Comments on: Rate the match: World Cup Warm-Up, England vs France

By: Dazza

Dazza — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 10:00:55 +0000

I agree with your point about Morgan and Easter, and would definitely like to see Itoje come back in. Morgan looked ok considering how long he’s been out, and was better than Wood and Clarke in my opinion.
But we also have to remember that the first choice second locks will probably be Lawes and Launchbury. Lawes is a big hit defender and line out jumper/spoiler, but Launchbury is a very good and effective ball carrier with plenty of pace for a big guy. I think assuming he will be starting, SL will be looking to him to carry plenty of ball along with Billy V and/or Morgan.

By: Will

Will — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 08:41:22 +0000

” I can’t remember the last time an England player really boshed an opponent,either offensively or in defence”

Take it you werent watching when Lawes essentially snapped someone in half in the 6 Nations final round…

By: Stu

Stu — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 08:23:20 +0000

Itoje would be my choice to come back in – versatile enough to cover 2 positions but gives the ball carrying hard hitting part at 6 along with the line out ability that SL uses to justify Wood. I also think he shows good leadership credentials to be utilized/developed. I worry about Easter and Morgan with the lack of game time or training but if fit I would certainly take Morgan. It seems strange that SL is worried about a big carrier in the centres but not that only 1 in the back row carries with any real threat.

By: teecee

teecee — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 19:48:17 +0000

Agree with you about Wood Stu. I’ve always thought he is lucky to be anywhere near the national team. I also think that ditching Itoje and not even selecting Ewers was stupid beyond belief.

England need some big ball carriers in the back row. Haskell seems to have lost some of his dynamism,Wood has never been a consistent carrier and Morgan is battling the calendar.

If Big Billy gets injured then I trust Bomber will be intelligent and humble enough to call on the aforementioned, maybe not both of them but one or the other.

The big irony is that Burgess did just enough to suggest he may be useful as a centre but he is exactly what England need in the back row,big aggressive,a thumping tackler and can carry.

By: Stu

Stu — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 19:26:32 +0000

I agree there is enough pace and creativity in that back line, it needs to be tempered with some power and bulk – for me Burgess and Barritt go to RWC to bring this at 12, JJ and Slade for 13. Would like to have seen Daley be given a chance before being binned but not to be. I wish Eastmond could be in there but can’t sacrifice the bulk at 12 without people like Rokoduguni on the wing.

Lastly I wonder if SL regrets ditching Itoje or Ewers as I think Wood has always lacked a carrying ability which detracts from the back row.

By: Blub

Blub — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 11:56:45 +0000

naughty!

By: twelvestocks

twelvestocks — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:37:20 +0000

Four centres out of Barritt, Joseph, Twelvetrees, Burrell, Burgess and Slade, maybe only 3. Twelvetrees and Burrell have to go.

By: Liono

Liono — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:21:49 +0000

Surely you could shorten that final sentence and drop the last five words? ;-)

By: Blub

Blub — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 09:14:38 +0000

wow!

9.Youngs
10.Ford
11.May or Nowell
12.????
13.Joseph
14.Watson
15.Brown

You think that backline lacks creativity?

What it lacks is a muscular presence. I really like Eastmond, and would love to see him in the England XV, but once you remove Tuilagi, Rokoduguni and Yarde, there is no room for him there. To be honest it is hard to argue that May and Watson should be ahead of the dropped wingers.

On a slightly related point, I don’t really see the value of Twelvetrees within this current set-up.

By: Geat

Geat — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 23:23:17 +0000

With Ford at 10 and Slade or JJ at 13 you’d have plenty of creativity, and would need a more pragmatic, defence-organising 12 like Barritt, especially in a knockout game. How many semis and finals have been flair-filled try-fests?

By: Geat

Geat — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 23:14:05 +0000

We were second-choice at 1, 5 and 8, and third-choice at 2, 3, 4 and 7. Any team would struggle if a series of injuries meant they ended up having to field a pack of that nature all at the same time.

By: teecee

teecee — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 23:10:25 +0000

Andy ,your comments re barritt apply equally to Burgess. I think this just highlights how wrong Bomber was to release Eastmond. Don’t get me wrong,Slammin’ did some very good things but he is limited. The irony is that he would be immense as a backrow player,especially since Itoje and Ewers didn’t make the cut.

Barritt will make the final squad I think precisely because you know exactly what you will get.If Slade is omitted however,England will be seriously lacking in flair and imagination.