EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Digby]

As opposed to hiring league coaches?

[Puja]

As opposed to hiring league coaches?

Has one of those been dropped in to handle a whole section of an international team though? They've been brought in as skills coaches, but has one been brought in to run the whole attack or whole defence (genuine question - memory is shot).

Puja

[Digby]

I don't know if roles have ever been entirely defined as coaches have come and gone. And they seem to make up a lot of comments in the media as to what they're working on which doesn't help one understand the roles from the outside.

At a guess all our coaches work as some variant of a skills coach, taking a specific area to work on as supplied by Eddie. Maybe Eddie is actually one of the more laissez-faire head coaches who simply says show me what you can do and you've got a free hand, but possibly not.

[Which Tyler]

As opposed to hiring league coaches?

Has one of those been dropped in to handle a whole section of an international team though? They've been brought in as skills coaches, but has one been brought in to run the whole attack or whole defence (genuine question - memory is shot).

Puja

Pretty much all of them were brought in to run the defence since union first turned pro.

Of course, Amor also played plenty of 15s - albeit a while ago

[Banquo]

Agreed. I guess we’ll never know, but I’d agree that some aspects were reminiscent of Eddie’s work with Japan.

TBH, I’d love it if we moved more in that direction. Not all of our players have the skill level needed, but I’d argue that a lot do if given the license ...

who, and who hasn't?

[FKAS]

I never really understood Amor as a selection. 7s and 15s are completely different games nowadays and it seemed a weird risk to parachute in someone whose only top-level experience was in a related code.

Puja

Didn't he coach the Women's England XV team?

[Scrumhead]

Agreed. I guess we’ll never know, but I’d agree that some aspects were reminiscent of Eddie’s work with Japan.

TBH, I’d love it if we moved more in that direction. Not all of our players have the skill level needed, but I’d argue that a lot do if given the license ...

who, and who hasn't?

I’m talking pretty simply about the ability and athleticism to play a fast game. Part of that is decision-making and handling skills, the rest is pace and stamina.

In the forwards, I’d say Mako, Genge, Sinckler, George, Cowan-Dickie, Itoje, Lawes, Curry, Underhill, Earl, Ludlam and Willis do. Not so sure about the rest of our props and locks.

In the backs, anyone but Farrell really. Youngs is wildly inconsistent but I agree with the assessment that he’s better playing off the cuff.

Farrell is just too regimented IMO, but he can actually do it, if it’s pre-programmed.

[Banquo]

Agreed. I guess we’ll never know, but I’d agree that some aspects were reminiscent of Eddie’s work with Japan.

TBH, I’d love it if we moved more in that direction. Not all of our players have the skill level needed, but I’d argue that a lot do if given the license ...

who, and who hasn't?

I’m talking pretty simply about the ability and athleticism to play a fast game. Part of that is decision-making and handling skills, the rest is pace and stamina.

In the forwards, I’d say Mako, Genge, Sinckler, George, Cowan-Dickie, Itoje, Lawes, Curry, Underhill, Earl, Ludlam and Willis do. Not so sure about the rest of our props and locks.

In the backs, anyone but Farrell really. Youngs is wildly inconsistent but I agree with the assessment that he’s better playing off the cuff.

Farrell is just too regimented IMO, but he can actually do it, if it’s pre-programmed.

I'd agree we probably have enough forwards with the requisite mobility, and maybe pace. The decision making from the likes of Genge, Itoje, Lawes, Ludlam, possibly Earl and an international question mark over Willis has to be a big wtf at the moment...and that's without really stressing these skills. The decision making in the backs is pretty dubious too imo, and that's without looking at their skills- and on Faz is kinda average skill wise, and if its pre-programmed its not decision making. I do think we still lag generally on skills and decision making, or rather don't emphasise enough.
I know this is kind of negative, but it does chime with our head coach is thinking. Where I'm giving him a black mark is not on game plan per se (see above) but on discipline. We did move in the direction you (and I ideally tbh) would want....but silk purses and all that. There is a bit of chicken and egg too- unless we try, we probably wont know!

[Mikey Brown]

Not particularly relevant as he’s been playing league, but Kyle Eastmond retires.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57143061

I know a few of us go on about that 2014 tour but it’s such a shame he never really found that groove again. With all the talk of not having a decent 12 option the last few years, yes he was small but he had fantastic variety to his game and was a genuine threat with the ball. AND he could throw a good shoulder to the face when he wanted, despite being 4’11”.

[morepork]

Not particularly relevant as he’s been playing league, but Kyle Eastmond retires.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57143061

I know a few of us go on about that 2014 tour but it’s such a shame he never really found that groove again. With all the talk of not having a decent 12 option the last few years, yes he was small but he had fantastic variety to his game and was a genuine threat with the ball. AND he could throw a good shoulder to the face when he wanted, despite being 4’11”.

He was quality. I wondered what happened to him. Tough and keen, with some skillz.

[Mr Mwenda]

Tuilagi playing much for Sale these days?

[Puja]

Tuilagi playing much for Sale these days?

Still injured, although allegedly close to a return.

Puja

[Banquo]

Tuilagi playing much for Sale these days?

Still injured, although allegedly close to a return.

Puja

Turned 30 a couple of days ago.

[Mr Mwenda]

Itoje seems to have got up to something cool: https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/m ... index.html

[chris1850]

Tuilagi playing much for Sale these days?

Still injured, although allegedly close to a return.

Puja

Due back for Bristol game this Friday

[Tom Moore]

George Williams has been released by Canberra Raiders.

Somebody sign him for next season and he's got two full seasons to get used to union by the next World Cup, and we'd get two cycles out of him

Excellent player, 6 or 7 in league, could comfortably play 12 in Union. Good defender, fantastic attacking kicking game, great passer and runs well.

[Scrumhead]

Sounds like he’s on the way back to Wigan

[Tom Moore]

Probably. Bit of a shame, I think he's got the potential to be really good.

[Raggs]

Charlie Atkinson signs a senior contract for next season with Wasps.

[Digby]

George Williams has been released by Canberra Raiders.

Somebody sign him for next season and he's got two full seasons to get used to union by the next World Cup, and we'd get two cycles out of him

Excellent player, 6 or 7 in league, could comfortably play 12 in Union. Good defender, fantastic attacking kicking game, great passer and runs well.

At a lowish level sure. Whether he'd adapt to the speed and multi faceted nature of union at the top level is simply an unknown, so in advance there's nothing comfortable about it

[Mellsblue]

Who has that clip of Burgess wandering around with literally no idea where to stand in the England v (I think) Aus match?

[Digby]

I could go and look for it, but I've seen it often enough I can happily recall, and laugh, at his forwards and backwards ambling never coming close to being useful. Even Robshaw gases him, which is a bit like being done for pace by Will Greenwood

[Tom Moore]

I could go and look for it, but I've seen it often enough I can happily recall, and laugh, at his forwards and backwards ambling never coming close to being useful. Even Robshaw gases him, which is a bit like being done for pace by Will Greenwood

Entirely different kind of player. If nothing else starts with the advantage of being a back.

[Digby]

I could go and look for it, but I've seen it often enough I can happily recall, and laugh, at his forwards and backwards ambling never coming close to being useful. Even Robshaw gases him, which is a bit like being done for pace by Will Greenwood

Entirely different kind of player. If nothing else starts with the advantage of being a back.

Not in rugby.

Having the technical skills is of course useful, having the decision making processes down, and coming from a sport where if you want the ball you can have the ball is a huge difference, there'd be nothing wrong with a player not having the patience to forge a sustained career in rugby and preferring to get more ball in hand time

[twitchy]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... e-england/

"Remember Ted hill" article pushing him for a summer place.