The Official English Rugby Thread

[Choc]

Good to see Will Skelton back involved.

He's disappeared since that Euro semi last season. Done nothing really at LaR since.

Happens to many ex-Saracens when they leave the club. It's almost as if money doesn't buy leagues.

So, let me get this right. When Earl and Malins tear it up for table topping Bristol and Spencer and Isiekwe took standout for Bath and Saints, it’s because they are products of Saracens coaching set-up, but when Skelton looks like a cart horse elsewhere, it’s because of Saracen coaching set-up? Make your mind up.

[Kawazaki]

He's disappeared since that Euro semi last season. Done nothing really at LaR since.

Happens to many ex-Saracens when they leave the club. It's almost as if money doesn't buy leagues.

So, let me get this right. When Earl and Malins tear it up for table topping Bristol and Spencer and Isiekwe took standout for Bath and Saints, it’s because they are products of Saracens coaching set-up, but when Skelton looks like a cart horse elsewhere, it’s because of Saracen coaching set-up? Make your mind up.

Skeleton wasn't built at Sarries.

[Madness]

Starting to get really fucked off with some of the decisions that Jones is making,. With all the players at his disposal why are we not just playing the best players in their best positions?? A 6-2 split will mean that Malins will sit on the bench until 75th minute just in case, how will he get Simmonds and Dombrandt on unless he completely unbalances the back row?? Ewels???

It's not fucking difficult to pick a better team for this game

Genge
George
Sinks
Lawes - he's a good if slightly lightweight lock so I'd swop him for Hill vs the Boks
Maro
Curry - not a world class 8 but a great 6 or 7 so play him there
Underhill
Dombrant - let him start with a balanced back row
Youngs - normally good against Aussies and no other experience in squad at all because some useless twat has never developed any more 9's
Smith - we know what Farrell can do so bench him and avoid having him try and dominate Smith by making all the calls from 12 as he did vs Cips in the SA test.
May
Manu
Slade
Radwan
Steward

Blamire, Rodd (captured), Hill, Simmonds, Mitchell - good game on debut so don't drop him from squad, Farrell, Malins

Not fucking tricky is it, you useless out dated self opinionated git

[JM2K6]

Fond memories of how England played with Ford at 10 and non-Farrell at 12

[sockwithaticket]

Starting to get really fucked off with some of the decisions that Jones is making,. With all the players at his disposal why are we not just playing the best players in their best positions?? A 6-2 split will mean that Malins will sit on the bench until 75th minute just in case, how will he get Simmonds and Dombrandt on unless he completely unbalances the back row?? Ewels???

It's not fucking difficult to pick a better team for this game

Genge
George
Sinks
Lawes - he's a good if slightly lightweight lock so I'd swop him for Hill vs the Boks
Maro
Curry - not a world class 8 but a great 6 or 7 so play him there
Underhill
Dombrant - let him start with a balanced back row
Youngs - normally good against Aussies and no other experience in squad at all because some useless twat has never developed any more 9's
Smith - we know what Farrell can do so bench him and avoid having him try and dominate Smith by making all the calls from 12 as he did vs Cips in the SA test.
May
Manu
Slade
Radwan
Steward

Blamire, Rodd (captured), Hill, Simmonds, Mitchell - good game on debut so don't drop him from squad, Farrell, Malins

Not fucking tricky is it, you useless out dated self opinionated git

Yep.

I know he wants to have a look at Quirke and the kid looks the business, but when someone comes in and performs as Mitchell did, it's not great to drop him and it perpetuates the back up 9 merry go round that allows no one but Ben Youngs to experience appreciable game time or put a run of performances together.

[Torquemada 1420]

FWIW, Jones' peccadilloes are unlikely to affect Sat's result. Based on how Sco annihilated the Aus scrum, expect Eng to do the same which means whatever else Aus can conjure will be irrelevant.

The downside is this will convince Eddie he is on the right track. Right up to the point where SA present at least parity in the tight.

[Glaston]

Getting Andy Robinson vibes from the team selection.

[PCPhil]

Been the issue for decades. If England can’t dominate up front their brains get frazzled. I will be screaming at the screen on the SA match if England stick to their kick into touch and play the percentages then see their lineout destroyed as they scratch their collective craniums.

[SaintK]

So MacGinty off to Bristol next season and Sale looking to recruit Ford.

Sale are in the market for a new fly-half following confirmation that AJ MacGinty will be leaving them to join Bristol Bears at the end of the season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59259919

[Kawazaki]

So MacGinty off to Bristol next season and Sale looking to recruit Ford.

Sale are in the market for a new fly-half following confirmation that AJ MacGinty will be leaving them to join Bristol Bears at the end of the season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59259919

I think the biggest winner there is Sale and biggest loser would be Leicester.

[Margin__Walker]

Genge with the positive PCR this week....

[SaintK]

Genge with the positive PCR this week....

Where you seeing that?
Nothing on the News Now rugby page yet and they're usually on the ball

[Raggs]

Genge with the positive PCR this week....

Where you seeing that?
Nothing on the News Now rugby page yet and they're usually on the ball

Released on twitter. No one else, additional testing for everyone though.

[Brazil]

So MacGinty off to Bristol next season and Sale looking to recruit Ford.

Sale are in the market for a new fly-half following confirmation that AJ MacGinty will be leaving them to join Bristol Bears at the end of the season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59259919

I'll still be extremely surprised if he does come to us, but at least it's more than a rumour put about by agents. Similarly, if it's true that Faf and some of the saffas are off we'll have a huge recruitment budget to play with, particularly for a marque player.

A shame to lose AJ, particularly given how central he's been to our game plan in recent seasons.

[geordie_6]

Genge with the positive PCR this week....

Where you seeing that?
Nothing on the News Now rugby page yet and they're usually on the ball

It's confirmed on there now. No indication of a replacement being called up, but must now go for Mako?

[SaintK]

Genge with the positive PCR this week....

Where you seeing that?
Nothing on the News Now rugby page yet and they're usually on the ball

It's confirmed on there now. No indication of a replacement being called up, but must now go for Mako?

Thanks
You'd have to think so

[sockwithaticket]

Given the Aus tighthead situation loosehead isn't the worst position to have to explore the depth options in.

Nervous about more results coming in, though. That's three cases among the playing staff in a fairly short space of time. Maybe it has nothing to do with him, but was Farrell tested until they got the result they wanted rather than to confirm without doubt he didn't have it and rushed back into camp prematurely?

[Oxbow]

Where you seeing that?
Nothing on the News Now rugby page yet and they're usually on the ball

It's confirmed on there now. No indication of a replacement being called up, but must now go for Mako?

Thanks
You'd have to think so

Nope.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59259637

[JM2K6]

It's a good opportunity to give these guys proper game time. With Marler only temporarily out, not calling up Mako at this stage seems fine.

[mos_eisely_]

was Farrell tested until they got the result they wanted rather than to confirm without doubt he didn't have it and rushed back into camp prematurely?

From what I gather no, that's not allowed. They could only retest the original sample.

And the reason he couldn't play in the end was the Gov/NHS have to approve all cases of false positives and they didn't in time.

[sockwithaticket]

was Farrell tested until they got the result they wanted rather than to confirm without doubt he didn't have it and rushed back into camp prematurely?

From what I gather no, that's not allowed. They could only retest the original sample.

And the reason he couldn't play in the end was the Gov/NHS have to approve all cases of false positives and they didn't in time.

Fair enough. Idle speculation from a place of ignorance on my part.

[JM2K6]

Good piece on Smith on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59152884

Links nicely with this one from Sean Long from back in the summer: https://www.rugbyworld.com/in-the-mag/i ... ngs-128689

[pjm1]

This is, as my son would say, "absolute cringe":



Jones does not come across as if he has a clue why and how he's going to use Manu on the wing... even if he's just not wanting to say, just say nothing, not spout bollocks!

[Kawazaki]

I won't post a link but if you want a laugh read the article on Jones's England selection on the Planet-Rugby website. It's written by James While aka Jake. Apparently you need to be a more 'enlightened' rugby thinker (like Jake of course) to understand why Jones picks players out of position.

[PCPhil]

Genge with the positive PCR this week....

Where you seeing that?
Nothing on the News Now rugby page yet and they're usually on the ball

It's confirmed on there now. No indication of a replacement being called up, but must now go for Mako?

Tuilangi could slot in?

[Kawazaki]

This is, as my son would say, "absolute cringe":



Jones does not come across as if he has a clue why and how he's going to use Manu on the wing... even if he's just not wanting to say, just say nothing, not spout bollocks!

WTF was that bollocks about 'zero and zero' at the end of that presser? Assume by the muted resigned reply from the journo that he must be on Eddie's fuck off step.

What a cunt.

[Sinkers]

Good piece on Smith on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59152884

Links nicely with this one from Sean Long from back in the summer: https://www.rugbyworld.com/in-the-mag/i ... ngs-128689

That’s the junior club here I’ve been involved with for about 20 years now.
His coach who’s quoted is an old mate and is milking this for all it’s worth.
Ironically he’s an ex flanker from Thurrock

[Woddy]

Is there any indication that Jones insisted on Marler and Genge being tested for false positives? You would imagine that for such a crucial, specialist position as prop (either side), you would want to make sure you didn't have to lose not just your first but also your second-choice player and when you do not have other alternatives already within the squad, as you might do (say) in the midfield.

[Lobby]

Is there any indication that Jones insisted on Marler and Genge being tested for false positives? You would imagine that for such a crucial, specialist position as prop (either side), you would want to make sure you didn't have to lose not just your first but also your second-choice player and when you do not have other alternatives already within the squad, as you might do (say) in the midfield.

Even if they are re-tested, it’s presumably too late now for them to play this week. He might want them back for the Boks next week though.

[Kawazaki]

Idle speculation from a place of ignorance on my part.

Nice line that.

Should put it in my signature.

[Hal Jordan]

Idle speculation from a place of ignorance on my part.

Nice line that.

Should put it in my signature.

Don't worry, we all mentally append it to your posts anyway.

[sockwithaticket]

Idle speculation from a place of ignorance on my part.

Nice line that.

Should put it in my signature.

It's funny, despite knowing better, we all do it from time to time. Aware you don't actually know something, but too lazy or convinced you don't have the time to look it up and throwing an idea out there anyway.

[Raggs]

From what I've pieced together, as soon as they receive a positive PCR, they run a second one. If that comes back positive, end of story. Fazlet's came back negative, which made them re-run the original sample, which then came back negative.

[Woddy]

From what I've pieced together, as soon as they receive a positive PCR, they run a second one. If that comes back positive, end of story. Fazlet's came back negative, which made them re-run the original sample, which then came back negative.

I thought Faz came back postive twice? If not, that makes more sense.

[Dragster]

From what I've pieced together, as soon as they receive a positive PCR, they run a second one. If that comes back positive, end of story. Fazlet's came back negative, which made them re-run the original sample, which then came back negative.

But there’s now an outbreak....



Bath are a shambles, coached by a lock and can’t run a line out or defend a maul. Glaws rampant.

[Tichtheid]

Glaws have taken four pretty straightforward tries off Bath in 35 mins.

Chapman has a nice zip to his pass.

[Lobby]

Bath even worse in the second half. Glaws have added another 14 points in the first 3 minutes of the half.

[Raggs]

From what I've pieced together, as soon as they receive a positive PCR, they run a second one. If that comes back positive, end of story. Fazlet's came back negative, which made them re-run the original sample, which then came back negative.

But there’s now an outbreak....



Bath are a shambles, coached by a lock and can’t run a line out or defend a maul. Glaws rampant.

Whilst I don't disagree about Bath being a shambles, they simply don't have the personnel to do any better in the cup. I think Wasps are going to end up in similar circumstances against Falcons. Can't afford to risk senior personnel, since there simply aren't enough of them fit.

[Raggs]

Who was the bath player sprinting towards the conversion? Whoever that is, needs to be in the senior squad. Think it was Hamer Webb or Ojomoh. Shows that bit more determination even in a lost cause.

[Tichtheid]

The Shed are ruthless, 61-3 and they still do the eee aaw donkey chant for a dropped ball from the opposition