Re: EPS Watch / Player Form Thread
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2023 9:48 am
Fair summary that.Mellsblue wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 9:36 am Warburton has obviously been reading this thread and has offered his opinion in The Times today. It was either a bit muddled or I wasn’t fully awake when I read it but the highlights are:
- Curry is the best 7 and should be straight back in the jersey
- Willis and Lawes to fight for the 6 jersey with a horses for courses approach, eg Lawes in vs France for lineout purposes and Willis vs Wales for breakdown ‘bite’.
- He prefers Lawes at lock but worries he is now too light.
- Honourable mention for Ludlam who he thinks has been ‘the emotional heartbeat of England’s defence’ but Curry can replicate that and more
- Complimentary about Dombo.
- Doesn’t mention Earl.
The quote from Genge is risible:
9 "opportunities" to lose the ball, compared to a 2 in 19 chance of retaining it with Smith or Farrell kicking in the 22. I think I'd rather take my chances with the jackallers, tbh.“No, I love it. It’s pressure-plus rugby. Italy jackal at 50 per cent of breakdowns, so when you’re playing 18 phases, you’re giving them nine chances to jackal – so there’s nine opportunities you can lose the ball. It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other. You can do either [run the ball or kick], but let’s try to be good at one of them.”
Bang on. This is especially true when we've got one of the best crops of flankers in my time of watching rugby - if we don't believe we can hold onto our own ball now, then what the point even is there in playing rugby?Crash Hamster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:32 am Genge is talking tripe.
If the opposition have a goal line drop out, England have to run the ball back from half way, giving the same number of jackaling opportunities, but nearer the England try line.
Also, it's about time that England adopted a 'we are England and we'll score one more than you' approach, especially against a side who have never beaten us.
We're wasting a generation of very talented backs based on trying to play 'old style England' 10 man rugby. It's tedious and no-one in position to change it seems to have the slightest inclination to.
Layering on new bits is standard fare for any new coach, and attack is always the last layer, but not trusting your team to convert overlaps in the oppo 22…Puja wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:37 amBang on. This is especially true when we've got one of the best crops of flankers in my time of watching rugby - if we don't believe we can hold onto our own ball now, then what the point even is there in playing rugby?Crash Hamster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:32 am Genge is talking tripe.
If the opposition have a goal line drop out, England have to run the ball back from half way, giving the same number of jackaling opportunities, but nearer the England try line.
Also, it's about time that England adopted a 'we are England and we'll score one more than you' approach, especially against a side who have never beaten us.
We're wasting a generation of very talented backs based on trying to play 'old style England' 10 man rugby. It's tedious and no-one in position to change it seems to have the slightest inclination to.
I'm hopeful that this is temporary and Borthwick's doing what he did with Leicester - heavily restricting what we do and adding in an extra thing every game when we've got it right. You saw it with practically no mauls in the Scotland game and then adding them in for Italy. I'm hoping the Wales game will come with the extra content of "holding onto the fucking ball."
Puja
I mean, it is Farrell, so it's probably sound tactics...Mellsblue wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:43 amLayering on new bits is standard fare for any new coach, and attack is always the last layer, but not trusting your team to convert overlaps in the oppo 22…Puja wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:37 amBang on. This is especially true when we've got one of the best crops of flankers in my time of watching rugby - if we don't believe we can hold onto our own ball now, then what the point even is there in playing rugby?Crash Hamster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:32 am Genge is talking tripe.
If the opposition have a goal line drop out, England have to run the ball back from half way, giving the same number of jackaling opportunities, but nearer the England try line.
Also, it's about time that England adopted a 'we are England and we'll score one more than you' approach, especially against a side who have never beaten us.
We're wasting a generation of very talented backs based on trying to play 'old style England' 10 man rugby. It's tedious and no-one in position to change it seems to have the slightest inclination to.
I'm hopeful that this is temporary and Borthwick's doing what he did with Leicester - heavily restricting what we do and adding in an extra thing every game when we've got it right. You saw it with practically no mauls in the Scotland game and then adding them in for Italy. I'm hoping the Wales game will come with the extra content of "holding onto the fucking ball."
Puja
Ha! Fair.Puja wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:46 amI mean, it is Farrell, so it's probably sound tactics...Mellsblue wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:43 amLayering on new bits is standard fare for any new coach, and attack is always the last layer, but not trusting your team to convert overlaps in the oppo 22…Puja wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:37 am
Bang on. This is especially true when we've got one of the best crops of flankers in my time of watching rugby - if we don't believe we can hold onto our own ball now, then what the point even is there in playing rugby?
I'm hopeful that this is temporary and Borthwick's doing what he did with Leicester - heavily restricting what we do and adding in an extra thing every game when we've got it right. You saw it with practically no mauls in the Scotland game and then adding them in for Italy. I'm hoping the Wales game will come with the extra content of "holding onto the fucking ball."
Puja
Puja
Raises the question of if we can't convert possession to points because we're kicking or we're kicking because we can't convert possession into points.Puja wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:46 amI mean, it is Farrell, so it's probably sound tactics...Mellsblue wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:43 amLayering on new bits is standard fare for any new coach, and attack is always the last layer, but not trusting your team to convert overlaps in the oppo 22…Puja wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:37 am
Bang on. This is especially true when we've got one of the best crops of flankers in my time of watching rugby - if we don't believe we can hold onto our own ball now, then what the point even is there in playing rugby?
I'm hopeful that this is temporary and Borthwick's doing what he did with Leicester - heavily restricting what we do and adding in an extra thing every game when we've got it right. You saw it with practically no mauls in the Scotland game and then adding them in for Italy. I'm hoping the Wales game will come with the extra content of "holding onto the fucking ball."
Puja
Puja
Not really. Ireland ran a set play off of a French goal line drop out to score a try at the weekend. It's actually a really good chance to realign the attack and set your big carriers up to carry. the opposition have to both chase the kick and cover the backfield as they are further from the line now so there's not as many players in the defensive line.Crash Hamster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:32 am Genge is talking tripe.
If the opposition have a goal line drop out, England have to run the ball back from half way, giving the same number of jackaling opportunities, but nearer the England try line.
I’m sure nobody has a problem with that but that’s not what is happening. We are repeatedly kicking away good ball.
We used to speculate that constant kicking would change when Farrell stopped playing/Eddie departed. Trouble is Farrell looks a fixture until he's pension-eligible while the new coach appears to favour the same kicking policy.
Well when applied properly (which clearly we haven't always been doing) the grubber is either a chance to score or forces a hurried clearance maybe the chance to take man and ball over the try line and get a 5m scrum. Even a set clearance or goal line drop out gives a good chance to realign the attack and get your best carriers in position.
Does anyone make carries off 10? As Farrell is a roadblock...FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 11:20 am Yeah I haven't been disappointed by Dombrandt's work rate. The amount of minutes he can keep it up for and his inability to combine with the other players to make one of the big breaks he does for Quins are the areas he needs to improve.
I think he's done enough to earn the shirt until the end of the competition.
I'm not saying captain roadblock isn't an issue but he's overrun passes from other players and managed to combine only once with Smith Vs Scotland.Stom wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:14 pmDoes anyone make carries off 10? As Farrell is a roadblock...FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 11:20 am Yeah I haven't been disappointed by Dombrandt's work rate. The amount of minutes he can keep it up for and his inability to combine with the other players to make one of the big breaks he does for Quins are the areas he needs to improve.
I think he's done enough to earn the shirt until the end of the competition.
Dombrandt's problem isn't his ability to combine with others, it's Captain 33%