England v. Ireland

[Puja]

He's done a lot of good work in the right, carried pretty well and bar a couple of dim penalties hasn't made many mistakes. Not really set the world alight but no England player really has.

Not having a go at him, but he needed to be ‘un droppable’ to keep Martin or CCS out

I'm a big fan of George Martin but still think he's a bit of an unpolished diamond still and will probably be better in the second row given how good he appears to be at scrum time in behind the tighthead.

CCS has looked very good so far but I'm not sure whether that's because the opposition are tiring or not when he comes off the bench. Up against Ireland would be a particularly brutal way to find out.

Very much agreed. I'd rather we have three back rows than play three locks, especially when Underhill isn't at his best at 7 - I'm happy to have Martin in, but Chessum's been much worse than Roots.

CCS is still very new and a few good cameos from the bench does not make him someone that cannot be kept out of a starting lineup.

I'd actually prefer to see Roots remain in the backrow if CCS was brought in and sacrifice one of the opensides so that CCS can do more of the carrying role that Earl has been doing as opposed to smashing up the middle like Roots.

This, I disagree with. Our back row has been balanced with Earl at number 8 and a 7 playing at 7 - while Underhill hasn't been at his absolute peak, he has been improving and he and Earl were good against Scotland. If CCS comes in, it should be at 6, nowhere else.

Puja

[Oakboy]

If Marcus is fit he should start. I doubt the Irish bother much about our line-up but they will prefer Ford at 10. It guarantees them more of the ball.

[Mellsblue]

Mail reporting the same but Chessum and Martin switched

As is The Times.

[twitchy]

[p/d]

If Marcus is fit he should start. I doubt the Irish bother much about our line-up but they will prefer Ford at 10. It guarantees them more of the ball.

Don’t want to risk moving beyond steady. We might find ourselves suddenly better than we thought

[Oakboy]

If Marcus is fit he should start. I doubt the Irish bother much about our line-up but they will prefer Ford at 10. It guarantees them more of the ball.

Don’t want to risk moving beyond steady. We might find ourselves suddenly better than we thought

How long before the crowd start booing every kick?

[Oakboy]

So, is it two back rowers - CSS and Roots - on the bench? Is there another lock in camp?

[Danno]

Team announcement at 2.30pm-ish

[Mikey Brown]

If Marcus is fit he should start. I doubt the Irish bother much about our line-up but they will prefer Ford at 10. It guarantees them more of the ball.

Don’t want to risk moving beyond steady. We might find ourselves suddenly better than we thought

Continuity is king. What if we took a slight risk and ended up being marginally worse off? What then? Exactly.

We've got to stick with this 23 until 2028 by the sounds of it. Might as well just close the forum.

[p/d]

If Marcus is fit he should start. I doubt the Irish bother much about our line-up but they will prefer Ford at 10. It guarantees them more of the ball.

Don’t want to risk moving beyond steady. We might find ourselves suddenly better than we thought

Continuity is king. What if we took a slight risk and ended up being marginally worse off? What then? Exactly.

We've got to stick with this 23 until 2028 by the sounds of it. Might as well just close the forum.

You shedding tears over Daly being dropped.

It is an odd situation to be in. A player with 3 caps is set to be replaced by a lock playing 6. Yet a player who looks born to test rugby is deemed too much of a risk because he only looked good from 3 cameo’s off the bench.

[Puja]

So, is it two back rowers - CSS and Roots - on the bench? Is there another lock in camp?

Coles is still around, I believe, but I'd be in favour of having two back rows on the bench if we're going with three locks - better to have more loose energy available. Mind, I wouldn't have it be two 6s - I'd have CCS and maybe BCurry.

Puja

[Oakboy]

So, is it two back rowers - CSS and Roots - on the bench? Is there another lock in camp?

Coles is still around, I believe, but I'd be in favour of having two back rows on the bench if we're going with three locks - better to have more loose energy available. Mind, I wouldn't have it be two 6s - I'd have CCS and maybe BCurry.

Puja

I suppose we are starting with two 7s and two 5s so would it matter if two 6s were on the bench?

[Mikey Brown]

Don’t want to risk moving beyond steady. We might find ourselves suddenly better than we thought

Continuity is king. What if we took a slight risk and ended up being marginally worse off? What then? Exactly.

We've got to stick with this 23 until 2028 by the sounds of it. Might as well just close the forum.

You shedding tears over Daly being dropped.

It is an odd situation to be in. A player with 3 caps is set to be replaced by a lock playing 6. Yet a player who looks born to test rugby is deemed too much of a risk because he only looked good from 3 cameo’s off the bench.

Don't let performances on the field cloud your judgement.

[Oakboy]

Continuity is king. What if we took a slight risk and ended up being marginally worse off? What then? Exactly.

We've got to stick with this 23 until 2028 by the sounds of it. Might as well just close the forum.

You shedding tears over Daly being dropped.

It is an odd situation to be in. A player with 3 caps is set to be replaced by a lock playing 6. Yet a player who looks born to test rugby is deemed too much of a risk because he only looked good from 3 cameo’s off the bench.

Don't let performances on the field cloud your judgement.

How long will it take for IFW to get disillusioned and start kicking everything? He is too good to shrivel. I just hope he and Freeman have the freedom to be themselves when we have the ball - another reason to want Marcus at 10.

[p/d]

You shedding tears over Daly being dropped.

It is an odd situation to be in. A player with 3 caps is set to be replaced by a lock playing 6. Yet a player who looks born to test rugby is deemed too much of a risk because he only looked good from 3 cameo’s off the bench.

Don't let performances on the field cloud your judgement.

How long will it take for IFW to get disillusioned and start kicking everything? He is too good to shrivel. I just hope he and Freeman have the freedom to be themselves when we have the ball - another reason to want Marcus at 10.

I assume alongside defence at set piece work they have focused on his kicking game

[Oakboy]

Don't let performances on the field cloud your judgement.

How long will it take for IFW to get disillusioned and start kicking everything? He is too good to shrivel. I just hope he and Freeman have the freedom to be themselves when we have the ball - another reason to want Marcus at 10.

I assume alongside defence at set piece work they have focused on his kicking game

You are just trying to upset me!

[Banquo]

Ben White rested and Louis Lynagh to start for Italy

[p/d]

Ben White rested and Louis Lynagh to start for Italy

At 9?

[Oakboy]

Dombrandt on the bench and Roots out of the 23. Weird.

[Puja]

Continuity is king. What if we took a slight risk and ended up being marginally worse off? What then? Exactly.

We've got to stick with this 23 until 2028 by the sounds of it. Might as well just close the forum.

You shedding tears over Daly being dropped.

It is an odd situation to be in. A player with 3 caps is set to be replaced by a lock playing 6. Yet a player who looks born to test rugby is deemed too much of a risk because he only looked good from 3 cameo’s off the bench.

Don't let performances on the field cloud your judgement.

I think people are getting a bit overexcited by a few highlight reel moments from CCS. I'm not criticising him (and for gods' sakes, let's not turn this into one of those RR moments where mild criticism of a young player turns into, "Why do you hate this perfect unblemished talent?" backlash), but he's a 20 year old with 7 top-level starts in his whole career and people are deeming him "born to test rugby" and "Roots would have to be playing undroppably to keep him out" after 55 minutes over 3 caps.

He's an excellent prospect and a great physical specimen and I am excited to have him coming off the bench. I would be nervous about putting him up against Ireland from the start because he's still a very raw talent and I'm worried he'd be eaten alive.

Puja

[p/d]

Dombrandt on the bench and Roots out of the 23. Weird.

Bloody marvellous.

Will I get to see CCS, Earl & Dombrandt back row finally

[Puja]

Dombrandt on the bench and Roots out of the 23. Weird.

Welp. I don't think anyone had that in the sweepstake.

Puja

[Oakboy]

Dombrandt on the bench and Roots out of the 23. Weird.

Welp. I don't think anyone had that in the sweepstake.

Puja

I can see a case for Dombrandt starting but an impact sub he ain't!

[p/d]

Dombrandt on the bench and Roots out of the 23. Weird.

Welp. I don't think anyone had that in the sweepstake.

Puja

I can see a case for Dombrandt starting but an impact sub he ain't!

What! Coming on with CCS, Care and Smith

[Mikey Brown]

Dombrandt on the bench and Roots out of the 23. Weird.

Welp. I don't think anyone had that in the sweepstake.

Puja

I can see a case for Dombrandt starting but an impact sub he ain't!

Whether his skills translate at the top level is one thing, but this just seems odd? He’s an absurdly talented linebreaker when things click. Not that I think Ireland will make that easy for him.

CCS doing the Billy-work and Dombrandt running off Smith late on sounds quite appealing if we can actually manage to get (and hold on to) the ball.

Roots dropped does seem odd. He hasn’t been astounding but I figured he’d been doing all the “unseen” dog work that Borthwick/Hill were so keen for.

Chessum has looked a bit all over the place, so moving him to 6 seems a bit strange but maybe it will free him up a bit? He can certainly cover a lot of ground, but can he take on Roots’ carrying?

Martin at tight-head lock is the big plus though.