EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Scrumhead]

Kruis wont play for Saracens before the 6N's. Hasn't played since Dec 24. Haskell not playing this weekend.

How long was he out before he came straight back in for the AI's? Jones seems to be happy to chuck him straight in. He'll have been able to keep up aerobic work with his injury, too.

Yeah - Kruis isn't a massive worry for me. Given that it's a facial injury, he won't be doing full contact training, but he can obviously do the aerobic work and I wouldn't be hugely surprised if he's still doing lineout drills etc.

[Timbo]

If Lawes and Launchbury are fit you could start them and have Kruis and Haskell coming off the bench...that's not too shabby. If he's ok Haskell could get 50/60 mins against Zebre next week, which will be a decent blowout.

Not sure what I'd do at loosehead. I was thinking that even if Mako was fit I would have picked Marler because the French scrum is pretty destructive at the moment. Catt probably the best scrummager of the blokes left, but on debut...Genge is scrummaging well, but maybe all power and little technique...whoever it is will more than likely be up against Antonio, who is bloody enormous. Will be good to see Mullan get tested this weekend against Toulouse, might give us an idea of how he'd go.

[Guwuffle]

McCall confirms Itoje will play at 6 for the two Champions Cup games coming up...........

Is there any more context to that? Is he suggesting tactical or is it that Rhodes is out after coming off against Exeter?

[Mellsblue]

McCall confirms Itoje will play at 6 for the two Champions Cup games coming up...........

Is there any more context to that? Is he suggesting tactical or is it that Rhodes is out after coming off against Exeter?

"Maro is in very good form. Over the last four weeks, he’s been playing as well as ever. His contributions are enormous, with or without the ball,” McCall said.

“He played the last 30 minutes of the game [against Exeter Chiefs last Saturday] as blind-side for us when Will Skelton came on and he’ll get a couple more run-outs in the back row for us in the next two weeks.”

[twitchy]

What happened with paul hill's progress? I haven't seen him discussed for a while.

[Puja]

What happened with paul hill's progress? I haven't seen him discussed for a while.

He's back behind Kieran Brookes for Northampton, which isn't a bad place for him to be at his age. I'd rather see him again for England in a couple of seasons rather than play the arse out of him now and wrecking him before the age of 25.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

What happened with paul hill's progress? I haven't seen him discussed for a while.

He's back behind Kieran Brookes for Northampton, which isn't a bad place for him to be at his age. I'd rather see him again for England in a couple of seasons rather than play the arse out of him now and wrecking him before the age of 25.

Puja

Which is pretty much what happened to Dan Cole - hence why he's so prematurely aged.

[twitchy]

Incredible, just as we were discussing garvey.

http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/bath-rug ... story.html

[Tigersman]

What happened with paul hill's progress? I haven't seen him discussed for a while.

He's back behind Kieran Brookes for Northampton, which isn't a bad place for him to be at his age. I'd rather see him again for England in a couple of seasons rather than play the arse out of him now and wrecking him before the age of 25.

Puja

Which is pretty much what happened to Dan Cole - hence why he's so prematurely aged.

Cole only became out and out starter when he was 25.
Before that him and Castro basically split the games.

[Mellsblue]

He's back behind Kieran Brookes for Northampton, which isn't a bad place for him to be at his age. I'd rather see him again for England in a couple of seasons rather than play the arse out of him now and wrecking him before the age of 25.

Puja

Which is pretty much what happened to Dan Cole - hence why he's so prematurely aged.

Cole only became out and out starter when he was 25.
Before that him and Castro basically split the games.

Seems like both Eng and Tigers have played him into the ground since. Obviously, observing board tradition, I have no stats to back this up.

[Which Tyler]

He's back behind Kieran Brookes for Northampton, which isn't a bad place for him to be at his age. I'd rather see him again for England in a couple of seasons rather than play the arse out of him now and wrecking him before the age of 25.

Puja

Which is pretty much what happened to Dan Cole - hence why he's so prematurely aged.

Cole only became out and out starter when he was 25.
Before that him and Castro basically split the games.

If you want an example of someone being played into the ground too young - Corbisiero is the poster boy for this.
Same age-group as Nathan Catt who's now in the EPS.

[Mellsblue]

Which is pretty much what happened to Dan Cole - hence why he's so prematurely aged.

Cole only became out and out starter when he was 25.
Before that him and Castro basically split the games.

If you want an example of someone being played into the ground too young - Corbisiero is the poster boy for this.
Same age-group as Nathan Catt who's now in the EPS.

Marler will be using a Zimmer frame by his mid-30's. He's been a Quins first choice pretty much straight out of age group.

[Guwuffle]

McCall confirms Itoje will play at 6 for the two Champions Cup games coming up...........

Is there any more context to that? Is he suggesting tactical or is it that Rhodes is out after coming off against Exeter?

"Maro is in very good form. Over the last four weeks, he’s been playing as well as ever. His contributions are enormous, with or without the ball,” McCall said.

“He played the last 30 minutes of the game [against Exeter Chiefs last Saturday] as blind-side for us when Will Skelton came on and he’ll get a couple more run-outs in the back row for us in the next two weeks.”

Ta, although they've just named him at 4 for the Scarlets game - so presumably just meant they might move him to six when they bring Skelton on.

[fivepointer]

McCall confirms Itoje will play at 6 for the two Champions Cup games coming up...........

Is there any more context to that? Is he suggesting tactical or is it that Rhodes is out after coming off against Exeter?

"Maro is in very good form. Over the last four weeks, he’s been playing as well as ever. His contributions are enormous, with or without the ball,” McCall said.

“He played the last 30 minutes of the game [against Exeter Chiefs last Saturday] as blind-side for us when Will Skelton came on and he’ll get a couple more run-outs in the back row for us in the next two weeks.”

He's playing at lock this weekend.

[Mellsblue]

Zach Mercer has got to be in with a chance of going to Argentina if he keeps up this form until the end of the season.

[Mellsblue]

Is there any more context to that? Is he suggesting tactical or is it that Rhodes is out after coming off against Exeter?

"Maro is in very good form. Over the last four weeks, he’s been playing as well as ever. His contributions are enormous, with or without the ball,” McCall said.

“He played the last 30 minutes of the game [against Exeter Chiefs last Saturday] as blind-side for us when Will Skelton came on and he’ll get a couple more run-outs in the back row for us in the next two weeks.”

Ta, although they've just named him at 4 for the Scarlets game - so presumably just meant they might move him to six when they bring Skelton on.

Looks that way. I wonder if it is a compromise reached with Jones or simply how Sarries want to play it.

[Mellsblue]

Ford 7 from 7 kicks.

[Mikey Brown]

Ford 7 from 7 kicks.

Is there any reason I can dismiss that and say nine of them mattered?

[Mellsblue]

Ford 7 from 7 kicks.

Is there any reason I can dismiss that and say nine of them mattered?

*affects German accent* nine

[Puja]

Good game between Bath and Bristol. Ford looked like a different player from the distracted man who lost the game up at Newcastle - he's clearly pulled his head out of his transfer shenanigans. Joseph was superb and if Underhill can't learn something from Louw then he's not the player we think he is.

On the other side, Olly Robinson could be an outside bet for England at some point. Classical 7, very hard-working, and has looked at ease in the Premiership this season. Plus, he's got the fun talent of looking more like his dad than his dad does.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

1) Joseph was superb and
2) if Underhill can't learn something from Louw then he's not the player we think he is.

3) On the other side, Olly Robinson could be an outside bet for England at some point. Classical 7, very hard-working, and has looked at ease in the Premiership this season.
4)Plus, he's got the fun talent of looking more like his dad than his dad does.

Puja

1) Agreed
2) Agreed
3) Agreed
4) haha, agreed.

[fivepointer]

Agree with that and would add that Catt was excellent.

Bristol back to their early season worst i'm afraid. Bath good, though. And as mentioned above, Mercer is coming on a treat. A back row of him and the Curry twins would be a real handful if they get to play for the U20's.

[Scrumhead]

Agree with that and would add that Catt was excellent.

Bristol back to their early season worst i'm afraid. Bath good, though. And as mentioned above, Mercer is coming on a treat. A back row of him and the Curry twins would be a real handful if they get to play for the U20's.

Definitely. Evans will probably be in the mix for U20s come the U20 World Cup too so we're looking very strong there.

[Mellsblue]

Wasps EQP from today:
Plus:
Mullan (just)
Launch
Robson
Cipriani
Daly (average other than try but moments of brilliance make the difference)

Evens:
Bassett
Myall
Symons
McIntyre
Thompson
Simpson

Minus:
Wade
Hughes

[bitts]

Given he's coming back from injury, Launch was pretty good. Seemed to be always close to the ball.

Long term, it would be great if we could have him and Itoje as our second row pairing