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Sam Simmonds

Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 5:50 pm
by jngf
Given Sam Simmond’s been playing flanker a lot for Montpellier recently, in the light of Billy V taking the no.8 spot, does this increase his chances of playing test rugby again were he to choose to return to England? I actually think to some extent Ben Earl has been a good tribute act to Sam in the context of the test 8 berth, though neither is necessarily the long term answer at 8 given the compelling argument for a more direct ball carrying approach there. However, given Simmonds’ and Earls’ pace some sort of flying flanker impact player role might prove priceless?

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 6:03 pm
by Mikey Brown
Jesus fucking Christ.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 6:23 pm
by FKAS
Mikey Brown wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 6:03 pm Jesus fucking Christ.
Really not a normal Christmas greeting...

Sam Simmonds and his brother seem quite happy taking the big cash in France so I don't foresee anything changing.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 9:50 pm
by Banquo
Mikey Brown wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 6:03 pm Jesus fucking Christ.
:lol: :lol:
Or… he’s 30, he’s ineligible, and we don’t exactly have a shortage of back row players who are younger and also eligible.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 10:16 pm
by TheNomad
Mikey Brown wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 6:03 pm Jesus fucking Christ.
Agreed

Massive “no” from me. We’ve got loads of great options in the back row. No need at all

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 7:38 am
by twitchy
What's tom croft up too these days?

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:19 am
by Oakboy
Mind you, he remains a lesson to SB - pick a quality player at the peak of his form.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:08 am
by FKAS
twitchy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 7:38 am What's tom croft up too these days?
Pre and post game corporate work at Welford Road on match days.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:29 am
by Mikey Brown
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:19 am Mind you, he remains a lesson to SB - pick a quality player at the peak of his form.
Does he? I mean he could reasonably have been given a bit more of a go, or earlier, but I’m not sure he’s ever shown anything to make it seem like a huge missed opportunity.

The Exeter machine in that period was such a unique thing that I think it’s hard to judge the players in a different context.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:50 am
by Puja
Mikey Brown wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:29 am
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:19 am Mind you, he remains a lesson to SB - pick a quality player at the peak of his form.
Does he? I mean he could reasonably have been given a bit more of a go, or earlier, but I’m not sure he’s ever shown anything to make it seem like a huge missed opportunity.

The Exeter machine in that period was such a unique thing that I think it’s hard to judge the players in a different context.
Was coming here to say similar - he didn't get given a massive go at international level, but he has got 20 caps with 9 of them being starts and I can't remember an occasion where I saw him play for England/Lions and thought he **needed** to be in the team next week. Poor man's Dombrandt.

Puja

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:06 am
by Oakboy
Puja wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:50 am
Mikey Brown wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:29 am
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:19 am Mind you, he remains a lesson to SB - pick a quality player at the peak of his form.
Does he? I mean he could reasonably have been given a bit more of a go, or earlier, but I’m not sure he’s ever shown anything to make it seem like a huge missed opportunity.

The Exeter machine in that period was such a unique thing that I think it’s hard to judge the players in a different context.
Was coming here to say similar - he didn't get given a massive go at international level, but he has got 20 caps with 9 of them being starts and I can't remember an occasion where I saw him play for England/Lions and thought he **needed** to be in the team next week. Poor man's Dombrandt.

Puja
Ah well, our memories differ. He was a try machine and the best 8 in the country, IMO. Unfortunately, he was not a 20 stone battering ram as our dated game plan required. Whatever. The irony for me is that Earl and Dombrandt are ahead of Willis in SB's apparent ranking. So, the best physical carrier is now 3rd choice. As ever, it's about balance but it's also about innovation and creation. From an overall position of strength (in terms of availability of options), our back-row as a unit has under-performed for the last 5 or 6 games. I think the common factor from the Simmonds era is sticking with the tried and tested when newer options might offer more. What could not be done with Simmonds was just pick him instead of BV. I think, currently, no combination of Curry(s), Earl, Dombrandt and Underhill fits. I would stick with CCS but try new combinations for the other three picks in the 23.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:21 am
by p/d
Puja wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:50 am Poor man's Dombrandt.

Puja
Jesus Fucking Christ

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:53 am
by Mellsblue
FKAS wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:08 am
twitchy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 7:38 am What's tom croft up too these days?
Pre and post game corporate work at Welford Road on match days.
The reply this thread deserves.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:52 am
by TheNomad
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:06 am
Puja wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:50 am
Mikey Brown wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:29 am

Does he? I mean he could reasonably have been given a bit more of a go, or earlier, but I’m not sure he’s ever shown anything to make it seem like a huge missed opportunity.

The Exeter machine in that period was such a unique thing that I think it’s hard to judge the players in a different context.
Was coming here to say similar - he didn't get given a massive go at international level, but he has got 20 caps with 9 of them being starts and I can't remember an occasion where I saw him play for England/Lions and thought he **needed** to be in the team next week. Poor man's Dombrandt.

Puja
Ah well, our memories differ. He was a try machine and the best 8 in the country, IMO. Unfortunately, he was not a 20 stone battering ram as our dated game plan required. Whatever. The irony for me is that Earl and Dombrandt are ahead of Willis in SB's apparent ranking. So, the best physical carrier is now 3rd choice. As ever, it's about balance but it's also about innovation and creation. From an overall position of strength (in terms of availability of options), our back-row as a unit has under-performed for the last 5 or 6 games. I think the common factor from the Simmonds era is sticking with the tried and tested when newer options might offer more. What could not be done with Simmonds was just pick him instead of BV. I think, currently, no combination of Curry(s), Earl, Dombrandt and Underhill fits. I would stick with CCS but try new combinations for the other three picks in the 23.
He was a good player, but he was never one I felt we suffered for having left out.


I’d argue Mercer is probably more deserving than Simmonds was, and not too concerned about him either. Would prefer T Willis to both.


Simmonds had a whole game plan crafted around him, that worked for Exeter, but I don’t think he was good enough to merit it for England.

Excellent club player. Respectable international. Not more

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:11 pm
by Which Tyler
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:06 amAh well, our memories differ.
More to the point, opinions at the time differed.
My memory suggests that there were 3-4 posters absolutely insistent that he was the next big thing, and everyone else failing to see it.
From the looks of this thread, 2 of the posters who thought he was mustard, think he was mustard, and everyone else is largely failing to see it.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:12 pm
by Puja
p/d wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:21 am
Puja wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:50 am Poor man's Dombrandt.

Puja
Jesus Fucking Christ
No charge :P

Puja

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:26 pm
by Mikey Brown
Which Tyler wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:11 pm
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:06 amAh well, our memories differ.
More to the point, opinions at the time differed.
My memory suggests that there were 3-4 posters absolutely insistent that he was the next big thing, and everyone else failing to see it.
From the looks of this thread, 2 of the posters who thought he was mustard, think he was mustard, and everyone else is largely failing to see it.
I thought there was potential he could have been a real asset, but aside from those two great darts vs Italy I don’t remember much.

Beyond being a pacey linebreaker and getting on the end of maul tries he had an uncanny ability to wrestle through tackles close to the line, but somehow it didn’t seem to translate elsewhere.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 3:56 pm
by Danno
Mikey Brown wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:26 pm
Which Tyler wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:11 pm
Oakboy wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:06 amAh well, our memories differ.
More to the point, opinions at the time differed.
My memory suggests that there were 3-4 posters absolutely insistent that he was the next big thing, and everyone else failing to see it.
From the looks of this thread, 2 of the posters who thought he was mustard, think he was mustard, and everyone else is largely failing to see it.
I thought there was potential he could have been a real asset, but aside from those two great darts vs Italy I don’t remember much.

Beyond being a pacey linebreaker and getting on the end of maul tries he had an uncanny ability to wrestle through tackles close to the line, but somehow it didn’t seem to translate elsewhere.
Sounds a lot like Jack Nowell tbh. When's he due back?

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 5:44 pm
by Timbo
I’m fairly certain that he’s a long way down the road to agreeing a deal with another French team- Lyon or Pau, I forget which. Montpellier didn’t offer him a new contract.

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 5:48 pm
by Danno
Oh that's a shame we don't really have any wingers, much as we have a dearth of back rowers

Re: Sam Simmonds

Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:37 pm
by francoisfou
Timbo wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 5:44 pm I’m fairly certain that he’s a long way down the road to agreeing a deal with another French team- Lyon or Pau, I forget which. Montpellier didn’t offer him a new contract.
Yes, it’s said that he’s agreed to sign for Lyon from next season.