England vs SA

[Oakboy]

DT suggesting JvP and Steward will start.

[Banquo]

Smith to 15 rumour…..

I'm still not unconvinced that it might not be his best position internationally. Allows him to step in at 10 when he sees holes he wants to attack, while also allowing him to be an attacking runner out wide, using the pace and that wicked step to attack the outside channels. It'd be an interesting double-act to go Smith/Smith going forwards.

Puja

I think a start v SA there would give decent evidence one way or another. They have a handy kicking game.

[Banquo]

DT suggesting JvP and Steward will start.

More likely

[FKAS]

DT suggesting JvP and Steward will start.

More likely

Three weeks of holding tackle bags and then into starting line up Vs the Boks with the team under pressure to get a result. No worries lads, no worries...

[Mellsblue]

I’d agree with both moves, despite what the change at 15 says about our attack.

[Mikey Brown]

Hang on a second. Steward is starting, but Smith has been moved to fullback? Does this mean what I think it means?

[twitchy]

Hang on a second. Steward is starting, but Smith has been moved to fullback? Does this mean what I think it means?

Steward at 9 and Cole at 10.

[Puja]

Hang on a second. Steward is starting, but Smith has been moved to fullback? Does this mean what I think it means?

We're playing a revolutionary 6:1 backline - six full-backs and one scrum-half. They call it the Bomb Disposal Squad.

PS. One of the full-backs is Ben Earl.

Puja

[Stom]

Hang on a second. Steward is starting, but Smith has been moved to fullback? Does this mean what I think it means?

Duh! It means Freeman at 13 with Steward at 12 and a surprise call up for Ibitoye on the wing.

[Oakboy]

The implication is that Spencer was at fault for the team going off-script, the considered reason for our defeat! The worst aspect of that is that the coaching crew, in a quest to shift blame from their own inadequacy, haven't got a clue how to prepare or de-brief. If any of the selection rumours are true, imagine JVP's morale in starting against the hardest opposition out there, knowing that he has to do exactly what he is told by coaches who, so far, have got nothing right.

This time next week, will we be wondering if we can avoid defeat against Japan?

[FKAS]

The implication is that Spencer was at fault for the team going off-script, the considered reason for our defeat! The worst aspect of that is that the coaching crew, in a quest to shift blame from their own inadequacy, haven't got a clue how to prepare or de-brief. If any of the selection rumours are true, imagine JVP's morale in starting against the hardest opposition out there, knowing that he has to do exactly what he is told by coaches who, so far, have got nothing right.

This time next week, will we be wondering if we can avoid defeat against Japan?

Dan Cole on his podcast said the first 20 mins was bang on script for how England wanted to play and that playing looser after that wasn't what was intended and led to us making errors. He was talking in board terms obviously as he's still in the squad. The first twenty mins saw us comfortably in the lead. If the decision makers on the pitch started taking more risks after that point which led to us making errors and conceded points then they do have to take some internal flack for that.

[Banquo]

Boks have gone 5:3 with a very different starting team, esp backs

South Africa: Fassi; Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende, Arendse; Libbok, Williams; Nche, Mbonambi, Loux, Etzebeth, Snyman, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Wiese.

Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Louw, Smith, Reinach, Pollard, Am

[FKAS]

Well balanced Boks side. Looks like they are coming to play a bit more which considering how bad our defensive alignment was last week that makes sense.

[FKAS]

There's a rumour that the team announcement is being delayed as there's a doubt over Martin being fit to play.

[Banquo]

Well balanced Boks side. Looks like they are coming to play a bit more which considering how bad our defensive alignment was last week that makes sense.

also replaced their terrible starting 9 completely. Less playmaking from 15 tho, very different playing style as you say.

[Puja]

There's a rumour that the team announcement is being delayed as there's a doubt over Martin being fit to play.

Fuck! That would match with the A side calling up locks instead of pulling down one of Ewels/Coles/Isiekwe. Gods, I hope he's fit.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Maybe a bit of trademark Ewels physicality is just what we need.

[Banquo]

There's a rumour that the team announcement is being delayed as there's a doubt over Martin being fit to play.

Fuck! That would match with the A side calling up locks instead of pulling down one of Ewels/Coles/Isiekwe. Gods, I hope he's fit.

Puja

yeah, Isiekwe starting (say) is bringing a swiss army knife to nuclear missile fight

[FKAS]

There's a rumour that the team announcement is being delayed as there's a doubt over Martin being fit to play.

Fuck! That would match with the A side calling up locks instead of pulling down one of Ewels/Coles/Isiekwe. Gods, I hope he's fit.

Puja

yeah, Isiekwe starting (say) is bringing a swiss army knife to nuclear missile fight

Isiekwe Vs Etzebeth is like facing down a tank with a Mondeo.

[twitchy]

There's a rumour that the team announcement is being delayed as there's a doubt over Martin being fit to play.

This is going to be a massacre.

[Oakboy]

There's a rumour that the team announcement is being delayed as there's a doubt over Martin being fit to play.

This is going to be a massacre.

After the RWC, I thought we could we could be expected to match anybody. Now, though, all I hope for is a backs-to-the-wall dogged display of resistance. We may or may not be good enough to beat SA but I will settle for a performance close to our best, whatever that is. A good feisty, organised effort should not be too much to ask for. At this point, I have more faith in the players than the management.

[FKAS]

England: Steward; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; M Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George (capt), Stuart, Itoje, Martin, Cunningham-South, Underhill, Earl.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Cole, Isiekwe, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford, Roebuck.

[Stom]

Really? That is as uninspired a backs division I've seen outside Smith for a LOOOONG time. And the bench. Jeez.

[Which Tyler]

"We need a scapegoat, to turn things around, but it might ruin their confidence for the next year or two - we could blame a young guy we want around the squad for 2-6 years, or an old guy who's a stop gap whilst we've had injuries (and is likely a bit harder to take it badly)"

However, it looks very much like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic

[Mikey Brown]

I hope Martin and Underhill are actually properly fit.