International Rugby

[paul_e]

This is aimed at Paul e, who seems to be the oricle regarding up and coming players.

Given we’re losing Lawes, Marler, Cole, Care to retirement and a few others who certainly won’t be around much longer, Billy V, May, Watson, Tuilagi, Daly
Then we have the likes of Marchent and Arundel going to France
Who have we coming through that could make the step up?


For me
Forwards.
We need to look at the front row and back row.
Backs.
Scrum half, Michell is fine, but not convinced with Van Portvelt (?)
Fly half, I think we’re fine, but we need a centre partnership and wingers with a back up full back.

It's a tough one, and this will be a bit of an essay I'm afraid.

I think we potentially look really light on props, Genge, Rodd, Sinckler and Stuart will all still be around (but the last 2 have question marks for me) but there's not a lot of good options behind them right now. Rapava-Ruskin has been mentioned a bit but at 31 he's too old to be coming in now and there are 3-4 others in a similar situation who are too old to be called into the squad as cover but probably aren't international starts. On the loosehead side the obvious one to look at as the 3rd choice is Fin Baxter at Quins who looks a decent scrummager and is good around the breakdown. Tighthead is more difficult, I suspect Heyes will step up if Coles retires as expected but he's yet another I have question marks against. However in a couple of years Fasogbun and Fordjour should be ready to step up after both were excellent in the U20s.

Hooker - Theo Dan will take over soon and I think Blamire will come back into the mix as well and that's 2 very good options. Behind them there's 3-4 solid but unspectacular options around.

Lock - We probably have the most depth of any country in the world, and if we loosen up the restrictions on playing abroad the pool gets bigger as Ribbans can stay around. The big one, surprisingly for me, is that George Martin was exceptional in the semi-final and I think may well have pushed himself forward as a regular as the 5/6 that Lawes made his own. Isiekwe is another option to fill that same niche, but obviously he's well known to most. Keep an eye on Chunya Munga here as well, he's a fantastic prospect.

Back Row - We also have loads of depth. Only Lawes and Billy V are likely to drop from what we have now and to replace them we have Tom Pearson, Zach Mercer and/or Alfie Barbeary. Add in the other Willis and Curry brothers and we've got plenty of quality in depth. Also watch out for Cunningham-South coming through over the next year or 2.

9 - I think it's 3 from 4 going forward, Mitchell, Quirke, JVP (I'm not making your mistake of trying to spell it) and Randall, they give us plenty of options.

10 - Fin Smith is the big one here, I suspect he'll replace Ford in the squad before long.

Centres - Lawrence and Marchant are the obvious pairing but there's not a lot behind them, I wouldn't be surprised to see Freeman in the squad and used as an option here though, Saints have given him some time at 13 recently. Will Joseph is the other big option but, like 3-4 others on here, he's had to move following the collapse of Irish so will need some time to find his feet at Quins.

Wings - Arundell, Murley and Radwan are all quality and should have a lot more appearances between them. Behind them Ibitoye might well make the step up that has been predicted for him for a while and Cleaves looked very good for the U20s and could come into things in a year or 2.

Full-Back - Steward is clearly young enough for this to not be a problem position but I do have concerns about his ability on the counter-attack, that Marcus Smith got a game at 15 suggests England see the same problem. Freeman is a clear option here as well (and on the wing) and Josh Hodge will get a chance before too long.

[paul_e]

I've never really understood the refusal of the RFU to pick players who play outside England especially now three Premiership clubs have gone bust.

Agreed, it looks particularly short-sighted now.

In that big long post I've named 4 players who've found new clubs after Irish went bust, all of them have the quality to be England regulars over the next decade alongside Arundell but could easily have been 'lost' to us because of the stupid rules.

[taylorsworkrate]

I've never really understood the refusal of the RFU to pick players who play outside England especially now three Premiership clubs have gone bust.

I get the intention to try to ensure the domestic English game stays strong, however, in the current climate especially, it really is a rule that needs scrapping.

Steffan Armitage is probably the relatively recent one that springs to mind. He was probably in the top 3 back rowers in the world yet England were deprived of his services due to the rule.

[PaulWinch again]

Wow so Lawes doesn’t get a send off game.

[LeeB]

Good, I can't stand that sort of thing, especially with internationals.

[PaulWinch again]

I don’t if they don’t warrant it through performance, but I think he does. That said, it does show ruthlessness which we need.

[Risso]

I don’t if they don’t warrant it through performance, but I think he does. That said, it does show ruthlessness which we need.

Seems a bit daft to me. He's been starting games on merit, so Borthwick should be picking the best team to try to win this game. It's not like one match is going to have a huge bearing on future planning, and leaving Lawes out all together seems a bit mean-spirited.

[AV84]

I did read that Lawes announced his plan to retire on his socials and said he hadn't actually informed Borthwick or anyone else about it before posting. So maybe there's some bad feeling.

[paul_e]

Lawes has been our player of the tournament, it does feel a bit spiteful to not give him a last run out.

[UK Redsox]

Wow so Lawes doesn’t get a send off game.

However....Ben Youngs does

England: Smith; Steward, Marchant, Tuilagi, Arundell; Farrell (capt), Youngs; Genge, Dan, Stuart, Itoje, Chessum, Curry, Underhill, Earl.

Replacements: George, Rodd, Cole, Ribbans, Ludlam, Care, Ford, Lawrence.

[PaulWinch again]

I wonder if he’s got a knock.

[Brazilian Villain]

Bongi Mbonambi cleared to play in the final. https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67223507

[paul_e]

I wonder if he’s got a knock.

He's been in various training pictures apparently so it doesn't seem like it.

[taylorsworkrate]

Bongi Mbonambi cleared to play in the final. https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67223507

World Rugby has really shot itself in the foot on this one. Not doing a proper investigation looks horrendous.

[nigel]

Bongi Mbonambi cleared to play in the final. https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67223507

World Rugby has really shot itself in the foot on this one. Not doing a proper investigation looks horrendous.

I had a feeling this would happen, so I’m not surprised.