Planet Rugby Forum

Hells Bells

even the worst England sides of the mid-2000s were anchored by genuinely destructive scrummaging props and maybe this has been neutered out of the game slightly by the changes in scrum engagement laws, but as a unit currently I'd put England as the worst scrummaging side of the 6Ns in the past 2-3 ...

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Yeah don't get the obsession with Wilson. He's virtually a poor man's robshaw at this point. Agree with you on Ford. Ill stuck up for Wilson here, what he does is the work that Billy doesn’t do in that he’ll get to more attacking rucks than anyone to give us fastball and superb defence in the tight...

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Ludlam has slipped way down the backrow rankings then? Has Wilson played any rugby since the restart? Who the hell is Jack Clement? Ludlam is self isolating after playing Sale so wasn’t considered and Wilson’s last game was March 7th against Wales in the 6N.

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Lawes was the starting blindside the whole of the 6 nations so Willis would be replacing him as a flanker.

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Lawes is out for 3 months so misses the autumn games, probably a good thing as it gives Eddie the chance to bring in Willis.

Wonder who will get the 4th lock spot, assume Hill must be favourite as I can’t remember Moon doing anything recently.

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I would say that he showed up well in the Barbarians game last year alongside Marchant I think and that was just before his cancer diagnosis.

If he gets back to that level with match fitness he’ll do well for Wales.

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Don’t know if it’s been posted already but Johnny Williams off to Scarlets from Falcons, viewed as Parkes replacement and another good English centre out of contention.

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The double act are back and talking bollocks once again :smug: Stuart Barnes No 1: Dan Carter (New Zealand) Granted, the 2005 British & Irish Lions were toothless but still, Carter’s second-Test performance against them in Wellington was as close to perfection as any 80 minutes I have seen from anyo...

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Club owners have apparently vetoed Itoje moving to Racing 92 on loan for a season.

RFU and Eddie happy that it qualified as ‘exceptional circumstances’ but the owners disagreed. On the side of the RFU with this one.

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Just in relation to who won’t be available for the Japan tour, Russ Petty has totalled the playing time of the RWC squad:

The RWC warm ups don’t count apparently

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51809786 Some England players including Youngs close or have hit 20 games this year so cant go to Japan. Kitson in the Guardian reckons EJ will be taking a developmental squad - assuming the tour isn't Corona'd off. Most of the starting XV will be excluded. O...

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Most England games making 20 or more tackles since 2012:
6 - Wilson (11 starts)
5 - Robshaw (65)
4 - Itoje (36) / Underhill (14)
3 - Curry (23) / Lawes (50)

Not bad considering he’s only played one full match since September.

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The welsh selection looks like they’re going to try an play a very fast game, Shingler covering 2nd row and Evans back into the front row doesn’t really scream “we’re going to take you on in an arm wrestle”.

Navidi back is a worry, a complete nuisance at the breakdown.

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polyallstar wrote:Why did he retire, missed that tbh

has gone into business making electric charging points

https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/domesti ... rthampton/

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Listening to the Blood & Mud podcast and they mentioned about Dom Barrow’s retirement at the age of 26. Feel like that is a bit of loss considering his potential, apparently fell out of love with rugby after missing out on the 2017 Argentina tour. Always thought when watching him at Falcons and then...

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Any predictions for the team on Saturday? Doubt Eddie will look to change much apart from maybe dropping Marler for Mako. Would like us to change it up slightly though: Marler, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Curry, Underhill, Wilson Youngs, Ford, May, Farrell, Tuilagi, Watson, Daly Subs: LCD, Genge...

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Mark Wilson has been recalled into the squad ahead of England’s next Guinness Six Nations match against Wales at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 7 March (KO 4.45pm). In addition, apprentice Alex Mitchell will join up with the squad and George Furbank will be in camp for rehabilitation. Mako Vunipola...

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Joost wrote:Mark Wilson recalled to the squad for Wales - some sense breaking-out at last?

Ideally for Wales you’d see Wilson start at 8 with Curry moved back to 6 but can see Eddie keeping the same team sheet as the Ireland game.

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Lawes at 6 has never worked, why does EJ keep trying it?

I can’t see how putting Earl at 8, Curry at 6 and Thorley on the wing is worse.

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Reporters saying that Daly to fullback, Joseph on the wing and Lawes into the backrow again

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The Guardian reporting that the RFU are cutting Champiomship clubs funding by 50% from next season

A lot of sides are going to be looking at cutting costs, effectively will ring fence the Premiership you’d presume.

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croyals wrote:Who are we going to get in as coach who is better than EJ?

Scott Robertson would be an interesting appointment if Baxter isn’t looking to take it for a few years.

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England starting XV 15 George Furbank (Northampton Saints, uncapped) 14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 52 caps) 13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 40 caps) 12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 79 caps) C 11 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 39 caps) 10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 65 caps) 9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tiger...

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Just don’t understand the reasoning, we have never looked good with Lawes at 6 and surely the past year Eddie should realise that playing a balanced backrow actually vastly improves us?

Wonder if Wilson was fit if he would have been in at no.8?

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Lawes at 6

you’d think Eddie would have learned from 2018 not to put him anywhere but in the second row and ideally on the bench.

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Could see him starting Ludlum at 8 having been in the RWC squad.

Can’t see the first team being that different from the RWC even with all these additions (it’s a mess of a squad mind).

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I doubt he’s going to leapfrog Wyn-Jones, Beard, Ball and Hill into starting, maybe the Italy game he might be given a cap.

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Rugby Pass reporting Kruis is next out of the door at Sarries and heading to Japan at the end of the season. Bit of a blow for England as I’d have him as first choice alongside Maro.

Who is the next 2nd row in line after Lawes/Launchbury? Ewels or Jonny Hill?

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Talk on Twitter that Saracens players may forego the 6 nations in favour of trying to avoid relegation. Not sure how that’s works with the EPS etc, but would be an interesting selection headache for Eddie, should be able to field a competitive team still?: Marler, LCD, Sinckler, Launchbury, Lawes, C...

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England head coach Eddie Jones believes he made a selection error for the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa, admitting he missed an opportunity to refresh the squad that beat New Zealand a week previously. Jones is overseeing the Barbarians this week for the invitational side’s match again...

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Could see some of the fringe members of the RWC squad go, something like the following (can you tell I’m bored at work):

Genge, LCD, Williams, Launchbury, Ewels, Shields, Ludlam, Dombrandt
Robson, Smith, Cokanasiga, Mills, Joseph, Thorley, Furbank

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England will face the Brave Blossoms in a two-Test series in Oita (4 July) and Kobe (11 July)

Premiership final is on the 20th June and assume most of the starters from the RWC will be rested so not a clue what kind of squad Eddie will take.

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Oxbow wrote:
DragsterDriver wrote:Hill’s form fell off the planet.
Hence the Dorian West ruined him.

He broke Brookes as well, remember the clamour for him to replace Cole in Eddies first 6 nations before he fell off a cliff.

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Cole doing the full 80

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Heinz looked like he was struggling at the end and with strapping on the leg didn’t look great.

Hopefully he’ll be fit for next week

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Seems to have been the case a number of times recently where one defeat has caused a dramatic impact on a team/coach that has lasted far longer than you would expect. Two that stand out in the past couple of seasons: Ireland 20 - 32 England Ireland off the back of a fantastic 2018, expected to win t...

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NZ media reporting S Barrett will replace Cane with Savea shifting to 7 to target the line out with 4 jumpers

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The no 1 and no 2 ranked sides as well now regardless of what happens tonight. These are the 2 best teams in the world. (Wafer thin difference in talent as well.) Really..so how many England players make it into a combined hypothetical team? NEW ZEALAND – ENGLAND COMBINED XV 15 Ben Smith (NZ), 14 S...

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Is it wrong that after all the pissing and moaning from the Irish over the past few weeks I am thoroughly enjoying seeing them get crushed by NZ? They’ve mostly been pricks since Brexit kicked off, Been a lot of ugly comments on here and it’s just spilled over into the rugby. I thought last year th...

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Still not a massive fan of that back row and would have kept Marler in the starting team plus Wilson over Ludlam on the bench.

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