Sarries vs Quins

[Puja]

Saracens team to face Harlequins (Saracens appearances)

15 Alex Goode (254)
14 Liam Williams (10)
13 Marcelo Bosch (115)
12 Brad Barritt (215)
11 Sean Maitland (34)
10 Alex Lozowski (53)
9 Richard Wigglesworth (202)

1 Richard Barrington (128)
2 Jamie George (188)
3 Juan Figallo (82)
4 Maro Itoje (87)
5 Dominic Day (10)
6 Nick Isiekwe (27)
7 Schalk Burger (45)
8 Jackson Wray (193)

16 Schalk Brits (214)
17 Mako Vunipola (136)
18 Titi Lamositele (50)
19 Ben Earl (14)
20 Blair Cowan (1)
21 Ben Spencer (124)
22 Max Malins (14)
23 Chris Wyles (247)


Harlequins squad to face Saracens (Harlequins appearances)

15. Mike Brown (293)
14. Alofa Alofa (51)
13. Joe Marchant (52)
12. Jamie Roberts (50)
11. Tim Visser (57)
10. Demetri Catrakilis (4)
9. Danny Care (239)

1. Mark Lambert (229)
2. Joe Gray (148)
3. Kyle Sinckler (117)
4. Charlie Matthews (160)
5. James Horwill (Captain, 53)
6. Chris Robshaw (252)
7. Luke Wallace (158)
8. James Chisholm (54)

16. Dave Ward (139)
17. Joe Marler (163)
18. Will Collier (122)
19. Mat Luamanu (62)
20. Jack Clifford (72)
21. Dave Lewis (13)
22. Marcus Smith (23)
23. Francis Saili (3)

[fivepointer]

Cant they give Robshaw a break?
Very pleased to see Clifford back in the squad.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah Robshaw and Itoje both.

[twitchy]

This is on channel 5 now.

[Mellsblue]

Ha. Nice celebration from Itoje.

[Mikey Brown]

Ha. Nice celebration from Itoje.

Big question is why the fuck was he not (allowed to do?) carrying like this with England? He looks aggressive and is running on to the ball.

[twitchy]

I love watching marcus smith play. Best thing about rugby is being excited by a player ball in hand. You get so bogged down in the minutiae of it all but that is what it's all about.

[twitchy]

Dammit quins.

[Shiny]

Clifford looking good, he needs to tour in the summer.

[twitchy]

Come on quins at least make it an interesting last 10 mins. The crowd seems catatonic.

[Bloggs]

Clifford looking good, he needs to tour in the summer.

Can he take Marchant too?

[fivepointer]

Come on quins at least make it an interesting last 10 mins. The crowd seems catatonic.

seldom can 55,000 people have made so little noise.

The lack of energy and urgency on the pitch i daresay had a lot to do with the crowd disinterest.

Sinckler was terrific; his handling and carrying are just so good. Isiekwe is a rare talent too.

[Shiny]

Clifford looking good, he needs to tour in the summer.

Can he take Marchant too?

I hope so.

[twitchy]

Come on quins at least make it an interesting last 10 mins. The crowd seems catatonic.

seldom can 55,000 people have made so little noise.

The lack of energy and urgency on the pitch i daresay had a lot to do with the crowd disinterest.

Sinckler was terrific; his handling and carrying are just so good. Isiekwe is a rare talent too.

Sinckler is quality.

[Mikey Brown]

Great from Smith, Sinkler and Merchant. Good to see Clifford and Saili making dents. Pretty poor from Care and particularly Chisholm after a great run of form. Ref and the game itself was pretty crap.

[Oakboy]

Turgid. Referee failed on scrums.

[Banquo]

Ha. Nice celebration from Itoje.

Big question is why the fuck was he not (allowed to do?) carrying like this with England? He looks aggressive and is running on to the ball.

imo he played well for England. Plus carrying v Quins is obviously not as challenging as intl rugby.

[Raggs]

Itoje looked more explosive. Exactly what you'd expect to see from a well conditioned player who'd been allowed to rest.

Be encouraged by it, not discouraged.

[Banquo]

Itoje looked more explosive. Exactly what you'd expect to see from a well conditioned player who'd been allowed to rest.

Be encouraged by it, not discouraged.

That'll be it. Rather than being club rugby.

[Mikey Brown]

Itoje looked more explosive. Exactly what you'd expect to see from a well conditioned player who'd been allowed to rest.

Be encouraged by it, not discouraged.

That'll be it. Rather than being club rugby.

Quins defence is terrible, yes, but the fact he was actively running on to the ball and throwing himself at contact is not because it’s a club game.

[twitchy]

Itoje looked more explosive. Exactly what you'd expect to see from a well conditioned player who'd been allowed to rest.

Be encouraged by it, not discouraged.

That'll be it. Rather than being club rugby.

Quins defence is terrible, yes, but the fact he was actively running on to the ball and throwing himself at contact is not because it’s a club game.

It's about how much energy is used just doing the basics at prem level vs a test match with say ireland where just competing for the ball takes every thing.

I think this crucifixion of EJ tactics/beasting training is way over blown (this comment isn't targeted at you btw, just in general).

[Banquo]

That'll be it. Rather than being club rugby.

Quins defence is terrible, yes, but the fact he was actively running on to the ball and throwing himself at contact is not because it’s a club game.

It's about how much energy is used just doing the basics at prem level vs a test match with say ireland where just competing for the ball takes every thing.

I think this crucifixion of EJ tactics/beasting training is way over blown (this comment isn't targeted at you btw, just in general).

Quite

[Banquo]

Itoje looked more explosive. Exactly what you'd expect to see from a well conditioned player who'd been allowed to rest.

Be encouraged by it, not discouraged.

That'll be it. Rather than being club rugby.

Quins defence is terrible, yes, but the fact he was actively running on to the ball and throwing himself at contact is not because it’s a club game.

it does have a bearing, surely. Intensity, approach, even Itoje's own approach. He came onto the ball and threw himself into contact for England, btw.

[Mikey Brown]

Maybe I'm misreading, you seem to be both agreeing that he wouldn't have had enough energy to do these things at test level (when winning the ball is hard enough) and that he also was doing exactly that anyway.

Maybe I just phrased it badly. I should have said "not just because it's a club game". I'm not suggesting there isn't a difference between test/club level, but a number of players didn't appear to be playing to the same strengths they have previously, or do for their clubs.

[Oakboy]

Is there any evidence that Jones can inspire the players at this point? Three defeats provide evidence of a failure so to do, obviously, and I see no glaring multiple selection errors to offset poor individual/collective performances.

I understand that we can learn from defeat but how in this instance apart from 'must do better'? Winning gets to be a habit but so does defeat. Go back a year and consider defeat to France and Scotland. They have improved. We have not.

Ireland have got it right this 6N. Have they peaked too early for RWC?

I fear for us under Jones now. I think he is the wrong man for the job from this point and none of his assistants convince me. Jones has to adapt or go, IMO.