EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Stom]

Without going into it in detail, I just have one comment:

How the hell is Hartley ahead of George! That guy is insane. Runs 5 times more per game than Hartley, makes more tackles, misses fewer, concedes fewer penalties...

It's a question a lot of people have been asking for just over a year. The answer is beyond me. I'm sure it'll happen in time and it's one of the ones that will have to happen for us to win the World Cup.

How very dare you. Hartley is our awesome captain who's transformed us into this magnificent team. Losing him for a superior rugby player would be an incredible blow. We should be grateful for Hartley and not consider such foolishness.

I'm not one of those who thought George was completely up to the task before last season. But I felt like last year was his breakthrough, really. He not only carried superbly, but made his tackles, hit his rucks, and was excellent come l/o time. I felt he was easily the best all round hooker in the AP, and the stats now back me up on that.

Other things to consider:

Quins' rot had set in early last year. The sheer number of turnovers across all our EPS players shows how poor the ruck play was across the team. This is another reason I found the (albeit small number) calls for Wallace as insane. I just don't think he's particularly good.

[Mellsblue]

Without going into it in detail, I just have one comment:

How the hell is Hartley ahead of George! That guy is insane. Runs 5 times more per game than Hartley, makes more tackles, misses fewer, concedes fewer penalties...

It's a question a lot of people have been asking for just over a year. The answer is beyond me. I'm sure it'll happen in time and it's one of the ones that will have to happen for us to win the World Cup.

How very dare you. Hartley is our awesome captain who's transformed us into this magnificent team. Losing him for a superior rugby player would be an incredible blow. We should be grateful for Hartley and not consider such foolishness.

Drinking this early on Friday is never a good sign. Unless, that is, you work in the City. In which case you started quite late.

[Mellsblue]

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Puja

Hehe.

[Puja]

He can be very eye catching, and he's rapid for his size - all of which is great - but as a test back row you, IMO can't afford to get through as little dirty work as he does.

And now officially a moot point, as Clifford is confirmed out of the AIs after getting an ankle injury that requires surgery.

Puja

[Digby]

It's a question a lot of people have been asking for just over a year. The answer is beyond me. I'm sure it'll happen in time and it's one of the ones that will have to happen for us to win the World Cup.

How very dare you. Hartley is our awesome captain who's transformed us into this magnificent team. Losing him for a superior rugby player would be an incredible blow. We should be grateful for Hartley and not consider such foolishness.

Drinking this early on Friday is never a good sign. Unless, that is, you work in the City. In which case you started quite late.

Not that many people to be found in the pubs/clubs at such an early time of the day. Even the old school guys who actually used to be out drinking by 11am aren't quite at that level anymore.

And we are grateful to Hartley, thus confirming him as captain for the AIs way ahead of the time.

[Mellsblue]

How very dare you. Hartley is our awesome captain who's transformed us into this magnificent team. Losing him for a superior rugby player would be an incredible blow. We should be grateful for Hartley and not consider such foolishness.

Drinking this early on Friday is never a good sign. Unless, that is, you work in the City. In which case you started quite late.

Not that many people to be found in the pubs/clubs at such an early time of the day. Even the old school guys who actually used to be out drinking by 11am aren't quite at that level anymore.

And we are grateful to Hartley, thus confirming him as captain for the AIs way ahead of the time.

A couple of my mates will regularly have client meetings over a Friday lunch and they mostly over run for the entire afternoon. Even when he doesn't, one of them will have gin and tonic in his desk drawer.

[Peat]

Bit difficult to fit yourself into a desk drawer surely boom boom.

Anyway, I have had people say that in so many words when I suggested that Jamie George should be starting ahead of Hartley and must usurp him if he we want a good shot at the World Cup. The madness of it is as fresh and sore in my mind as Ashton's anger at his latest ban. I don't think I could drink enough myself to make me believe it.

In slightly more pertinent news, Clifford is out until early December.

[Mikey Brown]

It's a question a lot of people have been asking for just over a year. The answer is beyond me. I'm sure it'll happen in time and it's one of the ones that will have to happen for us to win the World Cup.

How very dare you. Hartley is our awesome captain who's transformed us into this magnificent team. Losing him for a superior rugby player would be an incredible blow. We should be grateful for Hartley and not consider such foolishness.

I'm not one of those who thought George was completely up to the task before last season. But I felt like last year was his breakthrough, really. He not only carried superbly, but made his tackles, hit his rucks, and was excellent come l/o time. I felt he was easily the best all round hooker in the AP, and the stats now back me up on that.

Other things to consider:

Quins' rot had set in early last year. The sheer number of turnovers across all our EPS players shows how poor the ruck play was across the team. This is another reason I found the (albeit small number) calls for Wallace as insane. I just don't think he's particularly good.

I don't actually disagree with that at all but are you referring to some particular stats that WT posted? It's not the turnovers won/conceded thing again is it? Marler/Robshaw/Clifford/Care have pretty good numbers there which does not surprise me. Winkler. Brown and Yarde do not though, also not a massive surprise. Our support out wide has generally been completely terrible. Winkler is still a bit haphazard and ive just spent two seasons running up blind alleys.

[Digby]

Drinking this early on Friday is never a good sign. Unless, that is, you work in the City. In which case you started quite late.

Not that many people to be found in the pubs/clubs at such an early time of the day. Even the old school guys who actually used to be out drinking by 11am aren't quite at that level anymore.

And we are grateful to Hartley, thus confirming him as captain for the AIs way ahead of the time.

A couple of my mates will regularly have client meetings over a Friday lunch and they mostly over run for the entire afternoon. Even when he doesn't, one of them will have gin and tonic in his desk drawer.

I've had a few bosses who'd take you to lunch which went from 12pm-4pm on quite a few days in a normal week, though they'd still expect the work to get done so you'd either have to stay at work until 8pm or so, or get in around 6am to get the work done before they arrived (or both), and even then 12pm would be on the early side for hitting the pub.

I do know at least one firm in the city which has beer in the office fridges and Sky Sports available in the office (not sure about BT Sports) as I know they'll have groups watching the cricket and drinking beer in the office, the boss being a mad cricket fan. This I know as I once worked there for a week, which billed out in excess of £15k (which sadly didn't go to me) and really all I did was chat about cricket, and at the end of the week he was keen to get me to go back, I'd say god only knows how they survive, but that'll be gouging clients in fees, churning and burning the client base you don't care about trading as principal.

[Beasties]

Bit difficult to fit yourself into a desk drawer surely boom boom.

Anyway, I have had people say that in so many words when I suggested that Jamie George should be starting ahead of Hartley and must usurp him if he we want a good shot at the World Cup. The madness of it is as fresh and sore in my mind as Ashton's anger at his latest ban. I don't think I could drink enough myself to make me believe it.

In slightly more pertinent news, Clifford is out until early December.

Whilst it's not great for Clifford, I'm hopeful that EJ will now explore more options in the back row which he otherwise wouldn't have if Clifford had been fit. I'm far from convinced that Clifford should be in the 23 or even near it.

[Which Tyler]

Captain's Log - Supplemental

EPS 2015-16 Supplemental.png

As ever; you can enlarge the image by copy/pasting it's image location into your browser


First glance Hepburn!

[twitchy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/ ... ded--surp/

[Mellsblue]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/ ... ded--surp/

Cripes, not sure what to make of that. I've not seen him play much but a premiership season with Wuss and an injury hit one with Leicester doesn't fill me with confidence. Where was he pre-Wuss?

[fivepointer]

SA, I think. But for injury he would have gone to Oz I reckon.

Got something about him. He's big, abrasive, has a good engine and decent at line out.

[Mikey Brown]

More great stuff Tyler. Tah. I need a few minutes yo digest all that.

Campagnaro though?

[Which Tyler]

Campagnaro though?

Blame Digby!

[Peej]

SA, I think. But for injury he would have gone to Oz I reckon.

Got something about him. He's big, abrasive, has a good engine and decent at line out.

Personally I think he's a bit of a thug that gets schooled by more skillful players.

He's also never a 7. I know Haskell isn't a 7, but there's really no way Williams is. Guy Thompson would be a better bet for 7

[Scrumhead]

SA, I think. But for injury he would have gone to Oz I reckon.

Got something about him. He's big, abrasive, has a good engine and decent at line out.

Personally I think he's a bit of a thug that gets schooled by more skillful players.

He's also never a 7. I know Haskell isn't a 7, but there's really no way Williams is. Guy Thompson would be a better bet for 7

100% agree on Thompson being a better bet at 7, but I wouldn't be too disappointed to see Williams feature at 6. I think we'll need Robshaw's experience for the AIs but it's something to look at longer-term.

Slightly changing the subject, but Worcester need some credit for blooding English youngsters like Humphreys and Shillcock especially with both getting amongst the tries.

[TheNomad]

Slightly changing the subject, but Worcester need some credit for blooding English youngsters like Humphreys and Shillcock especially with both getting amongst the tries.

Very much on subject! Have been really impressed by those two

Humphreys looks a like a really good finisher with an excellent step and real strength with the ball, and for a 19 year old Shillcock looks some propsect.

I understand he likes playing 10 but personally I think his game looks well suited to 15. That second try yesterday was taken beautifully - he made it look much easier than it was

[Digby]

So we could have a team with Hartley, Williams, Hughes, Teo'o? Which seems more than a little pointless

[Mellsblue]

So we could have a team with Hartley, Williams, Hughes, Teo'o? Which seems more than a little pointless

Jamboree.

[Mikey Brown]

Have we got a fitting tighthead?

1. Vunipola
2. Hartley
3.
4. Lees
5. Williams
6. Ewers
7. Waldrom
8. Hughes

[Digby]

I have no problem with Vunipola being English (even with a Welsh accent). Ewers too is a different situation and perhaps passes muster, whereas some of the others just pass mustard.

[Peat]

So you're fine with a guy with no prior connections who moved to England aged 13 as English, but not happy with a guy with an English mum who moved here when 16, and are unsure on the guy who moved here age 13 and has English parents?

[Mikey Brown]

Oh god. Why did I post that.