Looking towards Samoa and QFs

[jngf]

So far starting XV I’d like to see:

1.Marler
2.George
3.Stuart
4.Lawes (c)
5.Ribbans
6.J Willis
7.Earl
8.Ludlam
9.Care
10.Ford
11.Arundell
12.Tuillagi
13.Marchand
14.Daly
15.Smith

Subs: Genge, Dan, Sinckler, Itoje, Vunipola, Mitchell, Farrell

[Epaminondas Pules]

Dropping Itoje? That’s frankly hilarious!

[jngf]

Dropping Itoje? That’s frankly hilarious!

Has he done anything that spectacular this World Cup thus far?

[Scrumhead]

Has Ribbans done anything to warrant replacing him?

[Scrumhead]

Curry will come back in. Samoa will be a good tune up ahead of the QFs.

[FKAS]

1. Marler
2. Dan
3. Stuart
4. Chessum
5. Itoje
6. Lawes
7. Curry
8. Earl
9. Mitchell
10. Ford
11. Arundell
12. Manu
13. Marchant
14. Steward
15. Smith

George, Genge, Sinckler, Martin, Ludlam, Youngs, Farrell, Lawrence

Experiment with the backline a bit, keep George out the firing line up front. Get Curry some game time.

[Danno]

Lawes is not a lock.

Steward is not a wing but that's less important.

Smith is not a FB but it's the only out of position dealio I'm interested in seeing a bit more of right now.



(Also Marchand is the injured France hooker to stamp ultimate pedantry on this post)

[Insouciant]

1. Marler
2. Dan
3. Stuart
4. Chessum
5. Itoje
6. Lawes
7. Curry
8. Earl
9. Mitchell
10. Ford
11. Arundell
12. Manu
13. Marchant
14. Steward
15. Smith

George, Genge, Sinckler, Martin, Ludlam, Youngs, Farrell, Lawrence

Experiment with the backline a bit, keep George out the firing line up front. Get Curry some game time.

I'd switch Steward and Smith. Definitely a good idea to give Theo Dan (king) more playing time. He does look like he'll be quite a useful player.

[Mikey Brown]

Smith is a winger now? I mean sure he can’t be worse than Daly at the moment.

[Scrumhead]

Daly and Malins are currently duking it out for the dubious honour of being England’s worst winger.

Murley, Freeman, Radwan or even Big Joe would surely have been better.

May isn’t getting a free ride here, he’s just been less obviously shit than Daly or Malins.

[p/d]

Smith is a winger now? I mean sure he can’t be worse than Daly at the moment.

He is a 9. So obvious and yet he is being turned into a utility back. Smith is our Faf!

[Mikey Brown]

Smith is a winger now? I mean sure he can’t be worse than Daly at the moment.

He is a 9. So obvious and yet he is being turned into a utility back. Smith is our Faf!

Well if we’re going 7:1 maybe I see the logic?

[Margin_Walker]

With the Smith thing likely an audition for bench 15 'game changer' cover, I think this is the backline we'll see

Mitchell
Ford
May
Farrell
Marchant/Tuilagi
Arundell
Steward

Just can't see him not reverting to Ford/Farell. Guessing Arundell has done enough and hoping it's Marchant, rather than Tuilagi at 13. Smith as 15 cover does give you the option of going 6:2, although Borthwick strikes me as more of a traditionalist.

[16th man]

Samoa game must surely see Curry starting, otherwise we're going into the QFs one back row injury away from having a guy who's played 5 mins, plus whatever off the bench in our next game, on the bench with the potential of having to do 79 mins.

[Mikey Brown]

On one hand I can’t believe we’re back to the conundrum of shifting our slow, powerful 12 to 13 to accommodate another flyhalf or having a misbalanced centre pairing and asking Farrell/Marchant to bash it up, but I guess it was inevitable once Ford came back in.

I really doubt Marchant gets the nod if Farrell comes in at 12, which is a shame.

[p/d]

Stick with same front five, then a back row of Curry, Willis & Ludlum.
Behind wave goodbye to Malins, bring Marchant onto wing and give Smith another run at 15.

When we bring Ford off the bench Farrell f*cks off and we move Marchant into 13, Steward onto the wing and Daly joins Farrell.

[Mikey Brown]

Stick with same front five, then a back row of Curry, Willis & Ludlum.
Behind wave goodbye to Malins, bring Marchant onto wing and give Smith another run at 15.

When we bring Ford off the bench Farrell f*cks off and we move Marchant into 13, Steward onto the wing and Daly joins Farrell.

Wait where is Daly in all of this? I honestly can’t see the point of having him on the pitch at the moment. It’s odd that the only notable positive in his game at the moment is making some thundering tackles.

I don’t think I’m counting the good territorial kicking because there’s 3 bad ones (and often a wasted attacking opportunity) for every good one.

[p/d]

Daly starts again at 13. I was keen for it in the build up to our first game and I will be damned if I back track on it now, even if he felt the need to outdo Malins

[Epaminondas Pules]

It’s going to be weird with a two week break now. As much as he doesn’t deserve it I’d start Billy with Curry and Lawes just to see if he can find any form at all. I’d do the same with Sink. Mitchell has to play 9, and it would be with Ford, Manu and Matchant for me. Arundell and May on the wings with Smith given another run at fullback. If we’re going to try it then fuck it! If not, Steward. I’d probably start Martin with Itoje and bring Chessum on to keep his reintroduction controlled. I’d be tempted to start Dan too, in one sense to wrap George up a bit, but to give him game time more than anything.

So something like:

Genge
Dan
Sinckler
Itoje
Martin
Lawes (c)
Curry
Vunipola
Mitchell
Ford
May
Tuilagi
Marchant
Arundell
Smith

Marler
George
Stuart
Chessum
Earl
Youngs or Care. It’s like picking from stage four cancer or a fatal heart attack!
Farrell
Lawrence

[Mikey Brown]

I get the thinking with Billy, but what suggests he’ll suddenly show some form? Maybe a bench spot and hope he can show some sort of fire for 20 minutes off the bench is our best hope? He just looks so ponderous these days.

[Oakboy]

I'd not be surprised by Youngs, Ford, Farrell, Tuilagi but I'm damned if I want to watch it.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I get the thinking with Billy, but what suggests he’ll suddenly show some form? Maybe a bench spot and hope he can show some sort of fire for 20 minutes off the bench is our best hope? He just looks so ponderous these days.

I agree. Just don’t see him as a viable bench option. So start him and if he doesn’t perform then ditch him. Start Earl at & and have another flanker on the bench. For such a good player he’s massively disappointing. Never really reached the heights of his ability again.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I'd not be surprised by Youngs, Ford, Farrell, Tuilagi but I'm damned if I want to watch it.

Snap and snap

[p/d]

I'd not be surprised by Youngs, Ford, Farrell, Tuilagi but I'm damned if I want to watch it.

We got away with it v Chile, but can we risk our third choice kicker taking the shots at goal v Samoa?

[p/d]

I'd not be surprised by Youngs, Ford, Farrell, Tuilagi but I'm damned if I want to watch it.

Snap and snap

This