RugbyRebels

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:34 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:32 pm

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:29 pm
I don’t see Ludlam v Curry even being close, tbh, whilst acknowledging Ludlam has been very, very good in this 6N. I think you’ve been spending too long in the players’ lounge at FG

i was suggesting him at 8 old fruit. I wasnt a LL fan til this season....massive improvement.

A flanker at 8?!?!? I miss Eddie.

Banquo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:36 pm

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:34 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:32 pm

i was suggesting him at 8 old fruit. I wasnt a LL fan til this season....massive improvement.

A flanker at 8?!?!? I miss Eddie.

he has played 8 for saints pretty well

Banquo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:44 pm austin wants lawes, earl curry

Beasties wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 7:15 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:44 pm austin wants lawes, earl curry

Why?

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:43 pm We’re both wrong. Lawes, Curry & Earl, obvs.

Beasties wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 7:15 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 4:44 pm austin wants lawes, earl curry

Why?

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 9:02 am Ahead of all other considerations should be the simple contention that J Willis is our best back rower and must start.

There are claims from others after that. I'd have Earl behind quite a few and I'm not sure about picking Lawes without significant club game time.

I'd pick Curry and Willis on the flanks and I'd stick with Dombrandt for the Wales game before making a permanent decision on him.

Ludlam has been good but he provides exactly the right bench presence. Selection involves tough decisions and he is not as good as Eillis or Curry.

Puja wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:16 am

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 9:02 am Ahead of all other considerations should be the simple contention that J Willis is our best back rower and must start.

There are claims from others after that. I'd have Earl behind quite a few and I'm not sure about picking Lawes without significant club game time.

I'd pick Curry and Willis on the flanks and I'd stick with Dombrandt for the Wales game before making a permanent decision on him.

Ludlam has been good but he provides exactly the right bench presence. Selection involves tough decisions and he is not as good as Eillis or Curry.

I think that, if we are keeping Dombrandt, then we should probably keep Ludlam and have TCurry on the bench. Ludlam has been one of our best players, has been in the training camp since the beginning and knows everything that we're doing, and dropping him for TCurry sends the wrong message - that it doesn't matter how well you play, the big name will boot you out after just one game back.

Interestingly, a google tells me that JWillis did not play for Toulouse this weekend. Did he have to be released and then return or did he stay with England?

Puja

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:22 am

Puja wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:16 am

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 9:02 am Ahead of all other considerations should be the simple contention that J Willis is our best back rower and must start.

There are claims from others after that. I'd have Earl behind quite a few and I'm not sure about picking Lawes without significant club game time.

I'd pick Curry and Willis on the flanks and I'd stick with Dombrandt for the Wales game before making a permanent decision on him.

Ludlam has been good but he provides exactly the right bench presence. Selection involves tough decisions and he is not as good as Eillis or Curry.

I think that, if we are keeping Dombrandt, then we should probably keep Ludlam and have TCurry on the bench. Ludlam has been one of our best players, has been in the training camp since the beginning and knows everything that we're doing, and dropping him for TCurry sends the wrong message - that it doesn't matter how well you play, the big name will boot you out after just one game back.

Interestingly, a google tells me that JWillis did not play for Toulouse this weekend. Did he have to be released and then return or did he stay with England?

Puja

I see your general point but T Curry a 'big name'? Isn't he just a damned good player? He could make a case for being consistently our best player over a long period.

Beasties wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:12 pm Surely the simple answer is also the most obvious? Same back row with TC on the bench. I remain completely uninterested with Earl as an Eng player, good as he is in the Sarries team. Ludlam deserves his spot through standard of performance. Happy to accommodate him right now.

Banquo wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:16 pm

Beasties wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:12 pm Surely the simple answer is also the most obvious? Same back row with TC on the bench. I remain completely uninterested with Earl as an Eng player, good as he is in the Sarries team. Ludlam deserves his spot through standard of performance. Happy to accommodate him right now.

Maybe- but if Stuffy Boredick thinks Tom Curry is a nailed on starter then we don't have many games to bed down yet another combo in a newish back 5 with a newish midfield. Its very tricky- esp when you throw Lawes into the mix.

Beasties wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:12 pm Surely the simple answer is also the most obvious? Same back row with TC on the bench. I remain completely uninterested with Earl as an Eng player, good as he is in the Sarries team. Ludlam deserves his spot through standard of performance. Happy to accommodate him right now.

Beasties wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:25 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:16 pm

Beasties wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:12 pm Surely the simple answer is also the most obvious? Same back row with TC on the bench. I remain completely uninterested with Earl as an Eng player, good as he is in the Sarries team. Ludlam deserves his spot through standard of performance. Happy to accommodate him right now.

Maybe- but if Stuffy Boredick thinks Tom Curry is a nailed on starter then we don't have many games to bed down yet another combo in a newish back 5 with a newish midfield. Its very tricky- esp when you throw Lawes into the mix.

Three games left. Plenty of time for TC to slot back in. All depends on the JW situation though.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 2:41 pm Ludlam has been good but he has played, this 6N, in a defeat against Scotland and a victory against Italy. Compared with Curry's peformances against all the top countries, his two are encouraging but not a claim to permanent possession of the shirt. I think it is simply more important to get Curry back in harness. His ceiling is higher.

Banquo wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 2:54 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 2:41 pm Ludlam has been good but he has played, this 6N, in a defeat against Scotland and a victory against Italy. Compared with Curry's peformances against all the top countries, his two are encouraging but not a claim to permanent possession of the shirt. I think it is simply more important to get Curry back in harness. His ceiling is higher.

Its not necessarily Ludlam v Curry though- and actually I think Ludlam hasn't yet reached his full potential- a year ago, I wouldn't have had him any where near the team, but his development has been huge since then; he's also excellent in the lineout, and I think he could also get fitter. I'd say he's a more dynamic carrier than Curry as well. Curry is the better rugby player at present though.

We have several back rows who all have very different strengths- how you best match them is what Beery Steerforth is paid for,

(I'd also say you have anointed Jack Willis on the back of one victory v Italy and no body of work against top countries- I think he's great, but you have to apply standards consistently )

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 3:50 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 2:54 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 2:41 pm Ludlam has been good but he has played, this 6N, in a defeat against Scotland and a victory against Italy. Compared with Curry's peformances against all the top countries, his two are encouraging but not a claim to permanent possession of the shirt. I think it is simply more important to get Curry back in harness. His ceiling is higher.

Its not necessarily Ludlam v Curry though- and actually I think Ludlam hasn't yet reached his full potential- a year ago, I wouldn't have had him any where near the team, but his development has been huge since then; he's also excellent in the lineout, and I think he could also get fitter. I'd say he's a more dynamic carrier than Curry as well. Curry is the better rugby player at present though.

We have several back rows who all have very different strengths- how you best match them is what Beery Steerforth is paid for,

(I'd also say you have anointed Jack Willis on the back of one victory v Italy and no body of work against top countries- I think he's great, but you have to apply standards consistently )

But, if Ludlam has potential left in the tank on the basis of this 6N, Willis based on the same must have hell of a lot more (if we are being consistent????). I think Curry has it in the bank to claim a shirt and it then becomes either/or with Willis/Ludlam.