Autumn International Squad

[Banquo]

Quite a performance. We'll see he can be the understudy to Laws that Eddie wants.

Porter didn't struggle much last season alongside Kelly. I'm also likely to cut him some slack after he made that try saver in the semi final which really shut up a particular chopsy Saints fan I was stood next to. Given he's a recent convert to centre there's definitely some improvements to be found in his positioning. As I've already said, I'd have taken Lawrence in the squad personally. Reward form and don't select someone who's got concussion.

I'm not sure personally, he's very raw still at 6. But he's a top lad and my wife taught him so I'll cut him a lot of slack

Porter was clearly out of his depth in Oz, but in fairness our backs defensive system was shocking as well, with Faz pretty culpable too; but he was really poor in defence v Saints (the stats were kind if anything). I did think he'd played quite a bit in midfield in Oz, and I'm surprised that Gopperth couldn't talk him through defending a bit better- most of defence at that level is the system, and communication, with the basics of how you shape in defence. TBH, on the 'not struggling much outside Kelly bit', I think in general Tigers have been worked out a bit- sort of second season Borthwick syndrome.

Gopperth hasn't really worked out as a defensive leader. We've looked better defensively in the two games he hasn't started.

Borthwick has already done two and a half seasons. This is his third.

I think Kelly is a huge miss. He was the glue in Tigers midfield for the big unbeaten run. At the Sale game he told a supporter he was two games away so hopefully he's back soon. If he refinds his form he could make the 6N squad.

The half didnt really count - covid-and the point still stands for me.

[FKAS]

I'm not sure personally, he's very raw still at 6. But he's a top lad and my wife taught him so I'll cut him a lot of slack

Porter was clearly out of his depth in Oz, but in fairness our backs defensive system was shocking as well, with Faz pretty culpable too; but he was really poor in defence v Saints (the stats were kind if anything). I did think he'd played quite a bit in midfield in Oz, and I'm surprised that Gopperth couldn't talk him through defending a bit better- most of defence at that level is the system, and communication, with the basics of how you shape in defence. TBH, on the 'not struggling much outside Kelly bit', I think in general Tigers have been worked out a bit- sort of second season Borthwick syndrome.

Gopperth hasn't really worked out as a defensive leader. We've looked better defensively in the two games he hasn't started.

Borthwick has already done two and a half seasons. This is his third.

I think Kelly is a huge miss. He was the glue in Tigers midfield for the big unbeaten run. At the Sale game he told a supporter he was two games away so hopefully he's back soon. If he refinds his form he could make the 6N squad.

The half didnt really count - covid-and the point still stands for me.

The half was great for Borthwick because the number of games meant he got to test all the players in Prem games and work out which he wanted to keep and which he was going to move on.

A bit of third season syndrome, not really I just think as champions you are there to be shot at. Everyone wants to put one over on you, there's loads of analysis on your players and style of play from the media, online as well external. Always a tough place to be.

If he can be seen to be fallible all the better as maybe Tigers will be allowed to keep him a bit longer and the RFU will look elsewhere.

[Banquo]

Gopperth hasn't really worked out as a defensive leader. We've looked better defensively in the two games he hasn't started.

Borthwick has already done two and a half seasons. This is his third.

I think Kelly is a huge miss. He was the glue in Tigers midfield for the big unbeaten run. At the Sale game he told a supporter he was two games away so hopefully he's back soon. If he refinds his form he could make the 6N squad.

The half didnt really count - covid-and the point still stands for me.

there's loads of analysis on your players and style of play from the media, online as well external.

yep, and other teams do tons of their own analysis more importantly.

[Timbo]

That’s a ‘prey for Manu’ midfield selection if ever I’ve seen one. Feel like Jones has given up even trying now.

Rest is fine. Some 50:50 calls, but nothing to complain about. Stuart will be a big loss. I expect Tizzard, Ribbans and Mcguigan will all see decent game time, which is a good as we need to develop a bit more depth in those positions.

My main wish is to see Jack Willis get some good minutes. He deserves it and given an opportunity the sky’s the limit for him.

[Puja]

That’s a ‘prey for Manu’ midfield selection if ever I’ve seen one. Feel like Jones has given up even trying now.

I think a "prey for Manu" midfield would be more 10. Lamb, 12. Geraghty, 13. Abendanon, but that's just me.

Puja

[Banquo]

That’s a ‘prey for Manu’ midfield selection if ever I’ve seen one. Feel like Jones has given up even trying now.

Rest is fine. Some 50:50 calls, but nothing to complain about. Stuart will be a big loss. I expect Tizzard, Ribbans and Mcguigan will all see decent game time, which is a good as we need to develop a bit more depth in those positions.

My main wish is to see Jack Willis get some good minutes. He deserves it and given an opportunity the sky’s the limit for him.

yep. Have to say I'm also a bit baffled on the wing selections.....but I don't think Jones spends much time thinking about the backs.

[fivepointer]

I would have picked Daly ahead of May. Other than that, I think the back 3 selections are OK. All the wings offer something different. Furbank offers some versatility along with Malins, Coka is a more direct runner, Murley the form newbie.
How they are deployed is another matter, of course.

[Mikey Brown]

I'd love Cokanasiga to fulfil his potential, but it does feel like he's been getting a lot of caps more in the name of hope/promise than anything else. Actually looks to be in some sort of form at the moment though, so that's nice. I wouldn't expect Murley and Cokanisiga to be paired together if Jones wants more of a backfield/fullback presence - May/Malins come with their own question marks though.

[Banquo]

I would have picked Daly ahead of May. Other than that, I think the back 3 selections are OK. All the wings offer something different. Furbank offers some versatility along with Malins, Coka is a more direct runner, Murley the form newbie.
How they are deployed is another matter, of course.

It baffles me in the sense he picked coka, then dropped him. He dropped Malins. He brings in May, who looks less sharp than Watson. Its the inconsistency rather than what you end up with, almost like he doesn't know what he wants. And Nowell.

[Scrumhead]

May looks less sharp than Watson … Does he?

Watson might have scored against Quins, but his only other actions were two high tackles. Completely anonymous.

May might not have scored a try yet this season but he looks perfectly sharp to me and contributing well to Gloucester’s overall play.

[Banquo]

May looks less sharp than Watson … Does he?

Watson might have scored against Quins, but his only other actions were two high tackles. Completely anonymous.

May might not have scored a try yet this season but he looks perfectly sharp to me and contributing well to Gloucester’s overall play.

Watson after settling down did some excellent work in defence (barely got a pass), shut down two very dangerous attacks with excellent interventions, so no, not anonymous; the couple of times he got the ball, his footwork looked sharp. May looks a yard slower to me, though I agree he did one excellent thing in defence. TBH I probably wouldn't have gone with either- they haven't played much.

[Puja]

May looks less sharp than Watson … Does he?

Watson might have scored against Quins, but his only other actions were two high tackles. Completely anonymous.

May might not have scored a try yet this season but he looks perfectly sharp to me and contributing well to Gloucester’s overall play.

Watson after settling down did some excellent work in defence (barely got a pass), shut down two very dangerous attacks with excellent interventions, so no, not anonymous; the couple of times he got the ball, his footwork looked sharp. May looks a yard slower to me. TBH I probably wouldn't have gone with either- they haven't played much.

Whereas May demonstrated some superb defence in shutting down a 2-on-1 with a textbook read and was busy, intelligent, and involved (including stepping in at 9 when Meehan went down for a few phases). It's two bald men fighting over a comb, but I'd say May's got as least a good a claim to form as Watson, with the advantage of having the better pedigree at international level (plus a history of greater injury resilience).

To my mind, May's worth having in the squad on a development basis with the hope that he'll come back to his best - Cokanasiga's in there on just as flimsy a hope of him coming good and, apart from anything else, there's a great deal that Arundell and Murley could learn from May.

Puja

[Banquo]

May looks less sharp than Watson … Does he?

Watson might have scored against Quins, but his only other actions were two high tackles. Completely anonymous.

May might not have scored a try yet this season but he looks perfectly sharp to me and contributing well to Gloucester’s overall play.

Watson after settling down did some excellent work in defence (barely got a pass), shut down two very dangerous attacks with excellent interventions, so no, not anonymous; the couple of times he got the ball, his footwork looked sharp. May looks a yard slower to me. TBH I probably wouldn't have gone with either- they haven't played much.

Whereas May demonstrated some superb defence in shutting down a 2-on-1 with a textbook read and was busy, intelligent, and involved (including stepping in at 9 when Meehan went down for a few phases). It's two bald men fighting over a comb, but I'd say May's got as least a good a claim to form as Watson, with the advantage of having the better pedigree at international level (plus a history of greater injury resilience).

To my mind, May's worth having in the squad on a development basis with the hope that he'll come back to his best - Cokanasiga's in there on just as flimsy a hope of him coming good and, apart from anything else, there's a great deal that Arundell and Murley could learn from May.

Puja

See my edit on May's intervention . I agree that its bald men fighting over a comb, and a judgement call; my judgement would have gone the other way, given Watson is a fair bit younger (albeit more injury ridden)-- has May a better pedigree internationally tho, iirc never been a Lion, let alone a first choice one- watson has started 5 out of the last 6 lions tests iirc.

[Mellsblue]

May vs Watson in a test pedigree comp. Personally, I’d go for Watson.

[Puja]

May vs Watson in a test pedigree comp. Personally, I’d go for Watson.

Tbh, we've had worse problems to wrestle with in our time. "Who do we give the experienced winger slot to? The regular BIL test player or England's top tryscorer of the professional era?"

Puja

[Banquo]

May vs Watson in a test pedigree comp. Personally, I’d go for Watson.

Tbh, we've had worse problems to wrestle with in our time. "Who do we give the experienced winger slot to? The regular BIL test player or England's top tryscorer of the professional era?"

Puja

yep apols for derailing inadvertently. Its distracted from midfield fun and games.

[Mellsblue]

[Mikey Brown]

Why is he like that?

[Banquo]

Why is he like that?

Stephen Jones aspirant?

[Mellsblue]

Apols for including the tweet with Jones’s comments. Twas not intentional.
That said… a tweet in response is a good’un:

[francoisfou]

Eddie may go along with the first four of these values, but as for the fifth one, nah, he’s an Aussie, and they don’t do Sportsmanship.

[Timbo]

It’s a pretty awful quartet of TMO’s in fairness, especially the last two.

[Danno]

It’s a pretty awful quartet of TMO’s in fairness, especially the last two.

Agreed. And Jonker is bum as well.

[Spiffy]

May looks less sharp than Watson … Does he?

Watson might have scored against Quins, but his only other actions were two high tackles. Completely anonymous.

May might not have scored a try yet this season but he looks perfectly sharp to me and contributing well to Gloucester’s overall play.

Watson after settling down did some excellent work in defence (barely got a pass), shut down two very dangerous attacks with excellent interventions, so no, not anonymous; the couple of times he got the ball, his footwork looked sharp. May looks a yard slower to me. TBH I probably wouldn't have gone with either- they haven't played much.

Whereas May demonstrated some superb defence in shutting down a 2-on-1 with a textbook read and was busy, intelligent, and involved (including stepping in at 9 when Meehan went down for a few phases). It's two bald men fighting over a comb, but I'd say May's got as least a good a claim to form as Watson, with the advantage of having the better pedigree at international level (plus a history of greater injury resilience).

To my mind, May's worth having in the squad on a development basis with the hope that he'll come back to his best - Cokanasiga's in there on just as flimsy a hope of him coming good and, apart from anything else, there's a great deal that Arundell and Murley could learn from May.

Puja

May has great speed and has scored some wonderful tries. But he is not one of rugby's deep thinkers and his play is more intuitive than anything else. It is only in the past few seasons that he's shed his earlier reputation as a bit of a headless chicken. What do you see as the great deal that Arundell and Murley could learn from him?

[Mellsblue]

Smart balls are hitting the big time:

https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/2022/10 ... -fans/?amp