EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Scrumhead]

Looks like redpath has been called up by scotland.

FFS. I really like the look of him

Yeah - it’s a real shame to lose him. Particularly when Eddie has shown plenty of interest in him/his development.

[Tigersman]

I wouldn’t be surprised if playing 13 has kept him more focused.

I feel sometimes some wingers especially attacking ones can get a bit lost when they are not getting much action.
Playing 13 you’re a lot more in the heart of things.

[fivepointer]

Disappointed Redpath has opted for Scotland. Galling for the English school/club game to develop players for other countries. He's not the first and wont be the last.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Ed Robinson has joined the coaching staff for the 6 Nations. Bloody good coach in the making. Son of Andy, but don't hold that against him.

[Big D]

Looks like redpath has been called up by scotland.

Was always going to be a coin toss on what way he went given his family tie. Can't be easy being French born to a former Scotland captain and growing up in England. I have no idea whether he grew up feeling any one nationality (if one can "feel" a nationality) or whether the playing for England was purely to benefit his career. I assume we have called him up with the intention of actually capping him

I am surprised we never heard any murmurs of French clubs being interested when he was younger.

[TheNomad]

Redpath, Williams, Tomkins - probably in order of disappointment. All potential England 12s that have gone elsewhere. Shame.

It's not that I would have hung my hat on any of them becoming World Class players, but Redpath looks a fair bet to have a good international career, and it's in a position we're lacking quality and numbers in.

So what are the options now?

Actual 12s:
- Devoto
- P. Cokanasiga
- For the future: Max Ojomoh?

Converted 10s:
- Farrell, as the incumbent does a good/solid, if unspectacular job
- J.Simmonds could play there
- J. Umaga played there at age grade, but not sure he'd make a great 12
- O. Bailey...good potential, I understand he can play 10 and 12

Converted 13s:
- Tuilagi, if fit
- Lawrence could do a job I reckon
- Slade, looks better at 13, contrary to what I expected earlier in his career
- Lozowski - as for Slade
- Piers O'Connor?

Anyone I'm missing? I think I'm comfortable with the present, and/or the future with pretty much every position we have, apart from (in order of concern) 12 and 9.

Weird really

[Raggs]

Brophy Clews?

Lawrence + Odogwu for a long term pairing of pace+agility+power, with some passing and kicking from Lawrence?

[jimKRFC]

Converted 13s:
- Piers O'Connor?

POC is playing really well so far this season, start if the season he was seen as a bit of weak link but he's on of the first names on the sheet now.

Heard a rumour Pat's looking at how he does at prop now.

[TheNomad]

Brophy Clews?

Brophy Clews looks like he has the talent, but he's never really made me get up off my seat

Lawrence + Odogwu for a long term pairing of pace+agility+power, with some passing and kicking from Lawrence?

I think in terms of what that could give you, they could be an unbelievable handful with ball in hand. You'd miss the greater ball playing skill that others provide.

Slade (he should have been in my list, as should), Lozowski, Farrell can do things with their boots and hands that those two can't - but I suppose it's about the game plan you want to execute.

Imagine a side with good half backs having: Lawrence, Odogwu, Cokanasiga and two of May, Watson, Steward, Malins, Thorley, Daly etc. outside them? Pretty threatening if you can get it right.

POC is playing really well so far this season, start if the season he was seen as a bit of weak link but he's on of the first names on the sheet now.

Yeah I like him. Whether he has a 'point of difference' that means he makes it at international level I'm not sure

[Raggs]

Think a Lawrence+Odogwu pairing would definitely need a Malins at fullback....

Randall, Smith, Thorley, Lawrence, Odogwu, Coka, Malins?

[TheNomad]

Think a Lawrence+Odogwu pairing would definitely need a Malins at fullback....

Randall, Smith, Thorley, Lawrence, Odogwu, Coka, Malins?

Some lovely runners, though we'd be vulnerable to the high ball

[Mellsblue]

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... ssion=true

‘Matt Proudfoot, has tested positive for the virus while Jones and his attack coach, Simon Amor, have been identified as close contacts and must also isolate until 27 January.
With the 2021 Six Nations championship scheduled to kick off on 6 February, it means all three coaches will have to miss the start of England’s training camp next week, due to be held at St George’s Park near Burton. With the RFU having already announced this week that the skills coach Jason Ryles is staying in Australia and will not be working during the Six Nations, it leaves John Mitchell as the only original member of the coaching panel currently available for active on-site duty.‘

[TheNomad]

Randall being rumoured as a call up for the 6Ns. I'm really pleased, I think he's a great player.

The rugby purist in me would love to see him and Smith at 9 and 10, but you can understand why there would be hesitancy from a pure size perspective.

[Puja]

Randall being rumoured as a call up for the 6Ns. I'm really pleased, I think he's a great player.

The rugby purist in me would love to see him and Smith at 9 and 10, but you can understand why there would be hesitancy from a pure size perspective.

That would be excellent news! I rate him very highly and I especially don't want to see him playing against us in a red shirt.

Puja

[TheNomad]

Randall being rumoured as a call up for the 6Ns. I'm really pleased, I think he's a great player.

The rugby purist in me would love to see him and Smith at 9 and 10, but you can understand why there would be hesitancy from a pure size perspective.

That would be excellent news! I rate him very highly and I especially don't want to see him playing against us in a red shirt.

Puja

'Strongly agree'

[fivepointer]

Mail also reporting that Odogwu likely to be included too.

Its only a 28 man squad so Jones doesnt have the luxury of too many leftfield picks.

Who will be left out?

[Puja]

Mail also reporting that Odogwu likely to be included too.

Its only a 28 man squad so Jones doesnt have the luxury of too many leftfield picks.

Who will be left out?

Robson and Spencer, most likely, if Randall's in

We'll need 3 tightheads in the squad unless we're planning on dropping Sinckler for the whole 6N, so that takes a fair chunk of the 28 as well. When is the squad announced?

Puja

[twitchy]

I'm still annoyed about redpath. Obviously nothing against him or his decision personally. It's just incredibly frustrating following a player through the age grades and watching their development thinking we have a top player is a position we really need.

[TheNomad]

I'm still annoyed about redpath. Obviously nothing against him or his decision personally. It's just incredibly frustrating following a player through the age grades and watching their development thinking we have a top player is a position we really need.

Definitely. He'll have a great career for Scotland. Fair enough though, it was clear that he wanted to, rather than because we didn't give him the opportunity

[Mellsblue]

It is annoying as he’s looked utter class the few times I’ve seen him play. On the plus side, a strong 6N is good for England and NH rugby. If Scot and It poach the odd player and it helps them compete then it’s a good thing. That said, I don’t want to lose too many and certainly none to Wales!

[Mikey Brown]

I'm still annoyed about redpath. Obviously nothing against him or his decision personally. It's just incredibly frustrating following a player through the age grades and watching their development thinking we have a top player is a position we really need.

Definitely. He'll have a great career for Scotland. Fair enough though, it was clear that he wanted to, rather than because we didn't give him the opportunity

What makes you say that?

[TheNomad]

I'm still annoyed about redpath. Obviously nothing against him or his decision personally. It's just incredibly frustrating following a player through the age grades and watching their development thinking we have a top player is a position we really need.

Definitely. He'll have a great career for Scotland. Fair enough though, it was clear that he wanted to, rather than because we didn't give him the opportunity

What makes you say that?

A hunch. He had been in and around the squad, he's playing well, he must have come into conversations and been told he wasn't far away.

Like Moriarty, having been raised by a former international my guess is in the back of his mind he 'felt' Scottish.

I could be wrong of course. He might have been told by Eddie that Farrell had it sewn up for years and he wouldn't have much of a chance

[Big D]

Definitely. He'll have a great career for Scotland. Fair enough though, it was clear that he wanted to, rather than because we didn't give him the opportunity

What makes you say that?

A hunch. He had been in and around the squad, he's playing well, he must have come into conversations and been told he wasn't far away.

Like Moriarty, having been raised by a former international my guess is in the back of his mind he 'felt' Scottish.

I could be wrong of course. He might have been told by Eddie that Farrell had it sewn up for years and he wouldn't have much of a chance

It is perhaps an interesting case study into the modern professional rugby player that is the offspring of pro players.

Bryan Redpath straddled the amateur and pro game and moved about because of it. Turned pro in France, had a young child there, moved to Sale and settled in England probably because of professional opportunities.

His son is French born, English educated and has a long Scottish family line. He is probably too young to remember his old man play for Scotland, but I imagine he was surrounded by stories of that, his Scottish family etc. Nationality is such a strange thing really, should he feel Scottish because that is his family line and he probably only isn't Scottish due to pro rugby, should he feel French because he was born there or should he feel English because he happened to go to school and learn to play rugby there?

It is hard to argue he grew up dreaming of playing for England when he turned out for Scotland at 16s and 18s but then again he did decide to play for England at 18s and 20s. Was that a financial decision, again tough to say. Only he can answer that.

There is no easy answer to this one really. On the surface it appears he may have been genuinely conflicted (I assume he wouldn't have pulled out the England tour a couple of years back) and to be fair he has made a decisive decision very early in his career.

I am glad one of he and Dingwall has come back to the Scotland set up, even more so that it was Redpath. It was a shame when both left at U18 level. IIRC Dingwall was captain of the age group teams.

[francoisfou]

What makes you say that?

A hunch. He had been in and around the squad, he's playing well, he must have come into conversations and been told he wasn't far away.

Like Moriarty, having been raised by a former international my guess is in the back of his mind he 'felt' Scottish.

I could be wrong of course. He might have been told by Eddie that Farrell had it sewn up for years and he wouldn't have much of a chance

It is perhaps an interesting case study into the modern professional rugby player that is the offspring of pro players.

Bryan Redpath straddled the amateur and pro game and moved about because of it. Turned pro in France, had a young child there, moved to Sale and settled in England probably because of professional opportunities.

His son is French born, English educated and has a long Scottish family line. He is probably too young to remember his old man play for Scotland, but I imagine he was surrounded by stories of that, his Scottish family etc. Nationality is such a strange thing really, should he feel Scottish because that is his family line and he probably only isn't Scottish due to pro rugby, should he feel French because he was born there or should he feel English because he happened to go to school and learn to play rugby there?

It is hard to argue he grew up dreaming of playing for England when he turned out for Scotland at 16s and 18s but then again he did decide to play for England at 18s and 20s. Was that a financial decision, again tough to say. Only he can answer that.

There is no easy answer to this one really. On the surface it appears he may have been genuinely conflicted (I assume he wouldn't have pulled out the England tour a couple of years back) and to be fair he has made a decisive decision very early in his career.

I am glad one of he and Dingwall has come back to the Scotland set up, even more so that it was Redpath. It was a shame when both left at U18 level. IIRC Dingwall was captain of the age group teams.

Good luck to him, I hope his game flourishes with the Scotland XV that seems to be on the cusp of better days with some highly talented backs.
Will he be at Twickenham against the English on Feb 6th?

[Big D]

Good luck to him, I hope his game flourishes with the Scotland XV that seems to be on the cusp of better days with some highly talented backs.
Will he be at Twickenham against the English on Feb 6th?

I would, Taylor has had next to no game time and there is little to lose by giving youth a chance IMO when options are thin on the ground.