Manu Tuilagi set to miss Six Nations

Bit of a blow

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24914863

He's the one player England can't replace with a debatable equal! With attacking ball in space he's devestating. Tompkins isn't the answer! I'd pick Barret there to do a holding job until he's back playing again

Tiger/Chief wrote:He's the one player England can't replace with a debatable equal! With attacking ball in space he's devestating. Tompkins isn't the answer! I'd pick Barret there to do a holding job until he's back playing again

I concur.

If Burrell can maintain current form then he will be our direct runner for the 6N.
Joseph has been out of form all season thus far.
Eastmond has an untimely injury at the moment I think.
Barritt will come back into contention but its been a while since he has played!

 Ouch

Someone is really going to have to step up

He kind of toured with the lions... But with rugby players these days being kept in such fine knick by the clubs they often come back fitter than when they got injured!

I know when Jack Nowell got injured at chiefs long term they used the 9 months to attack other parts of his body and bring him back stronger leaner and fitter than ever before

Trinder?

huge blow

The 12T-Barritt combination worked quite well last year in the games it was tried in, time to give it another run-out?

That is killer news, we certainly need him replaced, he doesn't seem to play international rugby much any more, and at his age and stage of his development too!!

Am gutted to hear that, he's the X factor the backline needs.

There goes your best chance of beating Wales.

now you know what we feel like with JD2  

The Saint wrote:There goes your best chance of beating Wales.

Has Walsh been put in charge of the next game between us then? very early to announce the Refs!

Said somewhere else but I'll repeat it. Now is that time to try out one if Trinder, Daily or Charlie Walker. We have no one who can match Manu's bush so lets get some gas in the centre's.

Scrumpy wrote:

The Saint wrote:There goes your best chance of beating Wales.

Has Walsh been put in charge of the next game between us then? very early to announce the Refs!

Forgot he reffed in 2012....Oh..wait...

Won't help them but he wasn't used much in 2012 either. Barritt is so important for England too. Gives them a lot of shape.

He didnt have a great game, no

yappysnap wrote:Said somewhere else but I'll repeat it. Now is that time to try out one if Trinder, Daily or Charlie Walker. We have no one who can match Manu's bush so lets get some gas in the centre's.

I didn't realise it was that kind of surgery!  

Do you get danger money for conducting that surgery?

Tiger/Chief wrote:He's the one player England can't replace with a debatable equal! With attacking ball in space he's devestating. Tompkins isn't the answer! I'd pick Barret there to do a holding job until he's back playing again

Bit harsh on Tompkins. The bloke is only 18. Might be 19 now actually.

According to match reports he played well against Wasps in the LV Cup on his debut. Scored 1 try and had a say in two others.

Got a lot of potential in my opinion. Could be the long term answer at 13.

huge blow this news! Exposes a small hole we have there in terms of quality replacements..

Rather large hole as the last two games suggest

Erm. Didn't they win both?

It's good to try out new players at least. Unfortunately there's hardly a large amount of obvious candidates to replace Manu.

Would be easier to accept if I really thought SL would use it as an opportunity to test a number of options and see just what depth we have. But I feel he's got his mind set on Barritt/Manu, 12T/Tomkins combos (the former good, the latter average).

beshocked wrote:It's good to try out new players at least. Unfortunately there's hardly a large amount of obvious candidates to replace Manu.

You could say (also unfortunately) that its quite the opposite. There are loads of choices, none of whom are Manu mk 2, but none of them absolutely stand out. Sorting out who should get a chance is hard.

True lostinwales. That's advantage a side like Wales has. As they have less options it means those players who get picked get more experience and opportunities to gel.

England generally has a lot of players of similar quality on the surface.

Even in positions like 9 or 10 there's always the thought could England be better if another 9 or 10 were picked. Same in other positions like lock - could Attwood be better etc?

As fans we are very critical of our players despite them generally doing quite well as a team.

Fans seem to forget that players need time and experience to improve as players.

Barney mcgrew did it we will have the 6 nations for that too.

At the moment there is the Tomkins is rubbish bandwagon. The bandwagon might well prove to be right but I don't necessarily think there is any guarantee that Eastmond or Trinder are the answers at 13 from what I've seen so far.

They've hardly been tearing up the AP.

Big loss for England, thought he was developing into a great player on the Lions tour.

IronMike wrote:Big loss for England, thought he was developing into a great player on the Lions tour.

You never saw the best of Manu on tour though. He had one OK game and not much else but was carrying injury/ maybe a little off form. Vs NZ last year - now that is what he can do. He isn't a 'complete' player - but he is a terrific player ball in hand

Ah I just don't buy this Tuilagi is the messaish stuff...he's very good theres no doubt...but I reckon, Eastmond, Elliot Daly, Tomkins, Trinder, Joseph, even Banahan has shown he can be extremely dangerous given the ball in the space.

The problem is our backs are getting NO attacking ball in space.

If we want a hard carrying centre then we go for Burrell.

Personally its harsh to criticse Twelvetrees and Tomkins when they are getting the service they are...

Don't forget Barritt will defo be starting at 12...Lancasters main man...

Burrell is a good player, no doubts. But this is his first season playing at a real good level. Not sure if the ABs are the team against which to break his cherry.

GF, wash your mouth out. Banahan has never shown anything in an England shirt. I do agree our major problem stems from slow ball and a 10 that is standing far too deep.

Manu had one excellent game alongside BOD and Sexton which was probably the beat midfield showing all tour, only equalled in the final test. The issues around his shoulder and pectoral stem from the Lions tour where the Lions medical team decided he was fine to complete contact training and play in the final test with a damaged shoulder. He's only managed one Tigers game before the injury resurfaced late in the game. In that game he was excellent but club and country are desperate for him to return, he's not the solution to all problems but he is the best attacking weapon England have had since Greenwood retired.

Incidentally Tigers have a hefty young Cornish/Kiwi centre coming through the academy and is reminiscent of a young Manu but with a little extra podge, less explosive but much better hands. Unfortunately he's only 19 so might have to wait a bit for him.

I still think Tomkins could do a job if we had someone willing to give him flat passes on the gainline.

It is a real shame to be honest. Still i would rather him miss the 6ns and get fully fit. Rather than him come back into the team/squad and get injured again.

Barritt/Eastmond anyone?

36/Barritt looked ok in the Scotland game too last year..

Tuilagi is a big miss, he might not be the messiah but he is our most dangerous player as he can do damage even without a lot of space, and we saw what happened against NZ when he did have space

Washed out Sam   (though I don't think Banahans half as bad as everyone says)

The problem with giving Tomkins flat passes on the gain line is that only Twlevetrees is capable...Farrell certainly isn't at the moment.

I think it is good and bad Tuilagi is out for most of the season.  

The good part:
An athlete with a seriously torn pectoral muscle can potentially do long term damage by coming back early.  Even when the muscle pain subsides and the athlete can start using the muscles again.  I am glad to see this handled conservatively.  

The bad part:
Tuilagi is good for England and for the Premiership.  Exciting player to watch.  Will be missed from the Rugby scene.  
Even if he is not punching Ashton in the head (little joke)

hes lot a couple other brothers hasn't he , can't you pick another one  

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:hes lot a couple other brothers hasn't he , can't you pick another one  

In a few years time I wouldnt be surprised if there was an English French international with a nephew of Manu on each side...

The problem is the system as ive mentioned above.

First half v Argentina we looked dynamic and powerful...thus Twelvetrees scored a powerful driving try.

All is good.

Second half appalling we look horrific.

In the second half Tuilagi would have had to resort to blasting it up the middle as he would have had no space.

GeordieFalcon wrote:The problem is the system as ive mentioned above.

First half v Argentina we looked dynamic and powerful...thus Twelvetrees scored a powerful driving try.

All is good.

Second half appalling we look horrific.

In the second half Tuilagi would have had to resort to blasting it up the middle as he would have had no space.

So, who do we have that can actually blast into the opposition and create space for the next phase?

Isnt that specifically Morgan, Vunipola, Marler, Hartley etcetc job...

And also having a Fh who is capable of suitable passing. Using Yarde off the wing.

If you want a basher...Burrell is the form version of that.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Isnt that specifically Morgan, Vunipola, Marler, Hartley etcetc job...

And also having a Fh who is capable of suitable passing. Using Yarde off the wing.

If you want a basher...Burrell is the form version of that.

While I agree you need players in the forwards who can be dynamic ball carriers there also needs to be an outlet in the backs who can straighten the line and gain those metres in tighter. While there is a lot of talk about Twelvetrees being able to do this I don't feel its quite there yet so think having Burrell come in could really help create space for our outside backs.

Or if we did want to use Twelvetrees in that role more then someone like Trinder or Daly should be brought in to use their pace to come off shoulders from half breaks created inside them and exploiting mis-matches after going through the phases a little.

Do you ever think we're worrying a little too much about that second half? It seems reasonable to me that the guys took their foot off the gas on purpose at half time knowing the job was done. Argentina then came out all guns blazing and still couldn't get close to a try, as even when coasting our defense is one of the best out there right now. We then go on to do enough to seal it at the end and cap off a good display.

I think we'll see close to the full 80 from Eng this weekend.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Isnt that specifically Morgan, Vunipola, Marler, Hartley etcetc job...

And also having a Fh who is capable of suitable passing. Using Yarde off the wing.

If you want a basher...Burrell is the form version of that.

Well, I am not completely sure having a basher in the centres is the best way to play. For me, a mix of playmaker at 12 and a harder runner at 13 is preferable (but that depends upon personnel available, game plan, etc.). But right now we have no creativity or any go forwards in the centres. So we might as well have someone who can get across the gain line. As a Saints supporter I see Burrell a lot, and this season he has been very good. I am not sure the ABs are the right team to break him in, though. On the other hand, Jamie Noon is probably available, too. Our options appear thin.

And, you know the ABs will attack our centres over and over and over. Tackling practise is a must.