So....

[Banquo]

Not a lot of size and lineout options in those guys. It would be a small backrow compared to most other international backrows.

If we put TWillis at 8, then it solves a lot of our problems, as we'd have a hard carrier there and a 6ft3 lineout option. In fact, none of them are particularly short - Pearson's 6ft3 and jumps, Pepper's 6ft3, Pollock's 6ft2, TCurry and Underhill have both jumped for England at 6ft1.

Yeah I keep seeing Pearson touted as a 6 but does he even play there? I know he was for England A the other week. Maybe Pollock's arrival at 7 for Saints will force that? Is he much of a lineout option? He seems to have rediscovered his destructive carrying at least.

I think Pearson could do 6, although I was thinking about most of that list with the idea that TCurry is more than capable of playing 6 with one of the others on the openside and TWillis providing grunt from 8.

Interesting how easily Pollock's slipped in at 8 for Saints though (which I'd say is a position closer to a 6 than it is to a 7) - even before Graham's injury, that was where he was coming on to play when he came off the bench. Maybe this new Samoan arrival will change that, but Pollock has looked decent at the base and doing the hard carrying. If Pearson has a significant preference, then it may be Pollock that moves for him?

Puja

A TWillis at 8 would definitely add some more physicality. That would make a more viable backrow.

Would be nice to have an all action backrow where all of them are threats both sides of the ball. Pollock on the flank could be a real benefit there, just need to manage him carefully.

yus.
Incredibly frustrating that we create another problem when we solve one at this point....function of shoehorning I reckon.