The Great Big England A Thread

[Which Tyler]

I guess I'll go and find an even bigger version of the squad list.

TBF, and as mentioned before, your version was literally invisible on my computer

[Puja]

Also who is Luke Green? Another lock maybe?

Tighthead prop from Northampton - ex LIrish. Spent a season in the MLR and didn't especially look like he was a class above, although he is still young and well-rated.

Adding my note that SAtkinson's omission is highly confusing. There must be something.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

I guess I'll go and find an even bigger version of the squad list.

TBF, and as mentioned before, your version was literally invisible on my computer

Yes, but to be even more fair, your computer doesn’t seem to manage to show you basically anything? Did it work for other people? I’m sort of amazed it even showed you the screenshot from Instagram.

[Mikey Brown]

Also who is Luke Green? Another lock maybe?

Tighthead prop from Northampton - ex LIrish. Spent a season in the MLR and didn't especially look like he was a class above, although he is still young and well-rated.

Adding my note that SAtkinson's omission is highly confusing. There must be something.

Puja

Cheers. Does he make their 23 often? Don’t remember noticing the name. (Should have just looked this up myself. https://all.rugby/player/luke-green In case anyone else is interested)

Atkinson thing is weird. Maybe Borthwick wants more of a kicking game if he’s not a heavy gainline carrier? Not sure Ojomoh particularly offers that either though.

[ilovelamp]

The omission of the two Sebs, Atkinson and Blake, from Glaws baffles me. Some very odd selections in amongst that.

[FKAS]

The omission of the two Sebs, Atkinson and Blake, from Glaws baffles me. Some very odd selections in amongst that.

Seb Blake also qualifies for Australia so might not be keen on playing as it ties him to England for the next three years.

Seb Atkinson I've got nothing. There must be something in his stats we're missing. Apparently Ted Hill has a poor tackling completion percentage and that's made England coaches wary, must be something like that though I can't spot it from Atkinson's generally excellent performances.

[Oakboy]

Seb Atkinson's omission just baffles me.

Some interesting calls. Kloska, Green, Haffar, Lockett and Capstick are unexpected forward call ups and Hodge and Woodward I didnt see coming.

Good to see Hendy and Elliott included.

I imagine the team will contain a few of the main squad players who dont make the Scotland matchday 23.

Did Langdon get dumped when George returned to fitness or is he the only guy named from the main squad?

[Captainhaircut]

Blake was in an A squad recently. Just think Langdon and Oghre are ahead of him which is fair.

Some weird calls- Green and Capstick in particular but can’t see them playing. Would expect AOF and Beard to drop down plus maybe Ross, Coles, Roebuck and Hill.

Shame Clark isn’t fit and presume Ibitoye and Quirke are not fit either.

Great to see Lockett in there. Lot of potential there and Wales sniffing around. Kenningham and Hendy too.

Echo the Seb Atkinson thoughts. Just bizarre.

Something like the below looks decent.

Rodd
Langdon
AOF
Tizard
Coles
Pearson
Kenningham
Barbeary
JVP
Bailey
Ojomoh
Beard
OHC
roebuck
hendy

Haffer
Oghre
Kloska
Lockett
Fisilau
Porter
Atkinson
Butt

[FKAS]

Blake was in an A squad recently. Just think Langdon and Oghre are ahead of him which is fair.

Langdon is 27 and Oghre is 26, Blake is 23. In a development side Blake does make more sense plus I think he's a better player than Oghre who I like but don't think he'll be physical enough for international rugby and has more potential than Langdon. I have doubts over Langdon as well but his form has been so good he deserves the chance.

Wouldn't surprise me if Australia aren't pitching to Blake though his new contract at Glaws hopefully puts paid to that.

[Captainhaircut]

Blake was in an A squad recently. Just think Langdon and Oghre are ahead of him which is fair.

Langdon is 27 and Oghre is 26, Blake is 23. In a development side Blake does make more sense plus I think he's a better player than Oghre who I like but don't think he'll be physical enough for international rugby and has more potential than Langdon. I have doubts over Langdon as well but his form has been so good he deserves the chance.

Wouldn't surprise me if Australia aren't pitching to Blake though his new contract at Glaws hopefully puts paid to that.

I get that but is there not a wider piece at play which is keeping these players involved in England set up to try to prevent them going to France? Langdon and Oghre both played there already and we really don’t want them to go given George’s age and LCD’s injury problems.

[Scrumhead]

I don't know why this alwayd seems to be on Reddit before anywhere else, but there you go.



Capstick seems an odd one. Looks like a backrow playing lock for Exeter, even when they have big lumps at 6 and 7. With only Tizard and Lockett there it seems like he's a second row in this squad?

Happy enough with that but bit of a strange squad …

Echoing everyone else here but I just can’t understand why Atkinson is repeatedly ignored. I’d have him with the seniors, let alone the A squad. I can only conclude that Woodward being included is more of a graduation from the U20s?

I really don’t get Capstick’s inclusion? Tuima, Owen and Hammond would all have been better choices IMO and Tizard is very lucky to stay in after a season of mediocre form and poor discipline.

Green is left field but he is highly rated and it would be great to have another promising tighthead emerge.

OHC, Lockett (both Wales) and Kloska (Ireland) are dual qualified so I wonder if that may have influenced 50:50 decisions?

Great to see Kenningham getting recognition and there’s the potential for a very handy XV in there, even without players dropping down from the seniors.

[FKAS]

I don't know why this alwayd seems to be on Reddit before anywhere else, but there you go.



Capstick seems an odd one. Looks like a backrow playing lock for Exeter, even when they have big lumps at 6 and 7. With only Tizard and Lockett there it seems like he's a second row in this squad?

potential for a very handy XV in there, even without players dropping down from the seniors.

Yeah there is.

Brantingham, Langdon, Green
Lockett, Tizzard
Pearson, Barbeary, Kenningham
JvP, Bailey
Ojomoh, Butt
OHC, Hendy, Elliott

Oghre, Haffar, Kloska, Capstick, Fisilau, Porter, Atkinson, Woodward.

Not a bad side that. Seb Atkinson, Seb Blake and Joe Owen would all make the 23 for me but not bad. Depth at tighthead looks a bit worrying. Fasogbon being injured effects that and AOF still likely to drop down.

[Scrumhead]

Re. the tightheads - don’t forget Sela is also with the U20s. Still a bit worrying that we don’t have more obvious contenders in the 22-26 range. Hobson is highly rated at Quins and I do wonder whether Marcus Street will ever live up to the hype he got as a youngster.

I’d pick he same squad as you did with the exception of swapping Brantingham and Haffar around.

As I see it Brantingham and Green are scrummaging props whereas Haffar and Kloska are more notable for their play in the loose. I think one of each is a better balance, although your bench front row would be very dynamic.

I’ll be very interested to see who Ireland pick.

[p/d]

FFS!!! What do they want from a 12

V Quins (one example): made 18 carries for 69 metres, and also made 19 tackles to boot, including three dominant tackles.

Meanwhile his namesake is tearing up trees in the Premiership piss pot Cup

[Banquo]

Dingers in neither squad seems 'arsh, unless crocked

[p/d]

Dingers in neither squad seems 'arsh, unless crocked

Yep. Captain last outing wasn’t he? No mention that I can find of him being crock.

[Mikey Brown]

Dingers in neither squad seems 'arsh, unless crocked

Stuck in that awkward spot of being viable next in line for the firsts? I don’t know how much of a clash that should really be, but it does seem odd and it seems harsh on those that end up with no game time at all.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Re. the tightheads - don’t forget Sela is also with the U20s. Still a bit worrying that we don’t have more obvious contenders in the 22-26 range. Hobson is highly rated at Quins and I do wonder whether Marcus Street will ever live up to the hype he got as a youngster.

I’d pick he same squad as you did with the exception of swapping Brantingham and Haffar around.

As I see it Brantingham and Green are scrummaging props whereas Haffar and Kloska are more notable for their play in the loose. I think one of each is a better balance, although your bench front row would be very dynamic.

I’ll be very interested to see who Ireland pick.

Brantingham is far more than a scrummaging prop. He’s a good carrier and excellent over the ball in the jackal. His work rate around the rucks is excellent.

[Epaminondas Pules]

FFS!!! What do they want from a 12

V Quins (one example): made 18 carries for 69 metres, and also made 19 tackles to boot, including three dominant tackles.

Meanwhile his namesake is tearing up trees in the Premiership piss pot Cup

It is honestly bizarre!

[fivepointer]

Like others I'm at a loss to understand why Atkinson isnt featuring. What dont the England coaches like about him?

Another Gloucester player unlucky to miss out is Jack Clement, who i think is playing very well this season.

Thought Brown-Bampoe at Exeter might be worth looking at. He seems a real handful.

[Scrumhead]

Re. the tightheads - don’t forget Sela is also with the U20s. Still a bit worrying that we don’t have more obvious contenders in the 22-26 range. Hobson is highly rated at Quins and I do wonder whether Marcus Street will ever live up to the hype he got as a youngster.

I’d pick he same squad as you did with the exception of swapping Brantingham and Haffar around.

As I see it Brantingham and Green are scrummaging props whereas Haffar and Kloska are more notable for their play in the loose. I think one of each is a better balance, although your bench front row would be very dynamic.

I’ll be very interested to see who Ireland pick.

Brantingham is far more than a scrummaging prop. He’s a good carrier and excellent over the ball in the jackal. His work rate around the rucks is excellent.

I wasn’t dismissing the rest of his skillset. Simply more a comparison with Haffar. I see Brantingham as more of a Marler type whereas Haffar is more of a Genge.

Like others I'm at a loss to understand why Atkinson isnt featuring. What dont the England coaches like about him?

Another Gloucester player unlucky to miss out is Jack Clement, who i think is playing very well this season.

Thought Brown-Bampoe at Exeter might be worth looking at. He seems a real handful.

Agreed on PBB. I’d have taken him or Cleaves over Hodge

[Oakboy]

Like others I'm at a loss to understand why Atkinson isnt featuring. What dont the England coaches like about him?

Another Gloucester player unlucky to miss out is Jack Clement, who i think is playing very well this season.

Thought Brown-Bampoe at Exeter might be worth looking at. He seems a real handful.

The Atkinson omission, is it the player or his club? Gloucester players have been badly treated, it has been claimed, for the 19 years I have been on here. I'd like to see him get a chance because so many advocate him. I can't add to that clamour myself because I see him so rarely. When I have seen him he looks OK but not outstanding. Have I missed Gloucester's televised games? I don't remember doing so. Do they get shown less? I've never counted and certainly don't avoid them. Carreras stands out as their best player when I do see them and Mercer, despite the hype, looks nothing special. VRR always impresses as does Ackerman. Tomos always niggles me with his feinting at the breakdown.

For whatever reason, SB appears to have Atkinson low on a mediocre list. It is as if he is resigned to waiting for new blood.

[FKAS]

FFS!!! What do they want from a 12

V Quins (one example): made 18 carries for 69 metres, and also made 19 tackles to boot, including three dominant tackles.

Meanwhile his namesake is tearing up trees in the Premiership piss pot Cup

It is honestly bizarre!

Those stats also don't show the nice little touches on the ball he has to create space for others. For an inside centre he touches the ball a lot. For me he's a bit like Ant Allen, not very flashy but makes the rest of the backline look great. The type of player the flyhalf will have on the top of his Christmas Card list every year.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep, the old glue player.

When you have Lawrence, Beard, Freeman, Joseph potentially, someone who can create a bit of space and give their centre partner a ball to run on to sounds quite nice. I can only guess he's lacking something very specific that Borthwick wants in a 12 (that I guess Slade is doing) if he isn't still trying to find another direct option - Hartley, Butt, Wimbush, Waghorn. Both can take the pressure off the flyhalf in different ways I guess.

[fivepointer]

FFS!!! What do they want from a 12

V Quins (one example): made 18 carries for 69 metres, and also made 19 tackles to boot, including three dominant tackles.

Meanwhile his namesake is tearing up trees in the Premiership piss pot Cup

It is honestly bizarre!

Those stats also don't show the nice little touches on the ball he has to create space for others. For an inside centre he touches the ball a lot. For me he's a bit like Ant Allen, not very flashy but makes the rest of the backline look great. The type of player the flyhalf will have on the top of his Christmas Card list every year.

Very much this. Its the subtle and beautifully timed passes that i really enjoy. He's not a truck it up kind of player. His game is about moving the ball and playing others into gaps. His defence is absolutely sound too.