RugbyRebels

To be fair Tom West is only 27. He could come good and be a strong option for a few years. He finished last season really well at Tigers but his form for Sarries has been a bit meh.

Beno Obano is the logical call up to start if we've got injuries. Ross Harrison at Sale has been playing very well also, he has hyped a lot in his younger days and it never really happened for him but at the minute he's playing very well and is capable of putting in some long stints.

If we're looking for apprentices then there's several good options with Brantingham, Baxter and Haffar all looking promising so far this season.

Surely we cannot be calling up Mako?

Well past his best and every week he seems to get done in the scrum.

Mako's finished.

Harrison has looked really good of late.

Its such a shame Val R-R is injured.

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:35 am Surely we cannot be calling up Mako?

Well past his best and every week he seems to get done in the scrum.

I was in the process of writing a defence based on him being an experienced and safe pair of hands that we know can at least hold the minimum international standards, but I got halfway through and realised that he just isn't a safe pair of hands anymore. I'd rather take a chance on Obano and risk him not being good enough, because I don't see his worst possible not-good-enough being worse than the known not-good-enough of Mako.

Puja

fivepointer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:22 pm
Its such a shame Val R-R is injured.

But not really a surprise.

Is Roots actually good?

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

He's looked decent enough when I've seen him play. Not outstanding, but I wouldn' be appalled by his call-up.

Has anyone confirmed how Feyi-Waboso is actually English qualified yet? Wouldn't enjoy having another Schickerling moment.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:08 pm

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

Has anyone confirmed how Feyi-Waboso is actually English qualified yet? Wouldn't enjoy having another Schickerling moment.

Puja

Not that I know of but I’ve been assured that he most definitely qualifies to play for Spain.

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:08 pm

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

He's looked decent enough when I've seen him play. Not outstanding, but I wouldn' be appalled by his call-up.

Has anyone confirmed how Feyi-Waboso is actually English qualified yet? Wouldn't enjoy having another Schickerling moment.

Puja

I can only assume he’s English enough. Wouldn’t feel quite right if he played for us, and I would feel bad for the Welsh, but not that bad.

If he’s prepared to play for us, I’d choose him. Looks a talent

Harrison seems to be in the form of his life right now. I’d rather see him in the squad than waste yet more caps on Mako. Was Brantingham all that against Sarries btw? He got a lot of praise on here. I’ve watched the match this week (but was struggling to stay awake tbh as I was tired). I didn’t see him dominate the scrums like legend has it. Scrums seemed to mainly drop constantly with the penalty tombola in full force. I’m obv gonna have to watch it again on FF to check.
Edit, it was the TNT 1hr rerun I watched, so didn’t see every single scrum, but scrums were even in the ones I did see. Cristian Judge is hardly a world-beating TH anyway.

I haven't seen very much of Sale this season, so my mental image of Harrison is still the perfectly fine Premiership prop who's played a dozen England A games by sheer dint of there being no-one else available. I can't say that I've ever seriously considered him as a starting international - has he really been that good this season?

Sounds like Genge is expected back in the next couple of weeks and is probably Sting Boldly's choice of captain, so this is likely largely a moot discussion.

Puja

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 6:32 pm https://x.com/charliefelix/status/17429 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

If you link to twitter it will embed and saves a click.

twitchy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05, 2024 6:35 am

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 6:32 pm https://x.com/charliefelix/status/17429 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

If you link to twitter it will embed and saves a click.

I think that's only if you have a twitter account the last couple of months.

It's become a PITA, and personally, I do t bother clicking twitter links anymore unless there's at least something telling me that it's worth it

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 6:32 pm

Twitter.com works. X.com does not. Elon smart.

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 10:59 pm I haven't seen very much of Sale this season, so my mental image of Harrison is still the perfectly fine Premiership prop who's played a dozen England A games by sheer dint of there being no-one else available. I can't say that I've ever seriously considered him as a starting international - has he really been that good this season?

Sounds like Genge is expected back in the next couple of weeks and is probably Sting Boldly's choice of captain, so this is likely largely a moot discussion.

Puja

That’s been my impression of Harrison all this time too. But I have to say he’s really been impressive recently. If VRR was fit I wouldn’t even be considering Harrison, but happy to acknowledge his current form.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:16 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:08 pm

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

Has anyone confirmed how Feyi-Waboso is actually English qualified yet? Wouldn't enjoy having another Schickerling moment.

Puja

Not that I know of but I’ve been assured that he most definitely qualifies to play for Spain.

He did say last year ‘I would love to be a Welsh international player’………… kids eh! Say the strangest things.

p/d wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05, 2024 8:06 am

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:16 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:08 pm

Has anyone confirmed how Feyi-Waboso is actually English qualified yet? Wouldn't enjoy having another Schickerling moment.

Puja

Not that I know of but I’ve been assured that he most definitely qualifies to play for Spain.

He did say last year ‘I would love to be a Welsh international player’………… kids eh! Say the strangest things.

England/Borthwick or Wales/Gatland for a winger with ambition? Not much of a choice, perhaps!

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

Not really. He's a lump, he's borderline a liability. Fits Exeter's play. but he's a mile away from international.

PlanetRugby suggesting that BillyV is not due to get a hybrid contract, for which I think we're all breathing something of a sigh of relief: https://www.planetrugby.com/news/experi ... nue-report

Puja

Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:59 am

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

Not really. He's a lump, he's borderline a liability. Fits Exeter's play. but he's a mile away from international.

yeah, he's Dave Ewers without a brain.

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05, 2024 2:37 pm

Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:59 am

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:05 pm Is Roots actually good?

Not really. He's a lump, he's borderline a liability. Fits Exeter's play. but he's a mile away from international.

yeah, he's Dave Ewers without a brain.

Good description. He seems to be a constant penalty conceder. I'm not sure he'll be first choice for Exeter when everyone is fit but it's hard to say these days with rotation.

He was named club captain wasn’t he? Though he doesn’t seem to captain the XV ahead of Jenkins the youngster, oddly.

Yeandle is the Chiefs club captain. Jenkins does come across as a bit of a natural leader.

Feels like it's going to be a hell of a Lions squad in a couple of years.

Puja