england

[Tervueren]

The basket case of the RFU haven't the money to get rid of weird Eddie.
I think we are stuck with him.

Sadly this appears to be the bottom line.  RFU completely painted themselves into a corner by giving him an extended contract that they can't afford to buy him out of, and seemingly with no clause in there to allow them to jettison him if results don't meet some clear (and high) expectations.

Have the RFU ever tried to run a piss up in a brewery?

Probably a brew-up in a pissery would be beyond them

[Mellie]

And then any of Care, Robson, Quirke or Spencer ahead of Youngs and Randall.

I'd add Porter, Wolstenholme, Andy Gommarsall, Matt Dawson, Dewi Morris, Steve Smith, Nigel Melvile, Nigel Starmer-Smith and my elderly mother to the list of those I'd like to see start ahead of Youngs!

Youngs slow use of the ball hampered England all game. His foot positioning, thinking time and poor kicking gave England no momentum. He made one good break and that was all.

He has one of the worst passes I've ever seen for a professional scrum half. Even with quick ball, he picks it up, runs a few steps and cocks his wrists back before passing.

Compare Gibson-Park's single action pass off the deck from a ruck for Conway's walk-in try for Ireland. Also Dupont for France.

If England want to play a faster game they need a quicker scrum half. Quirke was good for Sale. I think he and Alex Mitchell are the future. They are both good passers and effective snipers. Randall is ok but probably won't get the space for his trademark breaks at international level.

Dan Robson is probably the best kicker and game controller of them all but his distribution is not the best, though quicker than Youngs.

[Shugs]

Yes, it’s painful isn’t it. But it’s not changing any time soon. Randall is a poor scrum half for me -  makes bad decisions. Quirke - still not sure. I think the two best scrum halves England have are Care and Robson but either will be selected.

[hopwood]

Yes, it’s painful isn’t it. But it’s not changing any time soon. Randall is a poor scrum half for me -  makes bad decisions. Quirke - still not sure. I think the two best scrum halves England have are Care and Robson but either will be selected.

I agree.

Although Quirke could be the long term prospect.

[Nigel Med]

Yes, it’s painful isn’t it. But it’s not changing any time soon. Randall is a poor scrum half for me -  makes bad decisions. Quirke - still not sure. I think the two best scrum halves England have are Care and Robson but either will be selected.

I agree.

Although Quirke could be the long term prospect.

Dobby's passing isn't the most accurate but he's light years faster than Youngs. Mind you, I'm comparing everyone to Andy Gomersall and Martyn Wood who were the scrum halves when I first started supporting Wasps. I remember watching the two of them going through a warm-up passing exercise with Nigel Mellville who knows a thing or two about scrum half skills. Passes like bullets with astonishing precision.

Quirke looks very promising, I agree that Randall isn't the answer, too much of a show pony for me, I wouldn't depend on him to make the right decisions under pressure, he can't make those trade mark breaks every time and certainly not against well organised international standard defences.

[matelot22]

What really irks me is his stubborn bloody-mindedness to continue picking players out of position in his "I know better than anyone else" manner. An earlier post likened him to "Redbeard Rum", this is spot on, "Crew m'lord? Opinion is divided....."

Surely the foundation for success is to pick players in their natural position who are in form and blood enough youngsters in a steady trickle to allow for succession planning. The fact that Ben Youngs ahs so many caps and is predicted by EJ to be the starting 9 at the next RWC is nothing short of laughable.

[hookender]

Tbf  to Youngs I when he plays for tigers I think his play is quicker . Maybe a slower pace has been the formula demanded to ensure accuracy let players get in position? Not saying it’s right but if he’s doing as he’s told by the manager , he keeps his place.

[matelot22]

Tbf  to Youngs I when he plays for tigers I think his play is quicker . Maybe a slower pace has been the formula demanded to ensure accuracy let players get in position? Not saying it’s right but if he’s doing as he’s told by the manager , he keeps his place.

I grudgingly accept that but it seldom appears that he plays well, not just his slow service, but all round play. He'll have a good game for England once in a blue moon, but is hardly consistent.

[baldpaul101]

Not saying it’s right but if he’s doing as he’s told by the manager , he keeps his place.

That is exactly what is happening. Jones wants his players to play to his game plan. It doesn't really matter who he picks if that game plan remains flawed.

[Westy68]

Personally I loved it when Youngs last played against us, I thought Tigers were just about to score until youngs got the ball and foolishly decided to dart forward into Barbeary who took the ball like it was sweets from a kid - game over

[Rossm]

Personally I loved it when Youngs last played against us, I thought Tigers were just about to score until youngs got the ball and foolishly decided to dart forward into Barbeary who took the ball like it was sweets from a kid - game over

I remember that well. I thought it was dreadful, selfish move by him.

[mike909]

England - my thoughts on looking back to last weekend

With that much ball, England must have been able to attempt to do what they were asked by the coaches. That's actually more of an issue for me....that we got so much ball, and the tactics coached didn't seem to work

So why was this performance produced? It at least in part, has to be the selection and what they were asked to do.....And that was the same problem last 6Ns. it's a question of if the coaching team are looking in the right direction. Looking back - it wasn't efficient/effective - but I have to presume the team with a load of ball were applying the plan agreed.

[baldpaul101]

That's been my thinking for a while.
Jones only picks players who will follow his game plan.
They follow the plan & lose or don't win enough of the games that matter
Jones can't blame the players because he's picked them & apart form a few high profile players being discarded, has stuck with a core of players who clearly must be doing as they are told.

Therefore, IMO it must be the game plan which is at fault.
hence no point picking different players if you are going to get them to play the same plan.

[hookender]

Perversely want italy to win this weekend, but am hoping that Launchbury ( or even other wasps players  as last minute call ups) isn’t in team to suffer indignity/ fall out

[Westy68]

It looks like Launchbury and Barbeary haven’t made the 27 man squad and have been sent back. Great news for us