Autumn Internationals

[TTRITH]

Confirmed Manu is on the bench.

wing and centre cover along with Farrerll

Manu is not a winger, EJ is taking a big risk with this selection.

Yep, I'm gonna have nightmares about him damaging that groin as he tries to sprint down the wing.

[jgriffin]

wing and centre cover along with Farrerll

Manu is not a winger, EJ is taking a big risk with this selection.

Yep, I'm gonna have nightmares about him damaging that groin as he tries to sprint down the wing.

groan........................................

[trendylfj]

My biggest worry is the Manu will come on at centre with 20 mins to go and will have the opportunity to hammer Matt and be successful - Matt out for a month with concussion and in the process Manu does his groin again and is out for the season.

As for F/B and wing cover, I would imagine that May would do the F/B and Slade move onto the wing with Manu going on as centre - not ideal.

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

My biggest worry is the Manu will come on at centre with 20 mins to go and will have the opportunity to hammer Matt and be successful - Matt out for a month with concussion and in the process Manu does his groin again and is out for the season.

As for F/B and wing cover, I would imagine that May would do the F/B and Slade move onto the wing with Manu going on as centre - not ideal.

Same reoccurring dream/nightmare I am having...2 marquee plays, crocked in one game..

[Jacko27]

Yes, I've imagined trendylfg's nightmare scenario as well although mine's slightly different. Manu on in 62nd minute does one of those fierce no arms high tackle on Matt Toomua. MT seriously concussed and out until February and Manu red carded with 5 week suspension!
On the other question with the injury to Nowell and lack of back three cover on the bench of what we do in the event of an early injury to either Daly or May. There's always George to bring on at 10 and move Farrell to 15. In my opinion he's got the skill, courage & adaptability to do it.

[mol2]

Yes the bench options are tricky.
Manu is really only a centre although we were seeing signs of his old pace before England broke him again.
Likewise Ford can only cover centre.

Having both on the bench is restrictive and for me not a sound move.

Daly can play wing, centre or full back, May wing or full back (at a pinch). Slade could cover fly half.

Teo is just a poor man's Manu and can only play as a starter and Eddie isn't confident that Manu is currently fit enough to start.

I'm not sure Eddie can quite put a team or game plan together that doesn't have a bosher in the centres and it rather shows when Manu and Teo don't play.

[JP14]

Does anyone else think Jamie George has been well, average, this Autumn and in fact I can’t recall a good England performance from him in the starting No2 Jersey.

I think he’s overrated and is not good enough in the tight at international, probably if he played for the All Blacks that would be better for him because they like to ship the ball wide to the hookers.

[ellis9]

Does anyone else think Jamie George has been well, average, this Autumn and in fact I can’t recall a good England performance from him in the starting No2 Jersey.

I think he’s overrated and is not good enough in the tight at international, probably if he played for the All Blacks that would be better for him because they like to ship the ball wide to the hookers.

He's not as overrated as Hartley is!

[JP14]

Does anyone else think Jamie George has been well, average, this Autumn and in fact I can’t recall a good England performance from him in the starting No2 Jersey.

I think he’s overrated and is not good enough in the tight at international, probably if he played for the All Blacks that would be better for him because they like to ship the ball wide to the hookers.

He's not as overrated as Hartley is!

Hartley has performed well for England this autumn bar his nonexistent tackle on Leitch.

[fortysix]

Massive problem is that Jones ideal player is a jack of all trades and master of none.

Zero chance of winning next year with bits and pieces players lining up in unfamiliar positions.

[strawclearer]

Yes the bench options are tricky.
Manu is really only a centre although we were seeing signs of his old pace before England broke him again.
Likewise Ford can only cover centre.

Having both on the bench is restrictive and for me not a sound move.

Daly can play wing, centre or full back, May wing or full back (at a pinch). Slade could cover fly half.

Teo is just a poor man's Manu and can only play as a starter and Eddie isn't confident that Manu is currently fit enough to start.

I'm not sure Eddie can quite put a team or game plan together that doesn't have a bosher in the centres and it rather shows when Manu and Teo don't play.

[my bold]

If he's not fit enough to start, he's not fit enough to bench either.

[sam16111986]

Teo is just a poor man's Manu and can only play as a starter and Eddie isn't confident that Manu is currently fit enough to start.

I'd say Te'o is the kind of centre people have tried to make Manu. Te'o is a blunt instrument and will tackle and run into brick walls all day for the team.

As much as MOC wanted him to be, Manu isn't that type of player. He's the player you wanted when you're playing on the gain line, brushing aside would be tacklers who haven't had chance to line him up.

The Manu and Barritt centre combination worked previously. Manu and Te'o could work in a similar fashion though it wouldn't be good for the outside backs as there's no secondary playmaker to bring them into the game and Farrell doesn't have a particularly big passing range.

[Cardiff Tig]

Does anyone else think Jamie George has been well, average, this Autumn and in fact I can’t recall a good England performance from him in the starting No2 Jersey.

I think he’s overrated and is not good enough in the tight at international, probably if he played for the All Blacks that would be better for him because they like to ship the ball wide to the hookers.

He's not as overrated as Hartley is!

You honestly think Hartley hasn't been excellent for England since he was made captain?

[ellis9]

Does anyone else think Jamie George has been well, average, this Autumn and in fact I can’t recall a good England performance from him in the starting No2 Jersey.

I think he’s overrated and is not good enough in the tight at international, probably if he played for the All Blacks that would be better for him because they like to ship the ball wide to the hookers.

He's not as overrated as Hartley is!

You honestly think Hartley hasn't been excellent for England since he was made captain?

Correct.

[BFG]

Hartley suffers from a similar lack of appreciation that Crane did here in that you can't build strong without steel, mortar, or glue as they say.
Some get it and some don't, some just want to slap that face, I mean very few facial expressions actually look improved in Movember but Hartley pulls it off!
Alright he has a bit of history with discipline but it isn't really that bad, most of it was conjecture, and come on did he really say that to Wayne in the final or did Wayne officiate like he thought he was the King of the Union back then!
My only problem (and it's a big one) is that I just can't get used to hearing that SH accent from an England player let alone a Captain.