EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Stom]

I want to see May, Nowell and Watson as a 3. I think that would work really well. Nowell can be on wing, but can pivot round when needed to cover Watson, and do a good job stepping in at 15.

We've not seen it, but I think it may well be our best combination.

No Daly? I think Watson and Daly are the best two by some distance. They are in front of Nowell by roughly the same amount as he is ahead of May, IMO.

I may be wrong, but I was distinctly unimpressed with him for the Lions, bar the opening few minutes. As a winger, May is better. He's better positionally and he finishes his chances better. Plus I love his work coming in side, much more than I do Daly's.

[Banquo]

Its interesting that Kruis has emerged as the shoo-in Lions lock, given the competition around him. I think he (and Phil Christophers obvs) is the only player p/d and I have agreed over as having international quality when we first saw him as a club player- really pleased he has fulfilled his potential after an iffy start v NZ, and doubts over his star quality.

sorry bout that George....

[Digby]

Its interesting that Kruis has emerged as the shoo-in Lions lock, given the competition around him. I think he (and Phil Christophers obvs) is the only player p/d and I have agreed over as having international quality when we first saw him as a club player- really pleased he has fulfilled his potential after an iffy start v NZ, and doubts over his star quality.

sorry bout that George....

He's just following the model of 2005. Take a crap load of players, never settle on any combinations, select combinations you've never given time to, changes things for the 2nd test just 'cause

[Banquo]

Its interesting that Kruis has emerged as the shoo-in Lions lock, given the competition around him. I think he (and Phil Christophers obvs) is the only player p/d and I have agreed over as having international quality when we first saw him as a club player- really pleased he has fulfilled his potential after an iffy start v NZ, and doubts over his star quality.

sorry bout that George....

He's just following the model of 2005. Take a crap load of players, never settle on any combinations, select combinations you've never given time to, changes things for the 2nd test just 'cause

I was going to say it was a lesser version of SCW, substituting Jonny with the Ice-man....

[Mellsblue]

sorry bout that George....

He's just following the model of 2005. Take a crap load of players, never settle on any combinations, select combinations you've never given time to, changes things for the 2nd test just 'cause

I was going to say it was a lesser version of SCW, substituting Jonny with the Ice-man....

Had a similar thought when I saw the team.

[Spiffy]

Its interesting that Kruis has emerged as the shoo-in Lions lock, given the competition around him. I think he (and Phil Christophers obvs) is the only player p/d and I have agreed over as having international quality when we first saw him as a club player- really pleased he has fulfilled his potential after an iffy start v NZ, and doubts over his star quality.

sorry bout that George....

He's just following the model of 2005. Take a crap load of players, never settle on any combinations, select combinations you've never given time to, changes things for the 2nd test just 'cause

No, no,no. There is scientific method to Cementhead's selection - he throws all the names into a hat then gets Howly and Rowntree to pick them out blindfolded.

[Digby]

sorry bout that George....

He's just following the model of 2005. Take a crap load of players, never settle on any combinations, select combinations you've never given time to, changes things for the 2nd test just 'cause

No, no,no. There is scientific method to Cementhead's selection - he throws all the names into a hat then gets Howly and Rowntree to pick them out blindfolded.

Is Andy left out to avoid the appearance of favouritism?

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Where does he need to improve defensively do you think? He doesn't lack bravery or power, put in a decent shot on Savea running straight at him yesterday.

His positional play is often poor; he knows he isn't rapid so sometimes sells himself, as we've seen on this tour. He gets beaten one on one relatively often, and on the outside.

Yep. EP if you'restill wondering why I think Nowell in the lions 23 is mental, it's this. These are flaws which could be specifically designed to leave a team vulnerable to the ABs.

[p/d]

Nowell to come on and have a stormer. His willingness to get his hands on the ball will prove vital to ensuring we go into next week with all to play for

[Spiffy]

Nowell to come on and have a stormer. His willingness to get his hands on the ball will prove vital to ensuring we go into next week with all to play for

He'll probably come on but I'd be holding my breath about a stormer - these are not the Hurricanes reserves he's playing.
Dagg/Ioane/Naholo will be gagging to have a run at him.
Good luck to him - hope he does well.

[skidger]

I don't see how Hartley can keep out George for much longer. Mako looked like he will be a decent sub for us and Itoje continues on.

[Scrumhead]

Come on now. We all know Hartley would not only have made that break, but he also would have smashed through defence to score a glorious try to round-off a blockbusting game in the loose

[16th man]

Itoje comfortably the best lock on the pitch today.

Can't see how Hartley holds off George any longer. JG has been clearly the best hooker in England for 2 years and is now prett indisputably the best hooker on the lions tour. I'd say on both sides.

[Banquo]

Itoje comfortably the best lock on the pitch today.

Can't see how Hartley holds off George any longer. JG has been clearly the best hooker in England for 2 years and is now prett indisputably the best hooker on the lions tour. I'd say on both sides.

only caution on Itoje is that he continues to ship penalties, but what an athlete he is; please lets just abandon any thought of him in the back row.

George has been excellent both games- he puts a ton of tackles in, and has the ability to make a damaging carry; can't believe some were calling for him being dropped last week.

Mako lost it a bit, but still in credit imo, and Sinckler is coming on leaps (hahah) and bounds, Lawes did good work; Daly and Watson were solid but no more could be expected. Unlike p/d and Diggers, I was pleased with Faz's play in attack, worked better than I thought.

[Tom Moore]

Hartley should be coming to the end now- George is superior in the tight and loose, and he adds nothing off the bench.
Sinckler showed up well, thought I saw more from him in defence than I'm used to.
Itoje and Lawes both immense.

[fivepointer]

Loved Kyle's energetic and impactful cameo today but he must calm down a bit. Lawes really good off the bench too. Big game from Itoje and George put in a very fine all round effort. Dont think Mako has been at his best in NZ. The backs were absolutely fine.

[16th man]

The NZ Herald have given Itoje a 4 with Whitelock getting 6 and Retallick an 8. Frankly, odd.

[Banquo]

The NZ Herald have given Itoje a 4 with Whitelock getting 6 and Retallick an 8. Frankly, odd.

lolz. I'd take a point off Itoje for pen conceded, though they did stop inzid getting over the whitewash....cynical but pragmatic, and not an unusual tactic

[Puja]

The NZ Herald have given Itoje a 4 with Whitelock getting 6 and Retallick an 8. Frankly, odd.

lolz. I'd take a point off Itoje for pen conceded, though they did stop inzid getting over the whitewash....cynical but pragmatic, and not an unusual tactic

One of them was a comedy decision though - New Zealand broke through, someone offloaded from the tackle and then Itoje tackled the recipient from behind, only to be called offside from a situation in which there was no ruck and no offside line! Then to add insult to injury, the ABs used the advantage, went several phases and 30m forward and grubbered through for Daly to just beat Read to ground the ball, and then Garces decided that they hadn't had any advantage with their 30m and try-scoring opportunity and went back for the penalty!

Both sides have a lot to complain about with the refereeing decisions - he was utter crap today.

Thought Sinckler showed why he's not yet ready to replace Cole yet - he nearly started a fight after his "tackle in the air" penalty that won the game and was only stopped by quick reactions from SOB and Farrell who presumably told him not to be a tw*t and endanger the penalty. When Fazlet is the cool head telling you that you're being too petulant, you know you need to sort yourself out.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Loved Kyle's energetic and impactful cameo today but he must calm down a bit. Lawes really good off the bench too. Big game from Itoje and George put in a very fine all round effort. Dont think Mako has been at his best in NZ. The backs were absolutely fine.

TBH I agree. His point of difference is his play in the loose, but he has hasn't done anything great to really justify him starting ahead of McGrath or Marler and has struggled in the scrum. I wonder whether the Lions would be better served by starting a stronger scrummager and bringing Mako on as an impact sub.

For the same reasons, I still prefer Marler starting ahead of Mako for England (I know I'm not in the majority on this).

[Banquo]

Loved Kyle's energetic and impactful cameo today but he must calm down a bit. Lawes really good off the bench too. Big game from Itoje and George put in a very fine all round effort. Dont think Mako has been at his best in NZ. The backs were absolutely fine.

TBH I agree. His point of difference is his play in the loose, but he has hasn't done anything great to really justify him starting ahead of McGrath or Marler and has struggled in the scrum. I wonder whether the Lions would be better served by starting a stronger scrummager and bringing Mako on as an impact sub.

For the same reasons, I still prefer Marler starting ahead of Mako for England (I know I'm not in the majority on this).

He didn't struggle in the first test...and in fact when he went off in that test, the AB's mullered us in the very next scrum with McGrath struggling. He is inconsistent though. You agree with Barnes, so you may wish to review your comment

In this test, we didn't have a lot of ball when he was on; he did put in a good tackling stint, and he put in a decent shift in the first as well. Its a fair point to say that he hasn't been as big a carrier as we might have hoped, nor has his offloading featured.....so can possibly see the value in a more set piece oriented prop, though his lifting is good too.

[Scrumhead]

It's rare I agree with Barnes.

Some may mock me for saying so, but why not start Marler with Mako on the bench? As a combination it works well for England, so why not for the Lions?

[Digby]

Is the same Joe Marler who showed Williams how to shoulder charge?

[Scrumhead]

One and the same

[Spiffy]

Loved Kyle's energetic and impactful cameo today but he must calm down a bit. Lawes really good off the bench too. Big game from Itoje and George put in a very fine all round effort. Dont think Mako has been at his best in NZ. The backs were absolutely fine.

TBH I agree. His point of difference is his play in the loose, but he has hasn't done anything great to really justify him starting ahead of McGrath or Marler and has struggled in the scrum. I wonder whether the Lions would be better served by starting a stronger scrummager and bringing Mako on as an impact sub.

For the same reasons, I still prefer Marler starting ahead of Mako for England (I know I'm not in the majority on this).

Mako is not a great scrummager, but there was at least one scrum where the ref pinged Mako instead of his opposite number, who flopped completely horizontally and just pulled Mako on top of him.