RWC Training Squad

[Puja]

More evidence that Stewart is a bit slow. Completely unofficial and not so much the players that he was slower than but just how much slower he was.

https://www.ruck.co.uk/england-backs-sp ... ng-second/

I'm not sure that I particularly trust Ruck's exhaustive scientific method, given that this appears to be taken from one of those "behind the scenes" highlights videos which isn't clear whether each player is on their first sprint of the session or twentieth and isn't exactly official. It's just clickbait and wouldn't surprise me if Steward was "found" to be bottom just because it'll get them shares.

Puja

Yep. Then again, I'd expect Steward to be bottom of that list, but expect JVP to be a bit higher.

True - I don't think anyone's expecting Steward to be keeping up with the fastest players in the squad, but around the level of the centres sounds about right.

Puja

[Banquo]

I'm not sure that I particularly trust Ruck's exhaustive scientific method, given that this appears to be taken from one of those "behind the scenes" highlights videos which isn't clear whether each player is on their first sprint of the session or twentieth and isn't exactly official. It's just clickbait and wouldn't surprise me if Steward was "found" to be bottom just because it'll get them shares.

Puja

Yep. Then again, I'd expect Steward to be bottom of that list, but expect JVP to be a bit higher.

True - I don't think anyone's expecting Steward to be keeping up with the fastest players in the squad, but around the level of the centres sounds about right.

Puja

depends what you want from your centres

[Puja]

Yep. Then again, I'd expect Steward to be bottom of that list, but expect JVP to be a bit higher.

True - I don't think anyone's expecting Steward to be keeping up with the fastest players in the squad, but around the level of the centres sounds about right.

Puja

depends what you want from your centres

It’s the tear in the space-time continuum when Porter hits full speed.

And you all thought I was joking:

capture.jpg

Nyoom.

Puja

[Banquo]

True - I don't think anyone's expecting Steward to be keeping up with the fastest players in the squad, but around the level of the centres sounds about right.

Puja

depends what you want from your centres

It’s the tear in the space-time continuum when Porter hits full speed.

And you all thought I was joking:


capture.jpg

Nyoom.

Puja

Not worried about his pace.....

[Mellsblue]

depends what you want from your centres

And you all thought I was joking:


capture.jpg

Nyoom.

Puja

Not worried about his pace.....

Not in a straight line, anyway…

[Puja]

Fun thing which I found today - At the end of May, Ruck did one of their 5 piece click-bait articles about "Huge stars who have reportedly been left out of England's RWC training squad", implying that they had inside knowledge. Of the 5 player list, 4 of them were in the training squad when it was announced, and the fifth was Jack Nowell.

https://www.ruck.co.uk/huge-stars-miss- ... g-squad/5/

Quality journalism.

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

Interesting watching the last two Australia games that they’ve given away stupid penalties galore! Looks like Eddie is making his mark!

[Oakboy]

Interesting watching the last two Australia games that they’ve given away stupid penalties galore! Looks like Eddie is making his mark!

I have not watched the games but I imagine the Australian fans and authorities will not be over-chuffed by defeat at home to Argentina. It continues to surprise me that Jones gets highly-paid employment.

[morepork]

Eddie is just perma-angry and forcing them into a prescribed pattern of play. Bad juju for a team.

[Scrumhead]

It looks like Eddie is staring down the barrel of a 0-4 record going in to the RWC.

Losing against the Boks in SA, was always likely. Losing badly and then losing the one game they might have expected to win at home though, is bad news. Particularly when their next couple of games are against a resurgent NZ side.

I’m still backing the Aussies to win pool C though. There’s a lot of talent in the squad and even if Eddie’s stock is low right now, I think he can turn it around for he tournament. 4 losses would be a very bad start, but I maintain that a team being forged in adversity against top tier opposition is a lot better than playing meaningless games that can give a very false impression of where a team is at.

[FKAS]

Some of the Wallaby interplay was really nice in attack. Indiscipline cost them and I'm not convinced that Eddie is taking these games that seriously. There's been some rotation in the squads so far and I'd expect some more. I'm not sure Cooper is the answer at 10 though and Eddie needs to get looking. Cooper at 35 and Foley at 33 aren't going to be more than short term answers.

[Scrumhead]

I agree. The Argentina game is probably the only one they realistically expected to win. The manner of the defeat to the Boks was more of an issue than the result itself and whatever Eddie says, I doubt anyone is truly anticipating anything other than improved performances in the Bledisloe games.

Before the RC, there was definitely some undeserved hype or at least over-optimism about Australia so in some respects going to France with lowered expectations probably suits them. If they can use their prep time wisely, they should still have too much for the other teams in the pool.

I doubt Eddie cares too much about Cooper and Foley being at the tail end of their careers. His immediate priority is the RWC and it might just be too soon for Gordon to run the show. It would b3 quite an Eddie move to start him though.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Eddie is just perma-angry and forcing them into a prescribed pattern of play. Bad juju for a team.

Someone on Twitter described him perfectly the other day as being the emperors new clothes! Lauded by sycophants, but ultimately naked!

You get the likes of Squidge rugby talking about his mastery when it is plain to anyone that he’s a busted flush!

[Banquo]

Eddie is just perma-angry and forcing them into a prescribed pattern of play. Bad juju for a team.

Someone on Twitter described him perfectly the other day as being the emperors new clothes! Lauded by sycophants, but ultimately naked!

You get the likes of Squidge rugby talking about his mastery when it is plain to anyone that he’s a busted flush!

I guess he just got lucky turning a dreadful England team into GS winners and RWC finalists in a 4 year period. His last two years were abysmal tho. Don’t like him overly, and he is past sell by date now.

[FKAS]

I think Eddie is a good coach, I think he's bought to much into the "saving it for the world cup" plan though. Sure it's nice to have a couple of tricks up your sleeve but to have the whole game plan up there and not bringing out before hand is ridiculous. He needs to stop believing his own myth. Momentum going in to a world cup is a very useful thing.

[FKAS]

Underhill and Rodd cut from the squad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66227521

Those recovering from injury remain.

[Which Tyler]

No way I'm giving a "like" for that news

[FKAS]

To be fair Rodd was the fourth best loosehead in the squad with Mako also coming back from injury. Not a surprise he's been cut.

Underhill is unlucky but there's a lot of competition on the flanks and the possibility of Pearson getting game time is exciting.

[Puja]

Yeah, it's a reasonable call. We don't need 4 fit looseheads training for the RWC, nor do we need 9 backrows. Dropping down to 3 and 8 means that the squad is more focussed and there's fewer people standing around.

Having said that, I'm also wondering if Staunch Bulbasaur has had promising news about the Vunipolae's return from injuries, as their imminent fitness would also necessitate a cull.

I'll be honest, I don't get most of the injured players still being involved. Lawrence I can understand, as we've got pressingly few options that can do what he can. And BillyV to a lesser extent, although I'm concerned about what kind of form he'll come back in. But for Mako, Walker, and Chessum, it all seems somewhat futile. Surely, if this training camp is all it's cracked up to be, they'll be so far off the pace by the time they're fit that it'll not be worth their time being there? It's not like they're so outstanding in their positions that class trumps fitness and match-fitness.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Last week the BBC were suggesting Lawrence should be fit enough to play some part in the warm-ups.

Our first RWC game isn’t until September 9th. After Itoje, Chessum is our next best lock so I’d be giving him as much time as possible to make it.

I don’t really get it with Mako and Walker though.

[Puja]

Last week the BBC were suggesting Lawrence should be fit enough to play some part in the warm-ups.

Our first RWC game isn’t until September 9th. After Itoje, Chessum is our next best lock so I’d be giving him as much time as possible to make it.

I don’t really get it with Mako and Walker though.

But if they're going through all of this fitness and getting whipped into shape by Aled Walters, then surely anyone who couldn't participate in that is going to be massively disadvantaged, aren't they? Is Chessum that far ahead of Hill/Ribbans/Martin that he's still ahead after after they've been Waltered for over a month and he hasn't?

Puja

[Danno]

Can only conclude that he knows Mako and Chessum, and the cupboard is sorta bare at hooker (and loosehead, and big old lock)

[fivepointer]

Still 44 players in the mix for selection.

Those who are injured must be in with a good shout at making the final squad otherwise they would have been left out by now. Understand why they would want to give Lawrence and Chessum all the time they can. Is Walker seen as our 2nd choice hooker? Maybe Blamire and Dan havent taken the chance to impress so far.

[Mellsblue]

I can understand keeping Walker around given we have Jamie George and then Barking u16 B team’s* hooker as our next most experienced hooker under Sliced Backhand… and Blamire and Dan don’t strike me as the nut and bolts hooker he’d like.
Interesting that VRR has leapfrogged Rodd.

*no offence to Barking u16 B team. I’m sure they’re a ‘gun’ team as SCW would say.

[Oakboy]

SB's reported heart-to-heart with Marler and the signalled emphasis on scrummaging strength have altered the front row selection dynamic, I'd guess. I've always believed in picking your strongest scrummagers to start, with those better in the loose coming off the bench. I can see the case for all-rounders but it could be that SB, in his enforced short-term expediency, is throwing all into set-piece preparation. It would be the safer approach.