What will Eddie do for the final?

With the semis now done and dusted, attention moves swiftly to the final. England vs South Africa. Two sides with great forward power and strong set-piece.

I think Jones will keep things the same in the forwards barring injury. I believe Lawes will deservedly start and Wilson keep the bench spot covering back row. There will be some questions about whether England will look at a 6-2 forward-backs split on the bench to match the Bok power in the second half where they change their whole tight five. I hope England stick to the 5-3 split and concentrate on moving the SA forwards around the park though.

The back line raises interesting questions. Against Australia, England brought Slade into the midfield to counter the threat Kerevi posed carrying. Could they look at doing similar again to counter Damian de Allende? It would be a big call to drop Ford after his semi-final performance.

If May is injured it's a big loss for England but Nowell is expected to be fit and offers an excellent alternative.

Elliot Daly vs Willie le Roux will be an entertaining battle. Both have been excellent in attack and mixed in defence all tournament.

I think that England will approach the game with the same approach as they did against new Zealand.

The 2 teams have almost identical power in the forwards and backs but I believe that England are far more mobile and quicker.

I think for this game he will have to start with Ford and Farrell and Manu 10 -12-13 if may is not fit then big Joe cocasigna Nowell on the bench.

Will be interesting too see if Spencer will get 10/20 minutes.

Cokanasiga on the left wing would be a big call with Kolbe expected to be fit to start on the right wing for the Boks. That's a tough defensive role for big Joe.

If May is injured and Nowell fit I'd expect Nowell to start.

Good point on Kolbe. I'd consider shifting Watson to the left wing with Joe on the right if Nowell and May are both unfit

Nowell was touch and go for the semi so hopefully he'll be fit for the final. A big plus with Nowell is that he's one of those players who returns strongly, similar to Mako.

Some players need time to play themselves into form but Nowell tends to just storm back the same player as prior to injury.

May is England's best winger so will be a big loss if unavailable but the carrying Nowell offers from 9 would be an excellent way to keep the tempo up and get the massive Bok pack retreating a few yards for the next phase.

I don’t think a 6-2 split gives either team an advantage. Nowell for May and get on with it. Might seem like a silly question, but how long has Farrell been captain? I’ve been oblivious to it...

Since Hartley wasn’t?

Scottrf wrote:Since Hartley wasn’t?

They were 'co captains' for a while too

Farrell does seem to be improving all the time as captain. He just doesn't have the presence (or probably the intelligence) of Martin Johnson but he does seem to have grown into the role over time. We don't ask why he's picked any more.

Assuming the worst case scenario (May, Farrell, Sinckler, Watson, Nowell and Heinz all out), I think it will probably be:

Mako George Cole
Itoje Kruis
Curry Billy Underhill

Youngs Ford
Daly Francis Manu Cokanasiga
Slade

(Cowan Dickie, Marler, Williams, Lawes, Wilson, Spencer, Joseph, McConnochie)

Best case scenario seems likely to be Farrell, Sinckler, Nowell and Watson back, May and Heinz out). In which case, Farrell in for Francis, Cole to the bench and Sinck in, Nowell to the left wing and Daly back to fullback, Watson back on the right wing.

If sincklers out and I doubt he is else they would have had William's on the plane already it's more likely Genge and marler covering tight head I think. Personally would go tuilagi and joseph in the nightmare scenario.

eirebilly wrote:I think that England will approach the game with the same approach as they did against new Zealand.

The 2 teams have almost identical power in the forwards and backs but I believe that England are far more mobile and quicker.

Billy, been meaning to ask you. Heard you talking earlier about the Wales v SA game and I got to thinking.... with you being in Holland and all. Amongst your Dutch colleagues/friends, is there any interest at all in the Rugby WC of indeed rugby in general? And if so, would they be inclined to support SA in these events given the cultural links? Or does that come into it at all?

Ooops double post

Poorfour wrote:Assuming the worst case scenario (May, Farrell, Sinckler, Watson, Nowell and Heinz all out), I think it will probably be:

Mako George Cole
Itoje Kruis
Curry Billy Underhill

Youngs Ford
Daly Francis Manu Cokanasiga
Slade

(Cowan Dickie, Marler, Williams, Lawes, Wilson, Spencer, Joseph, McConnochie)

Best case scenario seems likely to be Farrell, Sinckler, Nowell and Watson back, May and Heinz out). In which case, Farrell in for Francis, Cole to the bench and Sinck in, Nowell to the left wing and Daly back to fullback, Watson back on the right wing.

I think EJ has made it pretty clear that he regards Lawes as a starter.