The Official English Rugby Thread

[sockwithaticket]

Eesh, whoever in the Wasps ranks accidentally kicked Umaga in the face is going to hope that moment's not dwelled on in the video review.session.

[Ali Cadoo]

Eesh, whoever in the Wasps ranks accidentally kicked Umaga in the face is going to hope that moment's not dwelled on in the video review.session.

I think it was Tommy Taylor. It wasn’t a kick, it was a rake - just a gentle bit of persuasion, 90’s style.

[Hal Jordan]

Aaron Morris gets his bell ring running into Murimurivalu and Michael Lynagh's kid comes on as a sub (and gets swatted aside by Leicester's massive winger as he scores).

[JM2K6]

Great finish by Marchant playing on the wing.

On the other wing, Earle looks terrified of contact.

Good shout. Bottled that with Nadolo.

Not sure how Morris getting shouldered in the jaw doesn't get looked at again though.

[sockwithaticket]

Christ, Townsend re-defining shit haircuts even by Exeter's low standards.

[JM2K6]

Marchant's footwork making Nadolo look silly a few times. Amused by Esterhuizen making a break off one of those and barely being quick enough to keep himself ahead of Dombrandt.

Bonus point which is an indictment of Leicester given how awful a front five we turned up with

[Hal Jordan]

Ben Youngs is hot garbage.

[Raggs]

Ben Youngs is hot garbage.

He'll get picked for England, be absoltuely on fire for the first game, and be undroppable until the next world cup.

[Hal Jordan]

Lang is very Billy Twelvetrees, he is capable of some good stuff but you always feel he's ready to drop an absolute clanger at any moment.

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps' game's gone scrappy again with the benches having been emptied.

[Ovals]

Sarries getting into their stride now - could be a long final 12 mins for Bath - their scrum is starting to buckle badly.

[Hal Jordan]

I was wondering how we'd contrive to make a fucking hash of an 11 point lead, and Quins don't disappoint as our fifteeth choice loose head gets binned, so we have to bring on a supporter.

[JM2K6]

Lang is very Billy Twelvetrees, he is capable of some good stuff but you always feel he's ready to drop an absolute clanger at any moment.

Not sure about that. I think he's pretty good as a 13 and does a lot of good work. Needs more time there to sort out his defensive decision making though.

[Hal Jordan]

Thank fuck for that.

[ASMO]

Barfists blown it unless the Sale game called off...Hooper must be spitting nails in that dressing room.

[ASMO]

Ben Youngs is hot garbage.

He'll get picked for England, be absoltuely on fire for the first game, and be undroppable until the next world cup.

Wash your mouth out you nasty bastard.

[Un Pilier]

I’m not entirely sure whether some of the Leicester squad today have been formally introduced.

[Kawazaki]

I missed all the rugby today bar a little bit of the Saracens v Bath first half streaming badly on my mobile. However, I did see the Dunn deliberate knock-on of Billy's pass to Maitland (I think) literally just a few meters out from the Bath line and there wasn't so much as a penalty for Saracens let alone a penalty-try and yellow card. What on earth did Wayne Barnes say, was it reviewed properly?

[RodneyRegis]

[ASMO]

Some real donkeys in that lot, Heinz and Youngs? Really? Piers Francis, Furbank? i despair.

[RodneyRegis]

Yes - the sad thing is that they are probably the ones who will stay when the other clubs are available.

[Joost]

Guess having 5 clubs not to choose from rather than 4 rather limits the options!

Good to see Mitchell and Dombrandt involved, Ribbans has always looked good when I’ve seen Saints play too.

Hopefully he’d have picked Spencer, Robson or whichever is the better Maunder rather than Heinz, if they’d been available..!

[Margin__Walker]

6 clubs not to choose from isn't it as Worcester are playing on Wednesday and you would have thought Hill and Lawrence would have been involved in this squad.

[Joost]

Ah yes, had forgotten about Hill. Schonert too, perhaps, over Kerrod.

Let’s hope the Saints and Tigs players don’t stink up England training like they have been for their clubs!

[Hal Jordan]

Others to be added when available, no doubt. This lot feels like a squad to face the Barbarians.

[sockwithaticket]

Others to be added when available, no doubt. This lot feels like a squad to face the Barbarians.

100%. I'll save my ire for when the proper squad comes out if certain names are still there, though I'm resigned to never being rid of Youngs.

[Niegs]

Outside of the teams whose players are unavailable, are these really the standouts? I wouldn't have thought Crossdale was even the best of Saracens' wingers? Haven't seen much of him, mind, but strikes me as a 'bigger' straight line runner but without the pace of the other contenders.

[Hal Jordan]

Eddie loves him a big, strong hoss on one wing.

[Margin__Walker]

Crossdale is is bit of a playmaker as well from memory.

Thought one of Hassell-Collins or Loader may have made this squad from LI, but no dice. Loader probably the better long term bet but OHC deserves a mention for managing to score 9 prem tries this season in our backline.

Scored another scorcher yesterday

[Niegs]

Crossdale is is bit of a playmaker as well from memory.

Yes, played 10 at Sedbergh. He impressed me in a Cup match of some sort years ago and thought he'd be one to keep an eye on... then saw him with England as a winger (guess he'd been with Sale and Newcastle academies?).

Could be seen as a future full back?

No harm in getting a closer look, I guess, but would imagine May, McConnochie, Cockanasiga are the contenders for that bigger winger slot?

[Margin__Walker]

Crossdale is is bit of a playmaker as well from memory.

Yes, played 10 at Sedbergh. He impressed me in a Cup match of some sort years ago and thought he'd be one to keep an eye on... then saw him with England as a winger (guess he'd been with Sale and Newcastle academies?).

Could be seen as a future full back?

Yep, Sarries fans will have a better idea. But guessing the best fit would be a second receiver at 15.

[Un Pilier]

Others to be added when available, no doubt. This lot feels like a squad to face the Barbarians.

100%. I'll save my ire for when the proper squad comes out if certain names are still there, though I'm resigned to never being rid of Youngs.

This. And this.

[Madness]

Ok, so if we had to pick a team to play the BaaBaas from that lot, I know they'll add some more

Genge
George
Heyes
Itoje
RIbbans
Ludlow
Wilson
Dombrandt
Mitchell
Ford
May
Farrell
Marchant
Thorley
Daly

Decent group of experience allows the team to play like a full strength England and see how Heyes, Ribbans, Dombrandt, Mitchell, Marchant and Thorley do without being part of an entirely scratch team, although given the choice I wouldnt risk Itoje

[Kawazaki]

Ok, so if we had to pick a team to play the BaaBaas from that lot, I know they'll add some more

Genge
George
Heyes
Itoje
RIbbans
Ludlow
Wilson
Dombrandt
Mitchell
Ford
May
Farrell
Marchant
Thorley
Daly

Decent group of experience allows the team to play like a full strength England and see how Heyes, Ribbans, Dombrandt, Mitchell, Marchant and Thorley do without being part of an entirely scratch team, although given the choice I wouldnt risk Itoje

The strongest England XV just shouldn't have any Leicester players in it. They've been poop.

Mako
George
Kerrod
Itoje
Ribbans
Dombrandt
Billy
Wilson
Heinz
Farrell
May
Dingwall
Daly
Thorley
Crossdale

[Hal Jordan]

The strongest England team will never have Farrell at 10. Ever.

[sockwithaticket]

Taking Ford out because of Leicester's generally terrible performance, exacerbated by Borthwick running the rule over the whole squad with little regard to results, would be bonkers. He's steered us to victory after victory and is not personally playing badly.

[Niegs]

So Piers Francis has tested positive but Sale are all good?

[Raggs]

So Piers Francis has tested positive but Sale are all good?

We'll just have to wait until tomorrow for the test results to return.

[Un Pilier]

This is getting (more) silly.

[Kawazaki]

The strongest England team will never have Farrell at 10. Ever.

That's Farrell the flyhalf with 5 English Premierships and 3 European Cups in 8 years.

Yeah, he's rubbish.