England squad

[hopwood]

Yeah, I'm happy with that lineup too.

It will be a tough game.
I can't wait.

[Neils]

To play -

15. Stuart Hogg - Exeter Chiefs - (Captain) - 88 caps
14. Darcy Graham - Edinburgh Rugby - 22 caps
13. Chris Harris – Gloucester Rugby - 31 caps
12. Sam Johnson - Glasgow Warriors - 21 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe - Worcester Warriors - 13 caps

10. Finn Russell – Racing 92 - (Vice-Captain) - 58 caps
9. Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors - 46 caps

1. Rory Sutherland - Worcester Warriors - 16 caps
2. George Turner - Glasgow Warriors - 20 caps
3. Zander Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors - 42 caps
4. Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs – 64 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist - Edinburgh Rugby - 48 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie - Edinburgh Rugby - (Vice-Captain) – 31 caps
7. Hamish Watson - Edinburgh Rugby - 45 caps
8. Matt Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors - 17 caps

Replacements

16. Stuart McInally - Edinburgh Rugby - 43 caps
17. Pierre Schoeman - Edinburgh Rugby - 4 caps
18. WP Nel - Edinburgh Rugby - 43 caps
19. Sam Skinner - Exeter Chiefs - 15 caps
20. Magnus Bradbury - Edinburgh Rugby - 14 caps
21. Ben White - London Irish - Uncapped
22 Blair Kinghorn - Edinburgh Rugby - 28 caps
23 Sione Tuipulotu - Glasgow Warriors - 1 cap

[wasps]

I don't tend to watch Saracens.
How regularly has Daly actually played outside centre in the last year or 3?

[Westy68]

I think Daly has played 13 a couple of times recently.

Overall I don't mind the squad, but Daly is a problem for me.

Dombrandt & Simmonds can go either way. I like who he has on the wings.

Ben youngs again, has got to change

[westwaleswasp]

Disappointed by Daly, and Youngs is not my 9 for sure, but it could have been worse, Duchess jokes aside.
At least it isn't Mako and Billy et al.

[baldpaul101]

When England have played without Farell in the past, they have done reasonably well.
It will be interesting to see how the likes of Youngs, Smith, Slade etc do without the presence of Faz at 10 or 12 running the game.
He tends to dominate everything so Smith being in charge could be quite decent.....

[Rossm]

Anything's got to be better than Farrell.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

When England have played without Farell in the past, they have done reasonably well.
It will be interesting to see how the likes of Youngs, Smith, Slade etc do without the presence of Faz at 10 or 12 running the game.
He tends to dominate everything so Smith being in charge could be quite decent.....

Its going to interesting to see how Smith performs without Farrell and then if Farrell ever comes back. We know that Farrell doesn't like wild cards (see his reaction to Cips' kick at the end of that SA match), and Smith is another player who isn't going to die wondering when the chips are down at the end of a match.

Can an England team play well with both of them playing? The 2 temperaments appear to be diametrically opposites.

[InBetweenWasp]

The Daly comments do make me chuckle.  Poor Elliott, largely detested by Wasps fans for leaving and seemingly not caring in the lead-up to go.  Pushed from 13 (his preferred position) to 15 (by England).  Many fans talking about wishing to see him at 13 as it’s his natural position and he isn’t so safe under the high ball as many would like.

He gets selected at 13 and the comments along the lines of ‘not sure about Daly at 13’ begin 

Atkinson/Slade might be the more natural form selection, admittedly.  But who else would we have in who is fit at 12/13?

[Rossm]

Mental Eddie stating the obvious. Apparently Scotland will target Smith and try to wind up Genge and Sinckler! I think he's just taken the words straight out of Gregor's mouth With Marler on the bench then the sledging no doubt will continue when he gets on the field.

He also states that Scotland are "hot favourites". Someone should let the bookies know, as they've obviously got it wrong as they have England as favourites.

[DGP Wasp]

The Daly comments do make me chuckle.  Poor Elliott, largely detested by Wasps fans for leaving and seemingly not caring in the lead-up to go.  Pushed from 13 (his preferred position) to 15 (by England).  Many fans talking about wishing to see him at 13 as it’s his natural position and he isn’t so safe under the high ball as many would like.

He gets selected at 13 and the comments along the lines of ‘not sure about Daly at 13’ begin 

Atkinson/Slade might be the more natural form selection, admittedly.  But who else would we have in who is fit at 12/13?

I think the Daly comments are more around his inclusion given recent form and lack of games following injury.  If he's going to start I'd rather see him at 13 definitely.  Just not sure he should be in there at all.  I think Eddie's gone for his experience among an otherwise pretty raw back division (Youngs and Slade excepted).  Stick Atkinson in there in place of Daly, and you've got 5/7 backs with only a handful of caps between them.  Personally I'd have gone the whole hog and gone with Atkinson and Randall, but that's easy for me to say.

[matelot22]

The Daly comments do make me chuckle.  Poor Elliott, largely detested by Wasps fans for leaving and seemingly not caring in the lead-up to go.  Pushed from 13 (his preferred position) to 15 (by England).  Many fans talking about wishing to see him at 13 as it’s his natural position and he isn’t so safe under the high ball as many would like.

He gets selected at 13 and the comments along the lines of ‘not sure about Daly at 13’ begin 

Atkinson/Slade might be the more natural form selection, admittedly.  But who else would we have in who is fit at 12/13?

Agree with all of that and, consequently, just hit my first "I like this"  

I think the Daly comments are more around his inclusion given recent form and lack of games following injury.  If he's going to start I'd rather see him at 13 definitely.  Just not sure he should be in there at all.  I think Eddie's gone for his experience among an otherwise pretty raw back division (Youngs and Slade excepted).  Stick Atkinson in there in place of Daly, and you've got 5/7 backs with only a handful of caps between them.  Personally I'd have gone the whole hog and gone with Atkinson and Randall, but that's easy for me to say.

[hopwood]

Although I think there are better players who could play 13 tomorrow, Daly had to play.

You have to remember he’s been on massive Lions Tours, World Cup Finals, huge international games over a number of years.
You simply have to have that level of experience in the backs - considering most of our players are brand new or have never played in front of a Six Nations ‘away’ crowd. Only empty stadiums.

It’s a huge step up….and sometimes you need an experienced head or two. Especially in the backs.
Furthermore, he has got a howitzer of a boot on a day when a key penalty might decide things.   

[MartinB - Radnage Wasp]

Has now been reduced to 29 players, I know EJ does a lot of stupid stuff but I’m finding this squad very odd.

The 2nd row is difficult to fathom. He has itoje, which is obvious, then his other choices are Chessum, Ewels and maybe Isiekwe, who may even have to play in the back row.

I know it’s good for us but how the hell is Chessum and Ewels ahead of Stooke.
....................

I would like England to do well but I’m struggling to see us get pass Scotland, Ireland and France

I fully agree with the above and cannot think of a second row better than Itoje with Stooke at present based on what we have seen though the season so far. Do you think Mad Eddie has clocked the impact Eliot has had and what do you think he has to do to get representative honours?

I really hope I am wrong but if I were a betting man I would be going with Scotland to get the win. Some friends in Jockland are going to the match and tell me the weather forecast is foul!

[Westy68]

The weather sounds like it’s going to be the same as 2 years ago. So unlikely to be a classic and not high scoring.