EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Mikey Brown]

Yup. Real, real dumb. How is Sinkler meant to learn?

[Scrumhead]

What’s more annoying is that Marler’s been in excellent form. Easily the best he’s been in ages.

It also occurred to me that if he’s banned and Genge is still injured, Obano may well need to make an immediate step up for the 6N.

Mako will obviously start but Obano is presumably in the box seat to be on the bench.

[Timbo]

Yeah, that would be annoying. Although we should cope against Italy, and not a bad game for Obano to debut in. I’m hoping he’ll get the same as Cian Healy, at least that would make most sense. Healy got 2 weeks plus 1 extra for a crap disciplinary record (weird that nobody talks about Healy being a liability, must just be English players).

[Digby]

Joe Marler it seems is neither stable nor a genius

Waiting for confirmation from him on Twitter.

Despite my not being on Twitter I'll guess Joe has had the nous to say nothing. So whilst he's a thick prat he's still far brighter than the President of the USA

[twitchy]

[Banquo]

yep, he had a top comeback

[fivepointer]

The more i've seen of the Marler incident the less i like it. it really is a nasty, cheap shot which was completely unnecessary. It was both stupid and malicious. He doesnt have a leg to stand on and deserves a ban.
Its touch and go whether he will be free to play against Italy. Good news for Obano, who is in pole position.

[Digby]

I don't think it's touch and go if he'll be back for the Italy game, there is a possible saving grace that he's not done long term damage, though Sale may report a possible concussion issue yet I suppose. Still it's a cheap shot to the back of the head of a prone player, he's surely not getting back until the Scotland game at the earliest, and even that supposes rugby continues to disregard previous behaviour

[Which Tyler]

Marler and Joanne* both cited:
https://www.premiershiprugby.com/2017-2 ... ary-panel/

He (Marler) was sent off for striking with the shoulder and making contact with Sale Sharks’ TJ Ioane, contrary to law 9.12, in the 58th minute.

Ioane is charged with striking Harlequin’s Joe Marler with the arm, contrary to law 9.12. The incident occurred in the 53rd minute of the same match.

*Yes, I've spotted the autocorrect error this time, but I love it, so am leaving it there

[Mellsblue]

Marler and Joanne* both cited:
https://www.premiershiprugby.com/2017-2 ... ary-panel/

He (Marler) was sent off for striking with the shoulder and making contact with Sale Sharks’ TJ Ioane, contrary to law 9.12, in the 58th minute.

Ioane is charged with striking Harlequin’s Joe Marler with the arm, contrary to law 9.12. The incident occurred in the 53rd minute of the same match.

*Yes, I've spotted the autocorrect error this time, but I love it, so am leaving it there

So, Marler has his mitigation due to provocation. I wouldn’t be suprised if that leads to him being available just in time for England. Having said that, striking a woman should be a life ban.

[Raggs]

The only strike that the camera shows from Ioane at the time suggested, is an absolute nothing blow, but they are at the bottom of 2 rucks one after the other, and the camera doesn't stay on them long, so something could have happened out of shot of the game camera.

[Puja]

Marler does come up bleeding and very pissed off at Ioane. So I'd imagine there's something that the tv camera angle doesn't show.

Puja

[Raggs]

Nope, apparently the bleeding is from a stray knee in a later ruck (just before the red card).

[TheNomad]

Polledri has been called up by Italy. Good player

[Scrumhead]

Nice one Eddie. Unless Polledri refuses to play (which he won’t), we’ve lost one of the most promising talents in the country.

I know we can’t call-up everyone but given the high probability of this happening, Eddie could had prioritised him over Gary fuc%!ng Graham.

[Banquo]

Polledri has been called up by Italy. Good player

I blame Mells

[Mellsblue]

Polledri has been called up by Italy. Good player

I blame Mells

Me too

[Gloskarlos]

Can't really blame him and he is following in his Dad's footsteps. Best of luck to him.

[Raggs]

Nice one Eddie. Unless Polledri refuses to play (which he won’t), we’ve lost one of the most promising talents in the country.

I know we can’t call-up everyone but given the high probability of this happening, Eddie could had prioritised him over Gary fuc%!ng Graham.

Calling him up wouldn't have tied him in, only playing him. And let's be realistic, he's had a half decent season, mostly from the bench I believe, with a few eye-catching moments. He's barely been analysed and defenses won't have been aware of him. If he carries on to do well next season, then maybe Eddie missed a trick, but until at least another season has passed (or he excels in the 6N), I'm not going to be too upset. I suspect I'd have been more upset seeing Polledri named for England in one of the games.

[Puja]

Nice one Eddie. Unless Polledri refuses to play (which he won’t), we’ve lost one of the most promising talents in the country.

I know we can’t call-up everyone but given the high probability of this happening, Eddie could had prioritised him over Gary fuc%!ng Graham.

Calling him up wouldn't have tied him in, only playing him. And let's be realistic, he's had a half decent season, mostly from the bench I believe, with a few eye-catching moments. He's barely been analysed and defenses won't have been aware of him. If he carries on to do well next season, then maybe Eddie missed a trick, but until at least another season has passed (or he excels in the 6N), I'm not going to be too upset. I suspect I'd have been more upset seeing Polledri named for England in one of the games.

This is reminiscent of losing Tomas Francis to the Welsh - we (and I include me) complained and bemoaned and, as it turns out, we didn't actually really need him.

Polledri's in good form, but he's not in line to play for England any time soon, there's no guarantee that he'll keep improving, and we do have Robshaw, Wilson, Armand, Curry, Curry, Mercer, so we're hardly short. It would seem like something of a d*ck move to leap on Polledri when we're a long way from needing him, if ever.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

I know it wouldn’t have tied him in, but I would have thought calling him up to the training squad would have given him a strong enough indication of interest to resist overtures from Italy - at least for now.

[fivepointer]

Polledri was playing NL1 last season for Hartpury. He's looked really good for Glos but wasnt on the England radar.
His rise has been impressive and shows theres plenty of talent in the lower leagues in England. I wish him well.
Having watched the highlights from Sundays Newcastle game, Gary Graham might not be the worst back rower Eddie could have called up.

[Mellsblue]

I know it wouldn’t have tied him in, but I would have thought calling him up to the training squad would have given him a strong enough indication of interest to resist overtures from Italy - at least for now.

This. He's certainly worth a look. The Curry's, by most, and Underhill, by Jones, were proclaimed England's future after a handful of games. I don't think our openside candidates are good enough or deep enough, or have a big enough body of work that we can write off Polledri. If he's off with italy I'd suggest Jones has already told him he's not in the picture and/or he'd rather play for Italy than Eng.

[Mellsblue]

Nice one Eddie. Unless Polledri refuses to play (which he won’t), we’ve lost one of the most promising talents in the country.

I know we can’t call-up everyone but given the high probability of this happening, Eddie could had prioritised him over Gary fuc%!ng Graham.

Calling him up wouldn't have tied him in, only playing him. And let's be realistic, he's had a half decent season, mostly from the bench I believe, with a few eye-catching moments. He's barely been analysed and defenses won't have been aware of him. If he carries on to do well next season, then maybe Eddie missed a trick, but until at least another season has passed (or he excels in the 6N), I'm not going to be too upset. I suspect I'd have been more upset seeing Polledri named for England in one of the games.

It would seem like something of a d*ck move to leap on Polledri when we're a long way from needing him, if ever.

Puja

IIRC you said something similar about a young Lozowski. Your Francis point is spot on, though.

I think he's worth looking at but I've only watched mins of him play for 40 mins and that was against Northampton. Not really a barometer of whether he's going to be test quality.

[Puja]

Calling him up wouldn't have tied him in, only playing him. And let's be realistic, he's had a half decent season, mostly from the bench I believe, with a few eye-catching moments. He's barely been analysed and defenses won't have been aware of him. If he carries on to do well next season, then maybe Eddie missed a trick, but until at least another season has passed (or he excels in the 6N), I'm not going to be too upset. I suspect I'd have been more upset seeing Polledri named for England in one of the games.

It would seem like something of a d*ck move to leap on Polledri when we're a long way from needing him, if ever.

Puja

IIRC you said something similar about a young Lozowski. Your Francis point is spot on, though.

I think he's worth looking at but I've only watched mins of him play for 40 mins and that was against Northampton. Not really a barometer of whether he's going to be test quality.

I did (mostly because I learned my lesson hard over Francis!). Although, IIRC, Lozowski was offered a call-up by O'Shea and turned it down because he wanted to try for England. Polledri has played U20s for Italy and has accepted the first request from O'Shea. Perhaps people are ululating over the loss of a player who never actually had too much desire to play for England or at least had an equal desire for Italy. In which case, fair play to him - may he have a long and storied Italy career and win every game but those against England.

Puja