Page 215 of 478
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:43 am
by Raggs
If we're playing Smith at 10, we probably want Youngs at 9, to prevent it being all change. Though I do still want the youngsters to get a good runout.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:46 am
by Margin__Walker
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:27 am
Would've been nice to see Collier rewarded for being a beastly scrummager but it was a long shot. Heyes is pretty good.
Not THAT surprised by Chessum being ahead of Martin, going on my "does he actually do anything when on TV" index.
Radwan missing out seems strange to me but I really like OHC so eh.
Will be an interesting 6N for May on the wing front. He's the guy who's treading water at the moment and not putting big performances. Can only be an automatic selection for so long.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 12:19 pm
by Iain(bobbity)
I feel like the Ford thing is personal. He's definitely a player who has ideas about how things should be done.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 3:13 pm
by JM2K6
It can't be because he wants to change the style of play and Ford doesn't fit. Ford's a hugely flexible player and we've seen what he can do with the shackles off.
I'm also pissed off because I want Smith to be learning off Ford in training. The weaker parts of Smith's game are real strengths for Ford ffs.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 3:57 pm
by sockwithaticket
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 3:13 pm
It can't be because he wants to change the style of play and Ford doesn't fit. Ford's a hugely flexible player and we've seen what he can do with the shackles off.
I'm also pissed off because I want Smith to be learning off Ford in training. The weaker parts of Smith's game are real strengths for Ford ffs.
This is the main reason his inclusion is so baffling. Ok, for whatever reason you don't want Ford involved in the matchday squad, but he's a 75 cap international who, among other things, pulled the strings during a dismantling of the All Blacks. Surely he has value as a squad member to mentor Smith (and Furbank to a lesser degree if he's still being seen as 10 cover).
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:14 pm
by Kawazaki
Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:46 am
Will be an interesting 6N for May on the wing front. He's the guy who's treading water at the moment and not putting big performances. Can only be an automatic selection for so long.
Yeah, I reckon once he reaches about 110 caps he'll be kicked out by Eddie.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:58 pm
by Woddy
I think the main problem for Ford is that there is not enough room for all 3 of him, Smith and Farrell in a match-day 23,. Jones evidently cannot live without Farrell, so it's Ford or Smith to miss out; Ford at the moment.
It's complete bollocks in my humble opinion: I'd have both the others ahead of Farrell at 10, and Lozowski and Slade ahead of him at 12 (even if it's not the latter's better position).
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:49 pm
by JM2K6
I hadn't noticed that Underhill's been dropped. Perhaps it's a sign he's moving away from Curry at 8 finally? I didn't think Underhill had a great autumn, particularly against SA when he was absolutely shocking. Big call to drop him though given he's been messed around with ever since the world cup and the success of the Curry/Underhill combo.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 6:01 pm
by Rhubarb & Custard
Woddy wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:58 pm
I think the main problem for Ford is that there is not enough room for all 3 of him, Smith and Farrell in a match-day 23,. Jones evidently cannot live without Farrell, so it's Ford or Smith to miss out; Ford at the moment.
It's complete bollocks in my humble opinion: I'd have both the others ahead of Farrell at 10, and Lozowski and Slade ahead of him at 12 (even if it's not the latter's better position).
I think the main thing for Ford is the same problem Cipriani had. In that if your a big presence on setting team shape in attack and you're not starting he doesn't want to distraction from the number 1 pick at 10. Pros and cons in that line of thinking
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 6:49 pm
by ASMO
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:49 pm
I hadn't noticed that Underhill's been dropped. Perhaps it's a sign he's moving away from Curry at 8 finally? I didn't think Underhill had a great autumn, particularly against SA when he was absolutely shocking. Big call to drop him though given he's been messed around with ever since the world cup and the success of the Curry/Underhill combo.
Isnt Underhill broken at the moment?
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:06 pm
by Kawazaki
Just reading some of the exchanges from the England press conference yesterday and I'm a bit stumped. Can somebody please explain this quote;
“Marcus could be an absolutely brilliant ten so he needs a 12 next to him that can run the game for him and that’s where Owen is so good,”
- Eddie Jones
I've read it 5 or 6 times now and I'm not getting it.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:31 pm
by ASMO
Kawazaki wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:06 pm
Just reading some of the exchanges from the England press conference yesterday and I'm a bit stumped. Can somebody please explain this quote;
“Marcus could be an absolutely brilliant ten so he needs a 12 next to him that can run the game for him and that’s where Owen is so good,”
- Eddie Jones
I've read it 5 or 6 times now and I'm not getting it.
You know whats going to happen, Farrell will go in as a 12 but will be first receiver on attacking ball which will fuck up anything Smith tries to do because he will just shovel slow shit ball onwards and expect Smith to work a miracle, it happened when they played together in the AI's
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:37 pm
by Happyhooker
ASMO wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 6:49 pm
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:49 pm
I hadn't noticed that Underhill's been dropped. Perhaps it's a sign he's moving away from Curry at 8 finally? I didn't think Underhill had a great autumn, particularly against SA when he was absolutely shocking. Big call to drop him though given he's been messed around with ever since the world cup and the success of the Curry/Underhill combo.
Isnt Underhill broken at the moment?
A bit, but nearly back
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:53 pm
by sockwithaticket
Kawazaki wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:06 pm
Just reading some of the exchanges from the England press conference yesterday and I'm a bit stumped. Can somebody please explain this quote;
“Marcus could be an absolutely brilliant ten so he needs a 12 next to him that can run the game for him and that’s where Owen is so good,”
- Eddie Jones
I've read it 5 or 6 times now and I'm not getting it.
A generous interpretation is he's trying to lower the media's expectations of Smith and the team with him at 10.
A less generous one is that he's negging Smith to stop the kid from getting ideas above his station as to his position in the national pecking order. Then there's a side order of justifying including Farrell after no recent game time.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:10 pm
by JM2K6
It should be on Farrell to prove he's good enough to play alongside Smith. He made England look ponderous as fuck in the AIs and as soon as he disappeared we got better. He was dire in the last 6N and had a piss-poor Lions tour; what gives, Eddie?
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:18 pm
by Torquemada 1420
Kawazaki wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:06 pm
Just reading some of the exchanges from the England press conference yesterday and I'm a bit stumped. Can somebody please explain this quote;
“Marcus could be an absolutely brilliant ten so he needs a 12 next to him that can run the game for him and that’s where Owen is so good,”
- Eddie Jones
I've read it 5 or 6 times now and I'm not getting it.
It's simple enough. It's another twisting facts to support the inclusion of Farrell. What the interviewer should have asked was whether if Smith had been injured......
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:41 pm
by petej
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:10 pm
It should be on Farrell to prove he's good enough to play alongside Smith. He made England look ponderous as fuck in the AIs and as soon as he disappeared we got better. He was dire in the last 6N and had a piss-poor Lions tour; what gives, Eddie?
Indeed. Really Farrell should have to prove he justifies inclusion at 10 or 12. We basically know he will move to 10 if Smith gets injured. We've repeatedly seen Farrell fluff his lines at 10 which is why he was playing 12.
Marcus could be an absolutely brilliant 10 so we are going to remove an attacking option to make him less dangerous.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:20 am
by eldanielfire
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:10 pm
It should be on Farrell to prove he's good enough to play alongside Smith. He made England look ponderous as fuck in the AIs and as soon as he disappeared we got better. He was dire in the last 6N and had a piss-poor Lions tour; what gives, Eddie?
Farrell has those pictures that would ruin Eddie's career?
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:25 am
by Brazil
Ah, brings back happy memories of the days when England possessed one of the greatest passers of the ball they had ever seen, and stuck two fucking breezeblocks outside him for most of his career. Halcyon days.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:26 am
by Happyhooker
Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:25 am
Ah, brings back happy memories of the days when England possessed one of the greatest passers of the ball they had ever seen, and stuck two fucking breezeblocks outside him for most of his career. Halcyon days.
You're going to have to be more specific I'm afraid
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:34 am
by petej
Happyhooker wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:26 am
Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:25 am
Ah, brings back happy memories of the days when England possessed one of the greatest passers of the ball they had ever seen, and stuck two fucking breezeblocks outside him for most of his career. Halcyon days.
You're going to have to be more specific I'm afraid
Flood and cips were decent but I'm not sure I would class either as one of the greatest passers of the ball they had ever seen.
Edit: Charlie hodgson?
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:37 am
by JM2K6
Henry Paul innit.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:45 am
by petej
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:37 am
Henry Paul innit.
Relatively successful compared to most the league imports that went straight into the England team.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:54 am
by SaintK
Good news.
English club rugby is set to return to free-to-air television following the agreement of a new deal with ITV. At the start of this season there was widespread disappointment when the popular Channel 5 highlights show was axed but Premiership Rugby has now negotiated a fresh partnership with ITV until the end of the 2023-24 season.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022 ... ve-final
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:16 am
by sockwithaticket
SaintK wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:54 am
Good news.
English club rugby is set to return to free-to-air television following the agreement of a new deal with ITV. At the start of this season there was widespread disappointment when the popular Channel 5 highlights show was axed but Premiership Rugby has now negotiated a fresh partnership with ITV until the end of the 2023-24 season.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022 ... ve-final
Good news if they're cracking games which showcase how exciting the sport can be, bad if they turn out to be dour, cagey affairs 'for the purists'. Exposure is good for the game, but it needs to hook people rather than put them off.
Shame Mark Durden-Smith has been bumped from the highlights. Being mates in real life who also do after dinner speaking together, he and Flatman had real chemistry.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:19 am
by tc27
petej wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:34 am
Happyhooker wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:26 am
Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:25 am
Ah, brings back happy memories of the days when England possessed one of the greatest passers of the ball they had ever seen, and stuck two fucking breezeblocks outside him for most of his career. Halcyon days.
You're going to have to be more specific I'm afraid
Flood and cips were decent but I'm not sure I would class either as one of the greatest passers of the ball they had ever seen.
Edit: Charlie hodgson?
Its Brazil - of course its Charlie Hodgson..
(TBF he's not wrong about the breezeblocks).
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:22 am
by tc27
petej wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:45 am
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:37 am
Henry Paul innit.
Relatively successful compared to most the league imports that went straight into the England team.
Quite good against SA (kick pass for Cueto's try)and then yanked about 20 minutes in VS Australia the next week.
I remember far too much about the Andy Robinson era England team
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:33 am
by petej
tc27 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:22 am
petej wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:45 am
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:37 am
Henry Paul innit.
Relatively successful compared to most the league imports that went straight into the England team.
Quite good against SA (kick pass for Cueto's try)and then yanked about 20 minutes in VS Australia the next week.
I remember far too much about the Andy Robinson era England team
England Vs SA (hodgson and Jaco Van Der westhuizen I think were the 10s) was the only England game I attended during the Robinson era. i was very lucky.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:36 am
by duke
petej wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:33 am
tc27 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:22 am
petej wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:45 am
Relatively successful compared to most the league imports that went straight into the England team.
Quite good against SA (kick pass for Cueto's try)and then yanked about 20 minutes in VS Australia the next week.
I remember far too much about the Andy Robinson era England team
England Vs SA (hodgson and Jaco Van Der westhuizen I think were the 10s) was the only England game I attended during the Robinson era. i was very lucky.
That is spectacular good fortune. I have some very grim memories from those days
(Edit)
Argentina 2006 being the nadir
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:08 am
by JM2K6
I was at that Argentina game. I had one of those sky feed earpieces and listening to Stuart Barnes talking about the booing while we were booing (OK, I wasn't, to be fair) was a hell of a moment
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:16 am
by Torquemada 1420
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:08 am
I was at that Argentina game. I had one of those sky feed earpieces and listening to Stuart Barnes talking about the booing while we were booing (OK, I wasn't, to be fair) was a hell of a moment
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:54 pm
by Bullet
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:08 am
I was at that Argentina game. I had one of those sky feed earpieces and listening to Stuart Barnes talking about the booing while we were booing (OK, I wasn't, to be fair) was a hell of a moment
Was that the purple kit game? We were busy trying to get card planes to land on the pitch
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:55 pm
by JM2K6
Bullet wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:54 pm
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:08 am
I was at that Argentina game. I had one of those sky feed earpieces and listening to Stuart Barnes talking about the booing while we were booing (OK, I wasn't, to be fair) was a hell of a moment
Was that the purple kit game? We were busy trying to get card planes to land on the pitch
Mine went pretty far afaicr
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:56 pm
by Happyhooker
Is Nathan Hughes really turning out for London Scottish tomorrow or is it just a lad with the same name?
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:06 pm
by SaintK
Happyhooker wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:56 pm
Is Nathan Hughes really turning out for London Scottish tomorrow or is it just a lad with the same name?
No Hughes in this team!
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:07 pm
by Margin__Walker
Happyhooker wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:56 pm
Is Nathan Hughes really turning out for London Scottish tomorrow or is it just a lad with the same name?
Dunno about the LS player, but former Eng international Nathan Hughes is turning out for Hartpury tomorrow.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:12 pm
by Happyhooker
Sorry, meant hartbury against london Scottish but obviously blanked out!!
Bloody hell
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:13 pm
by Raggs
Yeah, he's on loan to Hartpury.
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:19 pm
by Happyhooker
Raggs wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:13 pm
Yeah, he's on loan to Hartpury.
I didn't realise you could be loaned "down" during the season.
I'd heard he was on the way out at brizzle
Re: The Official English Rugby Thread
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:23 pm
by Hal Jordan
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:55 pm
Bullet wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:54 pm
JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:08 am
I was at that Argentina game. I had one of those sky feed earpieces and listening to Stuart Barnes talking about the booing while we were booing (OK, I wasn't, to be fair) was a hell of a moment
Was that the purple kit game? We were busy trying to get card planes to land on the pitch
Mine went pretty far afaicr
I was at that game. Christ, it was painful to watch.