Eng U20s 2023

[Mr Mwenda]

Yeah, well I guess the truth is painful.

Feels a bit like England are being suckered. The French discipline in defence has been very impressive.

[FKAS]

Lacking imagination in attack + going backwards at scrumtime, doesn't look promising for H2

Won the scrum pen just before the end of the half.

The lack of imagination in attack is a massive worry though. So many phases of good attacking ball and there's just so little threat to the French defence.

[Oakboy]

Bracken is scrabbling for ball - most of it difficult. Forwards need to deliver.

[Mr Mwenda]

Another dropped ball... Set piece not up to scratch...

[Raggs]

French tackling is very good, we never seem to be able to quite break the line despite bending it often.

[Mr Mwenda]

I give up, don't want to get too pessimistic before tomorrow. No ideas from England and a lot of lessons being painfully learned...

[Raggs]

I give up, don't want to get too pessimistic before tomorrow. No ideas from England and a lot of lessons being painfully learned...

Disagree, they've dropped a huge amount of ball, but there's been a lot to be pleased about for me too. If we don't drop so much ball the scoreline looks very different.

[Mr Mwenda]

I hope you're right. The groans echoing about with every dropped ball are cacophonous.

[Mr Mwenda]

Generous yellow too, rackon.

[FKAS]

It was a big boost for France to have Baptiste Jauneau available. He's an incredible talent and rightfully pushing on to be Clermont first choice at just 19. A possible bolter for the world cup and likely to be Dupont's understudy sooner rather than later.

[stepsider]

Missed most of H2 due to cat diarrhea disaster (seriously!), how did France rack up 40? Were they good or we just crap?

[Puja]

Missed most of H2 due to cat diarrhea disaster (seriously!), how did France rack up 40? Were they good or we just crap?

We just kept cocking up, over and over and over, giving them free possession through knock-ons and scuffed kicks and poor lineouts. They were very good as well, but we kept trying stuff and it just wasn't coming off.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

I give up, don't want to get too pessimistic before tomorrow. No ideas from England and a lot of lessons being painfully learned...

What relevance does that have to the senior side though?

[Raggs]

Missed most of H2 due to cat diarrhea disaster (seriously!), how did France rack up 40? Were they good or we just crap?

We just kept cocking up, over and over and over, giving them free possession through knock-ons and scuffed kicks and poor lineouts. They were very good as well, but we kept trying stuff and it just wasn't coming off.

Puja

That was how I felt. Was it two or three times we were over the tryline and fumbled it? Another time got done for a double movement (not sure for that, it was a maul, so he can't be tackled, and he wasn't held down and got back to his feet too). Think our 10 dropped two or three high balls?

The French defence was impressive too, repeatedly we'd have a slight imbalance and our players would get taken down around the ankles instead of making the break, a bend sure, but not enough to create the opportunity. That was great defence.

[Mikey Brown]

I give up, don't want to get too pessimistic before tomorrow. No ideas from England and a lot of lessons being painfully learned...

What relevance does that have to the senior side though?

This seems quite funny to read now.

[Oakboy]

I see the last round of fixtures is on Sunday.

[FKAS]

England U20
1 McArthur
2 Theobald-Thomas
3 Fasogbon
4 Eite
5 Chessum
6 Carnduff
7 Fisilau
8 Cunningham-South
9 Bracken
10 Bradbury
11 Elliott
12 Woodward
13 Ma'asi-White
14 Cleaves
15 Harris
Substitutes
16 Jibulu
17 Opoku
18 Hoyt
19 Carmichael
20 Woodman
21 Thomas
22 Worsley
23 Jenkins

[fivepointer]

Tough one to finish. Ireland stuck 80pts on Scotland last week.

[Margin_Walker]

Nice to have Woodward and Cunningham-South back for this at least. Getting anything out of the game will be a tough ask though.

[Oakboy]

Based on only watching these 6N games, I still see the bench front row as more of a challenge to the opposition than the starting trio. Presumably, the coaches know what they are doing???

[Epaminondas Pules]

Fasogbon is starting

[Oakboy]

Fasogbon is starting

Ah, should have looked more carefully! Good.

[Puja]

I've not been hugely impressed by Hoyt from what I've seen of him so far. He's come through with a decent rep and his physical size is promising, but he doesn't seem to be very good at actually using that size, from everything I've seen so far. Fasogbon's looked much more handy, even while only being 18.

Am I missing something on Hoyt?

Puja

[FKAS]

I've not been hugely impressed by Hoyt from what I've seen of him so far. He's come through with a decent rep and his physical size is promising, but he doesn't seem to be very good at actually using that size, from everything I've seen so far. Fasogbon's looked much more handy, even while only being 18.

Am I missing something on Hoyt?

Puja

I heard good things about the odd appearance he had at Notts and Loughborough University. He has looked underpowered so far. He's only 19 so hopefully it's a developmental thing and he kicks on again.

Fasogbon does look a handy player though I expected a bit more from all of the England front rows to be honest. McArthur and FTT are also a touch lucky to still be starting.

[fivepointer]

I dont think so. He's big but not a great technician in the scrum and doesnt offer an enormous amount in the loose.
Fasogbon does look to be a very serious prospect.
Think the lad on the other side of the scrum looks a bit underpowered. our scrum has been dominated twice so far and may struggle again tomorrow.