England v Australia
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Another baffling selection by Eddie:-
England: Steward; Tuilagi, Slade, Farrell (capt) May; Smith, Youngs; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Underhill, Curry.
Replacements: Blamire, Rodd, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Simmonds, Quirke, Malins.
So we drop our most exciting winger and put Manu there, which has been tried before and didn't work and when there was never a real suggestion from anyone that it would work. Farrell back at 12 with Smith at 10. Good to see Smith starting and I can understand Farrell at 12 but then either put Manu at 13 or on the bench.
Our joint best 7 goes to 8 again with two 8s on the bench. Seriously WTF is going on Eddie?
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@catogrande said in England v Aus:
Another baffling selection by Eddie:-
England: Steward; Tuilagi, Slade, Farrell (capt) May; Smith, Youngs; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Underhill, Curry.
Replacements: Blamire, Rodd, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Simmonds, Quirke, Malins.
So we drop our most exciting winger and put Manu there, which has been tried before and didn't work and when there was never a real suggestion from anyone that it would work. Farrell back at 12 with Smith at 10. Good to see Smith starting and I can understand Farrell at 12 but then either put Manu at 13 or on the bench.
Our joint best 7 goes to 8 again with two 8s on the bench. Seriously WTF is going on Eddie?
Eddie's decided to copy John Hart's playbook
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@catogrande weird team - Manu is bit, even in the centre's isn't he? I have a vague memory of him being run down pretty easily in some big game following an intercept. Do the Wallabies have real speedster that can exploit his lack of speed?
And what's up with Slade, I don't know if it is just games against South Africa, but he always looks a bit average in the games he's played us? Am underrating him?
Quite a few names I don't recognise - Quirk, Malin, bench front row- are they any good?
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Manu has several attributes but out and out gas is not one of them. A puzzling choice. It screams out get your best players on the pitch in any old position.
Slade is a very gifted player, good distribution, an eye for a gap with the ability to exploit it and good at putting others into space. I think he will continue to improve at this level too. Has taken time to grow into being an international though.
Quirke is an exciting young scrum half and has learned his trade behind Faf at Sale. Could be a real star but unproven as yet. Stuart and Blamire on the bench I’m very happy with Rodd the back up loose head I know nothing about.
The real puzzle though is why pick two No8s and leave both on the bench?
Edit: forgot Malins. He’s a classy player and could do a good job anywhere from 10-15. Initially a 10 but has played his best stuff at 15. A very good bench option.
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Sportsbet has the Poms at 11:2 on and the Contiki tourists at 4:1 ... sponsored as they are by natural resources pillager Santos, about which Bono-cock said this week he is horrified and that he just will not have it!!!
Saturday 13th 5:30pm GMT / Sunday 14th 4:30am AEDT; Referee Jaco Peyper
Wallabies
- Angus Bell
- Folau Fainga’a
- James Slipper
- Rory Arnold
- Izack Rodda
- Rob Leota
- Michael Hooper (c)
- Rob Valetini
- Nic White
- James O’Connor
- Tom Wright
- Hunter Paisami
- Len Ikitau
- Andrew Kellaway
- Kurtley Beale
Replacements
16. Tolu Latu
17. Tom Robertson
18. Oliver Hoskins
19. Will Skelton
20. Pete Samu
21. Tate McDermott
22. Noah Lolesio
23. Izaia PereseEngland
- Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
- Jamie George (Saracens)
- Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
- Maro Itoje (Saracens)
- Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
- Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
- Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
- Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
- Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
- Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
- Owen Farrell (Saracens)
- Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
- Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks)
- Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 3 caps)
Replacements - Jamie Blamire
- Bevan Rodd
- Will Stuart
- Charlie Ewels
- Alex Dombrandt
- Sam Simmonds
- Raffi Quirke
- Max Malins
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Thanks for that - there seems to be quite a turnover from the World cup team two years ago - No Vunipola x 2, Kruis, Spencer, Watson, Elliot, Wilson, Ford, Josephs.
Whats the reason for the big changes? Have the old guys lost form/injured, are the new guys shit hot or is Eddie trying to build depth?
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Television coverage on the Gold Coast this weekend is on Foxtel Channel 515 "Bein 3 Sports":
Saturday 22:50 Scotland vs South Africa, replay Sunday 09:15 & 17:00
Sunday 01:00 Ireland vs All Blacks, replay 05:30 & 18:45
Sunday 03:15 England vs Wallabies, replay 07:30 & 20:40
Sunday 15:00 Italy vs Argentina 30 min highlightsFrance vs Georgia and Wales vs Tonga?? shows up on that same channel on Monday 15th; further details for balance of November games is at https://www.rugby.com.au/news/england-v-wallabies-how-to-watch-in-australia-teams-and-more-20211111
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Eddie has said that he's drawn a line in the sand and is now building towards 2023, although the door is always open blah blah. In truth he maybe should have done this a little earlier, there were a few of the old brigade that were not firing on all cylinders during the 6N earlier this year, to put it mildly. For some of us it was plain to see from even further back but you don't want to chop and change too much immediately before a World Cup.
Of the ones you mentioned, The Vunipola have been undercooked (or should that be overcooked) for some time now, Billy much more so than Mako. Ironically Billy has really upped his game since being given the arse. Kruis has taken a Yen retirement plan, Spencer was never really in Eddie's field of vision, I mean for Christ's sake he picked Willi Heinz over him countless times. Watson and Elliot Daly are injured, Wilson never really quite stood out - never let us down but rarely made the difference. Ford out of favour and similarly to Billy V is playing really well for his club.
Overall I'm reasonably pleased with the squad as a whole but the match day squad just seems baffling to me.
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Can't see Australia winning this with as many outs as they have but they're building depth nicely and increasing their player pool. Once they have everyone on deck they're gonna be a very difficult opponent and the match of anyone I feel.
Ditching the Giteau rule could be harmful in the long term but hell, it could win them the world cup in the short term...
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@catogrande said in England v Australia:
Another baffling selection by Eddie:-
England: Steward; Tuilagi, Slade, Farrell (capt) May; Smith, Youngs; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Underhill, Curry.
Replacements: Blamire, Rodd Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Simmonds, Quirke, Malins.It’s not baffling, there is reason to believe that he has a cunning plan
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@catogrande said in England v Australia:
Overall I'm reasonably pleased with the squad as a whole but the match day squad just seems baffling to me.
Just think how confused you'll be after winning by 20.
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@pakman Tupou and AAA concussed. Slipper to THP (he's old enough to remember playing both sides
) and Ollie Hoskins (London Irish, formerly Western Force and Perth-born) to the bench.There are other THP options but not ones you're going to fly over for a single game, assuming the regular guys recover in time for Wales.
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@nta said in England v Australia:
@pakman Tupou and AAA concussed. Slipper to THP (he's old enough to remember playing both sides
) and Ollie Hoskins (London Irish, formerly Western Force and Perth-born) to the bench.There are other THP options but not ones you're going to fly over for a single game, assuming the regular guys recover in time for Wales.
Christ, at this rate you might get a call!
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@pakman said in England v Australia:
@nta said in England v Australia:
@pakman Tupou and AAA concussed. Slipper to THP (he's old enough to remember playing both sides
) and Ollie Hoskins (London Irish, formerly Western Force and Perth-born) to the bench.There are other THP options but not ones you're going to fly over for a single game, assuming the regular guys recover in time for Wales.
Christ, at this rate you might get a call!
if I get in the lineup for the Wales game, I can at least kick that Jarvo idiot in the balls.... -
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
Another baffling selection by Eddie:-
England: Steward; Tuilagi, Slade, Farrell (capt) May; Smith, Youngs; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Underhill, Curry.
Replacements: Blamire, Rodd, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Simmonds, Quirke, Malins.
So we drop our most exciting winger and put Manu there, which has been tried before and didn't work and when there was never a real suggestion from anyone that it would work. Farrell back at 12 with Smith at 10. Good to see Smith starting and I can understand Farrell at 12 but then either put Manu at 13 or on the bench.
Our joint best 7 goes to 8 again with two 8s on the bench. Seriously WTF is going on Eddie?
he has form choosing 7s at 8.
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@nostrildamus said in England v Australia:
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
Another baffling selection by Eddie:-
England: Steward; Tuilagi, Slade, Farrell (capt) May; Smith, Youngs; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Underhill, Curry.
Replacements: Blamire, Rodd, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Simmonds, Quirke, Malins.
So we drop our most exciting winger and put Manu there, which has been tried before and didn't work and when there was never a real suggestion from anyone that it would work. Farrell back at 12 with Smith at 10. Good to see Smith starting and I can understand Farrell at 12 but then either put Manu at 13 or on the bench.
Our joint best 7 goes to 8 again with two 8s on the bench. Seriously WTF is going on Eddie?
he has form choosing 7s at 8.
Yes and in this case it is perfectly valid: wallabies need fast ball. Do everything you can to slow that down.
With Jaco holding the whistle, the rucks will be "sort-it-out-yourself-bru"
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