he does, and he isn't slow either despite what many say. His workrate is also hugely improved since shedding a few pounds, though it comes with slightly less tight yardage made through bulk- a good trade off.
Imo he trundles rather than sprints about the pitch and is the least athletic of our 8 options by a long chalk - partly due to having a build more akin to front row than a back row. His tight play compensates for all this though.
Banquo wrote:
he does, and he isn't slow either despite what many say. His workrate is also hugely improved since shedding a few pounds, though it comes with slightly less tight yardage made through bulk- a good trade off.
Imo he trundles rather than sprints about the pitch and is the least athletic of our 8 options by a long chalk - partly due to having a build more akin to front row than a back row. His tight play compensates for all this though.
Have you watched him in the last 4 years?!
Puja
It's futile. I've responded to these probably more than anybody on here, but he's not 6'4" so he's a prop.
Timbo wrote:Billy is a fantastic all round rugby player. Look at his stats and he will invariably make more passes and offloads than any other forward on the pitch. Stands in at 9 at lineouts and hits 20 yard passes out into midfield, turns ball over at the ruck etc.
Don't be silly. He's big. That's all there is to see.
The big snag with Billy is that we miss him so much when he is not there. Keeping him fit is vital. I don't understand why different types of 8 (Simmonds and Kvesic are the obvious examples) don't suit Jones now that he has discarded Hughes. Moving Wilson to 8 has the obvious disadvantage that it puts Shields into the XV (or at least the 23).
Scrumhead wrote:
I don’t think that’s true at all. Mako and Sinckler often stand in at first receiver for their clubs as well for England and that definitely isn’t by chance. Both are good at it too.
Curry has also done a decent amount of link play in recent games and Billy is nowhere near as one dimensional as you’re making out.
But his preferred replacement seems to be.
His preferred replacement is currently Wilson, who is definitely not one-dimensional. Hughes isn't even in the extended RWC squad.
England men’s head coach Eddie Jones has announced a squad of 31 players to attend a second training camp at The Lensbury Hotel (30 June-4 July).
Danny Cipriani (Gloucester Rugby), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) and Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby) have been added to the squad while Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) and Marcus Smith (Harlequins) will return to their clubs next week.
Forwards
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints), Val Rapava Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby), Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors), Brad Shields (Wasps), Jack Singleton (Worcester Warriors), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons).
Backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Gloucester Rugby), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath Rugby), Dan Robson (Wasps), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
