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You're a smart cookie, Geordie!geordie_6 wrote:For me, it is an indication that Vunipola is at least going to sit on the bench, provided he comes through training this week following his ankle knock. Waldrom retained in case he does not do so.
Praise from Caesar indeed.fatcat wrote:You're a smart cookie, Geordie!geordie_6 wrote:For me, it is an indication that Vunipola is at least going to sit on the bench, provided he comes through training this week following his ankle knock. Waldrom retained in case he does not do so.
fatcat wrote:More like Caligula, but without the Friday nights.
http://blogs.espnscrum.com/latest-news/ ... _kvesi.phpGloucester Rugby have confirmed the signing of Worcester Warriors' promising back-rower Matt Kvesic.
Kvesic has been training with England during the Six Nations but is not in the matchday squad for Sunday's Test against Ireland. But Gloucester boss Nigel Davies is expecting big things from the 20-year-old.
"Matt's a quality player, one we've admired for some time, and we're delighted that he's decided to commit to Gloucester Rugby," Davies said. "He's not yet 21, but already has considerable experience at Premiership level. The fact that England have called him up to train with them shows how much they think of him. He's a true openside, who does the fetching and gathering and acts as a link between backs and forwards. We're looking forward to him arriving in the summer."
geordie_6 wrote:Kvesic to Glaws confirmed.
http://blogs.espnscrum.com/latest-news/ ... _kvesi.phpGloucester Rugby have confirmed the signing of Worcester Warriors' promising back-rower Matt Kvesic.
Kvesic has been training with England during the Six Nations but is not in the matchday squad for Sunday's Test against Ireland. But Gloucester boss Nigel Davies is expecting big things from the 20-year-old.
"Matt's a quality player, one we've admired for some time, and we're delighted that he's decided to commit to Gloucester Rugby," Davies said. "He's not yet 21, but already has considerable experience at Premiership level. The fact that England have called him up to train with them shows how much they think of him. He's a true openside, who does the fetching and gathering and acts as a link between backs and forwards. We're looking forward to him arriving in the summer."
Great signing. I'm not sure where he'll fit in England's backrow long term, but I think he's too good to leave out. .If he continues to impress and develop, then perhaps Robshaw to 6 and Kvesic in at 7 in a year or so?Wendigo7 wrote:geordie_6 wrote:Kvesic to Glaws confirmed.
http://blogs.espnscrum.com/latest-news/ ... _kvesi.phpGloucester Rugby have confirmed the signing of Worcester Warriors' promising back-rower Matt Kvesic.
Kvesic has been training with England during the Six Nations but is not in the matchday squad for Sunday's Test against Ireland. But Gloucester boss Nigel Davies is expecting big things from the 20-year-old.
"Matt's a quality player, one we've admired for some time, and we're delighted that he's decided to commit to Gloucester Rugby," Davies said. "He's not yet 21, but already has considerable experience at Premiership level. The fact that England have called him up to train with them shows how much they think of him. He's a true openside, who does the fetching and gathering and acts as a link between backs and forwards. We're looking forward to him arriving in the summer."
ENGLAND’S endlessly fluid rugby has inherent perils – especially against suffocating opposition such as the Irish – but, going to Dublin for Sunday’s Test, this is exactly how they intend to continue playing.
In this, England “juveniles”, as former captain Phil Vickery admiringly called them, are running contrary to national rugby stereotype by running first New Zealand and then Scotland very nearly off their feet. Whether it can last is the next question.
There can be no coincidence that Mike Catt’s arrival as attacking skills coach has been followed by this development. Thirty-eight points make a handsome total in any international; to do so twice in a row is doubly impressive.
“It’s not been about me but about me fitting into the team and what’s best for the team,” said Catt. “I have been doing a lot of skills stuff, whether it’s offloading, speed of ball, putting guys in the right positions – and we’ve seen a benefit.
“Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t, and it came off last weekend against the Scots. But we face a completely different animal in the Irish, where we will have to adapt our play by the minute as circumstances arise.”
Adaptability has not always been a strong suit for England, certainly not in the years when their heavy emphasis on forward grind was a regular but never constant winning formula. Their Catt-influenced game is far more attuned to each game and each opposition.
Asking Owen Farrell to name his top five fly-halves, past or present, serves as a jolting reminder to both how brief and dazzling his association with rugby union has been.
While the England No 10 admits drawing inspiration from the likes of Ireland's Jonathan Sexton, who will be his opposite number at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, and also name-checks Dan Carter and Jonny Wilkinson, two of his answers are drawn from rugby league.
“I watched and played only rugby league until I was 14,” the 21-year-old Farrell said. “I obviously knew about the Dan Carters and Jonny Wilkinsons when I was growing up watching the international game but I would also name rugby league players, the likes of Darren Lockyer [former Australia and Brisbane Broncos stand-off] and Andrew Johns [former Australia and Newcastle Knights stand-off].”
Farrell was selected for England’s Under-16 union side after his father made his cross-code switch, leaving Wigan to sign for Saracens.
Having backed up his imperious display in the victory against New Zealand in December by stage-managing with aplomb England’s opening RBS Six Nations win against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday, Farrell is now emerging as one of the foundation stones of the side Stuart Lancaster is constructing in the mission to win the 2015 World Cup.
The metronomic accuracy of his place-kicking has already drawn comparisons with Wilkinson, the hero of England’s 2003 World Cup triumph.
His first 13 caps have yielded 127 points – 34 penalties, 11 conversions and one dropped goal from 55 kicks at goal – with a success rate of 82 per cent.
Yet against Scotland, it was not just his 18-point kicking haul that caught the eye but also his greater attacking threat and wider range of passing, most notably from the long floated pass that created the space for Geoff Parling to score his first England try in the 38-18 victory.
Significantly, Farrell highlights the role of Mike Catt, England’s attacking skills coach, in having a major influence on broadening his game, while England’s greater overall tempo has also encouraged him to attack space more frequently.
“He [Catt] helps me with everything after training, whether it be kicking, passing – all my skills,” Farrell said.
“I always stay behind and do with him so especially from a personal point of view he has been brilliant. He has obviously got masses of experience as well in the international game and it is brilliant to draw upon it when you are having a chat with him.
“When a person has got that many caps and played to the level he did for so long, you listen to everything that comes out of his mouth. I definitely do that because he has got that much experience and knows what he is talking about.
“You want to feel as comfortable as you can going into the game and you do that by preparing well. I do a lot of kicking with him and passing and different things as well. It has made a massive difference.”
He tweeted earlier that he's nicknamed himself Django.mr flaps wrote:Any news on Anthony Watson?
fatcat wrote:He tweeted earlier that he's nicknamed himself Django.mr flaps wrote:Any news on Anthony Watson?
Thought you lot might be curious to see Catt being bigged up by the media and the players. Evidently notfatcat wrote:Why are you making some text smaller and some larger?
http://forum.planet-rugby.co.uk/viewtop ... f#p1256984mr flaps wrote:fatcat wrote:He tweeted earlier that he's nicknamed himself Django.mr flaps wrote:Any news on Anthony Watson?
What
Crumpton dropped finally. Shame Watson is injured.geordie_6 wrote:England U20s side to face Ireland tomorrow:
15 Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)
14 Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs)
13 Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
12 Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
10 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
9 Alex Day (Northampton Saints)
1 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)
6 Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)
7 Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs)
8 Jack Clifford (C) (Harlequins)
Replacements:
16 Max Crumpton (Saracens)
17 Nathan Morris (London Wasps)
18 Danny Herriott (Northampton Saints)
19 Tom Jubb (Saracens)
20 Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
21 Nathan Fowles (Sale Sharks)
22 Will Hooley (Northampton Saints)
23 Tom Collins (Northampton Saints)
That is depressing, unless Billy V wasn't fully fit.openclashXX wrote:Mail is reporting the lineup is as expected, Hask at 6, Wood at 8, Manu and Waldrom on the bench, everywhere else the same.
He is a solid player, and it isn't necessarily his ability that I'm disappointed with, I was just very keen to see Billy V get into the matchday 23 as soon as possible.fatcat wrote:While not as exciting a prospect as Billy V, I wouldn't call it depressing. Waldrom is a good grafter and great with ball in hand.
Factoid: Waldrom is yet to miss a tackle at international level.
Dad played in Wales, the kids ended up in the England system at a young age.Crawford. wrote:What are the poaching credentials of the Vunipolas?
Not brilliant under a high ball either. These things will hopefully come but he's not ready yet IMO.JM2K6 wrote:Billy is a real talent but there's some issues with his game - discipline and control at the base of the scrum. He's not the all-rounder that Waldrom is.
Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.
A position he hasn't played in years? Against the Irish in Dublin?SELondon wrote:Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.
If that happens, and he goes well, toga should be unbanned for comedySELondon wrote:Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.
I didn't say it was good coveropenclashXX wrote:A position he hasn't played in years? Against the Irish in Dublin?SELondon wrote:Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.
When he played on the wing I think he just ran over people. Not so easy in the seniorsopenclashXX wrote:A position he hasn't played in years? Against the Irish in Dublin?SELondon wrote:Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.
His gameplay hasn't changed THAT much then...Anonymous wrote:When he played on the wing I think he just ran over people. Not so easy in the seniorsopenclashXX wrote:A position he hasn't played in years? Against the Irish in Dublin?SELondon wrote:Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.
Overweight and dodgy haircut, 2/10 WNB.Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When he played on the wing I think he just ran over people. Not so easy in the seniorsopenclashXX wrote:A position he hasn't played in years? Against the Irish in Dublin?SELondon wrote:Tuilagi on the wing.openclashXX wrote:Worried about what happens if one of the back three gets injured on the weekend. We lack cover.