Planet Rugby Forum

The team at the top of the league by miles supply just two players. Proves it's not about individual stats, doesn't it. Indeed, a thought exercise and nothing more. But it does highlight a few areas where Borthers is definitely deliberately picking players and ignoring form/stats. Disagree- I recko...

Lions Squad tomoz, Eng players would be:

Deffos:
Maro
Genge
Sink
Farrell
Smith
Curry T
Steward

Poss:
Arundell
VRR
Ribbans
Chessum
Malins
Lawes
Willis

Seb Atkinson is really impressive

Interesting revisionism- Moody started all four AN tests in 2002 over Back and Dallaglio and started the 2003 6N as first choice 6 with Hill at 8 and Backy at 7 but then got injured Out of 35 games from his debut until WC win, he played in 25, started in 17 of them and was injured for/or unavailabl...

Just to make you all worry a bit more, I've no idea how Hill has seemingly leapfrogged Ribbans. For a while now Hill been (to put it mildly) average for Sale, to the extent fans were thinking he should be dropped. This is primarily due to the amount of mistakes made and ludicrous penalties he was g...

IMO and for sure there are exceptions that can play anywhere with the proviso that barring a McCaw, Tipuric or a Hill then I want the right players in the right positions. I actually believe that 12 and 13 are under appreciated in terms of their specialised nature and their roles can vary the most ...

I always thought a 6 and 8 were interchangeable, but the 7 was a specialist. but maybe that's sooooo 2010 Here you go. Three examples: 1. Sam Simmonds has the skillsets/size of a 12 or 7. So, the gameplan sees him perform the skills of a 7 but playing at 8, using two massive flanker/lock skill sets...

I always thought a 6 and 8 were interchangeable, but the 7 was a specialist. but maybe that's sooooo 2010 Here you go. Three examples: 1. Sam Simmonds has the skillsets/size of a 12 or 7. So, the gameplan sees him perform the skills of a 7 but playing at 8, using two massive flanker/lock skill sets...

A 12 defending at 13 is abject terror. How many test sides currently play left and right centre? How many test centres play both 12 and 13 regularly? How often does a centre defend 12 or 13 from second/third phase? Depends if you’re talking first phase/set piece or a set defensive line? The clue is...

DragsterDriver wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 10:41 am A 12 defending at 13 is abject terror.

How many test sides currently play left and right centre?

How many test centres play both 12 and 13 regularly?

How often does a centre defend 12 or 13 from second/third phase?

That's not bullshit at all. A 12 sees a very different picture, on both sides of the ball, to what a 13 does. How you deal with those split-second inputs determines your efficacy. If you have to think just a fraction longer then you're out of position. So? That is down to skillset and system, not p...

I always thought a 6 and 8 were interchangeable, but the 7 was a specialist. but maybe that's sooooo 2010 Here you go. Three examples: 1. Sam Simmonds has the skillsets/size of a 12 or 7. So, the gameplan sees him perform the skills of a 7 but playing at 8, using two massive flanker/lock skill sets...

It's like this bollocks about 'he's a 12 not a 13' - absolute bullshit- it depends on the skillsets of the player, of others around them and the tactics desired or employed. That's not bullshit at all. A 12 sees a very different picture, on both sides of the ball, to what a 13 does. How you deal wi...

Sure. But flanker is less specialist. Most 6s can play 7 or 5. Most 7s can play 6. But most 8s generally play 8 because teams have a specialist 8. Because its a specialist position. All positions have specialisms in them. But to say that players are constrained by being able to only play in one or ...

My good god. Imagine Manu makes a couple of breaks and buys himself another year :lol: Nice that Smith seems to be taking the blame for the forwards. Him and willis the only ones dropped? It laughable isn’t it. How Sinkler has kept his place is anyone’s guess. Christ. jvP too of course. But the ide...

In the prem he gets time to pick good lines etc. international rugby isn’t like that. This absolute myth that test rugby is such a completely different game that there's no room for anyone with any ability to find space. It's just demonstrably nonsense. The fact is that that somebody who is more ad...

As I understand it (and I've not seen mail or DT yet)
FS, AW, HS, MT, MM, OF, AM

EG, JG, KS, JH, MO, LL, AD, BC.

This is really muddled thinking IMO. If you don't have a carrying threat off the back of the scrum the defence won't have to worry about it. Plus an 8 breaking off the back of a scrum can be devastingly effective too. Type of thing that can kill a contest. https://youtu.be/OKBDvopRc5A?t=69 There's ...

Yeah that clip of Aldritt running through the Gobi Desert is because of some kind of defensive breakdown. In this case, great shithousery from France. When you see Ollivon's work throughout that clip, these are some of the reasons why I believe him to be the best player in the world aside from Dupo...

This is really muddled thinking IMO. If you don't have a carrying threat off the back of the scrum the defence won't have to worry about it. Plus an 8 breaking off the back of a scrum can be devastingly effective too. Type of thing that can kill a contest. https://youtu.be/OKBDvopRc5A?t=69 There's ...

To illustrate Cm11's point- if a Lions squad was picked tomorrow, I suspect Val Rapava-Ruskin would be there or thereabouts as a bolter (certainly he'd be in discussions)- but he doesn't get on with Borthwick, hence not considered. A 30 year old who wasn't picked by Jones either? Jones picked him f...

Interesting revisionism- Moody started all four AN tests in 2002 over Back and Dallaglio and started the 2003 6N as first choice 6 with Hill at 8 and Backy at 7 but then got injured Out of 35 games from his debut until WC win, he played in 25, started in 17 of them and was injured for/or unavailabl...

I've been giving the Dommers thing some more thought, and I think I've arrived at a conclusion. He's a square peg in a round hole. What I mean by that, is that he plays in a Quins team which is absolutely controlled from 9. His relationship with Care is absolutely critical to enabling him to look g...

On subject of Pearson/LI

Chandler Cunningham-South is in this debate post RWC.

You keep saying 'this year' which actually means he played there for the month of January :lol: It is ironic because on skills, he's a 6 or 8, not a 7. He has a really quite excellent range of skills, and is very physical. I think his reputation is somewhat tainted by association with the bunch of ...

In 15 starts this season Ludlam has played 10 on the Flank. His career stats are Back Row : 104 times ( Openside Flanker 83%, Blindside Flanker 10%, Number 8 8% ). He has played this year at 8 exclusively for Saints. By your logic he shouldn't be playing at blindside for Eng as he's not played ther...

To illustrate Cm11's point- if a Lions squad was picked tomorrow, I suspect Val Rapava-Ruskin would be there or thereabouts as a bolter (certainly he'd be in discussions)- but he doesn't get on with Borthwick, hence not considered.

https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/epub_importer/data/TRP/trp_20220220_226263/ops/images/img_4-3.jpg You're right on second thoughts Jake. He's nasty, but he's definitely more compact than Kolisi and PSDT Recently, SA have used van Staden, Kwagga and Wiese at - 1.84m, 1.80m, 1.89m (...

So why do people lose their shit when Tom Curry is picked at 8? I actually can't recall an error he made there. Sure he's short on carry, but skill blends.... I think you've hit the nail on the head, inadvertently. If you pick him at 8, then your carrying needs to come from somewhere else. By which...

So, there's a good chance that we'll only have one Backrower in the position they play for their Club :( Ludlam has played >90% of his club games on the Flank - less than 10% at 8. Isiekwe has only started at Lock for Sarries this season. Ludlam has played for Saints at 8 exclusively this year- and...

So, there's a good chance that we'll only have one Backrower in the position they play for their Club :( Ludlam has played >90% of his club games on the Flank - less than 10% at 8. Isiekwe has only started at Lock for Sarries this season. Ludlam has played for Saints at 8 exclusively this year- and...

Hawk97 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:04 pm So why do people lose their shit when Tom Curry is picked at 8?

I actually can't recall an error he made there. Sure he's short on carry, but skill blends....

Hawk97 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:04 pm So why do people lose their shit when Tom Curry is picked at 8?

I actually can't recall an error he made there. Sure he's short on carry, but skill blends....

So, there's a good chance that we'll only have one Backrower in the position they play for their Club :( Ludlam has played >90% of his club games on the Flank - less than 10% at 8. Isiekwe has only started at Lock for Sarries this season. Ludlam has played for Saints at 8 exclusively this year- and...

bimboman wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:30 pm Ackkerman is EQ?

How’s he not been given a run ffs.

Has been for 16 months.

Why not? You've got two excellent, tough tacklers who are strong over the ball. That means that you don't need your 8 doing that job, and he can focus more on link play. (a) just reality generally (b) Willis and B. Curry are yet to show they're strong tacklers and good over the ball at the top leve...

All Blacks - Forwards Post 1987 LH (3): Craig Dowd, Tony Woodcock, Steve McDowall HK (3) : Fitzy, Dane Coles, K Mealamu TH (3): Olo Brown, Carl Hayman, Owen Franks Locks (6): Whitelock, Retallick, Thorn, Whetton, A Williams, I Jones Flankers (7) Michael Jones, R McCaw, J Kaino, J Kronfeld, A Whetto...

Dobbin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:47 pm I'd question Rod Timber as well...

At his best, unbelievable. SA 94, 97.....

Colclough ahead of Horton and Shaw. No love for Ripley either?? Ripley is in there. Disagree re Colclough......I'd put Maro, Ackford and Kruis ahead (in fact, Ackford over Horton) You do have A Ripley, mea culpa. I thought Colclough was a superb lock. But hey, we won't fall out over this! He was. H...

Eng- I picked 27 as a few I couldn't seperate. Prop: Stack Stevens, Fran Cotton, Jason, Woodman, Probyn Hooker: Pullin, Wheeler, Moore, Thompson Lock: Beaumont, Horton, Johnno, Dooley, Shaw Flankers: Uttley, Dixon, Winterbottom, Hill, Rodber, Back, Moody, Teague, Corry, Lawes No8 Ripley, Richards, ...

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