RugbyRebels

The upcoming tour and being shorn of Lions absentees has got me thinking about a realistic depth chart.

Here’s my take (in order of SB’s assumed preference).

I’ve been strict on only including players who he has used or have selected been in recent A squads (so presumably on the radar). Uncapped players are in italics.

1. E. Genge / F. Baxter / B. Rodd / B. Obano / E. Iyogun / T. Haffar / P. Brantingham
2. L. Cowan-Dickie / J. George / T. Dan / C. Langdon / G. Oghre / N. Jibulu / J. Blamire
3. W. Stuart / J. Heyes / A. Opoku-Fordjour / A. Fasogbon / T. Davison / L. Green / G. Kloska / V. Sela
4. M. Itoje / A. Coles / N. Isiekwe / J. Batley / T. Lockett
5. O. Chessum / G. Martin / A. Clark / C.Ewels / H. Tizard
6. T. Curry / C. Cunningham-South / T. Hill / E. Roots / J. Kenningham
7. B. Earl / B. Curry / S. Underhill / H. Pollock / G. Pepper / T. Pearson
8. T. Willis / A. Dombrandt / A. Barbeary / G. Fisilau
9. A. Mitchell / J. van Poortvliet / H. Randall / B. Spencer / R. Quirke / W. Porter / A. McParland
10. F. Smith / M. Smith / G. Ford / C. Atkinson / O. Bailey
11. T. Freeman / O. Sleightholme / O. Hassell-Collins / W. Muir / G. Ibitoye
12. F. Dingwall / H. Slade / M. Ojomoh / A. Lozowski / J. Woodward / W. Butt
13. O. Lawrence / O. Beard / L. Northmore
14. I. Feyi-Waboso / T. Roebuck / C. Murley / A. Radwan
15. G. Furbank / F. Steward / J. Carpenter / G. Hendy / M. Malins / H. Arundell

The other uncapped players on the radar but yet to feature are:

1. ?
2. K. Tuipolotu / S. Blake
3. ?
4. ?
5. B. Bamber
6. ?
7. E. Ilione
8. F. Harding
9. ?
10. J. Benson / C. Donoghue
11. C. Cleaves
12. S. Atkinson / O. Hartley / B. Waghorn
13. R. Ma’asi-White*
14. P. Brown-Bampoe
15. J. Hodge / T. de Glanville

*has played 12 and 13

Unavailable:

O. Farrell, J. Marchant, K. Sinckler, D. Ribbans, S. Simmonds, J. Simmonds, J. Hill, Kpoku (I think the Vunipolas retired from international rugby?)

There may be a few I’ve missed, but I’ve tried to capture anyone that’s had a serious mention (either from England or from us).

Arundell?

Elliott, Butt, Capstick and Shillcock all played in the last A game.

Tuima was in the A game before that.

Seb Blake, Blamire, Singleton at hooker

Callum Chick

Ludlow

Also was thinking about the full back depth, is Malins completely out of favour? Bad injury but think he’ll be back for pre season and heading back to Sarries.

Unclear where he’ll play but he left to go to Bristol because he wanted to play full back so probably there I guess.

Josh Hodge

Edit: missed that you’d got him already

Junior Kpoku should be in the unavailable

Johnny Hill at lock

Radwan.

Added most of those mentioned but I’m drawing the line at Chick and Ludlow.

Borthwick’s shown zero interest in either and, given the depth in the back row it would take a crisis of unimaginable magnitude for them to feature.

Chick’s move to Saints will give him a better platform but I still don’t think he’s likely to be in the frame.

It's only a positional preference but I think Freeman should be our first choice 13 - firstly, because I think he is the best all-round player for the slot and, secondly, because we have such strength in wingers. I will be interested to see if Farrell reaches the same conclusion in Aus for the red shirts.

Oh mate, he's played at 13 about 10 times and never at international level. As his main champion on this board you'd want Slade at 12 as well? I don't understand the thinking

Danno wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 10:51 am Oh mate, he's played at 13 about 10 times and never at international level. As his main champion on this board you'd want Slade at 12 as well? I don't understand the thinking

He started at 13 against Wales and scored a try. IMO, he looked completely comfortable in the role and I think his ceiling in the shirt is beyond that of any other contenders.

Long-term yes, but really does need to be playing there more for Saints.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 11:24 am

Danno wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 10:51 am Oh mate, he's played at 13 about 10 times and never at international level. As his main champion on this board you'd want Slade at 12 as well? I don't understand the thinking

He started at 13 against Wales and scored a try. IMO, he looked completely comfortable in the role and I think his ceiling in the shirt is beyond that of any other contenders.

As Danno said, never at international level

p/d wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 1:07 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 11:24 am

Danno wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 10:51 am Oh mate, he's played at 13 about 10 times and never at international level. As his main champion on this board you'd want Slade at 12 as well? I don't understand the thinking

He started at 13 against Wales and scored a try. IMO, he looked completely comfortable in the role and I think his ceiling in the shirt is beyond that of any other contenders.

As Danno said, never at international level

Wales played all their Lions, didn't they?

VRR needs a thought and, apparently, Tyrone Green is available in July??

So this was supposed to be a reflection of our current depth, not a collection of eligible players.

At various points over the past 10yrs or so, VRR should have had a look in. But now he’s 32 and rarely strings two games together, that time has definitely passed.

Green isn’t currently eligible and lacks the kicking game and defensive solidity to be a test fullback. I don’t see him getting any interest from England.

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 8:29 pm Green isn’t currently eligible and lacks the kicking game and defensive solidity to be a test fullback. I don’t see him getting any interest from England.

Yep. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if SA (or whoever a player's national side originally was before residency kicked in) aren't interested, why should we be?

p/d wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 1:07 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 11:24 am

Danno wrote: ↑Sat May 10, 2025 10:51 am Oh mate, he's played at 13 about 10 times and never at international level. As his main champion on this board you'd want Slade at 12 as well? I don't understand the thinking

He started at 13 against Wales and scored a try. IMO, he looked completely comfortable in the role and I think his ceiling in the shirt is beyond that of any other contenders.

As Danno said, never at international level

I always liked him at 15 but I suppose I’ll just have to let that one go…

Devoto?



I’ll get me coat.

Thanks for pulling this together - definitely highlights why we want players like Fisilau to kick on, and why centre still feels like a gap

Oh, also - J. Willis on unavailable

I wonder if Jack will ever come back. He's had potentially career ending injuries in a white shirt, is outstanding at Toulouse, he and his family must enjoy living there (or they wouldn't have hung about for 3 years) and is probably on some good cheese.

Short of Toulouse suddenly deciding they won't or can't renew his contract, whenever that's up, or maybe wanting to be closer to the wider family, I don't know why he'd bother.