NPR

JM2K6 wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:26 am I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

inactionman wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:50 am

JM2K6 wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:26 am I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

SaintK wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:53 am

inactionman wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:50 am

JM2K6 wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:26 am I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

Agree entirely about Hill. I also think that Tom Willis has been very unlucky on current form. Particularly as there is only one specialist No8 in the squad and he hasn't really found his feet at test level.

inactionman wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 11:05 am

SaintK wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:53 am

inactionman wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:50 am

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

Agree entirely about Hill. I also think that Tom Willis has been very unlucky on current form. Particularly as there is only one specialist No8 in the squad and he hasn't really found his feet at test level.

I've only caught a few highlights of Sarries but Willis has featured in said highlights a fair bit. Think his time in France might delay his England opportunity? Not that it counts against him, more that players in France may be a bit invisible to England selectors whilst they're away, and so he's only had half a dozen games in the shop window.

Has Earl gone to 7 when Willis is at 8, or do they swap in and out? I've not seen any live Sarries games so not sure how they arrange it, but makes an interesting call if Willis is prefered at 8 to his colleague who plays a lot for England at 8.

ASMO wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 12:19 pm a Hill, Earl, Willis backrow would be a bloody good backrow i would be happy for England to start with ~(its never gonna happen) then put 1 of the curry brothers and CCS on the bench you have some great options to bring on and keep the energy levels up.

Sinkers wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 12:10 pm I’m assuming Chessum was penciled in to play 6 and Hill is the next nearest thing?

Not a dig at Hill, I would have had him in from the start, but maybe explains why he’s in now?

SaintK wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 11:42 am

Sinkers wrote: Mon Oct 28, 2024 12:10 pm I’m assuming Chessum was penciled in to play 6 and Hill is the next nearest thing?

Not a dig at Hill, I would have had him in from the start, but maybe explains why he’s in now?

Coles is more a regular 5/6 than Hill. Only seen Hill play in the 2nd row once, Cole plays there quite regularly for Saints.

sockwithaticket wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:29 pm

Centre partnership was obviously what they were going to pick and still a stupid idea.

6 - 2 split always gives me the willies, doubly so when one of the outside backs is so recently returned from injury. The jump up to test match intensity seems like a great re-injury risk. Smith moving to fullback during the match is clearly part of the plan rather an emergency contingency and I hate that.

Is T. Curry in current form really part of our best back row configuration? Do we need both Currys in the side when we also have the likes of Underhill and Hill in the squad?

Outside of those quibbles, it's probably the best you can do with the squad selected.

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:45 pm CCS is not good enough to be starting Test matches

inactionman wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:45 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:29 pm

Centre partnership was obviously what they were going to pick and still a stupid idea.

6 - 2 split always gives me the willies, doubly so when one of the outside backs is so recently returned from injury. The jump up to test match intensity seems like a great re-injury risk. Smith moving to fullback during the match is clearly part of the plan rather an emergency contingency and I hate that.

Is T. Curry in current form really part of our best back row configuration? Do we need both Currys in the side when we also have the likes of Underhill and Hill in the squad?

Outside of those quibbles, it's probably the best you can do with the squad selected.

6-2 seems even riskier if your second is a pure fly half and your starting 10 can maybe cover 15. A 10-12 of ford and Smith is a bit of a worry, unless we start shifting furbank.

SaintK wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:57 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:45 pm CCS is not good enough to be starting Test matches

Nor is Will Stuart

The tropical blue and white colourway nods to the shining ambition of Bath

inactionman wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2024 11:16 am

Bath's new 'Euro kit'.

It's a bit, er, Racing, isn't it? Eh, Finn?

https://www.bathrugby.com/content/craft ... t-launched

The tropical blue and white colourway nods to the shining ambition of Bath

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2024 3:45 pm CCS is not good enough to be starting Test matches

SaintK wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2024 3:01 pm Danny Care not holding back.
Eddie Jones was a cunt!!!!
https://archive.is/V5gwf

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2024 9:40 am Surprised some of Eddie’s back room staff didn’t sue.

tc27 wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2024 10:17 am

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2024 9:40 am Surprised some of Eddie’s back room staff didn’t sue.

You would make yourself unemployable.

It's permissible and probaly necessary to be a hard arse it that job but EJ behaviour is straight out bullying. The behaviour towards Kieran Brookes was completely unacceptable.

England prop Joe Marler has retired from international rugby having won 95 caps.
Marler made his England debut during the 2012 summer tour of South Africa and was part of three Six Nations-winning sides in 2016, 2017 and 2020.
He also represented England at three World Cups, including in 2019 when they were beaten by South Africa in the final.
"It's time for me to move on," said Marler, 34.
"I've been really, really lucky to experience both the mega highs and the mega lows in an England shirt. I will cherish all of them because they all count."

Hal Jordan wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2024 5:57 pm The Walrus continues his hate wank against Marcus Smith, demanding he be replaced with Ford or Fin Smith.

Farrell's retired, mate, he's not coming back.

England have called-up Sale Sharks prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour to the 36-player squad preparing to face Australia in the Autumn Nations Series.
The 20-year-old was a member of England's Under-20s side which won their age grade World Cup this year.
Opoku-Fordjour replaces Joe Marler, who has announced his retirement from international rugby, while Bath lock Charlie Ewels replaces club team-mate Ted Hill.

JM2K6 wrote: Mon Nov 04, 2024 11:03 am England really don't see him as a tighthead huh

sockwithaticket wrote: Mon Nov 04, 2024 1:55 pm Ah but that was mostly in the era of only having one prop on the bench. Much more difficult to get away with being a useless sack who can nominally play both sides now.

sockwithaticket wrote: Mon Nov 04, 2024 1:55 pm Ah but that was mostly in the era of only having one prop on the bench. Much more difficult to get away with being a useless sack who can nominally play both sides now.