JWC

[Epaminondas Pules]

Starts Wednesday.

Updated England squad, which flew out yesterday. Only change was Lamb-Cona who replaced Will Evans who had glandular fever.

Updated England U20 Squad:

Forwards

Ralph Adams-Hale (Saracens), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons), Josh Caulfield (Exeter Chiefs), Justin Clegg (Worcester Warriors), Max Davies (Newcastle Falcons), Ollie Dawe (Bristol Rugby), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ciaran Knight (Gloucester Rugby), Dino Lamb (Harlequins), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby), Joe Mullis (Gloucester Rugby), Jack Nay (Saracens), Alex Seville (Gloucester Rugby), Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Walker (Gloucester Rugby).

Backs
Sam Aspland-Robinson (Harlequins), Theo Brophy Clews (London Irish), Will Butler (Worcester Warriors), Ali Crossdale (Saracens), Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins), Max Malins (Saracens), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Dominic Morris (Saracens), Tom Parton (London Irish), Harry Randall (Gloucester Rugby), Jacob Umaga (Wasps), Max Wright (Yorkshire Carnegie).

England U20 World Championship fixtures:
England v Samoa: Wednesday 31 May – Avchala Stadium (10am KO BST)
England v Wales: Sunday 4 June - Avchala Stadium (5pm KO BST)
England v Australia: Thursday 8 June - Avchala Stadium (5pm KO BST)
Semi-finals and knock-out matches (Tuesday 13 June) Details TBC
Final and knock-out matches (Sunday 18 June) Details TBC

[16th man]

Is this on Sky or BT this year?

[Guwuffle]

Supposed to be on ITV, although there's very little in their TV guide so not sure how much of an effort they're actually making.

[Puja]

Evans has no luck whatsoever. Poor sod.

We've still got a ridiculously good squad this year, but it is awfully young and I think we might struggle without Evans, the Currys, Maunder, and Isiekwe especially.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Semi final and final live on itv. Pool games are being streamed. Handy as i'm off work on Wednesday!

Losing Evans is a late blow. Think we're going to miss the absentees this time around and a successful defence seems a very tall order.

[TheNomad]

Protheroe?

Good squad but as has been said, some real stars missing

[Tigersman]

Protheroe?

Good squad but as has been said, some real stars missing

Pretty sure he isn't EQP yet.

Evans has no luck whatsoever. Poor sod.

We've still got a ridiculously good squad this year, but it is awfully young and I think we might struggle without Evans, the Currys, Maunder, and Isiekwe especially.

Puja

Trouble NZ have a really really really dangerous team.

Only really Mercer, TBC and Malins are now obvious standout players.

Personally think Eddie has done the wrong thing taking Isiekwe, Curries and Maunder. It isn't like the JRWC is a bad marker for players (How many of our current squad where U20's finalists?).

[Scrumhead]

Protheroe?

Good squad but as has been said, some real stars missing

Pretty sure he isn't EQP yet.

Evans has no luck whatsoever. Poor sod.

We've still got a ridiculously good squad this year, but it is awfully young and I think we might struggle without Evans, the Currys, Maunder, and Isiekwe especially.

Puja

Trouble NZ have a really really really dangerous team.

Only really Mercer, TBC and Malins are now obvious standout players.

Personally think Eddie has done the wrong thing taking Isiekwe, Curries and Maunder. It isn't like the JRWC is a bad marker for players (How many of our current squad where U20's finalists?).

Protheroe is available for selection and has played for the U20s already I believe.

Evans is unlucky, but an illness is better than an injury (all things considered) and presumably he'll be back for pre-season. However, given O'Connor's famed lack of faith in young players, I'm concerned that he won't have much opportunity.

Eddie's interest in the U20s is in its value as a pathway. While experience in a tournament is good, I'm not sure if he's too bothered whether they're successful as long as the senior side is doing well.

If the Currys can build upon last season's performances, I think they have a genuine chance of making the World Cup squad so I don't think it is a mistake to take them. If Eddie believes they can make it, then the sooner they're involved the better. I'd much rather they had 10-20 caps come 2019 even if they are a little out of their depth to start with.

The back row is fairly strong anyway. Earl was captain and first pick at 7 in the 6N before getting injured and Mercer is a class-apart at this level.

Whether or not Maunder should have been selected may be a moot point as it looks as though he may be ruled out through injury. In any case, Randall's performances in the 6N were more than good enough to suggest that Maunder's absence will not be a problem.

Isiekwe is a different case. Realistically he's never going to leapfrog Itoje, Kruis, Launchbury or Lawes. I guess he could potentially get ahead of Ewels, but I don't see it happening. Ewels is a regular starter for Bath and I can't see where Isiekwe's game time is going to come from next season with Saracens having signed Skelton and Day. I would rather he had gone with the U20s.

That said, Caulfield and Clegg are highly rated and Nay looked decent alongside Isiekwe in the 6N.

I think we'll be hard pressed to defend the title, but I don't think we'll do badly.

[Tigersman]

Protheroe?

Good squad but as has been said, some real stars missing

Pretty sure he isn't EQP yet.

Evans has no luck whatsoever. Poor sod.

We've still got a ridiculously good squad this year, but it is awfully young and I think we might struggle without Evans, the Currys, Maunder, and Isiekwe especially.

Puja

Trouble NZ have a really really really dangerous team.

Only really Mercer, TBC and Malins are now obvious standout players.

Personally think Eddie has done the wrong thing taking Isiekwe, Curries and Maunder. It isn't like the JRWC is a bad marker for players (How many of our current squad where U20's finalists?).

Protheroe is available for selection and has played for the U20s already I believe.

Evans is unlucky, but an illness is better than an injury (all things considered) and presumably he'll be back for pre-season. However, given O'Connor's famed lack of faith in young players, I'm concerned that he won't have much opportunity.

Eddie's interest in the U20s is in its value as a pathway. While experience in a tournament is good, I'm not sure if he's too bothered whether they're successful as long as the senior side is doing well.

If the Currys can build upon last season's performances, I think they have a genuine chance of making the World Cup squad so I don't think it is a mistake to take them. If Eddie believes they can make it, then the sooner they're involved the better. I'd much rather they had 10-20 caps come 2019 even if they are a little out of their depth to start with.

The back row is fairly strong anyway. Earl was captain and first pick at 7 in the 6N before getting injured and Mercer is a class-apart at this level.

Whether or not Maunder should have been selected may be a moot point as it looks as though he may be ruled out through injury. In any case, Randall's performances in the 6N were more than good enough to suggest that Maunder's absence will not be a problem.

Isiekwe is a different case. Realistically he's never going to leapfrog Itoje, Kruis, Launchbury or Lawes. I guess he could potentially get ahead of Ewels, but I don't see it happening. Ewels is a regular starter for Bath and I can't see where Isiekwe's game time is going to come from next season with Saracens having signed Skelton and Day. I would rather he had gone with the U20s.

That said, Caulfield and Clegg are highly rated and Nay looked decent alongside Isiekwe in the 6N.

I think we'll be hard pressed to defend the title, but I don't think we'll do badly.

Don't confuse Protheroe playing in the 6N's with him being EQP as the eligibility rules don't count in the 6N's U20 but do in the JRWC (Which he didn't feature in). Think this is his final year before he is qualified.

RE MOC famed lack of trust in youngster is a bit overstated IMO not liked we improved with Cockers after in terms of giving youngsters game time.
I mean he gave a 18/19 year old George Ford 10 games during the AP and Heinken cup.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Team for Samoa

IMG_0625.JPG

[Which Tyler]

Semi final and final live on itv. Pool games are being streamed. Handy as i'm off work on Wednesday!

Losing Evans is a late blow. Think we're going to miss the absentees this time around and a successful defence seems a very tall order.

If anyone finds a stream, please post it up.
They're supposedly all being streamed direct from: http://www.worldrugby.org/?lang=en; but they're "not available in your territory" and we're supposed to look to Sky Sports for the matches. That'd be the Sky Sports that know nothing at all about the JRWC, and don't even list them as matches being played, let alone matches being covered by themselves.

[fivepointer]

I've just got in http://www.worldrugby.org/video/252169

[Which Tyler]

works for about 5 seconds, then removes itself

[Stom]

Who's that playing for Samoa?

Ah Him!

[twitchy]

Just in time to see the try.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Nice sensible move with penalty advantage. Well executed.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Quite lucky with that yellow. That was a very poor tackle

[Stom]

The stream was not working for me, but now Ah See...

[Epaminondas Pules]

Butchery from Ibitoye, but got there in the end

[Epaminondas Pules]

Never let it bounce!! We'll take that mind

[Stom]

BTW, how come Malins is playing, not TBC?

[Epaminondas Pules]

BTW, how come Malins is playing, not TBC?

TBC picked up a knock in training

Bonus point done

[Epaminondas Pules]

That's a beauty!!!

[Epaminondas Pules]

Zach Mercer is just too good.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Talk about the epitome of play to the whistle