International Rugby

[cheltenhamlion]

I still don't like Itoje as a flanker.

[PaulWinch again]

I still don't like Itoje as a flanker.

No it dilutes his influence

[Jon Crofts]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

[UK Redsox]

I still don't like Itoje as a flanker.

He was packing down at lock in some scrums.

[nigel]

Anthony Watson and Paul Hill, prop (Saints) in the 25 training squad for Italy.

[paul_e]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

because he really wants to play Lawes, Launchbury and Itoje all at once is the simple answer.

[Jon Crofts]

According to The Times yesterday both Vunipola's could be available for Ireland and Mako for Scotland.

[nigel]

According to The Times yesterday both Vunipola's could be available for Ireland and Mako for Scotland.

No great rush for Billy, Nathan Hughes has done really well at 8.
Would be great for him to come off the bench for 15 minutes or so.

[nigel]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

because he really wants to play Lawes, Launchbury and Itoje all at once is the simple answer.

Going to be really interesting when Kruis returns. Both Lawes and Launchbury have been great.

[peter w]

To be fair as much as you could look at Cuthbert for the tackle, the speed of the counter attack and the passes from Ford to Farrell, and then a quite exceptional bullet pass from Farrell to Daly who was already at full pelt meaning that he didn't have to break stride, gave Daly every chance. I just think his speed and momentum meant it would have been difficult for anyone to have effectively stopped him. Wales could have reacted quicker, well, should, from the poor kick and they had no runners, but credit must go to England. Also, Wales were looking a lot more tired than England who were still going strong after the kick-off when Wales managed to get the possession. Also, as said, the finishers were huge for us, Sinckler winning the penalty in the 78th or 79th minute being case in point. There was no respite for Wales and a very tired team trying to score a try made absolutely no impact and if the game had 10 minutes more to it we would have scored another 10 or so points.

[aev]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

because he really wants to play Lawes, Launchbury and Itoje all at once is the simple answer.

Going to be really interesting when Kruis returns. Both Lawes and Launchbury have been great.

Jones was saying that Kruis is our best scrummager, with Itoje next.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/feb/13/maro-itoje-england-eddie-jones-scrum-six-nations

It is a frightening group of players that we can select from up front.

[paul_e]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

because he really wants to play Lawes, Launchbury and Itoje all at once is the simple answer.

Going to be really interesting when Kruis returns. Both Lawes and Launchbury have been great.

Jones was saying that Kruis is our best scrummager, with Itoje next.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/feb/13/maro-itoje-england-eddie-jones-scrum-six-nations

It is a frightening group of players that we can select from up front.

and getting better year after year.  As mentioned above the U20s have another 3-4 top young players coming through and we're looking good at all the younger age groups as well.

Number 8 is my current choice of example.  4-5 years ago we had a championship where we played Haskell and Wood at 8 and both of them looked lost.  Since then we had Morgan come through and be the only choice for a couple of years before add Billy V and then Hughes which now gives us 2 genuine world class options and a very good backup.  Moving on we have Mercer coming through who looks a superb prospect and will be on the fringes of the squad in 12-18months.  No one to 4 international class options in 4-5 years, it's crazy and it's a story that gets repeated all through the squad.

We were worried about a lack of options in the centres a few years ago and now we're at the point where Manu wouldn't make the 23 even if he could stay fit long enough to get involved and again Mallinder and Marchant look likely to step up over the next 12-18 months and put themselves right in the mix as well.

[peter w]

Its enough to make Jim Telfer  turn Out blue with rage.

[Dante Lavelli]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

because he really wants to play Lawes, Launchbury and Itoje all at once is the simple answer.

Going to be really interesting when Kruis returns. Both Lawes and Launchbury have been great.

Jones was saying that Kruis is our best scrummager, with Itoje next.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/feb/13/maro-itoje-england-eddie-jones-scrum-six-nations

It is a frightening group of players that we can select from up front.

and getting better year after year.  As mentioned above the U20s have another 3-4 top young players coming through and we're looking good at all the younger age groups as well.

Number 8 is my current choice of example.  4-5 years ago we had a championship where we played Haskell and Wood at 8 and both of them looked lost.  Since then we had Morgan come through and be the only choice for a couple of years before add Billy V and then Hughes which now gives us 2 genuine world class options and a very good backup.  Moving on we have Mercer coming through who looks a superb prospect and will be on the fringes of the squad in 12-18months.  No one to 4 international class options in 4-5 years, it's crazy and it's a story that gets repeated all through the squad.

We were worried about a lack of options in the centres a few years ago and now we're at the point where Manu wouldn't make the 23 even if he could stay fit long enough to get involved and again Mallinder and Marchant look likely to step up over the next 12-18 months and put themselves right in the mix as well.

That situation will also keep the youngsters hungry for longer.  It could be a while before Mercer gets a game, so he will maintain that 'must do better' attitude for longer, until (hopefully) it is all he knows.  Repeat that a across three or four positions and suddenly it is the attitude of most the squad.

The opposite of the football, where a youngster gets capped and seems to think they've made it try to engineer a move to one of the top clubs.

[paul_e]

I don't get why he was put there in the first place, Robshaw was doing well there and is obviously out injured but why move Maro there, I dow gerrit.

because he really wants to play Lawes, Launchbury and Itoje all at once is the simple answer.

Going to be really interesting when Kruis returns. Both Lawes and Launchbury have been great.

Jones was saying that Kruis is our best scrummager, with Itoje next.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/feb/13/maro-itoje-england-eddie-jones-scrum-six-nations

It is a frightening group of players that we can select from up front.

and getting better year after year.  As mentioned above the U20s have another 3-4 top young players coming through and we're looking good at all the younger age groups as well.

Number 8 is my current choice of example.  4-5 years ago we had a championship where we played Haskell and Wood at 8 and both of them looked lost.  Since then we had Morgan come through and be the only choice for a couple of years before add Billy V and then Hughes which now gives us 2 genuine world class options and a very good backup.  Moving on we have Mercer coming through who looks a superb prospect and will be on the fringes of the squad in 12-18months.  No one to 4 international class options in 4-5 years, it's crazy and it's a story that gets repeated all through the squad.

We were worried about a lack of options in the centres a few years ago and now we're at the point where Manu wouldn't make the 23 even if he could stay fit long enough to get involved and again Mallinder and Marchant look likely to step up over the next 12-18 months and put themselves right in the mix as well.

That situation will also keep the youngsters hungry for longer.  It could be a while before Mercer gets a game, so he will maintain that 'must do better' attitude for longer, until (hopefully) it is all he knows.  Repeat that a across three or four positions and suddenly it is the attitude of most the squad.

The opposite of the football, where a youngster gets capped and seems to think they've made it try to engineer a move to one of the top clubs.

Absolutely, I think you can add to that the pressure from below as well.  Give it a year or 2 and Farrell (as a 12) will be under huge pressure from Mallinder but Mallinder in turn will be looking behind him at Jacob Umaga and knowing that if he does break through that's when the real work starts to keep the shirt.  We're getting very close to the point where 3-4 poor performances from anyone will see them out of the 15 and a failure to address that will push you out of the squad.  I think we'll see the start of that process this summer.  Losing 15+ players to the lions will force changes and I can see a few of the youngsters that get a shout making themselves undroppable.

On the subject of the lions, it's looking increasingly likely that Wyn-Jones as captain is the worst kept secret in NH rugby.  My issue with that is how do you justify him making the 23 ahead of Itoje, Launchbury, Lawes and Richie Grey (and very possibly Kruis and Devin Toner as well)?