jngf wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 9:33 am
Chessum Jnr’s got similar stats to RG Snyman - big unit indeed!
His brother is a normal sized international lock (6ft7 and 18 stone) and he's clearly bigger at two years his junior. He's remained mobile for big bloke which will become more of a challenge when he comes up against bigger brutes at senior level. With Chessum and Martin at the world cup there will be plenty of opportunities early doors.
Let's hope he does better than Ben Bamber and Alex Groves who came through with massive frames and haven't lived up to the early hype so far.
From a Welsh perspective, Gatland's selections seem spot on - for the purpose of deciding who goes to the World Cup, not for the purpose of winning this game at all costs. Remember that although Gatland and Borthwick took over with little time available, the chaos and failure to develop young players in the medium term was far worse for Wales. Gatland is trying to compress three years work into a few months.
This should be an easy England win. I am still not convinced Rogers really is international standard. Also our midfield might be vulnerable (i.e. weak). I think the player with most pressure on him is Beard, great potential but he does not always deliver. I don't think we will attack the English line out the same way as last week. I expect Plumtree at 8 to be OK.
Some English tries should be guaranteed today.
I am surprised to have seen some criticism of Stewart; to me he seems a very secure full back although the wingers need to get back more quickly to support him.
I look forward to some entertainment from Arundell, a good choice. I am still surprised the English team has not been reconstructed around Smith.
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jngf wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 9:33 am
Chessum Jnr’s got similar stats to RG Snyman - big unit indeed!
His brother is a normal sized international lock (6ft7 and 18 stone) and he's clearly bigger at two years his junior. He's remained mobile for big bloke which will become more of a challenge when he comes up against bigger brutes at senior level. With Chessum and Martin at the world cup there will be plenty of opportunities early doors.
Let's hope he does better than Ben Bamber and Alex Groves who came through with massive frames and haven't lived up to the early hype so far.
To be fair, the only hype around Bamber and Groves was their physical stats. Neither showed anything like Chessum Jnrs level of performance at age grade or leadership qualities. He has size and performance level so looks like he real deal.
We do get hung up on ‘stats’. I’m all for a lock stealing lineout ball but I also want him to smash his opposite number back time and time again
I remember my mate telling me that at the first lineout v Preston Grasshoppers the last thing he recalls hearing was ‘this is going to hurt’ from a smiling Dooley
Graigwen wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 10:18 am
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It should be a very watchable game today.
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This should be an easy England win. I am still not convinced Rogers really is international standard. Also our midfield might be vulnerable (i.e. weak). I think the player with most pressure on him is Beard, great potential but he does not always deliver. I don't think we will attack the English line out the same way as last week.
I hope it's watchable too!
Wrt lineout last week - it wasn't Welsh play so much as English ineptitude - threw away two 5-meter attacking lineouts in the first half alone ..
I would have taken this WC and said ‘feck it’, cleared out the dross and looked to next year as the first point of putting down foundations. Thankfully that is my luxury to say that. SB has been handed a very shitty stick and will be judged on results, whatever the rhetoric is from inside and from us humble supporters. As such he doesn’t have that luxury
I reckon I've seen that comment before every World Cup since 2003, bar 2019.
BTW Eddie was handed a sh*tty stick as well, but in fairness he had a lot more time to sort it out- though he did win a GS within 6 months. I think the sh*tty stick is actually English rugby at this moment.
p/d wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:42 am
Aye. Not making excuses for SB. Just rock and a hard place when it comes to putting a squad together. And yes England rugby is not what it should be.
As for Jones, not sure he was handed a shitty stick.
you have clearly blanked the 2015 rwc and build up....
All coaches, to varying degrees, inherit a bit of a mess. SB given a particularly tough gig with the the WC so close.
Think today really matters. While its a warm up game, England at home with a side much closer to full strength, really do have to produce something a great deal better than last week. The pressure is on.
p/d wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:42 am
Aye. Not making excuses for SB. Just rock and a hard place when it comes to putting a squad together. And yes England rugby is not what it should be.
As for Jones, not sure he was handed a shitty stick.
you have clearly blanked the 2015 rwc and build up....
Of course I haven’t. Unlike Jones though I imagine there will be those who reminisce over what he achieved every time SB comes up short.
Yeah I feel like people go way over the top about how bad 2015 was. There was an absurd amount of hype for a home World Cup and we fluffed two big games. I don’t think even by big margins?
2015 was just a coaching team out of their depth, imo, but the team was on fairly solid foundations and a good group of young players, most of whom are still first choice. Sassy Barwench has inherited a dysfunctional team and an aging squad.
fivepointer wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 12:26 pm
All coaches, to varying degrees, inherit a bit of a mess. SB given a particularly tough gig with the the WC so close.
Think today really matters. While its a warm up game, England at home with a side much closer to full strength, really do have to produce something a great deal better than last week. The pressure is on.
Agreed, especially as the Twickenham crowd booing seems to annoy the RFU inner sanctum somewhat. I just hope that SB gets a significant winning margin with tries scored. That way, there will be no inquest about the playing style and there will at last be something to build on. Farrell kicking the ball up in the air the first time he gets it will put everyone on edge so best if nobody remembers because of the result.
p/d wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:42 am
Aye. Not making excuses for SB. Just rock and a hard place when it comes to putting a squad together. And yes England rugby is not what it should be.
As for Jones, not sure he was handed a shitty stick.
you have clearly blanked the 2015 rwc and build up....
Of course I haven’t. Unlike Jones though I imagine there will be those who reminisce over what he achieved every time SB comes up short.
Odd then, that you don't think Jones was handed a sh*tty stick. They were sh*tty times, for sure.
Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:06 pm
2015 was just a coaching team out of their depth, imo, but the team was on fairly solid foundations and a good group of young players, most of whom are still first choice. Sassy Barwench has inherited a dysfunctional team and an aging squad.
hmm. They played terribly, and that coaching team had been in place for 3 years. At least two of the coaches have gone on to be very good in different environments. BTW 5 of the team who played v Oz are in the 2023 squad (and two shouldn't be there )
Last edited by Banquo on Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:06 pm
2015 was just a coaching team out of their depth, imo, but the team was on fairly solid foundations and a good group of young players, most of whom are still first choice. Sassy Barwench has inherited a dysfunctional team and an aging squad.
That’s how many saw it. Hell, somewhere out there somebody would have shortlisted Oakboy and his quirky selection policy as a viable option.
On Jones leaving there was a far more conservative view, with many saying ‘must have international experience’ or ‘must have been born anywhere but England’
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 12:57 pm
Yeah I feel like people go way over the top about how bad 2015 was. There was an absurd amount of hype for a home World Cup and we fluffed two big games. I don’t think even by big margins?
we were abysmal. And got smashed by oz....33-13. So I don't its OTT to say we were shyte. What is fair to say is that the side had done pretty well in the preceding 6N but imploded at the RWC.
twitchy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 9:59 am
Maybe we should start sending our u18 forwards to south africa for some "strength and conditioning" for a couple of years.
Playing in New Zealand early in their respective careers helped Winterbottom and MJ develop into world class internationals
p/d wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:42 am
Aye. Not making excuses for SB. Just rock and a hard place when it comes to putting a squad together. And yes England rugby is not what it should be.
As for Jones, not sure he was handed a shitty stick.
Picking Robshaw as an ersatz openside was pretty dirty as was loosing in the pool stages on home turf of a world cup
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