EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Scrumhead]

Exactly - any club in the bottom half of the table come 6N could conceivably make the same argument. It’s ridiculous.

[twitchy]

Lots of good news:

-McCall says sarries lads will play in the 6N.

-Marler says he is available for the 6N.

[Mellsblue]

No idea where to put this but it needs to go somewhere:

[Stom]

No idea where to put this but it needs to go somewhere:

I fucking love Joe Marler.

[Mellsblue]

No idea where to put this but it needs to go somewhere:

I fucking love Joe Marler.

That was also my first reaction.

[Danno]

Mine too.

It also, inexplicably, made the front page of Imgur for a bit.

[twitchy]

Not good news from bath on the injury front.

[Which Tyler]

Not good news from bath on the injury front.

Yes better place for it that this week's match thread

[Digby]

If Joe has returned with such a condition one wonders again why we kept so many injured wingers around and didn't want another prop or 9, heh ho. Not great news, especially bad for Thomas, but it's Mercer and Cokanasiga who'll interest England much more

[Banquo]

Not good news from bath on the injury front.

I was amazed that Mercer carried on frankly.

Joe's (selection and) retention at RWC remains a tad mysterious.

[Banquo]

If Joe has returned with such a condition one wonders again why we kept so many injured wingers around and didn't want another prop or 9, heh ho. Not great news, especially bad for Thomas, but it's Mercer and Cokanasiga who'll interest England much more

beat me to it!

[Digby]

If Joe has returned with such a condition one wonders again why we kept so many injured wingers around and didn't want another prop or 9, heh ho. Not great news, especially bad for Thomas, but it's Mercer and Cokanasiga who'll interest England much more

beat me to it!

It does at least remove my highly speculative contention made only in hindsight we could have picked Joe at 12 to try and change the shape of the game. Still, it's not often I've watched England and thought you know what, Jamie Noon might have looked good there!

[Banquo]

If Joe has returned with such a condition one wonders again why we kept so many injured wingers around and didn't want another prop or 9, heh ho. Not great news, especially bad for Thomas, but it's Mercer and Cokanasiga who'll interest England much more

beat me to it!

It does at least remove my highly speculative contention made only in hindsight we could have picked Joe at 12 to try and change the shape of the game. Still, it's not often I've watched England and thought you know what, Jamie Noon might have looked good there!

just pulling Manu in one might have helped, albeit having a double carry/running threat would also have been handy, and in fact achieved by bringing the likes of Joe off the blindside wing....not that challenging to organise.

[Digby]

beat me to it!

It does at least remove my highly speculative contention made only in hindsight we could have picked Joe at 12 to try and change the shape of the game. Still, it's not often I've watched England and thought you know what, Jamie Noon might have looked good there!

just pulling Manu in one might have helped, albeit having a double carry/running threat would also have been handy, and in fact achieved by bringing the likes of Joe off the blindside wing....not that challenging to organise.

I wanted both Joe and Manu partly to given both their flankers more reason to try and detach from the scrum, so working off a wing would've worked for me. I'm not sure I can recall anyone defending quite like SA did and leaving a big hole down the middle. Though I've not watched the final back and could well be very wrong in my recollections, even more wrong than normal

[Banquo]

It does at least remove my highly speculative contention made only in hindsight we could have picked Joe at 12 to try and change the shape of the game. Still, it's not often I've watched England and thought you know what, Jamie Noon might have looked good there!

just pulling Manu in one might have helped, albeit having a double carry/running threat would also have been handy, and in fact achieved by bringing the likes of Joe off the blindside wing....not that challenging to organise.

I wanted both Joe and Manu partly to given both their flankers more reason to try and detach from the scrum, so working off a wing would've worked for me. I'm not sure I can recall anyone defending quite like SA did and leaving a big hole down the middle. Though I've not watched the final back and could well be very wrong in my recollections, even more wrong than normal

SA weren't given enough credit for their game planning in some quarters.

[Digby]

just pulling Manu in one might have helped, albeit having a double carry/running threat would also have been handy, and in fact achieved by bringing the likes of Joe off the blindside wing....not that challenging to organise.

I wanted both Joe and Manu partly to given both their flankers more reason to try and detach from the scrum, so working off a wing would've worked for me. I'm not sure I can recall anyone defending quite like SA did and leaving a big hole down the middle. Though I've not watched the final back and could well be very wrong in my recollections, even more wrong than normal

SA weren't given enough credit for their game planning in some quarters.

'tis a fair point. Nobody had done that to us before. I'm a little torn on our efforts in this area as it has from time to time been noted Farrell is no centre and in particular offers something but not much as a running option, against which dropping players after the NZ game would have been harsh in the extreme. No way I can imagine we planned to deal with SA giving up space in the middle and making sure they had cover up against our pace options cutting off passing and kicking options

Again my memory of this could well prove false

[Timbo]

Not good news from bath on the injury front.

Yes better place for it that this week's match thread

Any inkling of what knee injury he might have?

Such a weird statement. Seems strangely ominous, but I can’t believe that was how it was intended. If you didn’t know any better you might think his career was under threat. I have had my fair share of knee injuries and have pretty decent layman’s knowledge of them, but it would have to be a a very rare kind of injury to be as grave as they make it sound.

[Which Tyler]

Any inkling of what knee injury he might have?

Such a weird statement. Seems strangely ominous, but I can’t believe that was how it was intended. If you didn’t know any better you might think his career was under threat. I have had my fair share of knee injuries and have pretty decent layman’s knowledge of them, but it would have to be a a very rare kind of injury to be as grave as they make it sound.

JC? We don't even know if it was picked up playing, training, or messing about on the beach.

The statement could be read to mean he's expected back in a month or two, next season, or possibly never - it's just really weird

[Scrumhead]

Yeah - it reads like they’re fighting to save his career.

[Timbo]

A bit more info in the press about Comanasiga; he’s rehabbing the knee up until Christmas to see if the problem dissipates, if no dice he will probably go under the knife. Recall Launchbury in a similar situation with his knee this time last year.

[Which Tyler]

In terms of Henry Thomas - if only someone could have predicted this... http://www.rugbyrebels.co/board/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30

[Mellsblue]

[twitchy]

Just a heads up on the exe tight head marcus street. You may have seen him for the u20's. In trhe last year he has properly filled out and shaped up. He now regularly gets the last 15-20 mins of games.

I was unsure about him initially but from what I can tell he looks like a real prospect (although way, way off a senior call up).

[Puja]

Just a heads up on the exe tight head marcus street. You may have seen him for the u20's. In trhe last year he has properly filled out and shaped up. He now regularly gets the last 15-20 mins of games.

I was unsure about him initially but from what I can tell he looks like a real prospect (although way, way off a senior call up).

He does look like a super player. I am very happy with him being third choice at Exeter for the next couple of seasons though - having to force his way past Francis and Williams is a character building challenge that'll force him to get better (but one that is very far from insuperable) and I have absolutely zero problems with a 20 year old tighthead having limited minutes while learning his trade from two and a half internationals around the club (and, while I might malign him, Holmes is experienced and probably knows a bit he can pass on).

Puja

[fivepointer]

He's a a tremendous prospect. At 20 he needs game time but also careful management. I'm sure he'll get both at Exeter.

Exe have another very good young TH in Alfie Petch who turns 20 next month. One to look out for.