England v Barbarians June 19th 2022

[Danno]

Not at all. Far safer trying to throw a dummy than actually throwing the ball!

If you've got swerve and pace like that whilst built like a tank why both passing.

I like the fact that he runs like a prop - none of this high knees nonsense, just scuttling, like your hamstrings are two sizes two small for your legs.

Puja

Glol. Some coach or another is going to put it all together and have him run sideways one day

[FKAS]

Not at all. Far safer trying to throw a dummy than actually throwing the ball!

If you've got swerve and pace like that whilst built like a tank why both passing.

I like the fact that he runs like a prop - none of this high knees nonsense, just scuttling, like your hamstrings are two sizes two small for your legs.

Puja

[Danno]

Shouldn't the squad be out by now?

Nevermind, forgot it was on on Sunday

[Danno]

ENGLAND 

15. Tommy Freeman  (Northampton Saints)
14. Joe Cokanasiga  (Bath Rugby)
13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
12. Mark Atkinson  (Gloucester Rugby)
11. Jonny May  (Gloucester Rugby)
10. Marcus Smith  (Harlequins)
9. Harry Randall  (Bristol Bears)

1. Bevan Rodd  (Sale Sharks)
2. Jack Walker (Harlequins)
3. Will Collier (Harlequins)
4. Charlie Ewels  (Bath Rugby)
5. Jonny Hill  (Exeter Chiefs)
6. Tom Curry  (C) (Sale Sharks)
7. Sam Underhill  (Bath Rugby)
8. Alex Dombrandt  (Harlequins)

FINISHERS

16. Jack Singleton (Gloucester Rugby)
17. Will Goodrick-Clarke (London Irish)
18. Patrick Schickerling (Exeter Chiefs)
19. Courtney Lawes  (Northampton Saints)
20. Jack Willis  (Wasps)
21. Danny Care (Harlequins)
22. Orlando Bailey  (Bath Rugby)
23. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)

Ewels. Srsly.

[Banquo]

mixed- not sure of the benefit of Lawes, Willis, Care and Nowell on the bench, nor starting Atkinson. Might give us a feel for pack pecking order tho.

[Scrumhead]

Ewels. Srsly.

True. But as one of only 3 locks in the squad for this game, he was always going to be in the 23.

[Danno]

Sure. But it will never stop sticking in my craw. Pleased for Collier and Walker

[Banquo]

Jonny Hill will find it a struggle given lack of gametime, nature of game and heat.

[Puja]

mixed- not sure of the benefit of Lawes, Willis, Care and Nowell on the bench, nor starting Atkinson. Might give us a feel for pack pecking order tho.

I'm excited that we're playing Cunderhill again, despite Lawes being fit and available. I like the idea of having Lawes as a lock/back row cover on the bench and I hope to gods that that's how we're planning to go to Australia (albeit with Maro in and Ewels out).

I'm disappointed that it's such a first choice XV. As I've moaned before, it takes the fun out of the Barbarians match to treat it as a serious warmup game, but I can see the point in bedding down rhythms and building on what's been done in training.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

mixed- not sure of the benefit of Lawes, Willis, Care and Nowell on the bench, nor starting Atkinson. Might give us a feel for pack pecking order tho.

Lawes is probably as much to do with the lack of available locks as anything else. Particularly given it’s Hill’s first game in a while. I’d have preferred to see Tizard or Coles though.

Atkinson is probably starting as there really isn’t anyone else. Dingwall maybe, but he’s pretty much exclusively played at 13 for Saints this season.

Care and Nowell, not sure why they’re there instead of Mitchell and Radwan.

[Puja]

mixed- not sure of the benefit of Lawes, Willis, Care and Nowell on the bench, nor starting Atkinson. Might give us a feel for pack pecking order tho.

Lawes is probably as much to do with the lack of available locks as anything else. Particularly given it’s Hill’s first game in a while. I’d have preferred to see Tizard or Coles though.

Atkinson is probably starting as there really isn’t anyone else. Dingwall maybe, but he’s pretty much exclusively played at 13 for Saints this season.

Care and Nowell, not sure why they’re there instead of Mitchell and Radwan.

Dingwall is who I would've had. Think there's a lot more to be learned from putting him in there rather than a never-will-be in Atkinson. Bit of a shame there's no Arundell off the bench, although that's more romantic than pragmatic of me. I don't think he's in any way ready for international rugby and shouldn't go on tour and definitely shouldn't have any more pressure put upon him, but it'd've been fun to see him run against the Barbarians.

Great to see Jonny May getting an opportunity for gametime after injury. I have so much time for him as a player, given his drive and workrate to become better when he absolutely could've just got by on being speedy, and I'm really pleased that he's getting the chance to knock the rust off and have a really good chance of going straight back into the team for Australia. Hopefully he's a good influence on Radwan, cause he's another player who could just get by on being speedy, but needs the same development as May put in if he wants to be an international.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Yep. 100% agree with all of that. I probably would have picked Dingwall too, but I can understand why Eddie’s gone with Atkinson.

[fivepointer]

Hooker is quite interesting. Walker comes from nowhere and starts. Blamire not even on the bench. I happen to think Walker deserves an opportunity but Jones hasnt even looked at him up until now.
No Stuart at tight head. Understand Collier being involved and he's better as a starter, but Schickerling on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Stuart injured perhaps?
Care's involvement signals to me he's going to Australia. Jones wants one experienced SH out there.
I think a half decent performance from Atkinson will see him tour.

[Peej]

See absolutely zero point in playing any semi finalists. Give them a rest FFS.

[Peej]

It's a weird mix between first choice, wider 23 players, and complete random calls. Like Singleton and Schnickerling

[Banquo]

mixed- not sure of the benefit of Lawes, Willis, Care and Nowell on the bench, nor starting Atkinson. Might give us a feel for pack pecking order tho.

Lawes is probably as much to do with the lack of available locks as anything else. Particularly given it’s Hill’s first game in a while. I’d have preferred to see Tizard or Coles though.

Atkinson is probably starting as there really isn’t anyone else. Dingwall maybe, but he’s pretty much exclusively played at 13 for Saints this season.

Care and Nowell, not sure why they’re there instead of Mitchell and Radwan.

Dingwall has played a lot at 12 this season. Pretty much all the first half of the season- I actually think he’s equally as good there as at 13, and that’s pretty rare.

[Banyans]

Ewels sums up my feelings really, but this is professional sport and gone are the days that the barbarians is a bit of a laugh. Something a bit different from a test.

[Mikey Brown]

Well that’s a mix, as ever. A good few players seemingly there just to get match fitness.

Mostly been covered already but Ewels and a rusty Hill isn’t inspiring. Resting play-off players would seem sensible, but breaking up the Quins 8/HB axis when you have them all in the squad seems kind of pointless. Let’s hope I’m just being too cynical thinking Care might sit on the bench all game.

Atkinson in that midfield has a nice look to it, but it’s hard to picture him being able to prove himself a worthy test inclusion in this game.

Curry and Underhill is usually good fun. Will be interesting to see how the jumping and carrying is divided up with Dombrandt.

Bench just seems a weird.

[Puja]

Hooker is quite interesting. Walker comes from nowhere and starts. Blamire not even on the bench. I happen to think Walker deserves an opportunity but Jones hasnt even looked at him up until now.
No Stuart at tight head. Understand Collier being involved and he's better as a starter, but Schickerling on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Stuart injured perhaps?
Care's involvement signals to me he's going to Australia. Jones wants one experienced SH out there.
I think a half decent performance from Atkinson will see him tour.

In fairness, Walker was absolutely nowhere at the start of the season and was marked down in the Auterac mould of "Really promising, but is he really joining *another* club after failing to fulfil his potential again?" He's had a phenomenal season, but he is very new onto being anywhere near the international radar at all.

Hadn't spotted no Stuart at all. Very surprising - might be injured or might be paying the price for a rubbish Bath campaign.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Paying the price for Bath being rubbish. Now that sounds like a good idea.

[Stom]

Hooker is quite interesting. Walker comes from nowhere and starts. Blamire not even on the bench. I happen to think Walker deserves an opportunity but Jones hasnt even looked at him up until now.
No Stuart at tight head. Understand Collier being involved and he's better as a starter, but Schickerling on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Stuart injured perhaps?
Care's involvement signals to me he's going to Australia. Jones wants one experienced SH out there.
I think a half decent performance from Atkinson will see him tour.

In fairness, Walker was absolutely nowhere at the start of the season and was marked down in the Auterac mould of "Really promising, but is he really joining *another* club after failing to fulfil his potential again?" He's had a phenomenal season, but he is very new onto being anywhere near the international radar at all.

Hadn't spotted no Stuart at all. Very surprising - might be injured or might be paying the price for a rubbish Bath campaign.

Puja

TBF to Walker, this is his third club, and all his troubles seem to stem from being in a Bath side that was in freefall. He's really got back to showing why he was so promising since leaving that train rec...

[Mellsblue]

Hooker is quite interesting. Walker comes from nowhere and starts. Blamire not even on the bench. I happen to think Walker deserves an opportunity but Jones hasnt even looked at him up until now.
No Stuart at tight head. Understand Collier being involved and he's better as a starter, but Schickerling on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Stuart injured perhaps?
Care's involvement signals to me he's going to Australia. Jones wants one experienced SH out there.
I think a half decent performance from Atkinson will see him tour.

In fairness, Walker was absolutely nowhere at the start of the season and was marked down in the Auterac mould of "Really promising, but is he really joining *another* club after failing to fulfil his potential again?" He's had a phenomenal season, but he is very new onto being anywhere near the international radar at all.

Hadn't spotted no Stuart at all. Very surprising - might be injured or might be paying the price for a rubbish Bath campaign.

Puja

TBF to Walker, this is his third club, and all his troubles seem to stem from being in a Bath side that was in freefall. He's really got back to showing why he was so promising since leaving that train rec...

Jack Walker?!? Not sure he left Leeds because he failed to fulfil his potential. It’s the other way round, if anything.

[Puja]

Hooker is quite interesting. Walker comes from nowhere and starts. Blamire not even on the bench. I happen to think Walker deserves an opportunity but Jones hasnt even looked at him up until now.
No Stuart at tight head. Understand Collier being involved and he's better as a starter, but Schickerling on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Stuart injured perhaps?
Care's involvement signals to me he's going to Australia. Jones wants one experienced SH out there.
I think a half decent performance from Atkinson will see him tour.

In fairness, Walker was absolutely nowhere at the start of the season and was marked down in the Auterac mould of "Really promising, but is he really joining *another* club after failing to fulfil his potential again?" He's had a phenomenal season, but he is very new onto being anywhere near the international radar at all.

Hadn't spotted no Stuart at all. Very surprising - might be injured or might be paying the price for a rubbish Bath campaign.

Puja

TBF to Walker, this is his third club, and all his troubles seem to stem from being in a Bath side that was in freefall. He's really got back to showing why he was so promising since leaving that train rec...

Fair point - for some reason I had it in my head that he'd had a fourth club (so gone from Leeds to Imaginary to Bath to Quins), but that is apparently entirely fictional.

The overall idea that he's only kicked on this season after joining Quins still counts though.

Puja

[Stom]

In fairness, Walker was absolutely nowhere at the start of the season and was marked down in the Auterac mould of "Really promising, but is he really joining *another* club after failing to fulfil his potential again?" He's had a phenomenal season, but he is very new onto being anywhere near the international radar at all.

Hadn't spotted no Stuart at all. Very surprising - might be injured or might be paying the price for a rubbish Bath campaign.

Puja

TBF to Walker, this is his third club, and all his troubles seem to stem from being in a Bath side that was in freefall. He's really got back to showing why he was so promising since leaving that train rec...

Fair point - for some reason I had it in my head that he'd had a fourth club (so gone from Leeds to Imaginary to Bath to Quins), but that is apparently entirely fictional.

The overall idea that he's only kicked on this season after joining Quins still counts though.

Puja

Pretty sure it's not that he's failed, per se, more that he had some injury issues - hence the emergence of Dunn and the fact Batty kept on so long - and when fit was in a Bath side that were just appalling.

Got to Quins, started off looking OK and by the end of the season looks like a top Prem player again.

[Puja]

Barbarians team out as well:

Spring; Penaud, Vakatawa, Botia, Niniashvili; Hastoy, Couilloud; Gros, Bourgarit, Gigashvili, Kruis, Skelton, Cretin, Ollivon (c), Tanga

Replacements: Priso, Tolofua, Falatea, Lavault, Le Garrec, Carbonel, Macalou, Vili