Aye, our performance in that first NZ test was excellent, and underpinned by a 10/12/13 that should have got more chances together. Alas, we had Farrell...Banquo wrote:I agree, something awry with what's happened to Freddie- probably of his own making, but the best 10 performance in an England shirt I've seen in years was rewarded by being dropped.Mikey Brown wrote:Imagine if we had fully invested in our most skilful available fly-halves over the last few years.
I'm not convinced Burns had it all, but he's got some class.
EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Have split off the Folau discussion into a new thread here: http://www.rugbyrebels.co/board/viewtop ... f=2&t=3523
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
This is how the censorship startsPuja wrote:Have split off the Folau discussion into a new thread here: http://www.rugbyrebels.co/board/viewtop ... f=2&t=3523
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Manu to miss the last 2 Tigers games. Hamstring pull, out for another 3/4 weeks.
Already seen some comments about ‘always being injured’ etc. Feels like he can’t win now because of his reputation for constant injuries. He’s actually been fit since Jan ‘18, played almost a full season for Leicester, 5 or 6 of their Champions Cup games and started every 6N’s match. Picks up a 6 week hamstring pull and it’s like none of that matters. If the expectation now is that he will never pick up any kind of injury ever, then people are going to be disappointed.
Already seen some comments about ‘always being injured’ etc. Feels like he can’t win now because of his reputation for constant injuries. He’s actually been fit since Jan ‘18, played almost a full season for Leicester, 5 or 6 of their Champions Cup games and started every 6N’s match. Picks up a 6 week hamstring pull and it’s like none of that matters. If the expectation now is that he will never pick up any kind of injury ever, then people are going to be disappointed.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Yep. This is the first time in a long time I've actually believed it might just be a minor/short-term injury. He makes Tigers a better side but he can't fix the relegation-worthy performances in the pack.Timbo wrote:Manu to miss the last 2 Tigers games. Hamstring pull, out for another 3/4 weeks.
Already seen some comments about ‘always being injured’ etc. Feels like he can’t win now because of his reputation for constant injuries. He’s actually been fit since Jan ‘18, played almost a full season for Leicester, 5 or 6 of their Champions Cup games and started every 6N’s match. Picks up a 6 week hamstring pull and it’s like none of that matters. If the expectation now is that he will never pick up any kind of injury ever, then people are going to be disappointed.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Atkinson has been excellent. The best IC in the Prem this season. I'd like to see him in an England squad. I'd take him ahead of Te'o in a heartbeat.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
100% with you there
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
He's lost any pace he had, and he doesn't seem to have Greenwood like positional play to hide that lack of pace
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
So good to see Watson back. Class. Doesn’t seem to have lost any pace or acceleration due to his injury.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Impressed with all the Bath back three.Mellsblue wrote:So good to see Watson back. Class. Doesn’t seem to have lost any pace or acceleration due to his injury.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Agreed. Watson at FB with Daly and May on the wings still looks like England's best combination to me. Coka on the bench would be some threat, especially if he is going to be encouraged to wander inside. Is there any chance of him having the hands for the 12 shirt?Banquo wrote:Impressed with all the Bath back three.Mellsblue wrote:So good to see Watson back. Class. Doesn’t seem to have lost any pace or acceleration due to his injury.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
With watson and joseph available our back line has a load of options now. All sorts of combinations involving slade and manu also.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Until Watson actually plays FB for his club, we can't really afford to move the highly experienced Daly from the shirt.Oakboy wrote:Agreed. Watson at FB with Daly and May on the wings still looks like England's best combination to me. Coka on the bench would be some threat, especially if he is going to be encouraged to wander inside. Is there any chance of him having the hands for the 12 shirt?Banquo wrote:Impressed with all the Bath back three.Mellsblue wrote:So good to see Watson back. Class. Doesn’t seem to have lost any pace or acceleration due to his injury.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Funny it's the joke you pick up on and not the idea of moving Banasiga to 12...Which Tyler wrote:Until Watson actually plays FB for his club, we can't really afford to move the highly experienced Daly from the shirt.Oakboy wrote:Agreed. Watson at FB with Daly and May on the wings still looks like England's best combination to me. Coka on the bench would be some threat, especially if he is going to be encouraged to wander inside. Is there any chance of him having the hands for the 12 shirt?Banquo wrote: Impressed with all the Bath back three.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Cokanisiga will be playing 12 for Toulon post World Cup.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Just had the chance to watch the Bath vs Wasps game. Quite apart from being a great game and a top performance from Watson, how is Brad Shields still in the conversation for the EPS? When we had injuries, fair enough, but he's behind Wilson and Robshaw at 6 and with Underhill offering cover as well, I don't see how he gets in a 31 man squad. It's not that he's particularly bad; he's just looking absolutely rank average.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
It's simple really. NZ rated Shields as a solid club performer not up to international standard. That was an accurate assessment which Jones took it upon hiimself to over-rule. Ever since Shields arrived here his performances have emphasised the quality of the NZ judgement and the incompetence of Jones's. If Jones just admitted his error now nobody would care much. What bothers me most is that Jones's intransigence is denying better players a squad place.Puja wrote:Just had the chance to watch the Bath vs Wasps game. Quite apart from being a great game and a top performance from Watson, how is Brad Shields still in the conversation for the EPS? When we had injuries, fair enough, but he's behind Wilson and Robshaw at 6 and with Underhill offering cover as well, I don't see how he gets in a 31 man squad. It's not that he's particularly bad; he's just looking absolutely rank average.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
"Solid club performer" is about right. NZ weighed him up and decided not to bring him into their squad despite having plenty of opportunity to do so.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
It’s not just Shields though ... it appears that in Eddie’s mind anyone with a SH background is considered automatically superior to our home grown equivalents.
Any objective assessment of players’ performances this season would have Wilson, Robshaw and Mercer ahead of Shields, Morgan ahead of Hughes and Atkinson ahead of Te’o.
Any objective assessment of players’ performances this season would have Wilson, Robshaw and Mercer ahead of Shields, Morgan ahead of Hughes and Atkinson ahead of Te’o.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
I see Hutchinson has been called up to the Scotland squad.
No more than he deserves after a proper breakthrough this season.
As with Skinner at lock, we have enough talent at 13 for it not to matter too much, but still a shame to lose a talented player.
Good luck to him.
No more than he deserves after a proper breakthrough this season.
As with Skinner at lock, we have enough talent at 13 for it not to matter too much, but still a shame to lose a talented player.
Good luck to him.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
It was inevitable - he's a step above the likes of Chris Harris even at his tender age and, with his preexisting ties to Scotland, they were always going to ask him first and he was always going to accept.Scrumhead wrote:I see Hutchinson has been called up to the Scotland squad.
No more than he deserves after a proper breakthrough this season.
As with Skinner at lock, we have enough talent at 13 for it not to matter too much, but still a shame to lose a talented player.
Good luck to him.
While I agree that we currently have enough talent at 13 for him not to even be in the conversation for the EPS, I think we'll regret him playing for Scotland. He'll go on the next Lions tour in my opinion (or will deserve to and will be ignored by Gatland for some reason).
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Yeah - if he keeps developing at the same rate, he will be a dangerous opponent and potentially a future Lions contender (Gatland rarely picks Scottish players though).
I wouldn’t pick him over Slade, JJ, Manu or Daly (at 13) at the moment though.
Joe Marchant and Ollie Lawrence will (or should be) in the mix post RWC too.
I wouldn’t pick him over Slade, JJ, Manu or Daly (at 13) at the moment though.
Joe Marchant and Ollie Lawrence will (or should be) in the mix post RWC too.
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Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
I’m not sure how I feel about Naiyaravoro ... there’s no denying he is effective with the ball, but if he weren’t so big/hard to stop he’d be a very poor player.