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talkshowhost86

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Oct 2, 2004
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While I won’t lose any sleep if BV misses the Wales game (though I’m sure I heard he would be back in the next month but I could be wrong) I was looking forward to seeing him up against Tobi but that isn’t happening now, obviously. Moriarty is a monster though and is probably
a better ball carrier than Faletau but as we touched on yesterday he needs games and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get any.

Yeah, you could get 2 long term injuries in the second row and still put in 2 very good players. Mind you, you’re no different to any other side (bar NZ) in that you have certain areas (not many tbf) that you’re weak in. I don’t even think you’re current, starting 9 or 15 is good enough let alone 2nd/3rd choices. I also think you lack top quality depth in the back row (probably the only area we trump you in) but you have some good up and comers. It would be interesting to see how you’d fair if you suffered the kind of injuries we have in the areas where you can’t really afford to lose them (like us in the 2nd row and center).

Having said all that there’s still a lot of rugby to play until the 6N kicks off and I’m sure they’ll be more injuries. Like I said earlier, though, we’re in big shit if AWJ gets injured. He’s played a lot of rugby and in that Northampton game he was really putting it about. I’d love to see him rested for the league (seeing as we’ve completely fucked that up this year) and just play champions cup games from now on but that won’t happen.

We all want to see the best players playing against each other but I think we’ll be sitting this one out in that regard. We’ve still got A lot of quality in the backs, though, even without Davies. Fingers crossed Liam Williams comes back ok.

Yeah I think that's fair about England by and large.

Scrum half is definitely an area of weakness, although to be fair Danny Care has been superb for both club and country this season (albeit against limited opposition for England).

15 is a potential area of weakness, although Brown remains solid, if unspectacular, and in Daly/Nowell/Watson we have plenty have options to play there.

The back row is weaker than Wales, albeit I think Wales' back row is often (and rightly based on individual quality) talked-up but never seems to quite deliver. Almost a case of too many options means they don't seem to know their best combination, and the obsession with Warburton means he always gets back in when his glass body has healed, regardless of how well anyone else has done. Mind you England have some bloody good players coming through in that area so I think that gap will be bridged soon.

We also have issues in the centres, although that's partially masked by Farrell playing at 12.

I think generally, if both teams could pick a fit first XV, there wouldn't be much between them. I think England's front 5 would possibly be the difference, plus the strength they can always seem to bring off the bench.

And ultimately that's the big difference. Wales have a great XV and a reasonable 22 to pick from when everyone is fit, but when they do get injuries there is then a big drop off (in some positions at least) to those who come in.

It's where England and New Zealand look very strong at the moment, because there is such a large pool of strong players to pick from, whereas other nations are all reliant on keeping people fit.

I do really hope we get a World Cup where everyone is fit (for all teams) in 2019.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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Yeah it depends on when he gets back for Sarries, and there's no doubt he'll be in the squad, but his form since the Lions tour hasn't been fantastic, and to be honest I think this injury may have been the best thing for him as he's played a hell of a lot of rugby in the last two years.

He'll be back firing on full cylinders soon though, and when he's on his game there are few better in the world.

I think it shows the strength of depth that England have though that someone like Itoje isn't even a nailed on starter when he gets back.

The player we really miss is still Big Billy V. Not sure what his current prognosis is but would love to see him back in an England shirt.


Billy Vunipola then Nathan Hughes off the bench for 20 minutes would be pretty frightening to play against.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Can’t believe we’re second in the champions cup table after comfortably beating Northampton, again. Though this time there was no Lawes. Was he injured @Japhet?

Even before it became apparent that this was going to be our worst season since the regionalisation I would’ve put good money on us coming bottom and since our pathetic league campaign where even the Italian clubs are out doing us (tbf they’re doing better this season) I would’ve put my house and my balls on us coming last but Sarries Losing their 7 straight game and Northampton, by all accounts, not having a great season had paved the way for us to QF.

Still have Sarries and Clermont to play, though, so could still easily finish 3rd.

In other good news, Tobi doesn’t need an op and should be free for our wooden spoon play off games against France and Italy in the last 2 games of the 6N.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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Can’t believe we’re second in the champions cup table after comfortably beating Northampton, again. Though this time there was no Lawes. Was he injured @Japhet?

Even before it became apparent that this was going to be our worst season since the regionalisation I would’ve put good money on us coming bottom and since our pathetic league campaign where even the Italian clubs are out doing us (tbf they’re doing better this season) I would’ve put my house and my balls on us coming last but Sarries Losing their 7 straight game and Northampton, by all accounts, not having a great season had paved the way for us to QF.

Still have Sarries and Clermont to play, though, so could still easily finish 3rd.

In other good news, Tobi doesn’t need an op and should be free for our wooden spoon play off games against France and Italy in the last 2 games of the 6N.


Lawes is OK as far as I know. Game was a dead rubber for Saints (apart from trying to raise a bit of morale) and I think it was a case of wanting Ribbans to get back to match fitness.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Bradley Davies finally hitting some form after really dropping off (partly due to injury) is a big boost for Wales.
 

talkshowhost86

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Oct 2, 2004
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Quins vs saints is on channel 5 this afternoon for any one interested.

I was there.

Big win for Quins and they did play well but my god Saints are a shambles at the moment.

I genuinely could have done a better job than Harry Mallinder yesterday and other than Courtney Lawes the whole 15 just looked broken.

Marcus Smith on the other hand. Oh yes.
 

Japhet

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I was there.

Big win for Quins and they did play well but my god Saints are a shambles at the moment.

I genuinely could have done a better job than Harry Mallinder yesterday and other than Courtney Lawes the whole 15 just looked broken.

Marcus Smith on the other hand. Oh yes.


Bloody hard watching Saints at the moment. Problems all over the place. Front row get done by just about everyone, no fly half worth the shirt and confidence at absolute rock bottom. Very nervous about relegation now.
 

teok

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Aug 11, 2011
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I was there.

Big win for Quins and they did play well but my god Saints are a shambles at the moment.

I genuinely could have done a better job than Harry Mallinder yesterday and other than Courtney Lawes the whole 15 just looked broken.

Marcus Smith on the other hand. Oh yes.

Yeah I know these things are decided way in advance but it was a really bad game to televise on terrestrial if you are trying to sell to non rugby people.

Wasps vs bath was great (worth watching the highlights if you missed it). They should have shown that.
 
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E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Bloody hard watching Saints at the moment. Problems all over the place. Front row get done by just about everyone, no fly half worth the shirt and confidence at absolute rock bottom. Very nervous about relegation now.

You can’t go down, you’re getting Biggar next season.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
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Bloody hard watching Saints at the moment. Problems all over the place. Front row get done by just about everyone, no fly half worth the shirt and confidence at absolute rock bottom. Very nervous about relegation now.

I think London Irish have got relegation pretty much sewn up.
 

E17yid

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Fucking hell. Hallam Amos and Dan Lydiate are the latest to be unlikely to play in the 6N.

I might not actually bother if Cuthbert plays, which he probably will.
 

talkshowhost86

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Oct 2, 2004
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Fucking hell. Hallam Amos and Dan Lydiate are the latest to be unlikely to play in the 6N.

I might not actually bother if Cuthbert plays, which he probably will.

If it makes you feel any better, Jamie Roberts actually played well for Quins in BG10.

No?

Well I tried.
 

talkshowhost86

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I’d play him on the wing over Cuthbert. No joke.

I want big Adam Jones back too.

I'm not sure. Ol' Jonesy looks a bit like he may fall over at any moment when he's our water boy these days.

Mind you I'd love for Quins to defy protocol and just promote him to DOR.

Speaking of DORs, did anyone on here talk about Saints supposedly targeting Gatland? Seemed wildly ambitious to me, particularly with the World Cup coming up that Gats presumably wants a crack at again.

But Saints have appointed an interim DOR which suggests they might be prepared to wait until the Summer to get their man.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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I'm not sure. Ol' Jonesy looks a bit like he may fall over at any moment when he's our water boy these days.

Mind you I'd love for Quins to defy protocol and just promote him to DOR.

Speaking of DORs, did anyone on here talk about Saints supposedly targeting Gatland? Seemed wildly ambitious to me, particularly with the World Cup coming up that Gats presumably wants a crack at again.

But Saints have appointed an interim DOR which suggests they might be prepared to wait until the Summer to get their man.

I’d still play AJ on the wing over Cuthbert.

No way Gats leaves before the WC.
 
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