EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Oakboy]

Even Eddie can't omit Armand now. I don't give a toss what numbers they wear. Pick Robshaw, Armand and one other. I'd probably start Simmonds with Underhill on the bench.

[Digby]

This, this and this.

Having said that, there’s still one more match (I think) until the EPS boys disappear in to camp.

Diggers is in danger of that, with his snowball habit

Not to mention the complaints about the temperature of his sherry.....

You can add sherry ( a dry one) to advocaat in making a snowball, also swap out the lemonade for a dryish sparkling wine. So that's the good news, crap news however about Billy

[Oakboy]

Uh oh. Billy injured.

cue inevitable Dors Billy V injury prone comments (which does have a tad of validity, tho this one is just one of them things)

I'd like to say a broken arm doesn't count. For England and Billy's sake I really hope that is the case. However, I still look at him and Tuilagi with trepidation. Can their skeletal frameworks support the body mass? It just does not look natural.

Whatever I think in terms of injury-related availability for rugby, the greatet fear has to be their health in later life. I hope somebody is doing the research and preparation.

[Banquo]

Diggers is in danger of that, with his snowball habit

Not to mention the complaints about the temperature of his sherry.....

You can add sherry ( a dry one) to advocaat in making a snowball, also swap out the lemonade for a dryish sparkling wine. So that's the good news, crap news however about Billy

blimey

[Scrumhead]

Uh oh. Billy injured.

cue inevitable Dors Billy V injury prone comments (which does have a tad of validity, tho this one is just one of them things)

I'd like to say a broken arm doesn't count. For England and Billy's sake I really hope that is the case. However, I still look at him and Tuilagi with trepidation. Can their skeletal frameworks support the body mass? It just does not look natural.

Whatever I think in terms of injury-related availability for rugby, the greatet fear has to be their health in later life. I hope somebody is doing the research and preparation.

Agreed. That’s what I meant when I said I was happy it wasn’t his shoulder or knee.

While a fracture isn’t good news, it’s a lot better than a more serious recurring injury. It’s not like the situation with Tuilagi’s groin etc.

[Mellsblue]

Diggers is in danger of that, with his snowball habit

Not to mention the complaints about the temperature of his sherry.....

You can add sherry ( a dry one) to advocaat in making a snowball, also swap out the lemonade for a dryish sparkling wine. So that's the good news, crap news however about Billy

You didn’t make Joe Ford’s pre-match drink, did you?!?!?

[Digby]

Not to mention the complaints about the temperature of his sherry.....

You can add sherry ( a dry one) to advocaat in making a snowball, also swap out the lemonade for a dryish sparkling wine. So that's the good news, crap news however about Billy

You didn’t make Joe Ford’s pre-match drink, did you?!?!?

I don't believe Snowballs are drunk by hard men from up north, Kahlua might be more the scene

[fivepointer]

Radio this morning mentioned James Chisholm as being "on Englands radar" I confess he's not someone who i had thought of, but he is in good form.

[Puja]

Radio this morning mentioned James Chisholm as being "on Englands radar" I confess he's not someone who i had thought of, but he is in good form.

He looked mustard at U20s and has looked very good inbetween injuries for Quins. I would be far from unhappy with that, although still wondering what the hell else Armand had to do.

Puja

[Raggs]

Armand went to Argentina right? It's not like Eddie hasn't had any one to one contact with him.

[twitchy]

Armand may be the form 6 in the prem and playing well in europe but let's be honest he's no gary graham.

[Mikey Brown]

I figured Jones has just been very strict with himself about how good any new/inexperienced player over a certain age (Cipriani, Robson, Roko) has to be to be worth getting involved, with a mind to leaving Baxter (or whoever) something to work with. Possibly with Armand also not being a specialist in any particular area he just doesn't think it's worth it try and find him a spot?

I'd be a bit surprised if Chisholm got the call but I really rate him. He's not Vunipola but if we need someone who can work in heavy traffic he can really trundle with the best of them.

[Raggs]

Thing is, Robson is only 25... He's easily going to be around for 2023.

[Mellsblue]

The Robson thing is just strange but then so is the whole no 3rd choice scrumhalf.

I think Mikey might have a point about the age of players. Jones likes to mould players and once you’re at a certain age the capacity to do that is more limited.

Armand strikes me as a 7/8 out 10 player across the board, much like Robshaw and Wilson, without a standout element to his game and I’m not sure that is what Jones really wants in a backrow player. See his previous criticism of Robshaw. He’s obviously come to rate Robshaw but I think that is begrudging and I’m not sure a player in that mould will be picked otherwise.

[Oakboy]

The Robson thing is just strange but then so is the whole no 3rd choice scrumhalf.

I think Mikey might have a point about the age of players. Jones likes to mould players and once you’re at a certain age the capacity to do that is more limited.

Armand strikes me as a 7/8 out 10 player across the board, much like Robshaw and Wilson, without a standout element to his game and I’m not sure that is what Jones really wants in a backrow player. See his previous criticism of Robshaw. He’s obviously come to rate Robshaw but I think that is begrudging and I’m not sure a player in that mould will be picked otherwise.

True, but in a crisis such as this, where picking two young pretenders at once just might implode, ask yourself whether you'd rather see Wood recalled or introduce a more mature beginner in Armand. If Armand is 7.5/10, what's Wood - 4.5??

A back-row of Robshaw, Underhill and Simmonds, say, against Ireland or Wales would be a brave selection in terms of pure physicality. The alternative, which many would hate (rather than selecting Armand), is to play Lawes at 6 and move Robshaw to 7.

I'd play Armand against Italy and go from there.

[Banquo]

The Robson thing is just strange but then so is the whole no 3rd choice scrumhalf.

I think Mikey might have a point about the age of players. Jones likes to mould players and once you’re at a certain age the capacity to do that is more limited.

Armand strikes me as a 7/8 out 10 player across the board, much like Robshaw and Wilson, without a standout element to his game and I’m not sure that is what Jones really wants in a backrow player. See his previous criticism of Robshaw. He’s obviously come to rate Robshaw but I think that is begrudging and I’m not sure a player in that mould will be picked otherwise.

True, but in a crisis such as this, where picking two young pretenders at once just might implode, ask yourself whether you'd rather see Wood recalled or introduce a more mature beginner in Armand. If Armand is 7.5/10, what's Wood - 4.5??

A back-row of Robshaw, Underhill and Simmonds, say, against Ireland or Wales would be a brave selection in terms of pure physicality. The alternative, which many would hate (rather than selecting Armand), is to play Lawes at 6 and move Robshaw to 7.

I'd play Armand against Italy and go from there.

Crisis?

[Digby]

If we had a backrow of Robshaw, Underhill and Simmonds then ignoring I'm still not sold on Underhill what that should do rather than prompt calls to play Lawes at 6 is put Hartley and Cole under still more pressure for selecion

[Banquo]

If we had a backrow of Robshaw, Underhill and Simmonds then ignoring I'm still not sold on Underhill what that should do rather than prompt calls to play Lawes at 6 is put Hartley and Cole under still more pressure for selecion

quite, I think its an opportunity to round out a balanced pack selection.

[Raggs]

Great interview with Cips, talks a fair bit about England, Eddie and Cips previous experiences etc. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ugby-union

[Digby]

I can't see him getting another chance, might as well take what money he can. That France game before the WC when he was brilliant and still got cut still stands as a stark contrast to Burgess who for all the nonsense spouted never even looked decent for Bath and did get selected will damn Burt for a long time.

[Which Tyler]

I still feel that he's just the 1 injury away from playing for England. Eddie has Smith around the squad, learning the ropes, but if Ford/Farrell picked up a knock, I'm pretty sure Cip.s goes to the bench (or even straight in to the starting shirt if Te'o's unavailable) ahead of him, and would currently would go to a RWC ahead of Smith if it came to that. In 18 months time however, that may well be different

[Puja]

I still feel that he's just the 1 injury away from playing for England. Eddie has Smith around the squad, learning the ropes, but if Ford/Farrell picked up a knock, I'm pretty sure Cip.s goes to the bench (or even straight in to the starting shirt) ahead of him, and would currently would go to a RWC ahead of Smith if it came to that. In 18 months time however, that may well be different

I suspect Slade and Lozowski would be bench cover in that scenario; I don't think Eddie wants Cipriani in camp as a sub or a back-up.

Should both Ford and Farrell go down injured, then I think Cipriani would jump the queue and start at 10.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Loz might for a match or so, but I don't think he would for a series, whilst I can't see Slade being anything but 3rd choice FH on any given match day.

[Mellsblue]

I think WT is correct. However, would Cips, on his last contract, take less money and not live on the Med just in case F&F get injured and Smith doesn’t progress. I wouldn’t.

[Banquo]

I think WT is correct. However, would Cips, on his last contract, take less money and not live on the Med just in case F&F get injured and Smith doesn’t progress. I wouldn’t.

two injuries away from Wiggy and Danny, according to Diggers and WTers