Rugby Union (was 2014-15, now an ongoing thread)

[paul_e]

Elliott Daly is putting his hand up for a squad place with England here, 2 bits of genius for the 2 wasps tries, he's just got a fantastic change of pace for the outside break, it's almost unreadable.

[Dante Lavelli]

Elliott Daly is putting his hand up for a squad place with England here, 2 bits of genius for the 2 wasps tries, he's just got a fantastic change of pace for the outside break, it's almost unreadable.

Indeed.  A new name to me.  He's looked good.
Wade has been quiet by comparison.

[paul_e]

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned Daly a few times, he's had a tough couple of years being moved around to wing, fb, 10 and the odd game in the centres but he's getting a run at 13 now and starting to show his quality.  I met him a few years back just after his first couple of games with Wasps and he had a great attitude as well.  For me he's probably not got the time to break into the world cup squad but I suspect he'll be part of the 23 for the next 6N.  Hes also got an absolute cannon on him:

[paul_e]

The table after this weekend shows just why this league is so good, Saints are pretty clear at the top now and will stay there with the best squad in the league, then we have a very good Bath side looking good for a play off spot and 5 teams on 44/43 points all of which can beat anyone but are also capable of taking a bit of a kicking when it's least expected.  Only Sale are a surprise and they're where they are on the back of Cipriani being a genius and the the rest of the team accepting that their role is to give him a platform.

Quins and Glaws have both struggled at times but have the squads to be involved with the group above but they're probably a bit too far back to force their way in now, then Newcastle and Irish are both sides that have struggled to keep their best players but have good academies and solid foundations and I think Worcester or Bristol up in place Welsh will be much more competitive next season. On top of that I think Saints will drop back into the pack a bit with Manoa leaving and Bath are going to see their backline have a long summer building up to the world cup and they might struggle to readjust once they're all back.

[paul_e]

Alex Goode must have incriminating pics of Lancaster, how many times does a guy have to show he's too slow to play full back for England before they give up on selecting him, I know he's only retained in the squad and there's no guarantee but anyone with sense moves Watson to 15 and brings Nowell in on the wing so we've got the form backs in the league (bar May who's always been hit and miss but the hits make it worth it) all playing in their correct position.

I think they should've kept Lawes as well, and I'm not sure why Thomas has been retained unless Cole or Brookes are carrying a knock.

[PaulWinch again]

Brookes is carrying a knock. I'm hoping Goode won't get anywhere near the team and I'm sure he won't. I wonder if Lawes still isn't ready, because he'd be starting if he was.

[UK Redsox]

I didn't see the Italy game. What did May do to deserved being dropped out of the squad completely ?

Also, I heard snippets of a couple of interviews this week that suggest some serious back-tracking regarding the timetable and expectations for the Burgess experiment. I wouldn't surprise me to see him make a swift return to the Northern Game.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm surprised May is dropped completely, but his defence we really poor against Wales and Italy. I guess they're concerned about the high ball.

[paul_e]

I didn't see the Italy game. What did May do to deserved being dropped out of the squad completely ?

Also, I heard snippets of a couple of interviews this week that suggest some serious back-tracking regarding the timetable and expectations for the Burgess experiment. I wouldn't surprise me to see him make a swift return to the Northern Game.

He needs a summer working on intensive skills.  The problem with switching codes mid season like he did is that training will be focused on set plays and team cohesion rather than on the basic skills to underpin that, the skill and fitness work happens in the summer.  Next season was always likely to be the time to judge him, right now he's still positioning himself as a league player (specifically a league forward) so he's too flat for a centre and isn't getting into the game.  That can only come with training but given he has the handling/off-loading, tackling and running game to be a very good centre it's all about tuning rather than anything more.

For the squad,  I completely missed that May wasn't included.  I can understand it against Ireland who are built entirely around 2 things, kick chase and choke tackles, both areas where May is weak (kick chase because he can be suspect in defence and choke tackles because he runs very upright and often gets tackled high).  Nowell is much more compact and aggressive which is better suited to counter the Irish game. This does, for me, confirm that Goode will start, I can't see him giving Pennell his debut even though he was very impressive against an incredibly strong Wolfhounds side a few weeks back (5 of their 23 from that day were in the squad against france and another 4-5 are in their main training squad).  I really hope they do risk Pennell though, Goode is proven to not be good enough.

[PaulWinch again]

The news was a lot more positive on Brown yesterday, so I think there's a good chance he'll start.

[paul_e]

The news was a lot more positive on Brown yesterday, so I think there's a good chance he'll start.

Let's wait and see, I don't think he's cleared for full training yet so it's still in the balance.

[PaulWinch again]

He's out of the game, which means it will be Goode. I'm gutted about that.

[lovejoy]

Ireland big favourites for me. Goode is not up to it.
Whilst I admit to wearing Gloucester blinkers, is this not another case of a Gloucester player getting the thin end of the wedge by England (file under Simpson-Daniel, Sharples etc). May has played ok in 2 winning teams and is being replaced by a centre/full back. Nowell has 12 tries in 46, May 47 in 106. I really think Lancaster has shown his lack of decision making on this one. Also I weep that international rugby is focussed on big defence and not maverick runners.

[PaulWinch again]

I like May, but his defence was dreadful in the first two matches and he didn't offer a lot going forward. I think he should come back in, but I can understand him being dropped. Goode on the other hand I can't stand and like Barritt I think he should be on the international scrap heap.

[paul_e]

The issue is that when Lancaster started quintessential and sarries were the 2 top sides so he built his first squad around them, which made sense. Since then they been overtaken by Exeter,  bath and saints playing a different brand of rugby but he's trying to be loyal to the first lot he picked so they all get loads of chances to prove themselves whilst a lot of others seem to be 1 poor performance away from being dropped.  That inequality is my big problem with the squad. Good was entirely responsible for the defeat to France last 6N and yet he's never been far from the squad.

I also think his blind loyalty to robshaw and, for a long time farrell has been a big weakness. We're now at the point of being absolutely fucked if Robshaw picky up an injury, thankfully Farrell picked up his injuries at the right time so we're seeing his replacement now.