England to whitewash Australia

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="585942" data-time="1465466151">
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Really? Going for size?
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Yeah, a bit of a worry for me. No real back row cover at all, just people who "can do a job" and this in an area where Aus have the advantage too. I see the first test slipping away from England unless we can really bully them up front.
 
Not very inspiring.

barbarian

Yeah their lack of back-row dynamism is amazing.
 
As for Horne, we are without a number of our top wingers (AAC, Mitchell, Tomane, Speight) so he's in there for now. But he is also the lynch-pin of our defensive line.

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pot Hale" data-cid="585936" data-time="1465463692">
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England team announced: 
Brown, Watson, Joseph, Burrell, Yarde, Farrell, Youngs, Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Itoje, Kris, Robshaw, Vunipola, Haskell 
Bench is 
Cowan-Dlckie, Mullan, Hill, Launchbury, Lawes, Care, Ford, Nowell
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Apart from the whole back row issue (although that is significant), not too much to complain about. Could have gone for Slade on the bench rather than Ford. Gives a 10,12 and 13 option. Plus more reliable place kicking.

Provincial Stalwart

Clearly. Itoje would probably move to 6 when both bench locks are on as subs. But does robshaw come off or go to 8 and billy vunipola come off?

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Provincial Stalwart" data-cid="585948" data-time="1465467044">
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Clearly. Itoje would probably move to 6 when both bench locks are on as subs. But does robshaw come off or go to 8 and billy vunipola come off?
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Not sure that matters too much. We don't really have a 7 and our cover is really a 4 so I'd suggest we will likely see all three back row play the full 80 unless injuries dictate otherwise.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="585946" data-time="1465466988">
Yeah their lack of back-row dynamism is amazing. 
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Do you just accept you can't compete in that area and load up in a completely new direction. 
Clash of styles. Almost makes me want to watch.

MiketheSnow

I would have had Nowell start and Clifford on the bench instead of one of the second rows.
 
Robshaw's days are numbered if Pooper shits all over the England backrow (Sorry couldn't resist it)

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="585955" data-time="1465469249">Do you just accept you can't compete in that area and load up in a completely new direction. 
Clash of styles. Almost makes me want to watch. :)</blockquote>
Like you and Mariner won't be glued to the TV, frothing at the thought of watching your Queensland mates run around! 
;) 
Actually, after watching the ABs fuck up the Welsh, you'll want something that looks a bit like a rugby contest.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="585949" data-time="1465467184">Not sure that matters too much. We don't really have a 7 and our cover is really a 4 so I'd suggest we will likely see all three back row play the full 80 unless injuries dictate otherwise.</blockquote>
 
Nah I reckon one lock and a back rower get replaced and both reserve locks come on and Itoje plays 80. 
I think the England pack will secure enough good ball, my concern is with what happens from 10 out. There are still issues with organisation in attack.

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="585966" data-time="1465473184">
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Nah I reckon one lock and a back rower get replaced and both reserve locks come on and Itoje plays 80. 
I think the England pack will secure enough good ball, my concern is with what happens from 10 out. There are still issues with organisation in attack.
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Anything is possible ACTC and add Eddie into the mix and that goes double. However, for me your scenario weakens the back row and the second row.
 
Agree re our attack. It is still very much a work in progress and it may be a blessing in disguise that Eddie will not be tempted to try and shoehorn Tuilagi in there somewhere. Good player that he is, it would result in a complete shift in emphasis on attack and I'm not sure we are anywhere near ready to be able to make such changes mid game.

Frye

Gotta agree with ACTC. Billy V might be an 80 minute player when he's playing Scotland in the middle of a NH winter but I wouldn't rely on him going the whole test against the Wallabies in Brisbane. 
Shift Itoje to 6 and Robshaw to 8.

sparky

Can't see Billy Vunipola lasting 80 minutes against a team who play as fast as Australia. Just weird not have any specialist backrow cover.

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="585970" data-time="1465473822">
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Gotta agree with ACTC. Billy V might be an 80 minute player when he's playing Scotland in the middle of a NH winter but I wouldn't rely on him going the whole test against the Wallabies in Brisbane. 
Shift Itoje to 6 and Robshaw to 8.
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Billy V has surprised a lot of people this season (me included) with his ability to last the full 80. I agree that v Aus it is likely to be a faster paced game for a back rower to make an impact at tackle or ruck time, but let's be honest this is not where Billy V shines. He is not the one hitting rucks or jackalling over the ball. Accordingly I reckon he could go the full 80 v Aus. Not saying he will, just that I feel he could. My bigger concern is Robshaw and Haskell. They DO have to hit rucks, make tackles and be a nuisance at the breakdown. As good as their engines may be (Robshaw in particular), they are nowhere near as quick as the Pooper. If one of them needs to be subbed or gets injured where does that leave us? Somewhere up shit creek looking for a non-existent paddle.

rotated

Really curious to see how the backrow go. The trio to me last year seemed gimmicky at worst and fatally unbalanced at best - however given the nature of a RWC year schedule their performances were tough to judge given minnow opposition, rest and rotation and general RWC foxing interspersed with the most important games in a 4 year cycle.
 
This June window plus TRC will deliver the verdict no doubt. I would be curious as to the confidence level the Aussie fans have that this will be their reliable, dominant loose forward trio going into the EOYT.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="585966" data-time="1465473184">
Nah I reckon one lock and a back rower get replaced and both reserve locks come on and Itoje plays 80. 
I think the England pack will secure enough good ball, my concern is with what happens from 10 out. There are still issues with organisation in attack.</blockquote>
 
Will it matter? How good are 11-15 at chasing kicks?

kiwiinmelb

Im starting to think Australia are going to win this series quite well now , 
 
I think it would be more interesting for me if it was at Twickenham , there I would rate the odds closer to 50 50 , 
 
In Aus im thinking more 65 - 35 Australias way

Cookie

If I was Nowell I'd be spewing. I'm not sure what %Eddie sees in Yarde. I like the Joseph/Burrell combo in the middle, I think our attack looks better with them. Like Mike I wish we had Clifford on the bench at least. Line-out will go well, my biggest worry is the scrum.

Bones

Erm....Yarde is pretty much the only guy who's been breaking southern defence patterns most of the time I see England.

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cookie" data-cid="585996" data-time="1465502795">
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If I was Nowell I'd be spewing. I'm not sure what %Eddie sees in Yarde. I like the Joseph/Burrell combo in the middle, I think our attack looks better with them. Like Mike I wish we had Clifford on the bench at least. Line-out will go well, my biggest worry is the scrum.
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No sarcasm intended , but are English fans thinking now, Australia has the upper hand at scrum time ? 
 
That is a massive turn around of the stereotypical way we usually see these sides ..... Australia with more flair , England with more grunt

Margin_Walker

Scrums will certainly be interesting. Oz obviously much improved there and had the upper hand at the WC.
 
That said, Cole is the only remaining player from the front 5 that played that day. It's definitely a concern though until proved otherwise and would be more comfortable with Mullan at LH
 
Rest of the team is certainly interesting. Would rather have had Clifford at least on the bench over Lawes, as Vunipola getting injured would be a real pain. You don't want to have to play Hask at 8 more than is strictly necessary (or at all). I like both Yarde and Nowell, who both offer something slightly different. Nowell has done nothing wrong and is probably the better all round player, but I guess Eddie has a hunch about the additional athleticism that Yarde offers. He may also have been much sharper in training, which we obviously don't see.
 
Looking forward to it now anyway.

The Silver Fern

England to whitewash Australia