6 Nations 2022

[ay2oh]

Club over country for me

[Scott1]

Club over country for me

I used to always give my ST away to friends or family at 6N time,was an easy choice for me.

[ay2oh]

Each to their own

[ads]

Why does it have to be one or the other?

[Soggypitch]

It looks like Marchant will now be available.

In the DT all their rugby writers have chosen their preferred team. Interestingly most go for Slade/Marchant, just a couple for Atkinson/Slade.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... ons-clash/

Also most choose Isiekwe in the row with Itoje, looks like we are not the only ones that don't really rate Ewels as international class. Most choose Marler over Genge and the majority have Curry, Ludlum, Dombrandt in the back row, although a couple have Simmons at 6.

It's also roughly 50/50 between Ford/Smith.

Only one has Chessum in the 15.

It will be interesting to see the selection tomorrow, not an easy one, but I have a hunch that EJ may surprise us by picking Ford, given the forecast wet and windy conditions and the lack of experience in the team generally. We shall see.

[GB72]

I can certainly see the benefit of using Ford to put a tactical stranglehold on the match and used Smith against a tired opposition later on. That is assuming ford is even on the bench and they do not cover the position with part time flyhalves.

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Surely he won't pick Ford, that would mean he'd have to admit he was wrong. Unless Smith comes on and wins a tight match for England....

[GB72]

Surely he won't pick Ford, that would mean he'd have to admit he was wrong. Unless Smith comes on and wins a tight match for England....

Though I pointed out the plus side of starting him, I am not sure that he will even made the bench. I think they will use part time fly halves as cover for Smith.

[Soggypitch]

Surely he won't pick Ford, that would mean he'd have to admit he was wrong. Unless Smith comes on and wins a tight match for England....

Though I pointed out the plus side of starting him, I am not sure that he will even made the bench. I think they will use part time fly halves as cover for Smith.

Normally i would agree with you GB72, but if Malins and Nowell are to play (and they seem favourites), they can both cover full back, so there is no need for Furbank on the bench, assuming he goes for a 5 - 3 split. In that instance I can see the three backs being Randall, Ford (or Smith) and Marchant (who can cover wing and centre). Unless Marchant starts rather than Atkinson, in which case I can see Daly getting in the 23.

If however he goes 6 - 2 (really hope he doesn't), then I can see Randall and probably Furbank or Daly as the most versatile.

[Soggypitch]

Malins now also an injury doubt according to the DT this morning.......Jones training methods again? Probably just bad luck, but it seems ti happen a lot.

Marchant only back with squad today, so doubtful he will start.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Malins now also an injury doubt according to the DT this morning.......Jones training methods again? Probably just bad luck, but it seems ti happen a lot.

Marchant only back with squad today, so doubtful he will start.

That will hurt Ford's chances I reckon. Though Nowell may cover 15? As I reckon it's between Ford and Furbank who's on the bench

[westwinds31]

Malins now also an injury doubt according to the DT this morning.......Jones training methods again? Probably just bad luck, but it seems ti happen a lot.

Marchant only back with squad today, so doubtful he will start.

Players are always getting injured in camp, it happens to all the international countries so not just England. Of course nobody would call out any other coach would they !

[ABClub]

Malins now also an injury doubt according to the DT this morning.......Jones training methods again? Probably just bad luck, but it seems ti happen a lot.

Marchant only back with squad today, so doubtful he will start.

Players are always getting injured in camp, it happens to all the international countries so not just England. Of course nobody would call out any other coach would they !

This. One of the big papers looked into it early in Jones tenure. England's injury rates from training under Jones were very similar to other international sides and not that far off club sides either.

There was an RFU report in 2017 that was taken out of context by silly headlines that helped this gain traction. Basically the study showed a big increase in serious injuries from one season to the next. By comparing only two seasons from one team it was an easily skewed set of stats due to the tiny sample size though. Sam Jones picking up that horrible training injury in the second season skewed them a fair way leading to that big spike in weeks players missed through serious injury.

When that report came out I was expecting it to actually show a big difference between club and country injury rates as well. It was a point when Tigers had a lot of internationals but didn't seem to see them much. After actually looking at the numbers the study didn't do that though. It just showed how depressingly high injury rates are as a whole. Matches or training, club or country, too much rugby, huge collisions and lots of injuries. Not good.

The difference when players get injured at international level is that they are usually one of that clubs best players. So part time fans (who are usually the ones that get their knickers in a twist the quickest) actually pick up on it and throw their toys out the cot.

[tigerburnie]

You are all missing the point though, if Farrell was fit neither Smith or Ford would be in the side, Jones has to make sure England are ill prepared for the world cup, it seems to be his main aim looking at the way he picks the sides.

[Scott1]

ENGLAND SIDE TO FACE SCOTLAND

15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
14. Max Malins (Saracens, 10 caps)
13. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 52 caps)
12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 43 caps)
11. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 7 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 5 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 112 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps)
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 31 caps)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 47 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 51 caps)
5. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 3 caps)
6. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 10 caps)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 36 caps, capt)
8. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps)

16. Jamie George (Saracens, 61 caps)
17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 74 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 15 caps)
19. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
20. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 4 caps)
21. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 2 caps)
22. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 77 caps)
23. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)