RugbyRebels

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:Mako V out with a "significant" torn hamstring: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/48300016

While I'm not keen on the run of injuries Mako's got going, it might not be a terrible thing for England. Three extra weeks away from the game for all the rest of his body to recover and hopefully fit and completely niggle-free for the start of the RWC warm-ups.

Puja

consequence of playing so much over a long period of time, hopefully as you say, rest will benefit him, as it did Itoje.

twitchy wrote:

twitchy wrote:

Scrumhead wrote:Tompkins is putting himself in the frame to be a genuine bolter.

I’d much rather see him go than Te’o

Which Tyler wrote:

Scrumhead wrote:Tompkins is putting himself in the frame to be a genuine bolter.

I’d much rather see him go than Te’o

In that, he can join a list of Manu, Atkinson, Williams and Redpath - hell, I'd probably include 36 (and I'm sure a few others if I could be arse to think about it for a couple of minutes) on that list too!

Timbo wrote:Can’t see Tompkins getting in this late, having never even made a training squad. Devoto is pushing seriously hard though in my mind. Would be happy to see Devoto, Tuilagi, JJ and Slade.

Joe Marler, meanwhile, has revealed he would answer an emergency England call for the World Cup but would do so reluctantly, claiming it would be “disrespectful” to his loosehead rivals. Marler has enjoyed a fine season for Harlequins since bringing an end to his international career in September and Mako Vunipola’s hamstring injury – which will keep him out for the next three months – has underlined the lack of depth Eddie Jones has in that position.

Marler is still in regular contact with Jones and before turning out for the Barbarians against a youthful England XV on Sunday, he said: “If it was an SOS scenario it would definitely be something I’d consider but they’re not in an SOS scenario. If they were desperate I would give them a hand, but they’re not. I would have the conversation with my wife and think about it and say, ‘Yeah, all right, I’ll come and help you out.’

“But it’s a tough one. I wouldn’t be able to just walk up and just immerse myself in it all again. Boys have been grafting for years. Not only has Mako been brilliant, but the boys who came in stepped up and proved their worth there. For the whole 12-18 months they have been doing that, if someone turned around and went, ‘All right, I’ll come along even though I have done no work, done nothing’, that is disrespectful.”

Puja wrote:

Joe Marler, meanwhile, has revealed he would answer an emergency England call for the World Cup but would do so reluctantly, claiming it would be “disrespectful” to his loosehead rivals. Marler has enjoyed a fine season for Harlequins since bringing an end to his international career in September and Mako Vunipola’s hamstring injury – which will keep him out for the next three months – has underlined the lack of depth Eddie Jones has in that position.

Marler is still in regular contact with Jones and before turning out for the Barbarians against a youthful England XV on Sunday, he said: “If it was an SOS scenario it would definitely be something I’d consider but they’re not in an SOS scenario. If they were desperate I would give them a hand, but they’re not. I would have the conversation with my wife and think about it and say, ‘Yeah, all right, I’ll come and help you out.’

“But it’s a tough one. I wouldn’t be able to just walk up and just immerse myself in it all again. Boys have been grafting for years. Not only has Mako been brilliant, but the boys who came in stepped up and proved their worth there. For the whole 12-18 months they have been doing that, if someone turned around and went, ‘All right, I’ll come along even though I have done no work, done nothing’, that is disrespectful.”

I think that's a fair response.

Puja