Eddie's selection for the Oz game

[Heathen]

Sadly Joe looks set to be consigned to be a tackle bag for the rest of England's stay in Japan. I always felt that Eddie had a preference for the other 3 locks.

England team to play Australia:

Daly; Watson, Slade, Tuilagi, May; Farrell (capt), Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler; Itoje, Lawes; Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.

Replacements:

Cowan-Dickie, Marler, Cole, Kruis, Ludlam, Heinz, Ford, Joseph.

[Neils]

Is Launchbury over there for a reason?

[mike909]

Given that selection - I hope they play like the first 30 vs Scotland rather than the following 35 mins.......

[Rifleman Harris]

Given that selection I don't really care how they play.

[InBetweenWasp]

Is Launchbury over there for a reason?

Joe is an exceptional lock who has an unbelievable work-rate and very low error count.  But it’s a reasonably fair assessment that he’s currently the 4th best lock in the country.  There’s an argument that perhaps they should have taken 3 locks and another 8, perhaps.  But don’t think it’d have made much difference.

Unfortunately for Joe, Itoje is king for England in the row.  Kruis is playing well again and is a natural partner for him and Lawes is preferred for impact.  I wonder too whether it has something to do with left/right second rows.  Typically, Launch is a 4 - Same as Maro.  More often than not, both Kruis and Lawes have played at 5.  Given Maro is an 80 minute player, that’s probably what drives selection as much as anything.  I’m sure it’s Flats who has spoken previously about some of the technical nuances/balances between pushing behind LH and TH props.

[Rossm]

Well at least you can assume it's not the selection that Australia were expecting.

[InBetweenWasp]

Given that selection I don't really care how they play.

Because you think it’s the right selection to win, or you’re so exasperated by the selection that you’re not bothered about the game?

[Rifleman Harris]

The latter - I just don't get why Ford is dropped when he is playing well and far more creative than Farrell...mind you I would have had Cips and Robbo there and played a faster game aka Japan.  It just seems a backwards step, a reverting to type which we don't need to do...and obviously I'm disappointed about Launch, but that is just my Wasps bias and I don't think there is a huge difference between the 4 locks in terms of quality.

[AKWasp]

I still think Launch is light years ahead of Kruis, but Launchbury is not a player you bring off the bench. Maybe the combination of Itoje and Kruis is better and that’s what they’ve gone for.

Excited to see Slade at 13 as he’s played very well for England over the past 12 months and could feel hard done by for missing much of the pool stage.

Hope we don’t lose too much of that attacking energy we’ve shown at times by picking Faz at 10.

Think it’ll be an attritional game but with May and Watson on the wings under the high ball (and Youngs kicking it), our pack being very physical with Curry and Underhill going head to head with Pocock and Hooper, it should be an enthralling tactical battle

[InBetweenWasp]

The latter - I just don't get why Ford is dropped when he is playing well and far more creative than Farrell...mind you I would have had Cips and Robbo there and played a faster game aka Japan.  It just seems a backwards step, a reverting to type which we don't need to do...and obviously I'm disappointed about Launch, but that is just my Wasps bias and I don't think there is a huge difference between the 4 locks in terms of quality.

I feel for Ford as despite the significant amount of criticism he’s come under from the majority of rugby fans, he’s excelled in the warm-up and group games and in doing so has shown himself to be robust mentally and capable of refining his game somewhat to be more accurate, or more effective.

That being said, I also think when you listen to, or read why Eddie has made the changes he has or why he has overlooked certain players (Goode and Cips as key examples - He’s always said that Goode is a fine footballer and talented player but that he just doesn’t fit what he’s looking for in a FB) that it makes sense.  The silly mind-games aside that he plays with the press, he’s an incredibly astute coach. 

His argument was that changed the 10-12 combo wasn’t a reflection of form, but to combat the physical threat posed by the two centres he felt Australia would pick (and have picked).  I guess it is reverting to type and whilst I’d rather see us play with pace and distribution (a bit more like Wasps) rather than a physical and aerial battle, Jones is playing to our strengths.

It’s a shame that he has such a polarising impact on Fans such that because of selection (even if justified) some of them switch-off.  I know a few more who have seen the team sheet and reacted along the lines of ‘Eugh, Farrell.  Come on Australia!’

Whatever happens, they are 4 matches all with the prospects of upsets.  Japan have been practising their scrums against 10 men to account for the weight difference the Boks will have.  Ireland are due a big game and should have confidence in that they can and have beaten the ABs in recent years.  France are always dangerous in knock-out games (just ask New Zealand!) and post-mutiny could cut loose even more.  England vs Australia is always a tricky one to call. 

Hell of a weekend ahead for rugby!

[Raggs]

Kruis in good form probably just pips Launch for me, especially given the relationship with the other sarries players. However, Joe is more consistent, so if Kruis loses form, he drops out of England contention for me. But for now he's in a rich vein of form, so play him.

[Heathen]

In addition, Eddie has always wanted his three bosh merchants in the team.He now also has Sinckler. Slade will be the guy who benefits.

[westwaleswasp]

I think it is down to combinations in the second row, and the fact that Eddie doesn't really rate Ford that highly when push comes to shove- if he had two Farells he would play them both.
He loves backs who tackle hard and is suspicious of those who don't.

[backdoc]

Has anyone here noticed that Kruis is on the bench, and it is Lawes playing with Itoje?

[mike909]

I don't get the selection in the backs - it was this set of backs that totally failed to defend vs Scotland for 35 mins and conceded 6 tries without answer - and it was a game that (only this March) showed how poor England's defence was out wide, including May's positioning and Daly looking like a 13 at 15 too often.

It was also the combination that kept kicking ball to the Wales FB who was a frigging Sarries team mate of the England 10, and one of the better returners of kicks around.....and the 10 who also lost the plot personally in the game.

Could be more of a white knuckle game than necessary. I don't think England defend that well - if challenged - with Manu at 12 - positioning concerns for me

Prob win by 30 now!