Flood, Along With Others Released Back To His Club

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According to the Beeb.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17277936

Guess that means Hodgson is classed by SL as the better bench option.

We certainly have very high hopes for him at Leicester. Moving up to 2nd choice flyhalf now, and looked great against Newcastle. The semi final should be a good test for him.

EnglishReign wrote:

Eustace H Plimsoll wrote:Oh and here's Leicester SA for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovH1U-JblIs&feature=related

Watch from 1.55 and tell me he's the reason England's back 3 aren't scoring this season (ignoring for a second the fact that he didn't play versus Scotland or Italy).

And 3.50 as well if you like.

He's a very good player. Don't know why you can't see that. He should be one of the first names on our team sheet.

The most amazing thing about that video is Youngs' excellent place kicking.

Indeed. Started learning from Dupuy. Still wonder to this day whether he keeps practising. Could be a good string to his bow.

maverickmak wrote:

EnglishReign wrote:

Eustace H Plimsoll wrote:Oh and here's Leicester SA for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovH1U-JblIs&feature=related

Watch from 1.55 and tell me he's the reason England's back 3 aren't scoring this season (ignoring for a second the fact that he didn't play versus Scotland or Italy).

And 3.50 as well if you like.

He's a very good player. Don't know why you can't see that. He should be one of the first names on our team sheet.

The most amazing thing about that video is Youngs' excellent place kicking.

Indeed. Started learning from Dupuy. Still wonder to this day whether he keeps practising. Could be a good string to his bow.

Definitely. With him, Flood and Farrell in and around the team it certainly allows for more player rotation.

Sam, I'm pretty sure we'd make space for Strettle- he fits in well with our players (he's played with most of our 1st choice backline) his form at Quins was his best ever and got him to the England squad in the first place before he got injured and he fits in well with our attack strategy. Our currents wingers are Smith, Stegmann, Williams and Monye but we can fit in another and I think Strettle, even now, is the best of the lot. It also adds some more strength in depth to a squad that doesn't have many players but still has competition all across the park. If we couldn't afford him, I think we would loan or sell another winger to make room, within reason..

There's Charlie Walker coming through for you guys (former Tigers academy), he is a OC/Winger and has more pace but the same step Strettle had at the start of his career. Add that to the wingers Yappy has named and I don't think you need to splash the big cash on Strettle.

Definitely. With him, Flood and Farrell in and around the team it certainly allows for more player rotation..

Just a shame they are all right footers. If one was a lefty it would offer a nice variation and allow them to alternate depending on where the kick was from.

Glad to hear that Ford is getting another start. I have heard a lot about him but not had the opportunity to watch him. Hopefully he will come good?.

Still only 18, IRB Young Player of the Year 2011. Very mature player that plays flat and is very good at bringing players onto the ball at pace around him. Decent step but not a great one and has good acceleration making him elusive when rushed by the opposition (see game vs Wasps). Diminutive so used to be fragile in defence but has been working hard on that and now looks much tougher. Kicking accuracy is good but range isn't the biggest so the longer kicks require a lot of effort and hence lose some of the accuracy which he is improving but he isn't in the Farrell/Wilkinson sort of class.

In short a top class young playmaker with a brilliant rugby brain who has some issues that need to be ironed out but progress so far is very promising.

Sam...thanks for the Ford update. Hopefully he can develop his career sensibly without the media and us fans putting too many expectations on his shoulders.

But I really hope he stars in in our RWC 2015 winning team

You and me both. The game against Bath tomorrow night will be a good tester for how well he's coming along and the chance for him to lay down a marker before Bowden arrives in the summer. He's got the maturity and the brain but he needs to show the physicality and the kicking skills in order to cement that second choice 10 spot.

I saw on the AP highlights that even Bath had a youngster at 10 as a replacement for Donald, which is encouraging. Nice to see some young talent given a go.

Heathcote. A fine young 10 who is another England under 20 fly half, there is also Ryan Mills at Gloucester (a creative 10/12) and Tommy Bell at Leeds who has been playing a lot at 15 but is a natural 10 (the Leeds 10 is George Ford's brother Joe who is a very good points kicker).

Charlie Walker is another good shout, i'm hoping we'll see more of him next season, we're getting a bit of a glut of wingers/13's now though.

Judging by the England under 20 game against Wales he has serious pace. Quins have a lot of good options in the wider areas of the team hence why I couldn't see them splashing the cash on Strettle. With Ollie Smith set to leave/retire in the summer you'll have more spare salary cap but I'd imagine you'll look for a nasty lock and re-inforce the front row.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Judging by the England under 20 game against Wales he has serious pace. Quins have a lot of good options in the wider areas of the team hence why I couldn't see them splashing the cash on Strettle. With Ollie Smith set to leave/retire in the summer you'll have more spare salary cap but I'd imagine you'll look for a nasty lock and re-inforce the front row.

We will definitely be getting an enforcer lock

You need one. More grunt up front will see that Quins pack go from being good to being dangerous. The backs can do the business but the pack needs a bit more depth and aggression.

Any rumours on names?

Get yourself a big nasty south african lock. Or try and tempt Garvey.

Quins rumours have been pretty quiet. There was one that we were interested in Mullan before he re-signed with Worcester but for me that wouldn't have made any sense, as well as Cole before he re-signed with you (that would have made more sense). If Brooker's injury is as serious as it looked then we may need to get some backup in at hooker, as Buchanan struggles with his throwing (still very young so that can change though). I believe Vallejos is off as well, so there could very well be a big lock signing.

Am I right in thinking that next season this marquee player rule comes into play? We'll presumably have Nick Evans as ours, which gives us anything up to the value of his salary to spend on new players without affecting our cap position. Kohn is good, but we probably do need another big lock. Not sure where else we're screaming out for a new player though, as it seems to have clicked with Johnston since the new year.

Sharples, Launchbury and JTH also been released from England today. Same back 3, YAY

I've heard no names. If we can get an English lock like Garvey I'd be happier but I suspect we can't and I'd take a decent Saffer, or maybe a Scot or something