England XV vs France XV

[Danno]

Alfie hasn't played hooker since age grade, has he?

[SixAndAHalf]

Certainly not much at all. However I don’t think it would be a blocker if he was committed to it. Ultimately it probably depends how much he wants to play for England. That is more achievable by trying to convert back to hooker in my opinion.

[Danno]

Fair point. Could be too late for him to sort out his set piece though?

[Banquo]

Going back to the hooker debate - we have Kepu Tuipulotu in the pipeline who may be ready to be 3rd choice at the World Cup and then come through afterwards.

I’d also still like to see England give Barbeary a central contract to play hooker (and cover back row) - I remember seeing this on here and thinking it was a great idea but can’t recall who to credit.

Eddie Jones

[Banquo]

Alfie hasn't played hooker since age grade, has he?

played hooker for wasps a bit iirc

[jngf]

Certainly not much at all. However I don’t think it would be a blocker if he was committed to it. Ultimately it probably depends how much he wants to play for England. That is more achievable by trying to convert back to hooker in my opinion.

I could also see why he might want to stay in backrow even if it means foregoing test represention if that means having to hook - arguably the hardest forward position to play?

[Danno]

Certainly not much at all. However I don’t think it would be a blocker if he was committed to it. Ultimately it probably depends how much he wants to play for England. That is more achievable by trying to convert back to hooker in my opinion.

I could also see why he might want to stay in backrow even if it means foregoing test represention if that means having to hook - arguably the hardest forward position to play?

Maybe, but the setpiece is on all of the pack functioning as a well oiled unit really. Half of lineouts gone wrong are down to the drill and hooking the ball is kinda dead when SHs just feed it directly to the flankers

[Mikey Brown]

Couldn’t get to sleep and ending up watching this back for some reason.

The no arms tackle at the end for the crucial French one is so harsh on Atkinson. The French players basically skims over the top of him as he basically just get too low. There’s hardly even enough impact for him to be able to wrap.

Maybe it’s technically correct, but seems like a ridiculous thing for a TMO to feel the need to intervene for.

I’d not noticed Atkinson getting over the ball so much before for Gloucester but he gets a few good challenges in. Shame he’s the one defending on the line for the decisive try too. Certainly some work to do (though have more sympathy for the Atissogbe try now seeing again how the French forwards block George on his inside) but really threw himself in to this game.

Dombrandt actually had a far better game than I thought on first viewing. Some good defensive work and a key turnover or two, but also the trademark ‘nearly’ moments with the Spencer pass behind him and the CCS deflection. At least he did a hard carry for once.

Isiekwe had probably the best game I’ve seen from him, but (a bit like poor Dombrandt) it doesn’t particularly convince me he’s got a lot more to offer England.

Didn’t notice Kenningham much first time out but some really tidy and unglamorous work in the contact area, securing some pretty key possession.

The game shouldn’t have slipped away in the manner it did, but there were a lot of positives.

Roebuck still great.

[Danno]

The no arms tackle at the end for the crucial French one is so harsh on Atkinson. The French players basically skims over the top of him as he basically just get too low. There’s hardly even enough impact for him to be able to wrap.

I thought that live at the time, the French player semi hurdles out of the tackle and the TMO was being very pedantic calling that back

[Banquo]

Certainly not much at all. However I don’t think it would be a blocker if he was committed to it. Ultimately it probably depends how much he wants to play for England. That is more achievable by trying to convert back to hooker in my opinion.

I could also see why he might want to stay in backrow even if it means foregoing test represention if that means having to hook - arguably the hardest forward position to play?

Pretty much what he said to Eddie iirc

[Beasties]

Alfie hasn't played hooker since age grade, has he?

played hooker for wasps a bit iirc

I don’t remember him ever playing hooker for the first team. Happy to be corrected though.
Wasps seemed to want to give him every chance of playing at 8 in spite of Willis being a force of nature at an early age.

Willis had been flogged due to injuries though (but holding up well) so sharing the load seemed appropriate. He was probably our best player in that horrendous run of team injuries, although still a yout. But Barbeary kept being selected ahead of him for a while early on, to the bafflement of quite a few Wasps fans, myself included.

[Banquo]

Alfie hasn't played hooker since age grade, has he?

played hooker for wasps a bit iirc

I don’t remember him ever playing hooker for the first team. Happy to be corrected though.
Wasps seemed to want to give him every chance of playing at 8 in spite of Willis being a force of nature at an early age.

Willis had been flogged due to injuries though (but holding up well) so sharing the load seemed appropriate. He was probably our best player in that horrendous run of team injuries, although still a yout. But Barbeary kept being selected ahead of him for a while early on, to the bafflement of quite a few Wasps fans, myself included.

He was replacement with 16 on his back for his first half dozen wasps game looking at the records. Then started a game or two at 6 or was replacement with 20 on. Seems to then have settled at 8 or bench.

If he doesn’t want to play hooker, as it appears and has done for 4/5 years so be it.

[Mikey Brown]

He must be about 6’3” with his current hair-do, so that’s my main concern alleviated.

[Banquo]

He must be about 6’3” with his current hair-do, so that’s my main concern alleviated.