Smudge wrote: ↑Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:49 am
"White lacks pace"? Compared to who? I have watched him closely throughout the competition and have been very impressed.
His positioning , distribution and pace have been excellent. He can tackle too. Most of all he has heads up vision and a rugby brain. Whether he reads this or not his confidence is not going to be helped by Leicester supports pouring doubt on his ability.
With Ben and Harrison ahead of him, my worry is that he will be lured away for regular rugby elsewhere.
Compared to my preferences for the position White is limited by his lack of pace off the mark, although his pace over longer distance looks pretty decent I think it's important that if a player wants to be the best scrum half then he needs some serious gas off the mark.
If he reads it then surely it is best to take another opinion on board and work on it as currently Harrison is a better player.
If he is sensitive about it then get used to it.
If you disagree then that's your prerogative, but no need to get your knickers in a twist!
He seems to link well with other players and show good pace in that aspect of his game. His sniping game isn't much used with the under 20s which seems to just be his style as the other scrum half (Brand?) showed plenty of fireworks in his start in the group stages. White seems to be more of the little general in the 9 shirt, very vocal and controls the tempo of the game very well. Different type of player to Simmonds giving us a pair of excellent options coming through.
With Youngs very much the England first choice and a RWC next summer they should both get plenty of game time in rotation with Harrison. Harrison is only 28 though so it's not like he'll retire and move out the way for them, they'll have to earn the shirt if they want it.
I guess it's horses for courses but I do think a 9 with exceptional pace from a standing start is important these days and especially for a side to be able to compete with the more physically dominating defensive set ups such as Saracens.
That blistering pace off the base is a must to keep them honest.
Watching England's Itoje struggle to contain Faf de Klerk last week is a good example.
It's all about opinions and it's simply one that I hold, but they are all good players.
BFG wrote: ↑Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:03 am
Compared to my preferences for the position White is limited by his lack of pace off the mark, although his pace over longer distance looks pretty decent I think it's important that if a player wants to be the best scrum half then he needs some serious gas off the mark.
If he reads it then surely it is best to take another opinion on board and work on it as currently Harrison is a better player.
If he is sensitive about it then get used to it.
If you disagree then that's your prerogative, but no need to get your knickers in a twist!
He seems to link well with other players and show good pace in that aspect of his game. His sniping game isn't much used with the under 20s which seems to just be his style as the other scrum half (Brand?) showed plenty of fireworks in his start in the group stages. White seems to be more of the little general in the 9 shirt, very vocal and controls the tempo of the game very well. Different type of player to Simmonds giving us a pair of excellent options coming through.
With Youngs very much the England first choice and a RWC next summer they should both get plenty of game time in rotation with Harrison. Harrison is only 28 though so it's not like he'll retire and move out the way for them, they'll have to earn the shirt if they want it.
I guess it's horses for courses but I do think a 9 with exceptional pace from a standing start is important these days and especially for a side to be able to compete with the more physically dominating defensive set ups such as Saracens.
That blistering pace off the base is a must to keep them honest.
Watching England's Itoje struggle to contain Faf de Klerk last week is a good example.
It's all about opinions and it's simply one that I hold, but they are all good players.
Faf is an exceptional scrum half. If you stop his forwards on the gain line though he wouldn't have had the time and ability to put the pace on the game that made him so lethal. That's where England failed last weekend.
You look at Aaron Smith of the ABs, he's not rapid and he doesn't snipe anywhere near as much as some of his contemporaries. He controls the game and picks his moment. White seems to play in a similar style. White is attacking minded enough so it'll be interesting to see how he goes once he gets a run in the team. He looked good Vs Bath in the LV last season.
BFG wrote: ↑Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:46 pm
Watching England's Itoje struggle to contain Faf de Klerk last week is a good example.
It's all about opinions and it's simply one that I hold, but they are all good players.
I'd say it as good example of a coach choosing the wrong player to concentrate on Fas de Klerk, should have been Curry.
BFG wrote: ↑Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:46 pm
Watching England's Itoje struggle to contain Faf de Klerk last week is a good example.
It's all about opinions and it's simply one that I hold, but they are all good players.
I'd say it as good example of a coach choosing the wrong player to concentrate on Fas de Klerk, should have been Curry.
You say should have been Curry, and maybe it wasn't Curry for a good reason as the fringes of every ruck to tackle the 9 is not the best place for your open side as he is then being taken away from competing elsewhere, and someone slower is being placed elsewhere, but the point is that a 9 like Faf de Klerk asks questions and has fans and coaches considering changing things around and when you translate that into competing with teams like Saracens in the league then that's exactly what you need in my opinion.
As said previously it's all about opinions and horses for courses but personally I was more interested to see the other young 9 who played last season, Yarnell I think it was, only got a brief glimpse but he asked questions.
Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sun Jun 17, 2018 7:47 pm
The quick penalties when we should've gone for the corner were dumb too,is it an ingrained English rugby trait?
I guess the tactic was trying to put the French forwards out on their feet, plus Marcus Smith missed crucial kicks to goal and kicks to touch. Hardwick is a far superior kicker why wasn’t he taking the shots?
Formerly of Burbaaage (not Inkleh), now up north at uni
French starting prop reminded me of farmer White.
England well beaten at the scrum.
I would've had Brand on much earlier to attack the fringes.
Ibitoye had a shocker.
