Quote from: Dante Lavelli on November 29, 2016, 06:26:50 PMQuote from: peter w on November 29, 2016, 12:47:25 PMI think Lawes has been playing well enough to cover for the loss (big loss as it is). Throw in Wood and the options that we have at wing (whatever happened to Wade?) and I think those positions will be covered. But Billy V will be a huge loss. Chance for someone though.There was a spell on saturday where Argentina went through 4 or 5 phases of tackle/ruck/drive/tackle and Lawes was the tackler on each occasion. It was phenomenal. Itoje is better with the ball but defensively and set pieces I don't think there's much between them. Oh, Itoje wins when it comes to turnovers too. This could be why Itoje could move to back row in some capacity. Imagine him steaming at the opposition 10 from open side?
Quote from: peter w on November 29, 2016, 12:47:25 PMI think Lawes has been playing well enough to cover for the loss (big loss as it is). Throw in Wood and the options that we have at wing (whatever happened to Wade?) and I think those positions will be covered. But Billy V will be a huge loss. Chance for someone though.There was a spell on saturday where Argentina went through 4 or 5 phases of tackle/ruck/drive/tackle and Lawes was the tackler on each occasion. It was phenomenal. Itoje is better with the ball but defensively and set pieces I don't think there's much between them. Oh, Itoje wins when it comes to turnovers too.
I think Lawes has been playing well enough to cover for the loss (big loss as it is). Throw in Wood and the options that we have at wing (whatever happened to Wade?) and I think those positions will be covered. But Billy V will be a huge loss. Chance for someone though.
Quote from: nigel on November 29, 2016, 08:48:12 PMQuote from: Dante Lavelli on November 29, 2016, 06:26:50 PMQuote from: peter w on November 29, 2016, 12:47:25 PMI think Lawes has been playing well enough to cover for the loss (big loss as it is). Throw in Wood and the options that we have at wing (whatever happened to Wade?) and I think those positions will be covered. But Billy V will be a huge loss. Chance for someone though.There was a spell on saturday where Argentina went through 4 or 5 phases of tackle/ruck/drive/tackle and Lawes was the tackler on each occasion. It was phenomenal. Itoje is better with the ball but defensively and set pieces I don't think there's much between them. Oh, Itoje wins when it comes to turnovers too. This could be why Itoje could move to back row in some capacity. Imagine him steaming at the opposition 10 from open side?In all honesty I'd like us to keep working on the set piece play for both of them and try to get them into the side at 4 and 5 with Robshaw, Hughes and Billy as the back row. Add Mako, Sinckler and George and you've got the most mobile pack the game has ever seen and we'd be able to defend more like a league team, commit very few, keep the width but pounce when there's a chance for a turnover. It only works if they can hold their own in the scrum though. In the line out Lawes has become and excellent organiser and Itoje has a great leap on him.1We can be the best team in the world if we focus on fitness and mobility, that's where the professionalism of our players and our clubs stands us ahead of any other country in the world.
Quote from: paul_e on November 30, 2016, 10:10:39 AMQuote from: nigel on November 29, 2016, 08:48:12 PMQuote from: Dante Lavelli on November 29, 2016, 06:26:50 PMQuote from: peter w on November 29, 2016, 12:47:25 PMI think Lawes has been playing well enough to cover for the loss (big loss as it is). Throw in Wood and the options that we have at wing (whatever happened to Wade?) and I think those positions will be covered. But Billy V will be a huge loss. Chance for someone though.There was a spell on saturday where Argentina went through 4 or 5 phases of tackle/ruck/drive/tackle and Lawes was the tackler on each occasion. It was phenomenal. Itoje is better with the ball but defensively and set pieces I don't think there's much between them. Oh, Itoje wins when it comes to turnovers too. This could be why Itoje could move to back row in some capacity. Imagine him steaming at the opposition 10 from open side?In all honesty I'd like us to keep working on the set piece play for both of them and try to get them into the side at 4 and 5 with Robshaw, Hughes and Billy as the back row. Add Mako, Sinckler and George and you've got the most mobile pack the game has ever seen and we'd be able to defend more like a league team, commit very few, keep the width but pounce when there's a chance for a turnover. It only works if they can hold their own in the scrum though. In the line out Lawes has become and excellent organiser and Itoje has a great leap on him.1We can be the best team in the world if we focus on fitness and mobility, that's where the professionalism of our players and our clubs stands us ahead of any other country in the world.Paul e,Whilst I understand your reasons for putting Lawes in as number 5, do you think that he should start in front of a fully fit George Kruis ? He was running the line out calls in last season's 6N & the Australian tour and has the huge advantage of playing his club rugby with Itoje. I think that England are blessed with probably the best current crop of second rows in international rugby and maybe even the best lot that England have ever had. Far more, like other people have said, I think England need replacements / other options for Mike Brown and Dan Cole. I see that Alex Goode once again dropped the first high ball shown by ITV in their Premiership highlights of the Saracens v Gloucester game last weekend ! With my Sale hat on, I think that Mike Haley could be an option for the 15 shirt, but probably not for another 12 months. He had an outstanding tour with the Saxons to South Africa during the summer before he got injured. I think that there are a number of young props that could take Cole's [place in the near future.
Aussies really want this one you can tell. They've had a bit of a shocker sporting wise lately so they need this.Plus im on a Christmas boozy boat trip tomorrow with a load a rugby supporting Aussies. One whose particularly gobby.Is it too much to ask for an England/Villa double?