England vs Samoa - Sat 4.45pm

[Doofus]

Slightly depressed that after playing relatively well in the last few games, albeit from a low baseline, we will see the same old dross now Capt. Ice is back...

[Oakboy]

England starting XV to face Samoa: Steward; Marchant, Tuilagi, Farrell (capt), May; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Chessum, Lawes, Curry, Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Sinckler, Martin, Vunipola, Care, Smith, Lawrence.

[Oakboy]

An early comment on the BBC website rather sums it up:

"Farrell at 12 and a centre on the wing over an actual winger who scored a world cup record equalling number of tries - sounds like a tribute to Eddie Jones... this is the true definition of madness!"

[morepork]

Slarti Barfast is one dry hump on a sandy beach. Jesus.

[Mikey Brown]

So our wing cover is a fullback and our fullback cover is a flyhalf. Cool. At least Vunipola hasn’t waltzed straight back in to the side.

[Banquo]

, I still regard him as least damaging at 12, and I still don't mind Ford/Farrell as a combo as much as some others on here do - it's not what I would pick, but it has worked before.
Puja

Dear god, despite all the evidence....it last 'worked' eons ago when our pack was dominating, and only against poor opposition. Faz is a better 10 than 12, but a mediocre 10.

and fck Marchant on the wing.

Clueless back selection if so. The fact that we even try and make sense out of it shows we have Stockholm syndrome

And so it was. Terrible backs selection- one wing in the squad, and one past his best at that. I despair.

[Oakboy]

I think Farrell at 12 is a crazy decision but we all expected it. If that had to happen keeping Marchant at 13 and picking Arundell on the wing would have made more sense. Keeping Tuilagi in the XV lost us the gas option anywhere in the 23 because SB always covers Tuilagi's potential for injury with Lawrence on the bench.

[Oakboy]

So our wing cover is a fullback and our fullback cover is a flyhalf. Cool. At least Vunipola hasn’t waltzed straight back in to the side.

If only he still had the agility to waltz . . . .

[Oakboy]

, I still regard him as least damaging at 12, and I still don't mind Ford/Farrell as a combo as much as some others on here do - it's not what I would pick, but it has worked before.
Puja

Dear god, despite all the evidence....it last 'worked' eons ago when our pack was dominating, and only against poor opposition. Faz is a better 10 than 12, but a mediocre 10.

and fck Marchant on the wing.

Clueless back selection if so. The fact that we even try and make sense out of it shows we have Stockholm syndrome

And so it was. Terrible backs selection- one wing in the squad, and one past his best at that. I despair.

Would you have picked Mitchell at 9?

[Margin_Walker]

How on earth do we get to a point where our wings going into the knock out stages of this world cup are May and Marchant? It's not a position where there aren't form options who have been performing domestically.

[Mikey Brown]

I think Farrell at 12 is a crazy decision but we all expected it. If that had to happen keeping Marchant at 13 and picking Arundell on the wing would have made more sense. Keeping Tuilagi in the XV lost us the gas option anywhere in the 23 because SB always covers Tuilagi's potential for injury with Lawrence on the bench.

In a way it’s Ford’s fault for playing well that we’ve now compromised in 3 other positions. Sadly inevitable though.

What was the point in even bringing Arundell if he’s incapable of winning a spot in the 23? It was mostly walk-ins vs Chile but still.

[Puja]

An early comment on the BBC website rather sums it up:

"Farrell at 12 and a centre on the wing over an actual winger who scored a world cup record equalling number of tries - sounds like a tribute to Eddie Jones... this is the true definition of madness!"

While I also don't want a centre on the wing, the public laudation of Arundell based on the Chile game is getting a bit silly. Yes, he scored a "world cup record equalling number of tries" but they were a) 4 walk-ins and one that required some effort from him and b) against Chile, the lowest ranked side in the tournament. There's been newspaper pundits saying, "You can't drop Arundell after the Chile game," which is bizarre - Daly would also have scored those tries, as would have Marchant (and May is still weeping in the corner at being rested for the one game where people gave the scoring pass to the wingers). Arundell's a great prospect, but he's very far from the finished article and one game against Chile is not evidence of anything at the top level, no matter how good it was.

Puja

[morepork]

An early comment on the BBC website rather sums it up:

"Farrell at 12 and a centre on the wing over an actual winger who scored a world cup record equalling number of tries - sounds like a tribute to Eddie Jones... this is the true definition of madness!"

While I also don't want a centre on the wing, the public laudation of Arundell based on the Chile game is getting a bit silly. Yes, he scored a "world cup record equalling number of tries" but they were a) 4 walk-ins and one that required some effort from him and b) against Chile, the lowest ranked side in the tournament. There's been newspaper pundits saying, "You can't drop Arundell after the Chile game," which is bizarre - Daly would also have scored those tries, as would have Marchant (and May is still weeping in the corner at being rested for the one game where people gave the scoring pass to the wingers). Arundell's a great prospect, but he's very far from the finished article and one game against Chile is not evidence of anything at the top level, no matter how good it was.

Puja

How long has been in the England set up and how many minutes actually on the field has he had?

[fivepointer]

This is where are.

Cole at TH. A midfield of Ford-Farrell-Tuilagi, a wing thats well past it and another who is primarily a centre. A past it SH on the bench and our one specialist 8 who isnt deemed worthy of a start.

We havent exactly moved on much from 2019, have we?

I daresay its going to be enough to beat Samoa and hopefully we will show signs of some development.

[Banquo]

Dear god, despite all the evidence....it last 'worked' eons ago when our pack was dominating, and only against poor opposition. Faz is a better 10 than 12, but a mediocre 10.

and fck Marchant on the wing.

Clueless back selection if so. The fact that we even try and make sense out of it shows we have Stockholm syndrome

And so it was. Terrible backs selection- one wing in the squad, and one past his best at that. I despair.

Would you have picked Mitchell at 9?

Yus

[p/d]

Pah!! Oooh, let's not risk a young player with potential because older wingers would have scored those tries. Let's opt instead for the one player who didn't make the original squad 'cause he played well 4 years ago. God help us if we unearth a, say Moodie, and put more pressure on the old guard.

[Oakboy]

And so it was. Terrible backs selection- one wing in the squad, and one past his best at that. I despair.

Would you have picked Mitchell at 9?

Yus

Me, too, but I hope he gets judged fairly rather than being blamed for the crap in the rest of the back line.

[p/d]

Would you have picked Mitchell at 9?

Yus

Me, too, but I hope he gets judged fairly rather than being blamed for the crap in the rest of the back line.

He should be on the wing. Has the running gait of a gazelle and the look of a startled hare.

[Mellsblue]

I hope Arundell enjoys Racing - he deserves to after being totally misused/mishandled by England. We should be getting as many test mins into that bloke as possible.
Yet more stodge in the backs.

[Mellsblue]

Would you have picked Mitchell at 9?

Yus

Me, too, but I hope he gets judged fairly rather than being blamed for the crap in the rest of the back line.

If he played as he did last time we can just blame him for his own crap.

[p/d]

My Steward to 12 looks to be back on the table! yay

[Oakboy]

This is where are.

Cole at TH. A midfield of Ford-Farrell-Tuilagi, a wing thats well past it and another who is primarily a centre. A past it SH on the bench and our one specialist 8 who isnt deemed worthy of a start.

We havent exactly moved on much from 2019, have we?

I daresay its going to be enough to beat Samoa and hopefully we will show signs of some development.

Do you think this is entirely SB's current thinking on a 23 for the QF? Or, are there one or two on test? Vunipola off the bench to justify being ahead of Ludlam/Willis, for example. Maybe, a final choice on Cole/Sinckler? Even May/Daly/Marchant?

I can't help crossing fingers for a few strategic injuries.

[Oakboy]

Yus

Me, too, but I hope he gets judged fairly rather than being blamed for the crap in the rest of the back line.

If he played as he did last time we can just blame him for his own crap.

Totally agree but I think that puts him on a hiding to nothing.

[Beasties]

This is where are.

Cole at TH. A midfield of Ford-Farrell-Tuilagi, a wing thats well past it and another who is primarily a centre. A past it SH on the bench and our one specialist 8 who isnt deemed worthy of a start.

We havent exactly moved on much from 2019, have we?

I daresay its going to be enough to beat Samoa and hopefully we will show signs of some development.

Do you think this is entirely SB's current thinking on a 23 for the QF? Or, are there one or two on test? Vunipola off the bench to justify being ahead of Ludlam/Willis, for example. Maybe, a final choice on Cole/Sinckler? Even May/Daly/Marchant?

I can't help crossing fingers for a few strategic injuries.

Every Eng game I’ve watched for four years (and more) has revolved around this thought. Or a red card or two.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Ford, Farrell, Manu……yawn!

May over Arundell is just bizarre. Marchant on the wing? Why?