I still don't like Itoje as a flanker.
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.
According to The Times yesterday both Vunipola's could be available for Ireland and Mako for Scotland.
Quote from: Jon Crofts on February 13, 2017, 08:29:43 PMI 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.
Quote from: paul_e on February 13, 2017, 10:40:46 PMQuote from: Jon Crofts on February 13, 2017, 08:29:43 PMI 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.
Quote from: nigel on February 14, 2017, 10:03:57 AMQuote from: paul_e on February 13, 2017, 10:40:46 PMQuote from: Jon Crofts on February 13, 2017, 08:29:43 PMI 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-nationsIt is a frightening group of players that we can select from up front.
Quote from: aev on February 14, 2017, 10:23:49 AMQuote from: nigel on February 14, 2017, 10:03:57 AMQuote from: paul_e on February 13, 2017, 10:40:46 PMQuote from: Jon Crofts on February 13, 2017, 08:29:43 PMI 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-nationsIt 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.
Quote from: paul_e on February 14, 2017, 01:42:01 PMQuote from: aev on February 14, 2017, 10:23:49 AMQuote from: nigel on February 14, 2017, 10:03:57 AMQuote from: paul_e on February 13, 2017, 10:40:46 PMQuote from: Jon Crofts on February 13, 2017, 08:29:43 PMI 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-nationsIt 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.