EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[FKAS]

Also gives him a few games to demonstrate form so he can make his 6N comeback.

[Banquo]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

[FKAS]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

Lozowski looked very good. Nice mix of play and as you say very physical in defence.

[Mush]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

Lozowski looked very good. Nice mix of play and as you say very physical in defence.

Agree with all that but my man-of-the-match was without doubt the referee. He held tight control over a host of ego's but without trying to inflate his own.

[fivepointer]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

Lozowski looked very good. Nice mix of play and as you say very physical in defence.

Agree with all that but my man-of-the-match was without doubt the referee. He held tight control over a host of ego's but without trying to inflate his own.

Well said. I really liked the way he handled the game and wasnt going to take any nonsense from anyone.

[p/d]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

Agree with all that.

Billy looked to carry hard far more readily for Sarries. Earl looked off the pace until he took a kick to the noggin, whilst Mako showed quality hands throughout. As for Daly, well I thought he was in fine fettle and looked to be running the backs.

But with you FKAS, the ref was excellent. At one point I thought we were watching the same ref who took charge of the Netherlands v Argentina footie match

[Banquo]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

Agree with all that.

Billy looked to carry hard far more readily for Sarries. Earl looked off the pace until he took a kick to the noggin, whilst Mako showed quality hands throughout. As for Daly, well I thought he was in fine fettle and looked to be running the backs.

But with you FKAS, the ref was excellent. At one point I thought we were watching the same ref who took charge of the Netherlands v Argentina footie match

The young Georgian did well.

One of Daly's high points when he played 15 for England was calling plays from the backfield; sadly, the positional sense and timing under the high ball he shows for Sarries (now) was not there when he played for England there. I'd still have him in the wing, not least for his huge goal kicking. Earl was schooled at the breakdown- though in fairness, Sarries didn't seem to be asking him to compete there, and as a consequence Sarries got hammered there- and woeful defence for Edinburgh's comeback try. Mako was good in the loose and tight- Edinburgh must have been quite shocked how well he did come the scrum- canny old effort there.

Faz was carrying his ankle knock I reckon, and missed 7 simple points (though he did step up later in fairness), and some of his kicking redefined aimless. He looked out of sorts- he's usually efficient in a sarries shirt, but that intercept he coughed up was so telegraphed.

[Timbo]

Earl and Mcfarland can run riot in most prem games, but not sure there’s quite enough effective graft between them once they start playing better teams. Feel like they could do with a Mark Wilson type to hammer rucks for 80 minutes, would aid in their more expansive game.

[Banquo]

Earl and Mcfarland can run riot in most prem games, but not sure there’s quite enough effective graft between them once they start playing better teams. Feel like they could do with a Mark Wilson type to hammer rucks for 80 minutes, would aid in their more expansive game.

McFarland wasn't great yesterday- the ref was quite hot on things you may get away with in the prem, and as you say, both really didn't do enough work either side of the ball come ruck time. Sarries seemed to be deliberately not resourcing rucks, which against Edinburgh's back row wasn't cunning- and too often it was one of the front five arriving a bit too late leading to turnovers/pens. McFarland may lack the top level experience to react (tho he has played for Samoa and is a helluva player), but Earl should have done. Billy was working pretty hard- i still don't think he's done. Agreed on the grafter- in fact a bit better balanced when the (fading now) Wray came on.

Its just a step up in European games, as even Racing found out

[Timbo]

Not the first ‘big’ game McFarland has been quiet in, tbh. Still the odd incredible bit of athleticism, but he’s a *little* bit of a luxury in these sort of matches at the moment. With his talent and Sarries’ coaching wouldn’t surprise me to see him dominating soon enough though.

[Banquo]

Not the first ‘big’ game McFarland has been quiet in, tbh. Still the odd incredible bit of athleticism, but he’s a *little* bit of a luxury in these sort of matches at the moment. With his talent and Sarries’ coaching wouldn’t surprise me to see him dominating soon enough though.

might just be experience.

I was waiting for the first luxury giraffe allusion

[Mellsblue]

Not the first ‘big’ game McFarland has been quiet in, tbh. Still the odd incredible bit of athleticism, but he’s a *little* bit of a luxury in these sort of matches at the moment. With his talent and Sarries’ coaching wouldn’t surprise me to see him dominating soon enough though.

might just be experience.

I was waiting for the first luxury giraffe allusion

That’ll only happen when he makes a BIL squad!

[switchskier]

Wasn’t overly impressed with Faz or Earl today. Billy and Mako had good energy, George is looking his age. Daly went pretty well, Maro was very itoje like, Loz was physical.

Lozowski looked very good. Nice mix of play and as you say very physical in defence.

Agree with all that but my man-of-the-match was without doubt the referee. He held tight control over a host of ego's but without trying to inflate his own.

Of course from an Edinburgh pov he was a bit of a homer. Nice manner but he ticked off sarries early for talking back then let them carry on regardless. At the time I felt that he got two big calls wrong in the second half which secured the game for sarries - the blatant side entry and the ruck where he yelled no hands and then let vunipolas pick it up.

From an England POV thought Daly looked great but not much else to write home about. Farrell's interception was pretty poor really.

[Timbo]

Was a strange game overall really. Long periods where it felt like Sarries were cranking through the gears and would overwhelm Edinburgh, but then they’d make a sloppy mistake or Edinburgh would come up with a big defensive play at the breakdown. Edinburgh didn’t have loads of good opportunities in attack but were largely more accurate and sharper with the ball. The variety in their kicking was effective and kept Sarries guessing.

In the end Sarries probably had a bit more power across the 23 and that made the difference.

Also, why can’t Van der Merwe catch?

[Mikey Brown]

That was the worst I’ve seen Van Der Merwe play in a long time. He really seemed to disappear from the game once he’d made a few errors. Saracens pretty lucky with a few decisions and some very poor execution of chances from Edinburgh.

[Banquo]

Was a strange game overall really. Long periods where it felt like Sarries were cranking through the gears and would overwhelm Edinburgh, but then they’d make a sloppy mistake or Edinburgh would come up with a big defensive play at the breakdown. Edinburgh didn’t have loads of good opportunities in attack but were largely more accurate and sharper with the ball. The variety in their kicking was effective and kept Sarries guessing.

In the end Sarries probably had a bit more power across the 23 and that made the difference.

Also, why can’t Van der Merwe catch?

Sarrie got reamed at the breakdown, which is what kept Edinburgh in the game imo. Plus Sarries back play was very clunky, bar Daly and a bit of Lozowski.

[twitchy]

[FKAS]

So if you were to pick a form 23 based on the last two weeks only for Steve to play tomorrow who would be in the team?

[Danno]

Steve's playing? That's some hands on coaching.

[FKAS]

Steve's playing? That's some hands on coaching.

Given our need for an improved lineout...

[Tom Moore]

Steve's playing? That's some hands on coaching.

Rather him than Charlie Ewels.

[FKAS]

So picking based on form since Steve took the job;

1. Ruskin
2. Blamire
3. Cole
4. Tizard
5. Chessum
6. T Hill
7. Pearson
8. Dombrandt
9. JVP
10. F Smith
11. Hassell-Collins
12. Kelly
13. Slade
14. Watson
15. Steward

Any advances?

[TheNomad]

Lawrence has tailed off a bit recently, but would be in the discussion. Might have a few debates at lock too, but otherwise that looks about right

Interesting how different to a supposed first XV it would be

[FKAS]

To be fair none of Smith/Ford, Genge, Sinckler, T Curry or Itoje have played in the last couple of weeks. Were you to filter those in then it would look far more as expected.

Good shout on Lawrence. I didn't see the Chiefs Vs Bath game anyone know how that head to head went? I heard Slade played well.

[Scrumhead]

So picking based on form since Steve took the job;

1. Ruskin
2. Blamire
3. Cole
4. Tizard
5. Chessum
6. T Hill
7. Pearson
8. Dombrandt
9. JVP
10. F Smith
11. Hassell-Collins
12. Kelly
13. Slade
14. Watson
15. Steward

Any advances?

No arguments on this from me.

If Marcus Smith and Ford are both unavailable, it would be an excellent opportunity to blood Fin Smith in the 6N.

I’m not a fan of Dan Biggar’s but there’s no denying he left some big shoes to fill at Saints. Smith has made replacing him look quite easy so far which is no mean feat IMO.