collapse collapse

Please donate to help towards the costs of keeping this site going. Thank You.

Recent Topics

Gordon Cowans by CT Villan
[Today at 02:12:50 AM]


Other Games - 2023/24 by Brazilian Villain
[Today at 01:07:18 AM]


Chris Heck - President of Business Operations by VillaTim
[March 28, 2024, 11:45:01 PM]


COLD BLOW LANE ... 1967 to 1975 ... Did anyone (dare to) visit the Den? by dcdavecollett
[March 28, 2024, 11:02:33 PM]


Youri Tielemans (confirmed) by Somniloquism
[March 28, 2024, 10:54:34 PM]


FFP by AV82EC
[March 28, 2024, 10:36:39 PM]


All aboard the shuttle bus. by Demitri_C
[March 28, 2024, 10:29:02 PM]


GUESS THE CROWD R22: ASTON VILLA v Wolves, Saturday 30th March! 🥧 by ironmaidenmania
[March 28, 2024, 08:43:00 PM]

Recent Posts

Re: Gordon Cowans by CT Villan
[Today at 02:12:50 AM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by JD
[Today at 01:37:32 AM]


Re: Other Games - 2023/24 by Brazilian Villain
[Today at 01:07:18 AM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by Percy McCarthy
[Today at 01:05:25 AM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by The Left Side
[Today at 12:52:12 AM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by tomd2103
[Today at 12:47:19 AM]


Re: Other Games - 2023/24 by edgysatsuma89
[Today at 12:33:09 AM]


Re: Other Games - 2023/24 by KevinGage
[Today at 12:22:56 AM]

Follow us on...

Author Topic: International Rugby  (Read 381735 times)

Offline paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2430 on: October 15, 2018, 06:26:31 PM »
It's a bit of a rough time for English 8s, Hughes out for being stupid, Billy V out because his arms appear to be made of glass, Simmonds probably missing the season (and world cup) with a really nasty ACL injury.  We've just not had much luck in that position recently.  Morgan is a reasonable replacement but he still has a bad habit of running across the pitch which Jones really doesn't like in his forwards.

Offline nigel

  • Member
  • Posts: 5324
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2431 on: October 16, 2018, 08:22:37 PM »
Now Robshaw bites the dust.


I suppose this is the perfect time to blood some players as the pressure must, surely, be off

Offline paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2432 on: October 16, 2018, 10:15:40 PM »
Mercer in at 8, Kvesic at 7 and, if he's fit enough, Shields at 6.

Offline nigel

  • Member
  • Posts: 5324
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2433 on: October 17, 2018, 07:59:05 AM »
Mercer in at 8, Kvesic at 7 and, if he's fit enough, Shields at 6.

Sounds logical.
That means it will be .........

Offline paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2434 on: October 17, 2018, 02:13:48 PM »
Mercer in at 8, Kvesic at 7 and, if he's fit enough, Shields at 6.

Sounds logical.
That means it will be .........

... Itoje at 6

Offline Drummond

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 28668
  • Age: 52
  • Location: My own little world.
  • GM : 10.10.2024
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2435 on: October 17, 2018, 03:36:58 PM »
Jedinak at 8, Hutton at 7 and ...I'll get my coat.

Offline Jon Crofts

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 20933
  • Location: Lost In The Supermarket
  • GM : PCM
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2436 on: October 18, 2018, 10:40:55 AM »
Squad for the Autumn.

Forwards (20)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) co-captain, Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors) *, Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby), Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Michael Rhodes (Saracens), Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors), Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)

Backs (16)
Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens) co-captain, George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Ben Morgan is re-included at last, he's better than Hughes IMHO, no Cipriani but Ashton is back!
With the injuries we have it's great to see some decent players getting their chances.


Offline paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2437 on: October 18, 2018, 11:36:50 AM »
I didn't think Underhill was fit but as he's there he's obviously got to be in at 7.

Looking at the squad though it's the props where we have real problems.  Williams and Sinckler at tighthead is ok (and Schonert as a backup is a decent option) but the other side is a bit of a mess with Mako out and Marler retired. On form it's Moon to start I guess but I'm surprised that Hepburn is the only alternative (unless they see Schonert as covering both, which I can understand but is a risk).

Seems like a whole bunch of 6s; Hill, Rhodes, Shields, Curry and Wilson are all better suited to 6 and Mercer, Itoje, Ewels and Lawes have all played a fair number of games there as well, 9 options seems overkill when 7 is a much more specialist role and we've only got 1 of them.

Offline Dave Summers

  • Member
  • Posts: 359
  • Location: Northfield
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2438 on: October 18, 2018, 06:56:33 PM »
I didn't think Underhill was fit but as he's there he's obviously got to be in at 7.

Looking at the squad though it's the props where we have real problems.  Williams and Sinckler at tighthead is ok (and Schonert as a backup is a decent option) but the other side is a bit of a mess with Mako out and Marler retired. On form it's Moon to start I guess but I'm surprised that Hepburn is the only alternative (unless they see Schonert as covering both, which I can understand but is a risk).

Seems like a whole bunch of 6s; Hill, Rhodes, Shields, Curry and Wilson are all better suited to 6 and Mercer, Itoje, Ewels and Lawes have all played a fair number of games there as well, 9 options seems overkill when 7 is a much more specialist role and we've only got 1 of them.

I can’t understand why you don’t think Tom Curry is a natural 7? For me, he’s comfortably the best we have. He links play better than Underhill and he’s certainly a step ahead over the ball. I’d suggest Underhill’s defence is on a higher level though.

I’m going to all games except NZ and for the first time in many years I’m not that confident. Think Eddie has got himself in a real pickle with selection.

Offline paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2439 on: October 18, 2018, 07:38:55 PM »
I didn't think Underhill was fit but as he's there he's obviously got to be in at 7.

Looking at the squad though it's the props where we have real problems.  Williams and Sinckler at tighthead is ok (and Schonert as a backup is a decent option) but the other side is a bit of a mess with Mako out and Marler retired. On form it's Moon to start I guess but I'm surprised that Hepburn is the only alternative (unless they see Schonert as covering both, which I can understand but is a risk).

Seems like a whole bunch of 6s; Hill, Rhodes, Shields, Curry and Wilson are all better suited to 6 and Mercer, Itoje, Ewels and Lawes have all played a fair number of games there as well, 9 options seems overkill when 7 is a much more specialist role and we've only got 1 of them.

I can’t understand why you don’t think Tom Curry is a natural 7? For me, he’s comfortably the best we have. He links play better than Underhill and he’s certainly a step ahead over the ball. I’d suggest Underhill’s defence is on a higher level though.

I’m going to all games except NZ and for the first time in many years I’m not that confident. Think Eddie has got himself in a real pickle with selection.

I may be being a bit harsh and I haven't watched much of sale this season but last year I thought his work at the breakdown (when attacking) was weak because he was too interested in being a ball carrier. Lots of people focus on turning ball over at the breakdown (Underhill and Curry are both good at that) but that's only half the job. My biggest problem with England for years has been our inability to generate quick ball and exploit broken defences, part of that is because we insist on people like Care, Youngs and Wigglesworth at 9but we also do a bad job of securing the ball for the 9 and that starts with us barely having played a real 7 for about 10 years.

Offline UK Redsox

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 41289
  • Location: Forest of Dean & 'Nam
  • GM : 10.02.2025
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2440 on: October 19, 2018, 09:49:57 AM »
International Rugby (Fiji v Uruguay) just a few miles from me on 17 Nov

No Villa game, so I could go. However, I'm reluctant to set foot in that fake rugby club

https://www.hartpury.ac.uk/news/2018/10/hartpury-announced-as-host-of-international-rugby-clash/

Offline cheltenhamlion

  • Member
  • Posts: 18734
  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2441 on: October 19, 2018, 06:46:37 PM »
Where the fuck are Cipriani and Ludlow? And at a push Trinder and Sharples?

Offline paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2442 on: October 19, 2018, 09:45:45 PM »
Sharples won't get anywhere near, Trinder is fantastic but has had too many injuries and has probably lost his chance, Ludlow should be right on the cusp of the squad and Cips not being there is a fucking stupid decision.

Manu was excellent tonight, I still have question marks over whether him and Farrell will work together but I think he deserves a run over the Autumn to see if he can give us that something we've been missing in the centres.

Offline Jon Crofts

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 20933
  • Location: Lost In The Supermarket
  • GM : PCM
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2443 on: November 02, 2018, 05:36:05 PM »
Looking forward to tomorrow at Twickenham, Guscott I think it was said we should be happy with 2 wins from 4, I think we should be aiming at 3 and a narrow defeat to NZ if Jones really is going to be able to turn this around before Japan.

A win tomorrow should see us on the way.
Boks, England win by 8.
All Blacks, defeat by 10.
Japan, England win by 18.
Shackle dragging convicts, England win by 84.  (alright 14)

Offline PaulWinch again

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 49020
  • Location: winchester
  • GM : 25.05.2024
Re: International Rugby
« Reply #2444 on: November 02, 2018, 05:58:51 PM »
I’ll be delighted if we win, I’ll also be surprised.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal