Squad named

[francoisfou]

Unlikely unless injuries strike. We have Itjoe, Chessum, Isiekwe, Hill (blorp) and Lawes* in or around the squad.

*#notalock, but apparently Sub Meatballs disagrees

also Ribbans, and I still have hopes for Coles. And George Martin maybe as a lock.

Martin will be a top notch second row forward and must surely be in Borther’s list for the World Cup.

[FKAS]

Unlikely unless injuries strike. We have Itjoe, Chessum, Isiekwe, Hill (blorp) and Lawes* in or around the squad.

*#notalock, but apparently Sub Meatballs disagrees

also Ribbans, and I still have hopes for Coles. And George Martin maybe as a lock.

Martin will be a top notch second row forward and must surely be in Borther’s list for the World Cup.

Probably post world cup. Needs more game time at lock then could be an excellent option at 19 being able to come on at lock or at 6 if we need more physicality.

Need more evidence he can keep making the carries and the big (but very legal) hits in defence whilst also doing the second row graft first. Early signings are very good.

[chris18501]

Tom Curry out for 4-6weeks with a hamstring injury. Will miss rest of 6N. Real bummer for Eng and Sale

[Puja]

Tom Curry out for 4-6weeks with a hamstring injury. Will miss rest of 6N. Real bummer for Eng and Sale

Shit. Was it the same hamstring or the other one? Suggests he was possibly rushed back just a bit too soon if it was the same one.

Puja

[Blandy]

BBC report says its the other leg.

[Puja]

BBC report says its the other leg.

Possible it's linked anyway from having been unbalanced during his injury and one leg having to compensate for the other, and might've been better not rushing back. Still, any which way, it's rubbish luck for the poor sod. Hope he has a really good rehabilitation and can hit the end of the season running.

Puja

[16th man]

Reading between the lines of this, it sounds like Sanderson is a bit frustrated with the Ben Curry hokey cokey
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-sale ... nderson%2F

[p/d]

Usual quality from Mr Sanderson

[Banquo]

Reading between the lines of this, it sounds like Sanderson is a bit frustrated with the Ben Curry hokey cokey
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-sale ... nderson%2F

don't blame him.

[16th man]

Reading between the lines of this, it sounds like Sanderson is a bit frustrated with the Ben Curry hokey cokey
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-sale ... nderson%2F

don't blame him.

Yep, doesn't speak well of the new set ups clarity of thought.

[Banquo]

Reading between the lines of this, it sounds like Sanderson is a bit frustrated with the Ben Curry hokey cokey
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-sale ... nderson%2F

don't blame him.

Yep, doesn't speak well of the new set ups clarity of thought.

will cut them a bit of slack, learning on the job at this level and environment

[Mellsblue]

Usual quality from Mr Sanderson

This.

[Puja]

Reading between the lines of this, it sounds like Sanderson is a bit frustrated with the Ben Curry hokey cokey
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-sale ... nderson%2F

don't blame him.

Yep, doesn't speak well of the new set ups clarity of thought.

In fairness, it was a difficult situation with Willis returning and clearly deserving a starting spot, meaning one of Earl and BCurry would get yeeted from the XXIII after just one game back in the fold. I'd've gone the other route and kept BCurry - on the basis that he was in the higher position in the hierarchy from being the starter, as well as rating him higher, but also because it would be very mentally hard for him to be dropped from the XXIII after making a game-changing mistake - but I can see the argument that it'd've been unfair to boot Earl as well. Good on Sanderson for defending his men though.

On the choice between T and B Curry, that's not really worth getting exercised over - T Curry is indubitably the better player right now and is going to be fixed when fit. The problem there is Eddie inexplicably deciding to just develop one of them and we can't shove 4 years of international experience inside the other.

Puja

[FKAS]

Reading between the lines of this, it sounds like Sanderson is a bit frustrated with the Ben Curry hokey cokey
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-sale ... nderson%2F

don't blame him.

Yep, doesn't speak well of the new set ups clarity of thought.

Or Borthwick is selecting horses for courses and wants the high energy Ben Curry to come off the bench and target the breakdown to slow Wales down in the last 25 mins as opposed to Earl who's main strengths are in his carrying and link play (he's obviously quite handy in the jackle as well).

Sanderson might not like it but Borthwick doesn't have to explain every decision he makes to him.

We've looked slightly gassed later in games for the last two. Some more defensive energy there is quite a good shout. Lawes will bring a lot of physicality off the bench with him as well.

[Mr Mwenda]

Considering TCurry is banjaxed again while on club duty perhaps Sanderson prefers to talk about Ben...

[Stom]

I feel like, unless there's an injury, the selection of Lawes, and Isiekwe before, means we change both Dombrandt and Willis out for a backrow of Lawes, Curry, Ludlam. Which I kind of get. As if you've got Lawes at 6, having 2 very mobile flankers to cover the wider channels is a good idea. It's just not quite what I would do...

[FKAS]

I feel like, unless there's an injury, the selection of Lawes, and Isiekwe before, means we change both Dombrandt and Willis out for a backrow of Lawes, Curry, Ludlam. Which I kind of get. As if you've got Lawes at 6, having 2 very mobile flankers to cover the wider channels is a good idea. It's just not quite what I would do...

I'm unsure whether it's the plan or whether Borthwick is find it tough to come up with backrows that can play 80 mins at the tempo he wants. So he needs someone who can cover both lock and backrow on the bench so he's got cover for Chessum and Itoje but can also add energy to the backrow when they fatigue.

[Puja]

I'd rather see Lawes come on for one of Chessum and Itoje. I'm surprised that they've thought it's our back row that have tired, when our locks seem to be working incredibly hard and fading towards the end.

Puja

[FKAS]

I'd rather see Lawes come on for one of Chessum and Itoje. I'm surprised that they've thought it's our back row that have tired, when our locks seem to be working incredibly hard and fading towards the end.

Puja

They must have some real time tracking of the guys on field. Heart rate monitors are surely standard so they must know what zones they are working in etc. The locks do look done in by the end though.

[Banquo]

I'd rather see Lawes come on for one of Chessum and Itoje. I'm surprised that they've thought it's our back row that have tired, when our locks seem to be working incredibly hard and fading towards the end.

Puja

They must have some real time tracking of the guys on field. Heart rate monitors are surely standard so they must know what zones they are working in etc. The locks do look done in by the end though.

Not surprised when you look at Itoje's (non GPS/heart rate) stats v Scotland. 44 rucks hit is huge.

[Stom]

I'd rather see Lawes come on for one of Chessum and Itoje. I'm surprised that they've thought it's our back row that have tired, when our locks seem to be working incredibly hard and fading towards the end.

Puja

They must have some real time tracking of the guys on field. Heart rate monitors are surely standard so they must know what zones they are working in etc. The locks do look done in by the end though.

Not surprised when you look at Itoje's (non GPS/heart rate) stats v Scotland. 44 rucks hit is huge.

And if you look at the Scotland game, just before he came off, Curry took to a knee. BUT, Chessum had just taken a knee and was really puffing. Curry, on the other hand, looked around, and it looked like he kind of had a "oh wait, I should be doing something" moment, as he then dropped to his knee, but was not blowing at all. I was sure Chessum was about to make way, but no, Curry did. Who looked fresh.

Not sure what's going on there, it can't be based on energy levels.

[FKAS]

They must have some real time tracking of the guys on field. Heart rate monitors are surely standard so they must know what zones they are working in etc. The locks do look done in by the end though.

Not surprised when you look at Itoje's (non GPS/heart rate) stats v Scotland. 44 rucks hit is huge.

And if you look at the Scotland game, just before he came off, Curry took to a knee. BUT, Chessum had just taken a knee and was really puffing. Curry, on the other hand, looked around, and it looked like he kind of had a "oh wait, I should be doing something" moment, as he then dropped to his knee, but was not blowing at all. I was sure Chessum was about to make way, but no, Curry did. Who looked fresh.

Not sure what's going on there, it can't be based on energy levels.

That's the issue with looking with non heart rate and GPS based stats. Some blokes looked knackered from the first minute but put in a great 80 minute shift and some guys never looked tired but pretty much disappear from the game after 55 mins.

[p/d]

Sanderson might not like it but Borthwick doesn't have to explain every decision he makes to him.

I’m struggling to find in that article where Sanderson has suggested Borthwick has to. Yes, he says he would have handled it differently, but more to do with his sentimentally for the players in question.

[Banquo]

Not surprised when you look at Itoje's (non GPS/heart rate) stats v Scotland. 44 rucks hit is huge.

And if you look at the Scotland game, just before he came off, Curry took to a knee. BUT, Chessum had just taken a knee and was really puffing. Curry, on the other hand, looked around, and it looked like he kind of had a "oh wait, I should be doing something" moment, as he then dropped to his knee, but was not blowing at all. I was sure Chessum was about to make way, but no, Curry did. Who looked fresh.

Not sure what's going on there, it can't be based on energy levels.

That's the issue with looking with non heart rate and GPS based stats. Some blokes looked knackered from the first minute but put in a great 80 minute shift and some guys never looked tired but pretty much disappear from the game after 55 mins.

Think you need to look at it all in the round.

[Banquo]

don't blame him.

Yep, doesn't speak well of the new set ups clarity of thought.

In fairness, it was a difficult situation with Willis returning and clearly deserving a starting spot, meaning one of Earl and BCurry would get yeeted from the XXIII after just one game back in the fold. I'd've gone the other route and kept BCurry - on the basis that he was in the higher position in the hierarchy from being the starter, as well as rating him higher, but also because it would be very mentally hard for him to be dropped from the XXIII after making a game-changing mistake - but I can see the argument that it'd've been unfair to boot Earl as well. Good on Sanderson for defending his men though.

On the choice between T and B Curry, that's not really worth getting exercised over - T Curry is indubitably the better player right now and is going to be fixed when fit. The problem there is Eddie inexplicably deciding to just develop one of them and we can't shove 4 years of international experience inside the other.

Puja

I don't think it was 'inexplicable' tbh.