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Hartley off, great call

Feel George is the better player but guess Hartley is seen as a leader? Always nice to see a prop score!

Pooly top wumming mood this weekend, keep up the great posts. He was the only forward stopping the French getting over the gain line, our forwards are getting bullied out of this at the moment - we need Haskell on, Hughes needs to do a lot more to fill the shoes of BV he's only started playing in the last 5 mins.

Would look at Nowell and Teo'o on soon too as we are really struggling getting ourselves over the gain line.

Hartley obviously unfit, hes not been in the game

Any observation is a wum??? Wimd your neck in and take it for what it is. Hartley has struggled, hes unfit

Haskell!!!!!

Awful performance, very lucky. Grear impact from Haskell and Teo

Lol.

Lucky to win that, power of our bench really sways things. Few changes for next week - French pack played very well, but we gave Youngs and Ford zero platform or gain line success.

Youngs had a stinker, Ford played well. Haskell has to come in, was immense when he came on....Care impressed and Teo. JJ still played well, few brain farts from May. Nowell in for Daly.

Got to say I agree with Pooly, Hartley looked off the pace and was a contributing factor, but not the only one, to our poor scrum and lineout in the first half. Add in that the brave recovery occurred when he had left and George adds carrying that we desperately lacked, and I'm not convinced that starting him right now is sensible.

We were pap. Loads to improve on

Lineout was way worse than I expected, part of the blame on Hartley, part on too many jumpers and too much convolution for me. Missed the carrying of the Vunipolas and need another carrier in that pack. Wood very shaky. Start Hask, we missed him and Robshaw at the breakdown and on the carry. Scrum was mediocre- change it up, whether that's George or Sinck starting though Cole was actually solid around the pitch. Poor decision making inattack and despite the worse than usual ball, a drop down in level from Ford and Youngs. Daly played well but not a winger- with Brown still lacking his old venom I'd consider Daly at 15. Bench added impact which is what you'd hope. Itoje not convincing at 6 but may be confused by the whole pack struggling. I believe we will play much better vs Wales but we will have to, that was throughly unconvincing. A win is a win though

anonmattyt wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:I still think Tour captain does not need to be the First XV captain. Pick the Tour captain early, pick the First XV captain for each test as it approaches

Often agree with you CJ but could not  disagree more here. Think lions Captain needs
To be guaranteed starter. Captaincy in rugby and cricket matter and can't be assigned on a game basis.

Football it would work for and amazed teams appoint a captain and he has to play regardless.

Fair enough, Mat. Just think with the Lions it forces you to pick too early and ignore form and best combinations that you can only know once the team start playing and training together

Was at game and typical opening game.

Antonio and guirado got on top.

anonmattyt wrote:Was at game and typical opening game.

Antonio and guirado got on top.

Atonio didn't get on top, he got pinged a fair bit for early engagement. Our scrum didn't get penalised till Slimani came on when France had a few good efforts.

So, team for Wales?

1. Marler
2. George
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Kruis (if fit)
6. Itoje
7. Haskell
8. Hughes

9. Youngs
10. Farrell
11. May
12. Te'o
13. JJ
14. Nowell
15. Brown

16. Hartley 17. Sinckler 18. Mullen 19. Lawes/Kruis 20. Clifford? 21. Robson 22. Daly 23. Ford

I would go

1 Marler
2 Hartley
3. Sinckler
4 itoje
5 Kruis
6 Haskell
7 Wood( if we had Another option I would not pick )
8 Hughes ( if we had Another option I would not pick )
9 Youngs
10 Ford
11 Daly
12 Farrell
13 Joseph
14 May
15 Brown

Thought Daly went well
Yesterday and thought May, Cole, wood, Hughes, Youngs and Hartley poor

I thought Itoje at 6 did not work

I can see Ford getting dropped, he's clearly lacking confidence. As soon as he gets away from Bath the better I think.

May/Daly don't work too well as a combo imo, I think we need Nowell's workrate I'd keep May in personally but EJ seems to like Daly involved due to his goal kicking, despite him lacking a wingers finishing instinct.

I hope Kruis is back, we really missed him.

On the plus side......Wales looked awful today.

Kruis out of the 6N

Massive loss, as he would have started ahead of Lawes or Launchbury who both looked off the pace at the weekend.

Mako likely to be back after the Wales game so at least we'll get some carrying back from the bench.

Youngs and Ford were both poor at the weekend, nothing to do with confidence as Ford has had some very good games for Bath recently - there was no platform from the forwards at all and no one in the backs that got us over the gain line until the subs came on.

Our backrow needs to step up massively, lack a decent carrier in the more physical, less open games. Picamoles was fantastic. Sure Haskell will help us massively there, he played well considering he's only played 35 seconds of rugby this season!

But what a 35 seconds that was!

Have to disagree on Ford, he's just not looked happy this season. Agree he's had one or two good games but his demeanor around the pitch has not looked good. His performance at our place reeked of a guy not enjoying his rugby for example.

Ford has bags and bags of talent but still remains a confidence/front foot player 10. He can at times be a bit of a luxury in a side that we can't afford. I hope Eddie goes with Farrell at 10 and allows Ford to come back against Italy.

So all the good games Ford has played for England in the 14 game winning streak count for nothing? Similar comments were made before the Aussie tour and he came through, I'd keep the 10-12 combination, as the Wales game should be a lot more open and the impact Teo'o brings from the bench is excellent.

England's forwards need to front up, then our backs can play. The first 40 minutes were the worst I've seen our pack play, not sure if we underestimated how good the French forwards would be or just all the changes to the pack. Get Haskell in and he takes the pressure away from Hughes, get Wood playing at no6 and that should make a difference.

Don't take things so personal Chris.

Ford is a class act but he's struggling for from THIS SEASON, Last Summer has nothing to do with it really. It's tough to ask a player to step up in form when he's been struggling with his club. Big rumours he's off to Leicester in the Summer, I think this is what he needs.

The French pack were huge, we were under powered in the contact and lacked carriers past Hughes. It's why I'd look at bringing George in as he's in much better form than Hartley and bring a lot more around the pitch.

I'd be tempted to go with Teo at 12 as you know what Wales will bring on Saturday. But Ford-Farrell has proved a good combo and hasn't looked weak defensively. I thought Ford was OK on Saturday, did nothing wrong but wasn't his best game either. Few big moments in that second half for me, one was Lawes hit when we were on our 5m line and second was the first couple of carries from Teo and Haskell. Seemed to galvanise us.

We got over powered and lacked carrying.

At half time piccamoles had more yards than are
Entire pack. Hughes carried only 40 odd metres entire match which when you add to the complete lack of carrying elsewhere shows you how much we rely on mako and Billy.

With Marler and cole not really carriers then I would be tempted to start Sinckler. If you then have itoje at lock Haskell in the back row we would have more balance and carriers.

That side on Saturday had no carrying options past Hughes

anonmattyt wrote:We got over powered and lacked carrying.

At half time Picamoles had more yards than our entire pack. Hughes carried only 40 odd metres entire match which when you add to the complete lack of carrying elsewhere shows you how much we rely on mako and Billy.

With Marler and cole not really carriers then I would be tempted to start Sinckler. If you then have itoje at lock Haskell in the back row we would have more balance and carriers.

That side on Saturday had no carrying options past Hughes

He did in the whole game!

Ford probably has credit in the bank to start the next game against Wales, and I wouldn't be too worried if he did. My concern would be if he went as quiet as he did against France, we needed control and it wasn't really coming from him, or Farrell to be fair. If he has another game like that, I would think Eddie may bring Faz to 10, and even look towards Slade as the 12.

Hughes is an odd one, excels in open games but can really struggle to impose himself in the more physical matches, England need to start trying to open up the games so they get the best out of him as he can be absolutely devastating ball in hand.

We just need to bring in a bit more physicality to the pack and would also like to see Nowell on the wing - would like to see Launch and Itoje as lock combination, with impact from Lawes off the bench as don't think Launch offers that, whilst bringing on Haskell as no7 and let him boss the defence and gain line.

Nowell needs to play as we don't have another back that gets us over the gain line as well as he does - but not sure who you can drop, can't see Jones dropping Daly.

I would drop Daly, harsh as he played well, but Nowell is too good to leave out and Daly at 13 could get exposed whereas JJ is so solid.

Great sub to have though as covers so many positions and can make a difference.

Haskell has to start. Wood was poor.

Hughes was really easy to target as we only had him carrying. As you say, at least when Mako starts he gives us another option apart from Billy.

I'd leave Daly out tbh, he's the perfect bench guy. He's really only starting because of his long kicks, he's not a natural winger but good cover. May and Nowell would be the best way to get at the Welsh.

Rob Horne to Saints for next season.

Will do predictions at lunch time, so if you have time before 12 get them to me.

Tuipolotu fails drug test

http://www.the42.ie/patrick-c-new-zealand-failed-drugs-test-3224806-Feb2017/

Can't be performance enhancing as he was awful when the AB's got beat off Ireland.

Sides in lads:

https://www.606v2.com/t65082-aviva-premiership-round-14-6-nations#3511477

Looks like Wood has a problem and Haskell not fit to play(possible mind games from EJ).

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Lawes
6. Itoje
7. Clifford
8. Hughes

9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Farrell
13. JJ
14. Daly
15. Brown

16. George 17. Mullen 18. Sinckler 19. Haskell 20. Wood 21. Care 22. Te'o 23. May

A number of players a little lucky, Ford and Hartley in particular. If Hartley fails to step again, we've got to give George a start as he's clearly in much better form.

Right, as it is roughly a month away from the transfer window. 

Where do I need to improve the Tigers?

I'd say second row or finding a world class winger or creative back.

Sorry Pooly, for some reason I thought Worcester were away this weekend....team and tactics in. F.Y.I I think you mean Scott Spurling at hooker? Although if you wanted to put Spedding there I would be more than happy and so would my front row!!

Haha....cheers mate, no drama.

BamBam wrote:Tuipolotu fails drug test

http://www.the42.ie/patrick-c-new-zealand-failed-drugs-test-3224806-Feb2017/

Cleared.....that didn't take long.

Wrong for the news to leak if he's going to be cleared that quickly, doesn't say much for the testing system

Budgets updated .. as ever please shout about anything I've inevitably missed

England......same team as last week bar May dropped for Nowell and Clifford in for Wood.

Not surprised, and hopefully the tweaks that are required just to spark something. Clifford did play well against Wales last Summer.

I'd have liked to seen have more changes personally but understand the selection. Shame Haskell isn't starting, would have liked his physicality against a not great Welsh back row.

The Warbs/Tipuric combo worked well last weekend. But they lack the carrying in the back five to do allow them to do what they do best. 

Would like Haskell to start, but imagine he is lacking fitness. Would be a great impact to bring on, if he provides the same as last week. 
Not sure on Wood on the bench, to me he is someone you start or don't have in the squad. Might be harsh, but you could have someone like Morgan/Ewers in that spot to offer something different.

Yea, Wood not the great impact but adds energy at least and has been handy from the bench in recent times. Moriarty is no 8 so we can certainly look to get at the Welsh in that regard, they do lack a physical carrying option the backrow.

Moriarty carries, but you need a bit more from elsewhere. AWJ and Ball help, but ideally you'd want Faletau at 8 and Moriarty at 6 to offer a bit of everything.