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Post by Danno on Aug 3, 2023 22:17:49 GMT
In the main, I agree; however, I think 5-6 of those players will be in the World Cup squad. Well yes, at least 4 of the front rows and a scrum half are guaranteed. And only 7 players (I think) are being cut 😃 |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 3, 2023 23:02:06 GMT
Well yes, at least 4 of the front rows and a scrum half are guaranteed. And only 7 players (I think) are being cut 😃
Heh. I actually didn't know the exact numbers! [facepalm.gif]
I'll be surprised if the following don't have roles to play in the tournament itself:
Steward (starting 15 in the big games?) Malins (seems undroppable, for some reason) Smith (second fiddle to Saint Owen, at best) Care (better 'veteran' option than Youngs) Genge (likely captain in Farrell's absence) JVP (starting 9 in the big games?) Ford (too good to be left out)
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Post by Danno on Aug 3, 2023 23:34:37 GMT
Well yes, at least 4 of the front rows and a scrum half are guaranteed. And only 7 players (I think) are being cut 😃
Heh. I actually didn't know the exact numbers! [facepalm.gif]
I'll be surprised if the following don't have roles to play in the tournament itself:
Steward (starting 15 in the big games?) Malins (seems undroppable, for some reason) Smith (second fiddle to Saint Owen, at best) Care (better 'veteran' option than Youngs) Genge (likely captain in Farrell's absence) JVP (starting 9 in the big games?) Ford (too good to be left out)
I think we're at: Genge - need three looseheads (this unfortunately includes Mako) Stuart and Sinckler - see above Care and JVP - the depressing thing is that Youngs is still lurking like a cupped fart (justice for Quirke!), but all 3 are going. At least one of Ribbans/Martin/Hill At least one of Dombrandt/T Willis And Slade is definitely going. So 9? I'm not trying to pick afight Uly 😄 Just trying to find something to actually talk about with this silly squad Edit: 9 includes Freddie, and it's 10 because Smooth Bongwater said he's taking 3 flyhalves, so Smith is in. That said, a lot of this 23 feels like a "thanks, here's your 25k match fee for holding tackle bags these last 5 weeks" thing. I reckon the first choice 23 is going to be horribly close to 2019... |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 4, 2023 8:17:09 GMT
DannoCan't see anything with which I disagree there! Do you reckon it'll be Tom Willis or Dombrandt, if it's not going to be both? As much as I like 'The Dominator', and really rate him for Quins, he has never stepped up to international level in my oh-so-humble view; accordingly, I'd like to see Willis get a shot. He was on superb form for Wasps before they imploded. I'm starting to look forward to the World Cup as well. Is anyone going to join a fantasy league (assuming one exists)?
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Aug 5, 2023 12:36:44 GMT
Scotland are going full noise today, France are going very experimental. Wonder what will happen... recent 6N games are like 3-2 to France but they've not been routes.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 12:45:46 GMT
Should be a great game to watch as a neutral.
I like both nations/teams, but I'll be hoping for a Scotland victory (and a good performance as captain from Russell).
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Post by grey_matters on Aug 5, 2023 14:06:29 GMT
Should be a great game to watch as a neutral. I like both nations/teams, but I'll be hoping for a Scotland victory (and a good performance as captain from Russell). Pretty much the same, man-for-man France are as good (maybe even better) but Scotland should be far more coherent. Hoping for a Scotland win but a a French one will really show how much depth they have right now. Lots of scores please! |
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 14:15:17 GMT
RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY
U
G
B
Y
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 14:19:07 GMT
Great way to dampen my excitement.
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Aug 5, 2023 16:15:27 GMT
Fuck me that was a savage half. If we could just do that consistently for multiple halves we'd win an actual trophy. Calcutta Cup withstanding.
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 16:19:41 GMT
Classic France, how I've missed them.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 16:25:19 GMT
Great, gutsy second-half performance by Scotland. Delighted!
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 16:55:01 GMT
This is dull
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 17:20:32 GMT
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 17:25:03 GMT
Yeah, a pretty turgid showing from both teams thus far.
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 17:30:43 GMT
Yeah, a pretty turgid showing from both teams thus far. I think your prediction of 5 or 6 of this team making the final squad was generous. |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 17:32:31 GMT
I think your prediction of 5 or 6 of this team making the final squad was generous.
Based on the first half, so do I!
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 17:53:27 GMT
Come on Tom, knock this out of the park
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Post by elstoof on Aug 5, 2023 18:14:22 GMT
Borthwick doing a liz truss this year I reckon
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 18:34:31 GMT
Yeah he'll be out post RWC. Argentina will butcher us.
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Aug 5, 2023 18:54:45 GMT
But he won the Premiership that time, the greatest and only rugby league. If you listen to the commentary anyhow.
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Post by Danno on Aug 5, 2023 19:10:49 GMT
Lineout God as well.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 19:22:10 GMT
The second half was utterly atrocious. I would've had a far better time if I'd gone back to playing on the PS5; then again, I would've had a far better time if I'd spent those 40 minutes repeatedly hitting myself in the genitals with a toffee hammer dipped in battery acid.
On that showing, I'd be fine with Borthwick doing a Truss.
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Post by elstoof on Aug 5, 2023 19:31:45 GMT
Happened to be coaching the most successful team in English history when they were emerging from a slump, while a number of other clubs were melting down behind the scenes
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 20:06:29 GMT
Some of his decisions baffle the hell out of me:
- Why start Care, then bring on JVP after 50 minutes? Surely it should be the other way around?
- Cokanasiga has barely had a sniff of international rugby since RWC 2019. On today's showing, I can see why.
- Why give Dombrandt (a known quantity) 60 minutes, but Willis (a debutant) only 20? Again, it should've been reversed.
- Unless Malins has incriminating photos of you, why keep selecting him?
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 5, 2023 20:13:37 GMT
Just for balance, here are the positives from today's game:
- No-one got injured.
- Steward was (mostly) solid.
- Ludlam gave it his all.
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Post by Danno on Aug 6, 2023 2:14:39 GMT
Just for balance, here are the positives from today's game: - No-one got injured. - Steward was (mostly) solid. - Ludlam gave it his all. yeahhhhh but Farrell didn't get injured either. |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 6, 2023 9:40:20 GMT
Stolen from the Quins board, with someone responding to the local troll's claim that "Farrell is better than Smith at [international] level":
As much as I dislike Farrell, I agree with this guy's point - when you have a coach who's as bereft of imagination as Jones or Borthwick, having imaginative and creative players on the field is essentially pointless, so you may as well stick with an abject dullard like Fazlet.
Farrell's ongoing presence in the England squad is more of a symptom than a cause (although he certainly does nothing to help matters).
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 6, 2023 23:10:39 GMT
England's likely RWC squad, per the Torygraph: archive.ph/zlD10If this report is accurate, the highlights are Slade's omission, Dombrandt's omission (and Tom Willis being billed as the next cab off the rank in case of injury), and Billy Vunipola's status as the only specialist No. 8 in the squad. |
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 7, 2023 9:16:37 GMT
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