fivepointer wrote:Disappointing finale to a pretty disappointing campaign.
Few players enhanced their reputations last night. I think there is some talent in this squad but they're only fleetingly shown it.
They've not looked a cohesive team at any point though the coaches chopped and changed every game. Didn't really offer the opportunity for the players to bed in and develop combinations with those around them.
Having said that I'm not sure it's a vintage year; Ilione, Arundell and Grayson all stood out and I suspect Richards and Baxter might do well at senior level as well.
Every game of the U20 Summer Series will be streamed via the Six Nations Rugby YouTube channel.
POOLS
Pool A
France
Ireland
England
South Africa
Pool B
Scotland
Wales
Italy
Georgia
ENGLAND’S FIXTURES
England v South Africa - Friday 24 June, KO 4pm BST, Payanini Centre, Verona
England v France - Wednesday 29 June, KO 4pm BST, Payanini Centre, Verona
England v Ireland - Tuesday 5 July, KO 7pm BST, Payanini Centre, Verona
I’m not saying they’ve nicked my proposed format for an expanded 6N but they’ve definitely borrowed it. No, I’m not being big headed - we all know the senior administrators in rugby come to this site for their best ideas.
SQUAD
Charlie Bracken, Saracens, Caps 0
Lucas Brooke, London Irish, Caps 4
Tom Carr-Smith, Bath Rugby, Caps 3
Lewis Chessum, Leicester Tigers, Caps 3
Chandler Cunningham-South, London Irish, Caps 3
Greg Fisilau, Wasps, Caps 2
Ollie Fletcher, Newcastle, Caps 1
Ethan Grayson, Northampton Saints, Caps 5
Alex Harmes, London Irish, Caps 0
Sam Harris, Bath Rugby, Caps 0
George Hendy, Northampton Saints, Caps 3
Emeka Ilione (c), Leicester Tigers, Caps 6
Louie Johnson, Newcastle Falcons, Caps 5
Toby Knight, Saracens, Caps 5
Tom Litchfield, Northampton Saints, Caps 5
Tom Lockett, Northampton Saints, Caps 4
Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Wasps, Caps 1
Archie McArthur, Wasps, Caps 2
Tumy Onasanya, Sale Sharks, Caps 0
Conor Oresanya, Harlequins, Caps 0
Charlie Rice, Bristol Bears, Caps 3
Ewan Richards, Bath Rugby, Caps 7
Ethan Staddon, Bath Rugby, Caps 0
Finn Theobald-Thomas, Worcester, Caps 2
Andrew Turner, Bristol Bears, Caps 0
Fin Smith, Worcester Warriors, Caps 5
Iwan Stephens, Newcastle Falcons, Caps 1
John Stewart, Bath Rugby, Caps 5
Mikey Summerfield, London Irish, Caps 5
Jed Walsh, Leicester Tigers, Caps 0
Jevaughn Warren, Saracens, Caps 0
Tobi Wilson, Worcester Warriors, Caps 0
FIXTURES
England v South Africa - Friday 24 June, KO 4pm (BST)
England v France - Wednesday 29 June, KO 4pm (BST)
England v Ireland - Tuesday 5 July, KO 7pm (BST)
PLAY OFFS
Tuesday 12 July, KO TBC, Stadio Monigo, Treviso.
In other news, Jevaughn is a name I refuse to believe exists.
He’s Michael Vaughan’s illegitimate French love child. His middle name is Mapelle.
No discerning Frenchwoman would ever stoop to reproducing with Michael Vaughan. He can't even try and use the fact he was captain in 2005 to impress them as they'd just do a Gallic shrug before asking what on earth cricket was.
In other news, Jevaughn is a name I refuse to believe exists.
He’s Michael Vaughan’s illegitimate French love child. His middle name is Mapelle.
No discerning Frenchwoman would ever stoop to reproducing with Michael Vaughan. He can't even try and use the fact he was captain in 2005 to impress them as they'd just do a Gallic shrug before asking what on earth cricket was.
In other news, Jevaughn is a name I refuse to believe exists.
Ma'asi-White really doesn't seem to use his size. At schoolboy he was a big bully int he videos I'd seen, but in the games I've seen now, he just seems very average, and virtually living off a past hype.
In other news, Jevaughn is a name I refuse to believe exists.
Ma'asi-White really doesn't seem to use his size. At schoolboy he was a big bully int he videos I'd seen, but in the games I've seen now, he just seems very average, and virtually living off a past hype.
It's ok Tom Litchfield is in there and isn't small. I suspect he'll join his fellow Northampton pal Grayson in the midfield with Finn Smith at 10.
Smith, Grayson, Litchfield should be a pretty good combination.
Mellsblue wrote:Litchfield’s game absolutely isn’t about using his size. If he’s used as a bosh, straight running player he’s being wasted.
If you're playing centre you've got to hit the occasional hard line but with the talent of a Smith/Grayson combo you'd hope he'd be running at soft shoulders and half gaps.
Mellsblue wrote:Litchfield’s game absolutely isn’t about using his size. If he’s used as a bosh, straight running player he’s being wasted.
If you're playing centre you've got to hit the occasional hard line but with the talent of a Smith/Grayson combo you'd hope he'd be running at soft shoulders and half gaps.
I’m aware of all of that but having watched him numerous times live and on TV (Grayson too, for that matter) he’s no replacement for a big, powerful centre and would be wasted in that role. It would completely change how you’d set up. I just don’t see the logic of ‘our big bosh centre isn’t punching his weight but it’s ok as we’ve got Litchfield as he’s pretty big’. It’s a bit like saying Tuilagi’s injured but it’s ok because Slade’s pretty big. Totally different players.
Mellsblue wrote:Litchfield’s game absolutely isn’t about using his size. If he’s used as a bosh, straight running player he’s being wasted.
If you're playing centre you've got to hit the occasional hard line but with the talent of a Smith/Grayson combo you'd hope he'd be running at soft shoulders and half gaps.
I’m aware of all of that but having watched him numerous times live and on TV (Grayson too, for that matter) he’s no replacement for a big, powerful centre and would be wasted in that role. It would completely change how you’d set up. I just don’t see the logic of ‘our big bosh centre isn’t punching his weight but it’s ok as we’ve got Litchfield as he’s pretty big’. It’s a bit like saying Tuilagi’s injured but it’s ok because Slade’s pretty big. Totally different players.
Litchfield can do the job in defence physically in attack we can adjust. England did it rather well in that stage where we replaced Manu with Joseph. As long as you've got creative players creating space and exploiting it when they do you just need a quality running threat.
FKAS wrote:
If you're playing centre you've got to hit the occasional hard line but with the talent of a Smith/Grayson combo you'd hope he'd be running at soft shoulders and half gaps.
I’m aware of all of that but having watched him numerous times live and on TV (Grayson too, for that matter) he’s no replacement for a big, powerful centre and would be wasted in that role. It would completely change how you’d set up. I just don’t see the logic of ‘our big bosh centre isn’t punching his weight but it’s ok as we’ve got Litchfield as he’s pretty big’. It’s a bit like saying Tuilagi’s injured but it’s ok because Slade’s pretty big. Totally different players.
Litchfield can do the job in defence physically in attack we can adjust. England did it rather well in that stage where we replaced Manu with Joseph. As long as you've got creative players creating space and exploiting it when they do you just need a quality running threat.
Again, I’m aware of all that. I just take issue with you saying that ‘it’s ok Litchfield is in there and isn’t small’ as it’s apples and oranges.
On the subject of big centre, thought Olly Hartley might have been selected after missing the Six Nations, unless he's still injured. No Fin Baxter, Sam Edwards, Jamie Benson or Deago Bailey who had all played earlier in the year either.
There's another half dozen lads in Hoyt, Alfie Bell, Cripps, Nye Thomas, Cusick & Cassius Cleaves who miss out this time but all are eligible for the Junior World Cup next year.
I would have thought Grayson at 12 and Litchfield at 13 with a winger on the wing would have been the obvious option.
2 new props given a run out. Guys who werent in the original squad and didnt feature in the 6N's. We seem to have got through an awful lot of players in 20's this year.
If the Baby Boks had someone that could kick the scoreline would have looked a closer reflection of the game.
England need to shift Ilione to 8 and put on another openside. The English defence lacked organisation and was over reliant on Ilione turnovers to stem the flow of the Bok attack (the Boks 9 looked a talent). English attack looked alright but the handling was awful. We twice threw forward passes unnecessarily when accurate passes would have resulted in tries.
