EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Digby]

Only seen the highlights, some decent carries from Sinckler but also a daft penalty and that was about it of note for the English lads on the highlights, from a handful of chances Te'o was good going into contact and offloaded well, Gats will like the going into contact part. Henderson also either really had a shocker or has been stitched up by the highlights, which doesn't inform on an English player but might mean Itoje and Kruis play more than ideal

[Mikey Brown]

Sinkler was the best playmaker on display yesterday.

Henderson was gash. I'd have loved to see a Launch/Gray pairing.

[kk67]

I reckon Toby was the best. He held up that try that would have changed the game.

but after 10 mins....I was wondering where Launch was.

[Puja]

Hogg was the worst - single-handedly killing two tries with inept passing and then a failure to realise that momentum + wet pitch should equal try.

Puja

[morepork]

Gatland has put Halfpenny at the back for the Blues game. And Biggar at 10. Should be an attacking masterclass.

[Mikey Brown]

Gatland has put Halfpenny at the back for the Blues game. And Biggar at 10. Should be an attacking masterclass.

Well as you can see above Hogg is now on the scrapheap. Back to plan A; just kick the ball up in the air over and over again and pray that we end up with more points than you.

[morepork]

Gatland has put Halfpenny at the back for the Blues game. And Biggar at 10. Should be an attacking masterclass.

Well as you can see above Hogg is now on the scrapheap. Back to plan A; just kick the ball up in the air over and over again and pray that we end up with more points than you.

I'm sure Biggar's chips over the top will be a complete surprise and catch the Auckland defence completely off guard.

[Digby]

Gatland has put Halfpenny at the back for the Blues game. And Biggar at 10. Should be an attacking masterclass.

Well as you can see above Hogg is now on the scrapheap. Back to plan A; just kick the ball up in the air over and over again and pray that we end up with more points than you.

I'm sure Biggar's chips over the top will be a complete surprise and catch the Auckland defence completely off guard.

Have they improved under Tana? Last time I saw them they seemed surprised by a rugby ball,

[morepork]

Ask the suffering locals on the SHMB. They are masters of the brain fart, but can be lethal if they are in the mood.

[p/d]

Gatland has put Halfpenny at the back for the Blues game. And Biggar at 10. Should be an attacking masterclass.

Well as you can see above Hogg is now on the scrapheap. Back to plan A; just kick the ball up in the air over and over again and pray that we end up with more points than you.

I'm sure Biggar's chips over the top will be a complete surprise and catch the Auckland defence completely off guard.

The surprise will come in the shape of The Hask tip toeing through the traffic, before leaping like a salmon in a failed attempt to recapture the ball.

[morepork]

Well as you can see above Hogg is now on the scrapheap. Back to plan A; just kick the ball up in the air over and over again and pray that we end up with more points than you.

I'm sure Biggar's chips over the top will be a complete surprise and catch the Auckland defence completely off guard.

The surprise will come in the shape of The Hask tip toeing through the traffic, before leaping like a salmon in a failed attempt to recapture the ball.

I like his shuddering hunched up shoulders running style. Like a gorilla having his prostate stimulated.

[Mr Mwenda]

I like his shuddering hunched up shoulders running style. Like a gorilla having his prostate stimulated.

Now that made me laugh!

[padprop]

In other news, Nowell getting torn a new one by Ioane

[Timbo]

I can't get into the Lions this time round. I'm trying, but it just feels like a long procession towards diminished northern hemisphere rugby self esteem. And the worst thing is the structure of the tour appears to have been designed to achieve exactly that. Ugh.

Anyway, was reading yesterday that Lozowski has apparently been leading the defence from 12 in training, so presume he'll be starting there on Saturday. Anyone know when team is announced?

[Mellsblue]

In other news, Nowell getting torn a new one by Ioane

Yep. He doesn't have the wheels......not sure if I've mentioned it before

[Banquo]

In other news, Nowell getting torn a new one by Ioane

I'm stunned.

[skidger]

In other news, Nowell getting torn a new one by Ioane

I'm stunned.

Hang on we are not supposed to mention missed tackles and lack of pace. I believe there was an edict that came in earlier this year. Excellent club player but not quite at it for the bigger stage.

[Puja]

In other news, Nowell getting torn a new one by Ioane

I'm stunned.

Hang on we are not supposed to mention missed tackles and lack of pace. I believe there was an edict that came in earlier this year. Excellent club player but not quite at it for the bigger stage.

I am reluctantly coming around to your last sentence. Today was not impressive, in any way shape or form.

Puja

[Timbo]

More importantly, where is England's Reiko Ioane!? We wouldn't be arguing about Nowell if we had blokes like that.

Ioane is a freak, but it does seem like once New Zealand get young talented backs in their professional system, post under 20's, they accelerate away in terms of their development compared to the English lads. Look at last years u20 World Cup and Jordie Barrett appeared no more talented than a few of our top backs, yet a year on he seems to have progressed much further.

[Raggs]

More importantly, where is England's Reiko Ioane!? We wouldn't be arguing about Nowell if we had blokes like that.

Ioane is a freak, but it does seem like once New Zealand get young talented backs in their professional system, post under 20's, they accelerate away in terms of their development compared to the English lads. Look at last years u20 World Cup and Jordie Barrett appeared no more talented than a few of our top backs, yet a year on he seems to have progressed much further.

He's in Argentina with Eddie?

I remember a few years back it was Akira Ioane everyone was yelling about, and how he was going to be in the ABs in no time, and isn't he amazing etc etc... Now I won't claim to be an expert on who's been capped by the ABs, but England have capped at least 3 from that years JWC already, with others getting Saxons like involvement. Fairly sure we're looking at a few from last years JWC too, and obviously this years, and indeed next years with the Curry's.

[Banquo]

I'm stunned.

Hang on we are not supposed to mention missed tackles and lack of pace. I believe there was an edict that came in earlier this year. Excellent club player but not quite at it for the bigger stage.

I am reluctantly coming around to your last sentence. Today was not impressive, in any way shape or form.

Puja

You are surprised why?

[Timbo]

More importantly, where is England's Reiko Ioane!? We wouldn't be arguing about Nowell if we had blokes like that.

Ioane is a freak, but it does seem like once New Zealand get young talented backs in their professional system, post under 20's, they accelerate away in terms of their development compared to the English lads. Look at last years u20 World Cup and Jordie Barrett appeared no more talented than a few of our top backs, yet a year on he seems to have progressed much further.

He's in Argentina with Eddie?

I remember a few years back it was Akira Ioane everyone was yelling about, and how he was going to be in the ABs in no time, and isn't he amazing etc etc... Now I won't claim to be an expert on who's been capped by the ABs, but England have capped at least 3 from that years JWC already, with others getting Saxons like involvement. Fairly sure we're looking at a few from last years JWC too, and obviously this years, and indeed next years with the Curry's.

Yes, it's a fair point and things are definitely moving in the right direction. Less concerned with the forwards, but there seems to be a slower progression with outside backs in particular. Eddie throwing in raw wings who've barely/never played in the prem doesn't really counter that, as I'm concerned with developing skill sets and becoming complete players over number of caps.

[Banquo]

More importantly, where is England's Reiko Ioane!? We wouldn't be arguing about Nowell if we had blokes like that.

Ioane is a freak, but it does seem like once New Zealand get young talented backs in their professional system, post under 20's, they accelerate away in terms of their development compared to the English lads. Look at last years u20 World Cup and Jordie Barrett appeared no more talented than a few of our top backs, yet a year on he seems to have progressed much further.

He's in Argentina with Eddie?

I remember a few years back it was Akira Ioane everyone was yelling about, and how he was going to be in the ABs in no time, and isn't he amazing etc etc... Now I won't claim to be an expert on who's been capped by the ABs, but England have capped at least 3 from that years JWC already, with others getting Saxons like involvement. Fairly sure we're looking at a few from last years JWC too, and obviously this years, and indeed next years with the Curry's.

Yes, it's a fair point and things are definitely moving in the right direction. Less concerned with the forwards, but there seems to be a slower progression with outside backs in particular. Eddie throwing in raw wings who've barely/never played in the prem doesn't really counter that, as I'm concerned with developing skill sets and becoming complete players over number of caps.

This....skills sets UNDER PRESSURE

[morepork]

In other news, Nowell getting torn a new one by Ioane

Yep. He doesn't have the wheels......not sure if I've mentioned it before

Screen shot 2017-06-07 at 12.59.51 PM.png

[Puja]

Hang on we are not supposed to mention missed tackles and lack of pace. I believe there was an edict that came in earlier this year. Excellent club player but not quite at it for the bigger stage.

I am reluctantly coming around to your last sentence. Today was not impressive, in any way shape or form.

Puja

You are surprised why?

Because he brings so much else that's good in his game - his linking, evasiveness, strength in contact, ability to make something out of nothing, work rate - I was fair convinced that he had enough of everything else to make a decent international and his performances for England have generally backed that up.

Today, however, was everything that his critics said would happen at the very top level and it was not encouraging.

Puja