Autumn International Squad

[Mellsblue]

Just read this last page...
Slow news day huh?

Slow news day was last Friday when we read the reports on the England XV.

[FKAS]

Really not all that surprised that Steward has reasonable speed over slightly longer distances. Think that’s always been evident. It’s more lateral speed, acceleration from walk/standing etc that he’s struggled a bit with.

Opposite is true of Nowell.

Steward's big and tall, not the easiest to get that combination moving quickly. When he's going though he's got that long stride that really eats up the ground.

If you look at elite sprinters, the tall ones tend to be comparably slow out the blocks. Bolt was never ahead after 20m, by 80m he'd have decimated the field.

[Banquo]

(or that he should play on the fucking wing either, if Eddie's listening)

You've gone and monkey pawed it.

He had a stint in a game there last year...not pretty.

[Banquo]

Really not all that surprised that Steward has reasonable speed over slightly longer distances. Think that’s always been evident. It’s more lateral speed, acceleration from walk/standing etc that he’s struggled a bit with.

Opposite is true of Nowell.

Steward's big and tall, not the easiest to get that combination moving quickly. When he's going though he's got that long stride that really eats up the ground.

If you look at elite sprinters, the tall ones tend to be comparably slow out the blocks. Bolt was never ahead after 20m, by 80m he'd have decimated the field.

That feels like you are gaslighting us into believing Steward=Bolt

[p/d]

Really not all that surprised that Steward has reasonable speed over slightly longer distances. Think that’s always been evident. It’s more lateral speed, acceleration from walk/standing etc that he’s struggled a bit with.

Opposite is true of Nowell.

Steward's big and tall, not the easiest to get that combination moving quickly. When he's going though he's got that long stride that really eats up the ground.

If you look at elite sprinters, the tall ones tend to be comparably slow out the blocks. Bolt was never ahead after 20m, by 80m he'd have decimated the field.

That feels like you are gaslighting us into believing Steward=Bolt

Usain he isn't?

[Banquo]

Steward's big and tall, not the easiest to get that combination moving quickly. When he's going though he's got that long stride that really eats up the ground.

If you look at elite sprinters, the tall ones tend to be comparably slow out the blocks. Bolt was never ahead after 20m, by 80m he'd have decimated the field.

That feels like you are gaslighting us into believing Steward=Bolt

Usain he isn't?

Christie knows

[Spiffy]

A lengthy discussion seems to have kicked off from an fairly innocuous little comment I made above, simply that I thought Steward looked faster than I previously imagined. That's all. A subjective observation. No claims at all that he is a real flier, wing material, among the fastest players in the team, or anything else. Perhaps I should have used the term "not as slow" to preclude the predictable knee jerk reactions triggered by the word-association use of "Steward" and "faster" in the same sentence.

[Mellsblue]

A lengthy discussion seems to have kicked off from an fairly innocuous little comment I made above, simply that I thought Steward looked faster than I previously imagined. That's all. A subjective observation. No claims at all that he is a real flier, wing material, among the fastest players in the team, or anything else. Perhaps I should have used the term "not as slow" to preclude the predictable knee jerk reactions triggered by the word-association use of "Steward" and "faster" in the same sentence.

Narcissist

[Mr Mwenda]

Steward has turned and in to his running stride before Carreras has even picked up the ball. It’s a significant head start. If it’s not, then we should no longer consider Carreras as a fast winger. Steward has many qualities but pace isn’t one of them.

I'm not quite sure what point you're making here, so I'm reluctant to try and argue it!

Regardless of starting point, head starts, and angles, when they are both in full flight, Steward is keeping pace and then gaining on Carreras, forcing him wide to evade him. It seems bizarre to say "pace isn't one of Steward's qualities" when he's just demonstrated some pretty solid pace. Is it not more sensible to reassess our understanding of Steward's top-end speed (and praise him for clearly developing a weakness) than to look for reasons to downgrade Carreras?

Puja

I really enjoy the activity that internationals bring to the board, and how as the meaningful discussion dries up in the week you reach a point where you have people saying they were impressed by something only to be told that no, they were in fact not impressed at all.

I feel like pace not historically being one of Steward’s qualities is the whole basic of people saying they were impressed with his speed. It doesn’t make me want to shift him to the wing or anything, but it’s nice to see.

Blimey, mate. I think you're far too sober to be posting here at the mo!

[Danno]

(or that he should play on the fucking wing either, if Eddie's listening)

You've gone and monkey pawed it.

He had a stint in a game there last year...not pretty.

Something we'd rather forget then

[Oakboy]

Having watched Watson (at FB) last night and seen Daly in cracking form recently, I still need convincing that our best back three does not involve those two.

Did Jones ever try them together with May but with Watson at FB?

If Steward was to stay at 15, I'd have both Watson and Daly ahead of May for wing shirts. Nowell and Coka would definitely be lower down the ranking list.

[FKAS]

You've gone and monkey pawed it.

He had a stint in a game there last year...not pretty.

Something we'd rather forget then

Didn't he start on the wing Vs France and one of our few good attacking outlets on the day was kicking for him to compete. He won everything in the air.

Never want to see him on the wing again though.

Oakboy, Watson has been struggling with injury and last night was one of the few occasions he's been fit and showing form so far for Tigers. Hopefully it continues up to the 6N and he might get a recall then.

[Which Tyler]

Oakboy, Watson has been struggling with injury and last night was one of the few occasions he's been fit and showing form so far for Tigers. Hopefully it continues up to the 6N and he might get a recall then.

If Watson was in the England squad at the moment, we'd all be complaining that he hasn't shown himself to be fit and in form - just as we are with May

[p/d]

Or that Oakboy is not so much as suggesting he should be running out today but more that both Daly and Watson would be part of our best back 3

[FKAS]

Or that Oakboy is not so much as suggesting he should be running out today but more that both Daly and Watson would be part of our best back 3

I agree on Watson being in our best back three I was just adding the context for anyone who watched last night and was wondering how Eddie had managed to overlook him.

[p/d]

Or that Oakboy is not so much as suggesting he should be running out today but more that both Daly and Watson would be part of our best back 3

I agree on Watson being in our best back three I was just adding the context for anyone who watched last night and was wondering how Eddie had managed to overlook him.

Absolutely. And yes he needs a good run of form before being considered. Jones continues to make endless odd decisions, but overlooking Watson is not one of them

[Mellsblue]

If I had to choose who to pick when coming back from injury and with little to no form, I do the opposite to Jones; though, ultimately, I wouldn’t pick any of Porter, May or Watson for the AIs.

[Oakboy]

Or that Oakboy is not so much as suggesting he should be running out today but more that both Daly and Watson would be part of our best back 3

I agree on Watson being in our best back three I was just adding the context for anyone who watched last night and was wondering how Eddie had managed to overlook him.

Absolutely. And yes he needs a good run of form before being considered. Jones continues to make endless odd decisions, but overlooking Watson is not one of them

Contextually, May ahead of Daly seems slightly odd, perhaps?

In RWC terms, assuming all are fit all three plus Steward have to be there, that's what I was getting at. What are there, ten games or so to go? Jones may have inked the four in for all I know but he still has not gone for Watson at FB AND Daly on the wing, has he? With all the chopping and changing, that would be an easy experiment, just as having the four in his 23 would save other juggling. Why he is not playing Daly on the wing in the AIs takes some understanding, though.

[Banquo]

He had a stint in a game there last year...not pretty.

Something we'd rather forget then

Didn't he start on the wing Vs France and one of our few good attacking outlets on the day was kicking for him to compete. He won everything in the air.

Never want to see him on the wing again though.

Oakboy, Watson has been struggling with injury and last night was one of the few occasions he's been fit and showing form so far for Tigers. Hopefully it continues up to the 6N and he might get a recall then.

He also ended up there in one of eddies back switcheroos in the AI's and looked utterly wasted out there and uncomfortable.

[Banquo]

A lengthy discussion seems to have kicked off from an fairly innocuous little comment I made above, simply that I thought Steward looked faster than I previously imagined. That's all. A subjective observation. No claims at all that he is a real flier, wing material, among the fastest players in the team, or anything else. Perhaps I should have used the term "not as slow" to preclude the predictable knee jerk reactions triggered by the word-association use of "Steward" and "faster" in the same sentence.

Narcissist

Yeah its all about Spiffy

[FKAS]

Something we'd rather forget then

Didn't he start on the wing Vs France and one of our few good attacking outlets on the day was kicking for him to compete. He won everything in the air.

Never want to see him on the wing again though.

Oakboy, Watson has been struggling with injury and last night was one of the few occasions he's been fit and showing form so far for Tigers. Hopefully it continues up to the 6N and he might get a recall then.

He also ended up there in one of eddies back switcheroos in the AI's and looked utterly wasted out there and uncomfortable.

I'd only consider Watson a winger internationally.

[Banquo]

Didn't he start on the wing Vs France and one of our few good attacking outlets on the day was kicking for him to compete. He won everything in the air.

Never want to see him on the wing again though.

Oakboy, Watson has been struggling with injury and last night was one of the few occasions he's been fit and showing form so far for Tigers. Hopefully it continues up to the 6N and he might get a recall then.

He also ended up there in one of eddies back switcheroos in the AI's and looked utterly wasted out there and uncomfortable.

I'd only consider Watson a winger internationally.

I was talking re Steward, but I agree on Watson. I thought he would make a very good full back, and maybe he didn't get enough chances to play there intly, but he didn't convince when he did play there. Like Daly, he's an excellent winger .

We also shouldn't forget Freeman and Arundell. I'd loved to have seen Freeman, Arundell, Steward in the same back three....good balance I'd say.
Mind, a bit wasted with what looks like would be inside them.

[16th man]

Somewhat chastening watching Italy look significantly more bright and inventive than us.

[Banquo]

Somewhat chastening watching Italy look significantly more bright and inventive than us.

Yep tho Oz are dire tbf

[Danno]

Somewhat chastening watching Italy look significantly more bright and inventive than us.

Yep tho Oz are dire tbf

Conceded 16 pens so far. Seems weirdly familiar ..

Enjoying it though.