

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Puja, I don't want Goode anywhere near the side.

Puja wrote:

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Whilst I agree on Goode, not sure why its any different now to the first 6N game- so maybe its a slow admission of error...

I'm not quite so 'wary' on Hill, who just looks the part.

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Whilst I agree on Goode, not sure why its any different now to the first 6N game- so maybe its a slow admission of error...

I'm not quite so 'wary' on Hill, who just looks the part.

The fact he spent the full 80 on the bench for both the Scotland and Ireland game would suggest an element of uncertainty.

Wonder if we will get to see a Tuilagi and Daly pairing at some stage.

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:

p/d wrote:Having watched Sarries v Saints I thought Goode had one of his better games and Hill looked an improvement on Brookes in all departments.

Proof, if needed, I know nothing.....

True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Whilst I agree on Goode, not sure why its any different now to the first 6N game- so maybe its a slow admission of error...

I'm not quite so 'wary' on Hill, who just looks the part.

Hill looks like he has all the tools to be absolutely outstanding. However I'd like for him to be an asset to the team for the next decade and bit, rather than look the business for a couple of years then "do a Corbs" and spend most of his time broken.
The best way I can see for that to happen is i) not overplaying him at such a young age and ii) having at least one other good option so that he can be rested without a massive step down in quality and I think Brookes will certainly allow for that.

16th man wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:
True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Whilst I agree on Goode, not sure why its any different now to the first 6N game- so maybe its a slow admission of error...

I'm not quite so 'wary' on Hill, who just looks the part.

Hill looks like he has all the tools to be absolutely outstanding. However I'd like for him to be an asset to the team for the next decade and bit, rather than look the business for a couple of years then "do a Corbs" and spend most of his time broken.
The best way I can see for that to happen is i) not overplaying him at such a young age and ii) having at least one other good option so that he can be rested without a massive step down in quality and I think Brookes will certainly allow for that.

Overplayed for club or country? Because so far at international level there is little to no fear of him suffering such.

16th man wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:
True enough, but we don't need a specialist 15 on the bench and I'd rather see Brookes get the nod over Hill for the time being as the more experienced man, with a longer run of having shown it at a high level. Plus, I am very wary of Hill being overpromoted too much in his youth.

Puja

Whilst I agree on Goode, not sure why its any different now to the first 6N game- so maybe its a slow admission of error...

I'm not quite so 'wary' on Hill, who just looks the part.

Hill looks like he has all the tools to be absolutely outstanding. However I'd like for him to be an asset to the team for the next decade and bit, rather than look the business for a couple of years then "do a Corbs" and spend most of his time broken.
The best way I can see for that to happen is i) not overplaying him at such a young age and ii) having at least one other good option so that he can be rested without a massive step down in quality and I think Brookes will certainly allow for that.

He's hardly being overplayed, don't really see the issue with him continuing to bench for England, frankly. I don't recall suggesting he start.

I'm actually in a state of shock at no Goode. Never thought I'd see the day.......

Beasties wrote:I'm actually in a state of shock at no Goode. Never thought I'd see the day.......

He's excused boots, fancies a trip to New Jersey so EJ has let him go!

Banquo wrote:He's hardly being overplayed, don't really see the issue with him continuing to bench for England, frankly. I don't recall suggesting he start.

He's already breached my maximum of 600 minutes for Saints this season (716 min); not to mention his 5 starts (337 min) at the JRWC in June

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote:He's hardly being overplayed, don't really see the issue with him continuing to bench for England, frankly. I don't recall suggesting he start.

He's already breached my maximum of 600 minutes for Saints this season; + 5 starts (337 min) at the JRWC in June

If we're trying trying to minimise his playing time then Eng's bench is the best place for him.

Travelling reserve, surely

George out of 6N now.

That's a real shame for Jamie George. He was looking fantastic this season.

The press says it could be 10 weeks

Oakboy wrote:George out of 6N now.

This is bad news.

I'm looking forward to seeing LCD though. He's an immense talent and his lineouts improved massively this season. However, thinking about it, I reckon we'll now see Hartley playing the full 80 these last 2 games unless injured.

Oakboy wrote:George out of 6N now.

Stuck with Hartley for a while longer then

Which Tyler wrote:

Banquo wrote:He's hardly being overplayed, don't really see the issue with him continuing to bench for England, frankly. I don't recall suggesting he start.

He's already breached my maximum of 600 minutes for Saints this season (716 min); not to mention his 5 starts (337 min) at the JRWC in June

Fair dinkum. He was getting a good rest with England though