Will Porter (+more young players?)

[AKWasp]

Dai said post match that he rates him a lot but says he will only improve if given game time. He then adds that a few younger players will start getting that game time.

Could we start seeing T Willis, Umaga and Porter off the bench every week?

[RBB]

Porter looked sharp when he came on but by then we were overcome and Gloucester were well in control, I thought Miller did as well as you would expect as a temporary 10 but I would have liked to see Umaga get on for 10 minutes or so. I watched Quins vs. Saracens earlier in the day and even though Quins lost in the end, Smith played with flair and creativity and the enthusiasm of youth, I think Dai has to consider what the youngsters knocking on the door can offer, we are now in a sh1t or bust situation, we need to do something different. However, I can't help feeling with Gopps on the pitch yesterday his experience and superb game management would have lifted us.

[Fats]

I watched Quins vs. Saracens earlier in the day and even though Quins lost in the end, Smith played with flair and creativity
[/quote]

You must have been watching a different game to me.

Smith was a passenger and liability from before Care’s binning to after it. He was avoiding contact and looked out of his depth. 

Sure going forward he can be good but in defence he was not good. Interesting the he is often not the starter in matches.

I don’t think he is good enough to be an international on yesterday’s performance.

[Rossm]

On the whole, I have not been that impressed with Marcus Smith when I've seen him which, to be honest, is not a lot. When I did see him I expected better.

[JonnyD]

Can’t see the youngsters getting any gametime under Dai whilst relegation is a mathematical threat.
If the game is tight with 15 to go they will stay on the bench and no chance they’ll get the start.
Only possibility is with Dai losing it with Simpson and Hughes who are off anyway giving T Willis and Porter more of a chance. Umaga riding the bench for two games shows he is not going to play in the more important games.
I’m completely at a loss with Dai’s selection policy now and use of substitutes. And I don’t mean just with the academy, Daly comes straight back in and offers little, same with Shields and Hughes yesterday as well, just a shame J Willis and Young were injured

[Neils]

Can’t see the youngsters getting any gametime under Dai whilst relegation is a mathematical threat.
If the game is tight with 15 to go they will stay on the bench and no chance they’ll get the start.
Only possibility is with Dai losing it with Simpson and Hughes who are off anyway giving T Willis and Porter more of a chance. Umaga riding the bench for two games shows he is not going to play in the more important games.
I’m completely at a loss with Dai’s selection policy now and use of substitutes. And I don’t mean just with the academy, Daly comes straight back in and offers little, same with Shields and Hughes yesterday as well, just a shame J Willis and Young were injured

On your first point I agree - there are risks doing otherwise.
I would prefer in a tight game to see the starting 15 continue unless they are dead on their feet. Switching often causes more problems.
I think the faith shown in Porter suggests he may be more often than not on the bench. Hampson is off to Ealing so a good time to get experience even if on bench. God help us if Simpson gets injured again. Hughes I would drop beyond the bench!
Shields and Hughes were used precisely as you say - because Jack and Tom are injured.
Finally remember although in overall charge the Academy does have its own management team who pick their own side. The two A matches this week might be interesting indicators for the future but bearing in mind there are still U18s matches going on.

[RBB]

I watched Quins vs. Saracens earlier in the day and even though Quins lost in the end, Smith played with flair and creativity

'You must have been watching a different game to me.

Smith was a passenger and liability from before Care’s binning to after it. He was avoiding contact and looked out of his depth. 

Sure going forward he can be good but in defence he was not good. Interesting the he is often not the starter in matches.

I don’t think he is good enough to be an international on yesterday’s performance'.
'

What I said was he played with flair and creativity which in the main he does, I don't agree he was a passenger, he was absent on occasion but not a passenger. He is weak in defence but so is Daly. And, I wasn't talking about internationals, I will say that the apprentice player 'thing' that Jones promotes is nonsense, as typically they get pulled in to the training squad and sent back to their clubs, it disrupts the club and the player doesn't get game time.

[wasps]

In defence of Eddie Jones (I apologise now), I think the whole apprentice player thing is from the RFU.

When Eddie joined, one of his directives was to find the next set of players for the 2023 world cup, or at least to find those that would continue beyond 2019.


Maybe Jones has gone along with it as he can use it as an excuse if/when 2019 all goes wrong, but he's had ample opportunity to play that card already.


...... I won't defend many other things he does

[mike909]

In defence of Eddie Jones (I apologise now), I think the whole apprentice player thing is from the RFU.

...... I won't defend many other things he does

Mouth, soap, wash....

It might be an RFU thing - concentrating on playing like its 2016 would be best!