What is the state of English rugby at present?

First topic message reminder :

I'm not WUMing, far from it, and for once a poor debate by HERSH has proved usefull.

From an outsiders POV, the AP is a good league, although some games can be and are regularly Dyer affairs, there are just as many spectaculars!

The recent Sarries - Tigers game was a good one, dramatic and passionate if not the most skillfull, but understandable at the minute.

I do worry though the reigning champs are a very South African dominated outfit, and of those chasing the better teams are importing and coercing players such as Donald. The only team that regularly brings through English talent and invests significantly is Leicester, what happens if they decide this doesn't bring enough benefits, and it'd just pay to sign another Tuilagi brother?

I only want to consider the prem as a feeder league to the English national side so please no England - Wales arguments.

I only want to discuss the way English teams seem to be going, in order to keep up in the HC, and wether it's maybe this nature is detracting from the national team.

Sadly Geordie he would.

Exactly. Which is undoubtably the reason why Englands first choice 8 is from the Scalets, their second choice a 30 year old, and their 3rd choice a fat Kiwi..

Only because the blond haired answer to the 8 issue is out for the entire season . Jordan Crane would fit perfectly with this England team and even better in the current Tigers one!

Glas a du wrote:Sooooooo, this thread is about proving that you watch the ITV4 Jeff highlights then.

Or alternatively the actual matches...

formerly known as Sam wrote:Sadly Geordie he would.

Exactly. Which is undoubtably the reason why Englands first choice 8 is from the Scalets, their second choice a 30 year old, and their 3rd choice a fat Kiwi..

Only because the blond haired answer to the 8 issue is out for the entire season . Jordan Crane would fit perfectly with this England team and even better in the current Tigers one!

I wouldn't be surprised for Morgan to drop out of the EPS altogether next year, a number of options weren't available to us due to injury. Jordan Crane is a better version of what Morgan brings; Fearns is the agressive but pacier and more breakdown focused option that is also able to play on the flanks; Guest is the athletic linkman and lineout option (Readesque to my mind), also able to play blindside; then there is Haskell.

Yeah always been a big Crane fan - he's been out a long time. May take him a fair while to get back to previous standards.

I did kind of get the impression the RFU rushed Morgan in just to Cap him.

Wouldnt suprise me if Morgan falls to 3rd or 4th choice 8 for England after this 6 Nations.

Morgan was probably one of the better non-injured options available so even if he already was tied to England he'd have probably been selected

Mushroom,
Didn't Morgan get selected after he pledged his allegiance to England? Seemed like the best option to be honest.

I always though Crane was fat and slow. At least Morgs has decent pace and some footwork.

ChequeredJersey wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Sooooooo, this thread is about proving that you watch the ITV4 Jeff highlights then.

Or alternatively the actual matches...

That was aimed at BMC.

The current state of English Rugby is that we've got the youngest, least experienced 6Ns team we've EVER had and they are doing quite well: We are growing game on game and despite some Welsh posters on this board I honestly feel losing to this Welsh team the way we did is no disgrace. I want to see England's management making long term decisions at this point and on the whole they are. There was a Welsh post here commenting that we need a Sean Edwards defence and I'd like to point out that Andy Farrell learned most of his trade with Sean Edwards in close proximity. RL ain't my cup o tea, but there's no doubt it's a class act in its way.

Glas

I watch a massive amount of rugby, from the pro 12, Jeff, Super 15 etc...

The ITV4 highlights are so poor it's unbeleivable!!!

I'm not sure why you think I am WUMing when clearly quite a bit of real debate has broken out in this article.

Morgan will be an exceptional player, and although a fully fit fully firing Crane probably nudges Morgan out, Morgan has the ability to far surpass Cranes abilities IMO.

Cowshot

I did make a point earlier that Englands defence on sat was excellent and played Wales at their own game almost. Never considered Farrells tie to Edwards though I have to be honest, but it does make sense. The true telling will be Farrells ability to adapt to differing attacks as Edwards seems to be able to.

BMC I know pal, I know.