England

[DGP Wasp]

IMO the only nations happy with their performance over the last 12 months will be Ireland & France.
Every one else has has results that should make their management concerned. Everyone seems to be able to beat everyone else on their day.
Could actually make for an interesting world cup...

Problem there is that the WC draw was done ages ago when the world rankings looked very different to now.
Wales were top 4 at that time and therefore one of the top seeds.  Theyr'e now 9th.  The world's top 4 sides are all in groups A and B.  If the draw were to be done following the current international rounds then it would look very different.

Drifting OT a bit, but it's a long standing bug bear of mine that the WC draw is done so far in advance of the tournament.  What's the rush?  We could do it next week and all teams would still have a year to prepare, and the seedings would reflect where teams are now.

[baldpaul101]

Don't disagree DGP, but it should make it interesting. Two of Ireland, SA, NZ & France cannot make the semi finals...

[mike909]

Agree with all of that DGP. It’s like he acknowledges parts were crap to justify sticking Itoje back at 6 whilst still saying it was fine. There’s no way Farrell or Tuilagi are getting dropped. Hill has been poor but will keep his place as we’ll be playing 3 locks from the start. How Willis can’t get a game is just bizarre. Simmonds - for me - is just too easily out powered in the international game. There are issue’s everywhere. As back up props Vunipola and Stuart are weak scrummagers. Nowell is as paceless and formless as I’ve ever seen. Steward is a good full back. He catches well, but he’s not dynamic enough to compensate for those in the back division with him. I thought NZ badly overplayed at times but some of their invention and craft were stuff we wouldn’t dream of attempting. They provided the only entertaining phases in the game. Smith kicking out at the end tells you all you need to know about this regime.

+1 - I agree with you both

I agree especially about pace in the back three and power/agility up front. We have Malins, Watson and Radwan (amongst many) fit and able to play and in the case of Malins and Watson, experienced top class players that ought to be part of any current England back three

Up front....slightly left field but looking at the Wasps backrows of recent times we fielded Shields, and Willis x 2, we brought everything that a modern back row needs. Jackal, 8 who can do lineout duties as well as ball in hand and a 6 of the "Richard Hill" style of worker around the edges.

Yet what does England prefer? A SR, a slow off the pace 8 and a 7 who is looking less useful by the game.....

As for the front 5 - Itoje plus one, Marler, LCD and a solid tight head and we'd compete with anyone....

SA by several at the w/e.

[JonnyD]

Just read that Eddie said that was Billy’s best game in an England shirt since 2019!

Yikes

[westwaleswasp]

By best game you mean, he was raw stinking shit, and I am trying to wrong foot the oppo by pretending otherwise. Next Tuilagi will be getting praise.

[Andywasp50]

Just read that Eddie said that was Billy’s best game in an England shirt since 2019!

Yikes

Proves he's lost the plot! BV makes so little ground and is particularly ineffective when charging on to the ball two or three yards out. He seems so slow and easy to stop.

I know this is likely controversial, but jI was thinking that Steward is a step down on Mike Brown. Brown was fearless under a highball as much as Steward, but he made a lot more yardage with it in hand, and whilst preferring to run into contact rather than pass, he was a lot more competitive at the breakdown whilst Steward rarely does anything to contribute to a fluent attack in anyway.

There definitely seems to be a Borthwick bias in team selection with Steward, Porter and in particular Van Poortvliet jumping the queue to walk into the England side.

[Rossm]

England's 26-man squad for South Africa:
Forwards
Alex Coles, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Jonny Hill, Maro Itoje, David Ribbans, Bevan Rodd, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler, Will Stuart, Hugh Tizard, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola

Backs
Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Guy Porter, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Youngs

Has Jack pissed in Eddie's beer?

[Lwasp]

The argument on the BBC comments section is dropped vs released to his new club since this game falls outside the international window. Obviously such common sense has garnered no traction with the anti-Eddie brigade.

Be nice if the RFU would clarify which it is.

[Rossm]

That possibility hadn't occurred to me, Lwasp.

[Neils]

Yes SA hit as well with release back to clubs.

[Shugs]

Just read that Eddie said that was Billy’s best game in an England shirt since 2019!

Yikes

Proves he's lost the plot! BV makes so little ground and is particularly ineffective when charging on to the ball two or three yards out. He seems so slow and easy to stop.

I know this is likely controversial, but jI was thinking that Steward is a step down on Mike Brown. Brown was fearless under a highball as much as Steward, but he made a lot more yardage with it in hand, and whilst preferring to run into contact rather than pass, he was a lot more competitive at the breakdown whilst Steward rarely does anything to contribute to a fluent attack in anyway.

There definitely seems to be a Borthwick bias in team selection with Steward, Porter and in particular Van Poortvliet jumping the queue to walk into the England side.

I tend to agree Andy. Steward would be in my squad but as a rounded full back he’s quite a way behind Malins for me. Why Malins isn’t in the squad is tantamount to professional neglect on Jones’ part.

[JonnyD]

Eddie talking about needing extra lineout jumpers for this, so as already said in the press, Itoje goes back to 6 and I’d probably expect a 6-2 split on the bench to fit Simmonds and another lock in there.

Hope it’s not just a war of attrition and a kick fest, SA have been trying to attack a lot more with WLR or Limbok so hope they continue.
I think we could get very found out this weekend if SA click, and hope we don’t play well for 10 minutes leading to everyone at the RFU acting like we won and all is ok regarding those other 70 mins

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Just read that Eddie said that was Billy’s best game in an England shirt since 2019!

Yikes

He probably means that he obeyed Eddie's game plan to the letter, which in Billy's case appeared to be running in to the biggest opposition player in front of him.

[mike909]

Starting XV: 15. Freddie Steward

14. Tommy Freeman

13. Manu Tuilagi

12. Owen Farrell (C)

11. Jonny May

10. Marcus Smith

9. Jack van Poortvliet

1. Mako Vunipola

2. Jamie George

3. Kyle Sinckler

4. Maro Itoje

5. Jonny Hill

6. Alex Coles

7. Tom Curry

8. Billy Vunipola

Finishers

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie

17. Ellis Genge

18. Will Stuart

19. David Ribbans

20. Sam Simmonds

21. Ben Youngs

22. Henry Slade

23. Jack Nowell

So - having been a bit slow around the pitch up front, that's a real lock at 6....which given the options is mad. Especially with Billy at 8, to run into contact and be tackled and Curry, seemingly having a lot of work to do....

With Slade finishing like a train, Manu is selected to start and Nowell is on the bench.....One tiny glimmer is Freeman at wing, though he is a fullback at heart....The naïve 9 has been retained. But he's going to have to be sharp this week as the SA team are no friendlier than NZ

But I would never start Mako in an international again, LCD is way ahead of George now and Sinckler is going to have a hard afternoon. I struggle to see a point of difference. SA will be very optimistic as they will have the power and game management to make England struggle.

[Heathen]

One of the bigest problems is that OF continues to be selcted.