THE DECIDER - ENGLAND V AUSTRALIA - 16th July 2022

[westwinds31]

Good 23 in the circumstances with injuries etc. We'll miss Itoje massively, good opportunity for Chessum. I can see why Care is starting, some composure and control needed in the early exchanges then JVP to come on when the Wallabies are flagging ! Eddie Jones will never please everyone ....ever, so I'm bowing to his years of rugby coaching experience vs my 2 years of coaching U15/16 level and then coaching from the sofa ever since

[Rugbygramps]

Care needs to have a blinder to justify his selection, JVP does not deserve to be benched. Typical EJ decision!!

Good to see Chessum included, what a season he has had!!

Another throw of the dice by Jones to get Smith into the game.
Let’s face a win tomorrow and any chat there might be about Jones job will disappear

[Tigerbeat]

Care needs to have a blinder to justify his selection, JVP does not deserve to be benched. Typical EJ decision!!

Good to see Chessum included, what a season he has had!!

Another throw of the dice by Jones to get Smith into the game.
Let’s face a win tomorrow and any chat there might be about Jones job will disappear

Even a defeat on Saturday will keep EJ in my opinion. A series loss of 3-0 and his job was as risk but the second teat win has saved hm.
Agree, a series win and he will be safe probably through to the World Cup

[Rugbygramps]

Care needs to have a blinder to justify his selection, JVP does not deserve to be benched. Typical EJ decision!!

Good to see Chessum included, what a season he has had!!

Another throw of the dice by Jones to get Smith into the game.
Let’s face a win tomorrow and any chat there might be about Jones job will disappear

Even a defeat on Saturday will keep EJ in my opinion. A series loss of 3-0 and his job was as risk but the second teat win has saved hm.
Agree, a series win and he will be safe probably through to the World Cup

Definitely given that England should have won the first test

[GB72]

Care needs to have a blinder to justify his selection, JVP does not deserve to be benched. Typical EJ decision!!

Good to see Chessum included, what a season he has had!!

Another throw of the dice by Jones to get Smith into the game.
Let’s face a win tomorrow and any chat there might be about Jones job will disappear

Agree that it may well be partyly to get Smith firing.

Other aspect that it may be a drink in the last chance saloon for Care. EJ has seen what he needed to see from JVP and that should have cemented his place in the squad for the season, now he needs to see if Care can step up or whether he goes back into the international winderness at the end of the tour.

Whilst I want to see JVP on the pitch and want us to go out to win every match, I am not sure that is how EJ's brain works in the build up to a World Cup.

[fentiger]

I am not sure that is how EJ's brain works in the build up to a World Cup.

And there I was thinking that was missing

[markharbtiger]

Well, speaking primarily as a Tigers fan, I hope Care does brilliantly and becomes cemented as the experienced part of the England 9s group going forward. Absolutely no disrespect to BY, but the thought of having TWO Tigers 9s in the England squad, is not a great prospect for our upcoming season...can't happen, can it?

[mol2]

Don't get the selection of Care?

He was yesterdays "flash nearly good enough." Useful for a cameo harem-scarem off the bench but not an international game controller. Perhaps age and loss of pace has taken that "finisher" role from him? Certainly JVP made an impact off the bench in the 1st test. A bit like Cipriani in that all the flash stuff in the world doesn't stop your flaws being exposed at the very highest level, whatever the press say.

Is it to help Smith? With the dominant presence of Farrell does Jones feel that Smith may play a more natural game with the support of his famously gobby club scrum half feeding him the ball where he expects and is less likely to stand back where Farrell tells him to be? Rather than JVP who, although a better player, might not be ready to tell Smith where he wants him when Farrell is saying something else. Just a thought?

[Knightonian]

If you listen to EJ speaking on last weeks Rugby Pod to Uge Monye he explains that the team he picked last week was because of how the ground plays.

He gave a clear explanation of why he was starting JVP and it was due to his attributes and the speed of the ground.

He stated he wanted Care to control the end where the bigger risk was.

Whilst I think JVP was fantastic for his first start, I think EJ has already made the decision.

Let’s also not forget DC has been on fire for Quinn’s both in the try’s and the cards ; and this is his last chance saloon - playing for his place in the squad for the World Cup….

[Robespierre]

Do we put too much importance on the starting XV? Test matches, in particular, are won with a squad of 23 players who generally all have an important part to play.

[Rugbygramps]

If you listen to EJ speaking on last weeks Rugby Pod to Uge Monye he explains that the team he picked last week was because of how the ground plays.

He gave a clear explanation of why he was starting JVP and it was due to his attributes and the speed of the ground.

He stated he wanted Care to control the end where the bigger risk was.

Whilst I think JVP was fantastic for his first start, I think EJ has already made the decision.

Let’s also not forget DC has been on fire for Quinn’s both in the try’s and the cards ; and this is his last chance saloon - playing for his place in the squad for the World Cup….

Anything Jones says has to be taken with a pinch of salt I’m afraid. No issues with Cares ability but to not pick jvp after last week’s performance and the cite the speed of the ground as a reason is ridiculous.

With regard to the Care/Lenny debate, we don’t know whether Youngs was not selected, or he requested not to tour.
As Jones will persist with Smith come hell or high water I have a feeling that the 2 of the 3 scrum halfs will be Care, JVP, and one of Randall, Mitchell or Quirke.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Mitchell and Randall I still don’t think are good enough for England. Quirke is a massive talent - but seems to be a bit like Harry Ellis and struggles with fitness.

For me Youngs and Care are still our best no.9s in that order followed by JVP.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Yet on most days YBY is still better than all those 9's, the issue is the days he isn't he can be really poor.

Of all those 9's EJ still trusts YBY the most, for me it's still YBY starting & one of the youngsters off the bench, post RWC its between JVP & Mitchell as the starter.

[Dokie]

Don't get the selection of Care?

He was yesterdays "flash nearly good enough." Useful for a cameo harem-scarem off the bench but not an international game controller. Perhaps age and loss of pace has taken that "finisher" role from him? Certainly JVP made an impact off the bench in the 1st test. A bit like Cipriani in that all the flash stuff in the world doesn't stop your flaws being exposed at the very highest level, whatever the press say.

Is it to help Smith? With the dominant presence of Farrell does Jones feel that Smith may play a more natural game with the support of his famously gobby club scrum half feeding him the ball where he expects and is less likely to stand back where Farrell tells him to be? Rather than JVP who, although a better player, might not be ready to tell Smith where he wants him when Farrell is saying something else. Just a thought?

Loss of pace! Have you watched a Quins game? Do you really think Smith needs to be told where to stand?

[Dokie]

If you listen to EJ speaking on last weeks Rugby Pod to Uge Monye he explains that the team he picked last week was because of how the ground plays.

He gave a clear explanation of why he was starting JVP and it was due to his attributes and the speed of the ground.

He stated he wanted Care to control the end where the bigger risk was.

Whilst I think JVP was fantastic for his first start, I think EJ has already made the decision.

Let’s also not forget DC has been on fire for Quinn’s both in the try’s and the cards ; and this is his last chance saloon - playing for his place in the squad for the World Cup….

Anything Jones says has to be taken with a pinch of salt I’m afraid. No issues with Cares ability but to not pick jvp after last week’s performance and the cite the speed of the ground as a reason is ridiculous.

With regard to the Care/Lenny debate, we don’t know whether Youngs was not selected, or he requested not to tour.
As Jones will persist with Smith come hell or high water I have a feeling that the 2 of the 3 scrum halfs will be Care, JVP, and one of Randall, Mitchell or Quirke.

I think it’s still any 3 from 6. Form and injury next season should be the deciding factor but you never can tell with Eddie. Maybe he’ll go left field and select Spencer. Mitchell’s your best 9 for me. He’s probably the only one to get near the Welsh squad.