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Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:07 pm
by Banquo
16th man wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:33 am
On Curry's fitness, you would hope that the hip surgery might be fixing some underlying problems, and that, aligned with the enforced time off fir the rest of his body, plus the hopeful loss of the extra bulk put on so that he could fulfill one of Eddie's post 2019 foibles and shift to 8, will mean he's going to be more durable going forward.
If he is then, best case scenario is we get one of our few contenders to be world class back, in his best position at 7.
What was done to the hip, do you know?
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:26 pm
by Galfon
Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:07 pm
What was done to the hip, do you know?
six-hour operation to address 'arthritic change and tears to the labrum and cartilage' apparently..
from Planet R:
Curry was eventually left with three choices to treat what turned out to be a very serious injury.
“One was to leave it; that wasn’t going to happen the way I was walking and running,” he explained. “Two was [the surgery], and then three was the resurfacing where they put the metal in. I wasn’t ready for that, I wanted to keep my hip. The surgery was the best option of the three.”
Can see him back playing at some stage but will certainly be different for him.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:31 pm
by Galfon
That 6'8 " 23 st. Kiwi/Samoan/Oz newbie for Fra is humungous in size ( now playing at Toulouse).
Some of the collisions will be off the scale in Lyon.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:44 pm
by Puja
Galfon wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:31 pm
That 6'8 " 23 st. Kiwi/Samoan/Oz newbie for Fra is humungous in size ( now playing at Toulouse).
Some of the collisions will be off the scale in Lyon.
Wild to think that he couldn't get a contract in Aus and not for want of trying. Something very wrong with their talent identification there.
Puja
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:54 pm
by Spiffy
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:53 am
So... is Earl a number 8 yet?
He certainly seems to have found his niche in that slot after a run of very good games. He's actually bigger than the world's best 8 - Ardie Savea (who may also be the best 7). His head to head with Aldritt on Saturday will be a good tester.
Makes you wonder how England would have fared by sticking with Sam Simmonds and tweaking their game plan at the time to suit his style.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:58 pm
by Galfon
Puja wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:44 pm
Wild to think that he couldn't get a contract in Aus and not for want of trying. Something very wrong with their talent identification there.
Puja
Glancing at the surnames across the Fra 23 there appears to be a fruitful talent channel when it comes to bulk, though at least Manu won't be up against his nephew (Henry's lad) playing at Perpignan, still a teenager but tipping the scales at a plentiful c 23.5 st.
Any higher and they'll be due a
.
It's been raised on this organ before, but the reliance on bomb-squad, blob-squad, finishers whatever .. just takes the gloss off some matches.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:21 pm
by Banquo
Spiffy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:54 pm
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:53 am
So... is Earl a number 8 yet?
He certainly seems to have found his niche in that slot after a run of very good games. He's actually bigger than the world's best 8 - Ardie Savea (who may also be the best 7). His head to head with Aldritt on Saturday will be a good tester.
Makes you wonder how England would have fared by sticking with Sam Simmonds and tweaking their game plan at the time to suit his style.
I did posit that Simmonds might be spitting blood somewhere.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:29 pm
by Which Tyler
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:53 am
So... is Earl a number 8 yet?
IMO, once someone's played a full season's worth of matches in a certain position then, at the very least, they're not "out of position" there.
So 25-30; Earl is on 32 starts (and I'm sure, more when filling in).
On top of that, he's performed very well there, and is rightly the incumbent for England.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:52 pm
by Banquo
Which Tyler wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:29 pm
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:53 am
So... is Earl a number 8 yet?
IMO, once someone's played a full season's worth of matches in a certain position then, at the very least, they're not "out of position" there.
So 25-30; Earl is on 32 starts (and I'm sure, more when filling in).
On top of that, he's performed very well there, and is rightly the incumbent for England.
done bloody well tbf....esp he didnnt regularly start there for anyone until august 23- he didn't start there at all in the season 22/23 til then, nor that much at all in others, dotted about over 6 seasons or so.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:17 pm
by TheDasher
Earl is just exceptional, 1st name on the team sheet and 100% a number 8.
Underhill is I feel underrated - he was immense against Ireland and the value of having this immovable tackling object in the pack is sometimes overlooked, a bit like with Big Joe Worsley, although Underhill hits harder I'd say. He was a big part of what stopped Ireland getting up a head of steam I thought.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:40 pm
by Danno
TheDasher wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:17 pm
Earl is just exceptional, 1st name on the team sheet and 100% a number 8.
Underhill is I feel underrated - he was immense against Ireland and the value of having this immovable tackling object in the pack is sometimes overlooked, a bit like with Big Joe Worsley, although Underhill hits harder I'd say. He was a big part of what stopped Ireland getting up a head of steam I thought.
Fair now, but he's definitely been playing his way into form from the start of the tournament. He was not great.
Re: France v England
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:52 pm
by TheDasher
Danno wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:40 pm
TheDasher wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:17 pm
Earl is just exceptional, 1st name on the team sheet and 100% a number 8.
Underhill is I feel underrated - he was immense against Ireland and the value of having this immovable tackling object in the pack is sometimes overlooked, a bit like with Big Joe Worsley, although Underhill hits harder I'd say. He was a big part of what stopped Ireland getting up a head of steam I thought.
Fair now, but he's definitely been playing his way into form from the start of the tournament. He was not great.
He's not often eye catching like Curry, but he tackles on the gainline, genuinely stops people - he must stop so many metres from bring conceded. Poor vs Italy and improved in every game since... good vs Scotland and Ireland, great vs Argentina too. The backrow vs Ireland was awesome, just hoping it wasn't a one off.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:45 am
by francoisfou
The locals down here are not exactly full of confidence and are already getting their knives out for Galthié, especially after last night’s result!
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:49 am
by Danno
TheDasher wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:52 pm
Danno wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:40 pm
TheDasher wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:17 pm
Earl is just exceptional, 1st name on the team sheet and 100% a number 8.
Underhill is I feel underrated - he was immense against Ireland and the value of having this immovable tackling object in the pack is sometimes overlooked, a bit like with Big Joe Worsley, although Underhill hits harder I'd say. He was a big part of what stopped Ireland getting up a head of steam I thought.
Fair now, but he's definitely been playing his way into form from the start of the tournament. He was not great.
He's not often eye catching like Curry, but he tackles on the gainline, genuinely stops people - he must stop so many metres from bring conceded. Poor vs Italy and improved in every game since... good vs Scotland and Ireland, great vs Argentina too. The backrow vs Ireland was awesome, just hoping it wasn't a one off.
It's the old form/class adage
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:05 pm
by morepork
I'm really looking forward to this. Two giants that are currently less than the sum of their parts. I hope both teams show up.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:42 pm
by 16th man
TheDasher wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:17 pm
Earl is just exceptional, 1st name on the team sheet and 100% a number 8.
Underhill is I feel underrated - he was immense against Ireland and the value of having this immovable tackling object in the pack is sometimes overlooked, a bit like with Big Joe Worsley, although Underhill hits harder I'd say. He was a big part of what stopped Ireland getting up a head of steam I thought.
Unlike Joe Worsley, he doesn't mean you're playing with 14 when you have the ball.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:14 pm
by 16th man
God knows how we coughed up that many points to Scotland.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:24 pm
by Mr Mwenda
16th man wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:14 pm
God knows how we coughed up that many points to Scotland.
Scotland were better than today (after 50 mins); they got the bounce of the ball; england shat themselves after dropping too many balls.
Little comfort at all I know.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:38 pm
by 16th man
Russell has had a miserable game.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:44 pm
by Which Tyler
Ire v Sco match has taken all the pressure and tension out of France v England.
Whoever can find some intensity with nothing to play for, is likely to win.
You'd always favour the home team in that situation.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:14 pm
by Mr Mwenda
What happened to Biggles there? Seemed to be quite a dearth of replays.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:16 pm
by Stom
Mr Mwenda wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:14 pm
What happened to Biggles there? Seemed to be quite a dearth of replays.
No idea how he did it, but his calf went.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:16 pm
by Galfon
Fortunate start - pity about the required re-Furb.
Eng slow-down tactics bring fruit.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:20 pm
by Mr Mwenda
Smith does a Furbank there, silly.
Re: France v England
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:23 pm
by Galfon
Smith at sea there - great passing.