Wiggo

[paddy no 11]

Attack coach apparently!

EMB opinion is what?

[Puja]

EMB hates him with fire as of a general rule, but I think we're way too harsh on the guy. We're biased against him from his playing days because any time he was named on an England teamsheet ahead of Youngs/Care, it was a sign that the coaches had decided to kick the leather off the ball, and that bias was reconfirmed when he came in for the short run-up to the 2023 RWC and England went for a very limited, kick-only gameplan. So the caricature of him from there was that he must be a terrible attack coach of no skill whatsoever.

Since that initial period though, England's attack has blossomed, leading to us having an average of 3 tries per game (well, 2.89) across our games against top-tier opposition (Ireland x2, France x2, NZ x3, Aus, SA) and also putting 17 tries past Italy and Wales in the last two games, but the EMB enjoy our prejudices and seem confident that this is happening despite Wigglesworth's presence (although any bad games like the reversion to refusing to play against Scotland are clearly signs of his malign influence).

All things told, I think the Lions could do a lot worse and I am glad that Farrell is getting at least one non-Irish voice in the coaching box. Plus, from a selfish perspective, it'll be good for England as he's very callow as a coach (part-time coaching Canada's defence, part-time player/Attack coach at Ealing and Leicester, 16 games in charge of Leicester after Borthwick left, then straight into international setup).

Puja

[Puja]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 2g82mlk60o

Dalziel called up from Scotland to handle the forwards. Very pleased that Farrell's at least making a token effort to hire from the other nations, although I can't blame him for not being able to find a coaching member from Wales, what with everything being in such flux.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Well that’s a curious one. Didn’t expect that at all.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Attack coach apparently!

EMB opinion is what?

Inexperienced coach, proves little to no worth internationally and gets rewarded with Lions gig. It baffles me.

[Epaminondas Pules]

EMB hates him with fire as of a general rule, but I think we're way too harsh on the guy. We're biased against him from his playing days because any time he was named on an England teamsheet ahead of Youngs/Care, it was a sign that the coaches had decided to kick the leather off the ball, and that bias was reconfirmed when he came in for the short run-up to the 2023 RWC and England went for a very limited, kick-only gameplan. So the caricature of him from there was that he must be a terrible attack coach of no skill whatsoever.

Since that initial period though, England's attack has blossomed, leading to us having an average of 3 tries per game (well, 2.89) across our games against top-tier opposition (Ireland x2, France x2, NZ x3, Aus, SA) and also putting 17 tries past Italy and Wales in the last two games, but the EMB enjoy our prejudices and seem confident that this is happening despite Wigglesworth's presence (although any bad games like the reversion to refusing to play against Scotland are clearly signs of his malign influence).

All things told, I think the Lions could do a lot worse and I am glad that Farrell is getting at least one non-Irish voice in the coaching box. Plus, from a selfish perspective, it'll be good for England as he's very callow as a coach (part-time coaching Canada's defence, part-time player/Attack coach at Ealing and Leicester, 16 games in charge of Leicester after Borthwick left, then straight into international setup).

Puja

I've got nothing against him from his playing days, I'm just basing it on what he's brought to to table as a coach, both with Tigers and England. Which is largely nothing. And that's being generous. We've scored tries, but more from individuality, because our structure is woeful. Wales was hard to judge because they were shit. We were much improved in that game. Prior to that, and even Italy where we scored a few, we've been very lacklustre and lacking any real edge.

[switchskier]

I've always been predisposed to like him as it feels like he was written off his entire career but coaches kept picking him. Breaking through at Sale everyone preferred Foden but Wiggles worth saw him off. Moving to sarries was meant to be a short term solution but he played on for years, easily saw off Spencer and all other challengers. He's been promoted quickly as a coach. There must be a reason head coaches like him.