Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sat May 12, 2018 10:28 pm
Eddie Jones having a dig at us saying we are stifling George creativity. Pots and kettles spring to mind!
So I wonder how would Eddie explain that Toomua was just fine, and the difference between the Argentina tour and the 6N given that his Captain was missing from one of them!
I'm seeing a recurring pattern here BFG,we either play off 10(England or Tigers) or drop George. Its not just coincidence,Ford can't play with a second playmaker. Some of Englands and our attacking play is painful to watch at times when Toomua and Farrell are in the mix. Why is it we can just see it?
Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sun May 13, 2018 11:39 am
I'm seeing a recurring pattern here BFG,we either play off 10(England or Tigers) or drop George. Its not just coincidence,Ford can't play with a second playmaker. Some of Englands and our attacking play is painful to watch at times when Toomua and Farrell are in the mix. Why is it we can just see it?
To be brutally honest though George shares blame I don't think England have got a clue what they are doing, yes pro's and clueless, not an unusual prospect!
The thing that indicates this most is the Ford/Farrell/Te'o or Slade axis, it's quite simple to see for any idiot that it just hasn't got the gas outside Ford for the very highest level.
The safe defensive axis that has still leaked points and with limited attacking potential and that has exposed England's breakdown woes.
Last edited by BFG on Sun May 13, 2018 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
For me England's best MF could be Ford/Manu/Daly. Even though Daly is a 13,like Tait he is very good defending in the 12 channel and has a very good passing game. He and Manu could move between 12 and 13 when attacking and defending and Daly has a searing outside break,can use his feet and has a slow and go and we could go around the back and use Manu as a decoy runner which would fix two defenders. Your perfect 3 BFG?
Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sun May 13, 2018 12:02 pm
For me England's best MF could be Ford/Manu/Daly. Even though Daly is a 13,like Tait he is very good defending in the 12 channel and has a very good passing game. He and Manu could move between 12 and 13 when attacking and defending and Daly has a searing outside break,can use his feet and has a slow and go and we could go around the back and use Manu as a decoy runner which would fix two defenders. Your perfect 3 BFG?
Daly also provides the extra kicking option that Manu would take away, although didn't Eddie talk about how he wanted to do with Manu what NZ did with Nonu and train him to kick
Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sun May 13, 2018 12:02 pm
For me England's best MF could be Ford/Manu/Daly. Even though Daly is a 13,like Tait he is very good defending in the 12 channel and has a very good passing game. He and Manu could move between 12 and 13 when attacking and defending and Daly has a searing outside break,can use his feet and has a slow and go and we could go around the back and use Manu as a decoy runner which would fix two defenders. Your perfect 3 BFG?
Your three would do me just fine but I like the potential of Cipriani/Lozowski/Daly.
I only say Cipriani with Daly as Cipriani will also fix the line enough to give Daly's pace a chance to beat the drift if the 12 is bypassed, but George could also be encouraged to do this, and is what makes Eddie's snipes laughable.
During the 6N unless England's forwards beat up the opposition, which no team can do for 80 minutes, then the opposition drift simply had England well covered to the point that England's breakdown work looked a shambles.
I'd add, how often do players who were playing good direct attacking rugby at clubs then return from international duty stifled, quite often IMO!
I suspect that one of the key reasons is that Farrell is a better fly half than centre so it ought to be a toss up between Ford and Farrell.
However, Ford's kicking off the tee isn't at the level nor of the range required for an international kicker.
Farrell doesn't function well as a second playmaker at centre in the way that Twelvetrees did initially for Lancaster's England team (before the whole set up lost the plot).
I don't think 36 is a viable option but I fear that Jones has to make a hard decision and split Ford/Farrell. If he goes with Ford then Farrell makes the bench as FH/Centre cover. If he goes with Farrell then I don't see ford in the team at all as he can only really cover FH.
Then where does he use Manu & Daly. Personally I would use Daly at full back - he has the gas and defence along with a huge boot. I would expect him to cement this place on the tour.
Unless Manu isn't fully fit I think Jones has made a mistake in resting him as this leaves little time to assimilate him into the side.
All of this is academic until he sorts the back row.
One player was making things work and that was the relentless battering ram that is Billy V, without him England's midfield have been shown up as flat track bullies!
Last edited by BFG on Wed May 16, 2018 1:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
De Jager out of tour as well so Mostert and Du Toit in second row. Mostert is world class but I'm not sold on Du Toit, hopefully he's still having BY nightmares
de Jager is a loss, he was playing really well for the Bulls. I like du Toit, looks as though Jean-Luc or Dan du Preez will wear the openside jersey if Louw isn't selected or is injured.
Formerly of Burbaaage (not Inkleh), now up north at uni
Robespierre wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 4:45 pm
Parachuting Shields into the squad without ever having played in England is unbelievable ! What sort of message does that send to promising back row players who deserve to be given a chance? Ok, I’m pleased that the likes of Willis,Curry etc are included, but players of the calibre of Armand, Graham, Ross and co. must be calling Eddie all names under the sun.
Don't Finalise the squad just yet as there are a few more flights between NZ and England before we embark to SA who knows how many more Southern Hemisphere players we can rope in.
Austin Healey is pretty confident this is going to be the starting backline for the 1st test
9 Youngs
10 Farrell
11 Daly
12 Te'o
13 Slade
14 May
15 Brown
Apart from Brown, no queries from that selection.
Formerly of Burbaaage (not Inkleh), now up north at uni
