NPR

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:06 pm**

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 5:59 pm Dommers basically just did this to Mercer

That was a lovely try. Gloucester just butchered one.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:09 pm**

Ovals wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:06 pm
sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 5:59 pm Dommers basically just did this to Mercer
That was a lovely try. Gloucester just butchered one.

Beard made a great tackle when presented with the opportunity, but Carreras definitely contrived to give it to him. That try was easier to score than not.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:47 pm**

Really dumb penalty sets up Gloucester for a 7 pointer - just 8 in it now.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:49 pm**

Quickly restored to 15 thanks to another piece of brilliance from Smith - he's been on fire today.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:53 pm**

Quins must surely have Care on a rolling one year deal? He's still one of the best 9s in the league and shows little sign of age getting the better of him.

Ovals wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:49 pm Quickly restored to 15 thanks to another piece of brilliance from Smith - he's been on fire today.

In all aspects other than place kicking he's been impeccable.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 7:12 pm**

Drop Goal from Smith just to show he's got all the tricks.

May gives Glaws hope of salvaging something from the game.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:53 pm**

Smith another motm game but Borewick wont pick him at 10 because of his goalkicking

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:15 pm**

ASMO wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:53 pm Smith another motm game but Borewick wont pick him at 10 because of his goalkicking

Finn Smith it is then because Ford's been having his own place kicking wobbles this season.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:38 pm**

Further to the who is and isn't a 12 debate, both Kelly and Ojomoh are playing 13 today.

From this weekend's fixtures the EQP 12s:
Devoto (Exeter)
Hartley (Saracens)
Butt (Bath)
Hutchinson (Northampton)
S. Atkinson (Gloucester)

Who of those should we be picking at 12 for the 6N given that certain others look better at 13 and/or aren't being selected at 12?

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:58 pm**

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:38 pm Further to the who is and isn't a 12 debate, both Kelly and Ojomoh are playing 13 today.

From this weekend's fixtures the EQP 12s:
Devoto (Exeter)
Hartley (Saracens)
Butt (Bath)
Hutchinson (Northampton)
S. Atkinson (Gloucester)

Who of those should we be picking at 12 for the 6N given that certain others look better at 13 and/or aren't being selected at 12?

Hartley has certainly impressed - but it's very early days for him.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:38 pm**

Terrible decision from Dickson to yellow card van velze - 0% empathy to the game he played professionally

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:45 pm**

Deveron Boy wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:38 pm Terrible decision from Dickson to yellow card van velze - 0% empathy to the game he played professionally

He's genuinely dreadful. Consistently so. His elevation to apparently being one of the best in the Prem (given his appointments at domestic and international level) is utterly mystifying.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:14 pm**

Still enjoying ojomoh's hands and kicking. Haven't seen as much of that from Hartley, but he has done more size I think.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:23 pm**

Hartley's significantly taller, by a good 4 - 5 inches.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:55 pm**

Ojomoh definitely did more than Kelly to advance his international ambitions today.

Bath seconds didn't do too badly at Welford Road having looked like they might ship 50.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 5:50 pm**

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:55 pm Ojomoh definitely did more than Kelly to advance his international ambitions today.

Bath seconds didn't do too badly at Welford Road having looked like they might ship 50.

Couple of give it a go passes at the end when all was lost, but then one of them looked spot on for me (the big break), he passes to the player actually in space, and from the replays it looked more or less in the bread basket!

Work rate looked impressive too.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2023 11:55 pm**

Fucking shambolic by Bath today. 10 team league, no need to be playing a second team.

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:57 am**

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:38 pm Further to the who is and isn't a 12 debate, both Kelly and Ojomoh are playing 13 today.

From this weekend's fixtures the EQP 12s:
Devoto (Exeter)
Hartley (Saracens)
Butt (Bath)
Hutchinson (Northampton)
S. Atkinson (Gloucester)

Who of those should we be picking at 12 for the 6N given that certain others look better at 13 and/or aren't being selected at 12?

Hutchinson is not an EQP. He has 7 Scotland caps the last of which was in 2022

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:17 am**

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:57 am
sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:38 pm Further to the who is and isn't a 12 debate, both Kelly and Ojomoh are playing 13 today.

From this weekend's fixtures the EQP 12s:
Devoto (Exeter)
Hartley (Saracens)
Butt (Bath)
Hutchinson (Northampton)
S. Atkinson (Gloucester)

Who of those should we be picking at 12 for the 6N given that certain others look better at 13 and/or aren't being selected at 12?
Hutchinson is not an EQP. He has 7 Scotland caps the last of which was in 2022

I could've sworn I've read Scottish posters decrying Townsend for allowing Hutchinson to complete the three year stand down, but fair enough. Goes to further strengthen my prior point that the 12 options in the Prem are mostly kids and non-EQPs, so we shouldn't be ruling out any of the 13s who could do a job there for England.

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 12:37 pm**

sockwithaticket wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:17 am
SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:57 am
sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:38 pm Further to the who is and isn't a 12 debate, both Kelly and Ojomoh are playing 13 today.

From this weekend's fixtures the EQP 12s:
Devoto (Exeter)
Hartley (Saracens)
Butt (Bath)
Hutchinson (Northampton)
S. Atkinson (Gloucester)

Who of those should we be picking at 12 for the 6N given that certain others look better at 13 and/or aren't being selected at 12?
Hutchinson is not an EQP. He has 7 Scotland caps the last of which was in 2022
I could've sworn I've read Scottish posters decrying Townsend for allowing Hutchinson to complete the three year stand down, but fair enough. Goes to further strengthen my prior point that the 12 options in the Prem are mostly kids and non-EQPs, so we shouldn't be ruling out any of the 13s who could do a job there for England.

Apologies You are correct, last test 4 years ago in February against Italy, not 2 years ago as I thought!

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 5:38 pm**

Hutchinson played at full back on the tour of Argentina in 2022. He got injured out there and I don't think he's had a look in since.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:04 pm**

Mako given a 4 match ban for his red card at the weekend.
So potentially no Genge, no Marler (if his injury was anything to go by on Saturday) and Mako with no game time before the Italy match.
Who are the next batch coming through?

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:08 pm**

SaintK wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:04 pm Mako given a 4 match ban for his red card at the weekend.
So potentially no Genge, no Marler (if his injury was anything to go by on Saturday) and Mako with no game time before the Italy match.
Who are the next batch coming through?

Was it the saints youngster who's really highly rated that have Asher trouble for Sale?

Bevan Rodd, VRR could be two as well? Are they healthy?

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:16 pm**

Raggs wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:08 pm
SaintK wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:04 pm Mako given a 4 match ban for his red card at the weekend.
So potentially no Genge, no Marler (if his injury was anything to go by on Saturday) and Mako with no game time before the Italy match.
Who are the next batch coming through?
Was it the saints youngster who's really highly rated that have Asher trouble for Sale?

Bevan Rodd, VRR could be two as well? Are they healthy?

Haffar. He's had injury issues in his first few years of pro Rugby but he's got a high ceiling. Was superb last season as an impact sub keeping guys like Gigena and WGC out of the LI 23. Always thought he'd be the best front rower to come through from the club since Corbs.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:19 pm**

Per Sky Sports

Sale forward Rodd is out for the rest of this season after undergoing toe surgery and Gloucester's Rapava-Ruskin, who was part of England's World Cup training squad last year, is another long-term absentee following a knee operation.

So we are looking very bare in the prop department, time to bring on Beno Obano.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:30 pm**

Margin__Walker wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:16 pm
Raggs wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:08 pm
SaintK wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:04 pm Mako given a 4 match ban for his red card at the weekend.
So potentially no Genge, no Marler (if his injury was anything to go by on Saturday) and Mako with no game time before the Italy match.
Who are the next batch coming through?
Was it the saints youngster who's really highly rated that have Asher trouble for Sale?

Bevan Rodd, VRR could be two as well? Are they healthy?
Haffar. He's had injury issues in his first few years of pro Rugby but he's got a high ceiling. Was superb last season as an impact sub keeping guys like Gigena and WGC out of the LI 23. Always thought he'd be the best front rower to come through from the club since Corbs.

That's the one. Need to try and find some more games to watch him in. Asher has impressed me with his great low and strong body position, but his honesty in the set got taken advantage of. It's also always hard to judge a tighthead when he's got good locks behind him. Sale have some huge locks to provide plenty of power, as long as Asher can hold a strong position, he's going to have an easier time of it.

Loosehead does seem desperately bare though! Obano does seem the now "obvious" choice... Mako probably gets in on experience too, though I'd prefer he didn't.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:52 pm**

Raggs wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:08 pm
SaintK wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:04 pm Mako given a 4 match ban for his red card at the weekend.
So potentially no Genge, no Marler (if his injury was anything to go by on Saturday) and Mako with no game time before the Italy match.
Who are the next batch coming through?
Was it the saints youngster who's really highly rated that have Asher trouble for Sale?

Bevan Rodd, VRR could be two as well? Are they healthy?

Rodd just had op on a tendon in his foot. VRR only played 30 minutes this season! Edit:(Apologies, just seen duke's reply above)
I think Haffar has very good potential from what I saw of hin at LI

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 6:08 pm**

Haffar would probably need to be starting games to get into England contention, rather than being a specialist sub.

He's got an intriguing skillset though, as someone who's both a strong (so far) scrummager at prem level and dynamic in the loose.

I've not seen him properly beaten in the set piece yet and he's genuinely the fastest prop I've ever seen. He really just needs an injury free season and a lot of minutes to see where he really stacks up.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 6:27 pm**

EQP (afaik) looseheads who started this weekend and are both fit and unbanned:

Brantingham
Harrison
Waller
Ford-Robinson
Lahiff

Worth noting that Finn Baxter came on in the first half for Marler and continues to look impressive, though you probably wouldn't want to have to start him in an international yet.

Obvious caveat that Bath sent their seconds and so Obano wasn't risked.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 7:24 pm**

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 6:27 pm EQP (afaik) looseheads who started this weekend and are both fit and unbanned:

Brantingham
Harrison
Waller
Ford-Robinson
Lahiff

Worth noting that Finn Baxter came on in the first half for Marler and continues to look impressive, though you probably wouldn't want to have to start him in an international yet.

Obvious caveat that Bath sent their seconds and so Obano wasn't risked.

Who's Brantingham? How old? In the end, I see no point in bringing in an older prop who's never looked upto it, when we have a youngster that might as well get exposed. Obano, Mako and Haffer? Baxter? Asher can apparently play both sides?

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 7:36 pm**

Raggs wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 7:24 pm
sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 6:27 pm EQP (afaik) looseheads who started this weekend and are both fit and unbanned:

Brantingham
Harrison
Waller
Ford-Robinson
Lahiff

Worth noting that Finn Baxter came on in the first half for Marler and continues to look impressive, though you probably wouldn't want to have to start him in an international yet.

Obvious caveat that Bath sent their seconds and so Obano wasn't risked.
Who's Brantingham? How old? In the end, I see no point in bringing in an older prop who's never looked upto it, when we have a youngster that might as well get exposed. Obano, Mako and Haffer? Baxter? Asher can apparently play both sides?

According to his Falcons profile he's 22 and a recent England U20 player, so I must've seen him at some point, but can't say any performances spring to mind.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 7:37 pm**

Brantingham is young and good.

Doubt he'll stick at Newcastle for long

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:23 pm**

Not sure whether Marler would want to continue at Test level given his history.

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:34 pm**

Confirmation of adjustments to England coaching set up
Sinfield off after the Summer tour. Felix Jones to replace him
Who is Andrew Strawbridge? Never heard of him, though Borthwick is bigging him up in the article!!
Wigglesworth to continue as attack coach

Kevin Sinfield will leave the England set-up after the team’s summer tour.
The Rugby League great will switch roles from defence to skills and kicking coach from next month’s Six Nations, before leaving England after the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand.
Former All Blacks coach Andrew Strawbridge has joined England’s management set-up as a consultant for the first month of the Six Nations.

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 315.html

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2024 2:22 pm**

England squad no longer having the RPA represente them in any negotiations with the RFU apparently.

The England men’s team will replace the Rugby Players’ Association with a new agency to negotiate their contracts and commercial deals with the RFU.

The Times understands that, in a landslide vote before Christmas, the national team decided they do not want the RPA to represent them in contractual negotiations with the RFU beyond this season.

The players have grown frustrated with how the RPA, their trade union, has represented them in recent years. Talks on this matter have intensified since the World Cup in France last year.

The England team were particularly irritated when the Six Nations signed a deal with Netflix for a behind-the-scenes documentary in 2023, after little player consultation, and blanket pay cuts were introduced during the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:44 pm**

Borthwick namechecked the following when talking about uncapped (or fringe in the case of Freeman and Obano) players currently in contention:

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - Assume Gatland will be wanting to name him too for Wales, given he's Welsh.
Ethan Roots - Kiwi flanker doing well for Exeter
Greg Fisilau,
Henry Slade,
Tommy Freeman
Beno Obano
Fin Baxter
Tarek Haffar
Phil Brantingham

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:05 am**

Margin__Walker wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:44 pm Borthwick namechecked the following when talking about uncapped (or fringe in the case of Freeman and Obano) players currently in contention:

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - Assume Gatland will be wanting to name him too for Wales, given he's Welsh.
Ethan Roots - Kiwi flanker doing well for Exeter
Greg Fisilau,
Henry Slade,
Tommy Freeman
Beno Obano
Fin Baxter
Tarek Haffar
Phil Brantingham

Slade is uncapped?

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:36 am**

Good on him! Been playing well for them this season

Former England full-back Mike Brown has agreed a new deal with Leicester Tigers to run "beyond the 2023-24 season".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67891281

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:40 am**

Sandstorm wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:05 am
Margin__Walker wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:44 pm Borthwick namechecked the following when talking about uncapped (or fringe in the case of Freeman and Obano) players currently in contention:

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - Assume Gatland will be wanting to name him too for Wales, given he's Welsh.
Ethan Roots - Kiwi flanker doing well for Exeter
Greg Fisilau,
Henry Slade,
Tommy Freeman
Beno Obano
Fin Baxter
Tarek Haffar
Phil Brantingham
Slade is uncapped?

Surprised Fin Smith not name checked as well

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:52 am**

Fair point on Slade. Call it uncapped and out of favour.

Doubt it's an exhaustive list and would be surprised if F Smith isn't the third 10 in the squad

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