RugbyRebels

Banquo wrote:

Timbo wrote:Jack Willis is an absolute pest at the breakdown.

Yep good comeback from a nasty injury.

Rob Miller is pretty decent for a 4th choice 10

Jonah Holmes has a better service than Ben Youngs

On that last point, I thought it showed how effective simple, quick, accurate passing to the FH can be. It's not rocket science.

It makes you despair that Harrison never had the ambition to try and be first choice somewhere.

Oakboy wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Timbo wrote:Jack Willis is an absolute pest at the breakdown.

Yep good comeback from a nasty injury.

Rob Miller is pretty decent for a 4th choice 10

Jonah Holmes has a better service than Ben Youngs

On that last point, I thought it showed how effective simple, quick, accurate passing to the FH can be. It's not rocket science.

Remarkable win by Tigers tbh. Felt a bit for Will Evans though.

Raggs wrote:It makes you despair that Harrison never had the ambition to try and be first choice somewhere.

True.

Although I don't think he would ever be England material.

Maro injured in training.

twitchy wrote:Maro injured in training.

we are nothing if not consistent

Not really eps anymore, but Henry Trinder has done his achilles. Poor bloke.

That'll teach him for running around so much.

Timbo wrote:Not really eps anymore, but Henry Trinder has done his achilles. Poor bloke.

Poor lad. Suspect retirement can't be far away.

Timbo wrote:Not really eps anymore, but Henry Trinder has done his achilles. Poor bloke.

Trinder has had wretched luck. 4-5 seasons ago he looked as though he could become a long-term England midfielder, with great feet and gas, and a bit of the X factor. Like Tait, a player of tremendous potential, buuggered by a sting of injuries.

With Ruan Ackermann re-signing, I guess that means he will be able to play for England year after the RWC.

6. Underhill
7. Willis
8. Vunipola

20. Ackermann
Looks good.

Underhill, Hill, Curry x 2, Willis, Chisholm, Clifford, Ludlam, Ackermann, Mercer, Earl - some of them might be more like 8s than Flankers, but there are some seriously good players in there, and a really good mix. I'm sure I've missed some too

Better talent than we've had at 6 & 7 than at any other time recently

Tigersman wrote:With Ruan Ackermann re-signing, I guess that means he will be able to play for England year after the RWC.

6. Underhill
7. Willis
8. Vunipola

20. Ackermann
Looks good.

Why would we even want him? We've got Curry, Curry, Hill, Mercer, Dombrandt, Clifford already who I'd take ahead of him, and there's the likes of Hinkley and Earl coming through. Unless he's due for a significant blossoming, I don't see why we'd need him.

Puja

I fear Clifford is going through what Morgan has, to my mind he has not been the same player since coming back from Injury and I wouldn't really have him in the squad right now. That said I agree to an extent about Ackermann, I would even have a fit Ludlow above him as a generic back row player more often than not.

It could be another option if a major player got injured however, Wilson burst onto the scene from relative obscurity pretty quickly and look how everyone is waxing lyrical. If in a years time he is outperforming any of the players you mention he should be in with a shout, anything can happen in a year.

A new coach might even like Kvesic

Tigersman wrote:With Ruan Ackermann re-signing, I guess that means he will be able to play for England year after the RWC.

6. Underhill
7. Willis
8. Vunipola

20. Ackermann
Looks good.

6. Willis
7. Curry
8. Vunipola
20. Underhill

For me. Though 6,7,20 all fairly interchangeable, and Willis can cover 8 if needed.

Dont forget Tom Ellis.

Yeah it hadn’t really occurred to me we’d even bother looking at Ackerman.

Interesting to see how far off the map Simmonds has fallen.

Mikey Brown wrote:Yeah it hadn’t really occurred to me we’d even bother looking at Ackerman.

Interesting to see how far off the map Simmonds has fallen.

... I didn't just entirely forget the existence of Sam Simmonds. You can prove nothing.

Good shout - another one to add to the "Why would we need to poach an average Saffer?" list.

Puja

Gloskarlos wrote:I fear Clifford is going through what Morgan has, to my mind he has not been the same player since coming back from Injury and I wouldn't really have him in the squad right now. That said I agree to an extent about Ackermann, I would even have a fit Ludlow above him as a generic back row player more often than not.

It could be another option if a major player got injured however, Wilson burst onto the scene from relative obscurity pretty quickly and look how everyone is waxing lyrical. If in a years time he is outperforming any of the players you mention he should be in with a shout, anything can happen in a year.

Clifford has been very good. He's gone from being flashy to doing all the dirty work and he's doing it super well. There's a reason we've been performing so well (in general), and a lot of it has to do with our backrow. I'd definitely have him in the conversation, although he has been overtaken by the Curries, Underhill and Willis.

Wilson (6,8)
TCurry (7)
BillyV (8)
BCurry (7)
Underhill (6, 7)
Willis (6, 7, 8)
Simmonds (7, 8)
Mercer (6, 8)
Clifford (6, 7, 8)
Dombrandt (6, 8)

That's a nice list, and many of them cover other positions, giving us flexibility, too.

Gloskarlos wrote:Wilson burst onto the scene from relative obscurity pretty quickly and look how everyone is waxing lyrical.

Did he though? Has he not just been a very good player playing for a not that great team for a number of years putting in consistently solid performances week in week out? I'm not remotely surprised he's done well, I am surprised Eddie picked him. For a while.

A few more to add to the list ...

Ted Hill will be there or thereabouts as a 6 and is already on the England radar. As is Ben Earl at 7/8.

Lewis Ludlam is looking good too. He’s really benefitting from the game time and the confidence of the coaching team at Saints.

Puja wrote:

Tigersman wrote:With Ruan Ackermann re-signing, I guess that means he will be able to play for England year after the RWC.

6. Underhill
7. Willis
8. Vunipola

20. Ackermann
Looks good.

Why would we even want him? We've got Curry, Curry, Hill, Mercer, Dombrandt, Clifford already who I'd take ahead of him, and there's the likes of Hinkley and Earl coming through. Unless he's due for a significant blossoming, I don't see why we'd need him.

Puja

Currently Ackermann is a better number 8 option than all those IMO. Although I hope Mercer can make the jump to internationals.
We have a lot of 6's and 7's not many "8" cover.

Personally I think he is a good player and if he qualifies he qualifies, and personally would take him over Mercer, Dombrandt, Clifford currently.

I really don't see what Ackermann does better than Mercer at the moment.

Tigersman wrote:

Puja wrote:

Tigersman wrote:With Ruan Ackermann re-signing, I guess that means he will be able to play for England year after the RWC.

6. Underhill
7. Willis
8. Vunipola

20. Ackermann
Looks good.

Why would we even want him? We've got Curry, Curry, Hill, Mercer, Dombrandt, Clifford already who I'd take ahead of him, and there's the likes of Hinkley and Earl coming through. Unless he's due for a significant blossoming, I don't see why we'd need him.

Puja

Currently Ackermann is a better number 8 option than all those IMO. Although I hope Mercer can make the jump to internationals.

We have a lot of 6's and 7's not many "8" cover.

Is he? On what basis? Definitely not his Premiership form, as he's not playing 8, where Ben Morgan has the shirt, a man deemed surplus to England requirements. So how being 2nd choice behind someone not good enough for England makes him good enough for England is beyond me...