Rugby Union 2013-14

[cheltenhamlion]

Nick Wood is a miss and does a great job but our pack are shite. Well, the front 5 anyway.

Considering what I was brought up watching thats just odd. We used to have the biggest and meanest buggers around.

[paul_e]

It is strange that for years gloucester had a big strong pack but didn't have the quality outside to really step up, now they've got that quality but the pack has gone missing.

[lovejoy]

They let the grunt leave in the summer (Big Jim Hamilton) but did not replace it coupled with injury/suspension.
My trip to Munster is going to be a long old weekend.

[cheltenhamlion]

Olly Morgan has had to retire at 27. A real shame.

[paul_e]

They let the grunt leave in the summer (Big Jim Hamilton) but did not replace it coupled with injury/suspension.
My trip to Munster is going to be a long old weekend.

The issues in the scrum this year are more technical than anything else, lots of problems with the bind they've been penalised a lot for not driving straight.

Olly Morgan has had to retire at 27. A real shame.

That's really sad news, but it was largely inevitable, without the injury problems he'd have been the best fullback in europe in my opinion, excellent under the high ball, good all round technical skills and very good running into a broken field, he's a big loss to the English game in general, much like Simpson-Daniel who whilst he's still playing doesn't have the wow factor from when he broke through and has never become the genuine world class talent he threatened to be.

[UK Redsox]

Another home defeat.

I still find it weird to see Gloucester even playing Exeter, let alone losing at home to them.

I can remember when we (ie "The Mighty Lyd") used to play Exeter.

(NB - a that time we wouldn't even have considered giving Worcester a fixture)

[lovejoy]

At the risk of being called parochial JSD may be getting older but he had the wow factor for a number of years and was given scant chance by England, probably because he didnt play for a more "fashionable" side. With Morgan I agree that he broke through but injuries got in the way, with JSD he had the skills but was shafted by the England selectors. players who broke through and never made the next step would be the likes of Marcel Garvey, Anthony Allen, Jack Adams etc.
It remains to be seen whether the far more talented Freddie Burns gets the nod over Flood and Farrell - perhaps if Freddie's dad picks the team and he moves to an "establishment club like Harlequins, Saracens or Leicester?

[paul_e]

At the risk of being called parochial JSD may be getting older but he had the wow factor for a number of years and was given scant chance by England, probably because he didnt play for a more "fashionable" side. With Morgan I agree that he broke through but injuries got in the way, with JSD he had the skills but was shafted by the England selectors. players who broke through and never made the next step would be the likes of Marcel Garvey, Anthony Allen, Jack Adams etc.
It remains to be seen whether the far more talented Freddie Burns gets the nod over Flood and Farrell - perhaps if Freddie's dad picks the team and he moves to an "establishment club like Harlequins, Saracens or Leicester?

JSD did get a fair few squad places, invariably then picking up an injury before the games came around, I just think England saw him as too big a risk with all the injuries, which is probably fair.  Allen left too soon and suffered from being a bit player at tigers for a year or 2 when he needed to be playing regularly, he had everything to be a very good IC but he got stifled.  As a positive note him doing exactly the same to 12trees led to the latter joining Glaws and forming a very effective partnership with Burns.

As for the 10 spot I can see the attraction of Farrell, he does have a very good boot on him and at times he looks like he could become a good player in open play but he's just too eager to kick the ball away for me.  Either way Flood wouldn't make the squad for me, Ford has already surpassed him and is firmly my 3rd choice at 10.

[paul_e]

Superb performance from Glaws to beat Perpignan, superb game, and the running line from May for the winning try was pure perfection, he's a big boon coming back because his pace and ball carrying is irreplaceable.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm quite happy with the squad for the Autumn Internationals. The centres look to be pretty exciting and I'm glad to see Foden back. I wouldn't have included Goode to be honest.

[lovejoy]

No Ford in the squad. personally would have had Johnny May in over Ashton but I'm just a myopic Glos fan though.

Apparently there are some scientific theories which suggest that there are an infinite number of parallel universes where every eventuality exists, looking at the weekends Heineken fixtures I'm still not sure any of these universes would have anything other than a Munster win.

[cheltenhamlion]

I dont fancy us but its all about quick ball. If we get it out fast we will kill them as they arent what they were. Winning up front is easier said than done mind.

[paul_e]

Get Johnny May the ball with space to run into and he can score against anyone, so the game plan for Glaws has to be about finding a way to do exactly that.

On England - Not surprised that Ford isn't included, I think he will replace Flood but not until Burns and Farrell have a few more games onder their belts.

I'm very pleased that Burrell has been called up, he's a very good player and I'm even happier about Trinder who I've had bigs hopes over for years, he's a very good 13 and a much more rounded player than most of our other centre options, however I'm not so sure about Tomkins who I don't think is ready for international rugby.

On form the backs for me would be:

Care, Burns, Wade, Twelvetrees, Eastmond, Yarde, Foden.

The advantage of Twelvetrees is that he is a very effective 10 as well so we could go with a bench of Youngs, Burrell/Trinder, Brown which gives us a lot more options.

[Jon Crofts]

Yay, got me a ticket for the convicts at Twickenham.

[Dave Summers]

Yay, got me a ticket for the convicts at Twickenham.

Me too :-)

Don't like disagreeing with Paul e as I find his opinions more often than not spot on, but here goes.  My backline would be Youngs, Farrell, Twelvetrees, Trinder, Yarde, Ashton and Brown.

As much as I like Freddie he just hasn't been as "at it" this season as last and Farrell, although without the flair of Burns, is easily first choice.  I really like Eastmond but he has to get in front of Twelvetrees at inside centre first and although not quite at the standard of last season, I think Billy deserves a shot.  I would like Eastmond to be on the bench as I think he could cover centre and outside backs position.  THE form 15 is undoubtedly Brown and he did very well in Argentina too.  I don't think there is much doubt he will start and I would certainly pick him ahead of Foden at present.  I trust he picks wingers on the wing and not full backs, as the folly of that was shown up in Cardiff and in that case, Yarde is shoe in for me.

Very excited about the upcoming games and hopeful of 2/3 minimum.  I didn't think we had a prayer against NZ last year and we won and I think this team is better than last years, so who knows.  Kiwis are better too mind :-(