England Squad Named

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SQUAD IN FULL

Here it is: Eddie Jones first squad as England head coach.

Forwards

Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby) *injury replacement for Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby) *injury replacement for Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens)

Backs

Chris Ashton (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby) *injury replacement for Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Alex Goode (Saracens), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs) *injury replacement for Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Per Sky

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/tactics-how-will-eddie-jones-change-englands-attack/

GeordieFalcon wrote:Eddie jones has a history of spotting players and turning potential into actual. Maybe he can with Devoto.

I say again I think we'll see a structured disciplined performance on Saturday. The ball will be kicked in our own half. There'll be a strict plan for the breakdown. etc

Wont be pretty but could be effective.

All he wants is a win then have a successful tournament. Style can be worked on in the summer.

If we kick well it could be effective GF. Recent England sides have usually kicked too long with a pretty poor chase. If we do that then it could be a very frustrating game and will play into the hands of Hogg, Seymour and Maitland.

When Ford is out of form one of the first things that goes is the precision in his kicking from hand, when Farrell has been shunted to the centre in the past he has struggled to control a game from wider out.

Sounds like Care (and to a lesser extent Youngs)'s dream tactics! Play off 9, attack the fringes, 9 running off the carrier...

I don't think we'll go down a simple kicking game. It will be a simple game, but it will still involve a lot of playing with possession

ChequeredJersey wrote:Sounds like Care (and to a lesser extent Youngs)'s dream tactics! Play off 9, attack the fringes, 9 running off the carrier...

It's an interesting article CJ. It would certainly play into Care and Youngs hands. It could also free the space for Ford to relax a bit on the ball when it comes to him which is when he plays his best rugby.

Nowell would also love it as he is fantastic at coming of his wing and cutting good lines of his 9 to get over the gain line.

If that's the plan I do hope that Mako is the starting LH as he offers a lot carrying in those areas. Between the strength of Mako, Billy and Nowell carrying through contact, the threat posed by Care/Youngs themselves, Launchbury's excellent support lines around the fringes and Robshaws ability to shift the point of attack in that area it could work very efficiently.

Hopefully you're right that Jones is hoping to go through the phases more than I'm currently expecting!

There are four really exciting prospects to come through for England if they apply themselves and show the necessary dog. Itoje, Beaumont, Mallinder and Sam James. If they keep developing well they will be next-in-lines when needed.

englandglory4ever wrote:There are four really exciting prospects to come through for England if they apply themselves and show the necessary dog. Itoje, Beaumont, Mallinder and Sam James. If they keep developing well they will be next-in-lines when needed.

I'd add Sam Hill & Daly to that list glory. When Manu & Slade are fit again centre resources don't look too shabby!

Oops. Forgot those two. I have been very impressed with how well Daly has gone for Wasps this season. These guys are sending players like Burrell and Twelvetrees further down the pecking order.

I'd be very surprised if we saw either of those 2 in an England shirt again tbh.

I wonder how Eddie would have managed the Burgess situation?

Harsh on Clifford

Probably by not picking him. If he gave up that easy, he doesn't sound like Eddie's kind of player based on the guardian and telegraph articles.


Add Brown into the options coming in for a one pass gameplan
Add in the huge workrate possibility of 2 flanker-able locks plus Robshaw and Haskell and Cole at the breakdown. I'm feeling better about this now

ChequeredJersey wrote:Harsh on Clifford

Quite. Clifford gives some really exciting carrying and linking options. Similar to Haskell in traffic, but also completely at home in the backline and offers the ability to straighten the line or go for the gap if one presents itself. And seems to have a good rugby brain - he knows how to look for space and exploit it.

Like Haskell with meaning, really.

Clifford is going to be England captain one day, I'm just not certain whether it's from 6, 7 or 8.

He's also got Croftian pace

Or nearly anyway

ChequeredJersey wrote:He's also got Croftian pace

Croftian... I enjoyed that!

Agreed on peoples views of Clifford though. He looks a fantastic player and should just keep getting better. In recent years England fans claiming that is usually preceded by a career blighted by injury so please can luck be kind to this fella!

We already have plenty of 8s with Hughes almost inevitable to be added to the list.

Personally I'd like him to settle at 6 but I think he's talented enough to do a job at 7 as well. A 6/7 of Clifford/Kvesic with a big tight 5 in front of them and Billy at 8 could be fantastic.

I really can't see him at 8 with the options we have coming through. I know Eddie thinks he can make it mind.

He does look a good prospect though.

Jones is quoted by the BBC as saying that he wants Itoje and Daly to be 60-cap players at least, but it's just about picking the right time to introduce them.

I think Clifford could easily make it as an 8 but it might be that the availability of more other options there means he sticks with flanker.

Apparently Lawes has a hamstring injury so is a doubt for the Scotland game. If that's the case then Itoje is next in line.

Clifford is 6 or 7 for me. The question is how good can his breakdown be? If they can really get it firing then he would be awesome there at 7.

It also means to me that Fraser and Kvesic are not rated?

yappysnap wrote:Apparently Lawes has a hamstring injury so is a doubt for the Scotland game. If that's the case then Itoje is next in line.

I would say yes...put him on the bench.

4 Launchbury
5 Kruis

20 Itoje

Yes hes inexperienced etc...but he's been playing top class against all the top European sides, getting MOM's for fun.

I believe he got 2 turnovers at the weekend, as well as causing all sorts of problems in the lineout, and I remember seeing one bruising carry...one that Lawes isn't able to match.
Hell just put him in there.

Agreed, if Lawes isn't fit then Itoje should definitely come on to the bench

Be interesting to see how he does and if we lose anything with Launchbury going off, I don't want to see Kruis coming off because of the lineout

He's got lucky with injuries but that's not his fault, throw him in there.

Eddie Jones on Itoje and Daly

But Jones has resisted the clamour for the likes of Saracens forward Maro Itoje and Wasps back Elliot Daly to be called up - so far, at least.

"Those two boys, I want them to be 60-Test players, at least, for England," Jones said.
"Now I've got to pick the right time to put them in. They'll definitely play in the Six Nations at some stage, but I've got to pick the right opportunity for them to play. Their time will come."

Jones watched Itoje turn in a man-of-the-match performance for his club on Saturday.

"I went to Saracens - I hid in the stands - and it was the best game I've seen Itoje play for them," said Jones.

"It was really good, very impressive. My gut feeling on Maro is that he's definitely progressing, but he needs just a little more time."

Eddie Jones on Tarzan...sorry Hartley

Jones said he turned to Hartley as he is a natural communicator who is good at "getting the best out of people".

But he added: "On the field, he's got to be Tarzan. He's got to get out there and play with his heart. If he does that, the players will follow him."

Jones, whose side start their Six Nations campaign away to Scotland on Saturday, said it was Hartley's "blokeiness" that first caught his eye.

"The first time I met him, we came to the kitchen and he was speaking to people behind the counter," explained the former Australia and Japan boss.

"He was very polite and respectful. He gets around, talks to people, encourages people to be involved.

"Leadership is not about being in the front of the bus, beating your chest and saying: 'Do as I do'. It's about engaging people and finding out what qualities they have. I've been pleased how Dylan's done that."

Way too excited for this now .. any idea when team announcements are due?

Will Greenwoods team.

I agree with the centres and back three. A few other good calls too.

Thursday for the England team and vice captain.

Hartley is only expected to play 60 mins MAX so Jamie George will definitely get a run out aswell!

Hartley will struggle at Murrayfield if he plays the way Eddie Jones wants him to - In fact he's setting up to fail.

Is that Gats talking?

Why Ruby?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Why Ruby?

There are no Trees at Murrayfield and I just can't see Hartley playing like Tarzan with no Trees. In fact it's pretty impossible. It's just not fair to expect that and on this occasion you have to feel for Hartley.

Oh right, sorry thought you had a point to make.

Not looking forward to him taking his clothes off and running around just in his pants either...

yappysnap wrote:Not looking forward to him taking his clothes off and running around just in his pants either...

That's the spirit Yappy, lots of tension and oh so serious on here

You confuse the fact that was a poor joke with tension.

I refuse to comment on someone who refers to a post about Hartley as a poor joke

When do you leave? Shortly after the England Wales game isn't it?

I can understand you are still hurting 7 1/2 but eventually you will move on. Good luck this weekend

Hurting from what? Not winning the WC? I never expected to, so no real bother. Don't think luck will come into it this weekend but cheers anyway.

Rubyguby if you have nothing rugby related to add please shut up. I am sure that if you used your brain, you could say something constructive.

Interesting that both Scotland and England might be willing to gamble on fitness of players.

Will be interesting to see if either decision has any bearing on the match.

Of course I believe that it's not wise to play players who aren't fully fit, especially when there's decent replacements in good form but we'll see.

Eddie Jones has done plenty of talking, now it's time that his team deliver.

Just one good/bad selection in my opinion can make a difference.

Guessing those selections are george at 2, Kvesic at 7, farrell at 10 and someone (Devoto, Barritt?) at 12?

Oh I wasn't talking about them. Those are set in stone. Nothing can be done about them now. Need to look at what can be done, not what should have been done.

I was actually thinking of Itoje. Without him vs Bath, Sarries would have lost. Just one selection.

I would pick Itoje on the bench instead of Lawes who is struggling for fitness, even if he does train on Thursday it's not long is it? England shouldn't just rush Lawes back. I wouldn't even say he's that key a player either.

Also I was thinking of Scotland potentially rushing in Bennett. Perhaps Bennett is ready but if he breaks down then he could be out for the 6 nations.

I think the world cup showed....don't select players who aren't fit!

But Hartley will start we know that. He'll get 50-60 mins and be replaced by George
Lawes is doubtful so I guess Itoje is on the bench now.

Aside from that no problems.

All about tactics, and if they have had enough time to get a basic grasp of what Jones wants them to do

I'm still thinking Lawes has a decent chance of starting if he's fit.

The irony is 7.5 I actually think Itoje offers more. Better at the breakdown, better carrier etc.

Lawes has the experience, but I think Itoje will be a much better option off the bench.

Id far rather Kitchener than Lawes.

Personally in an ideal world I'd be having Kitchener Launchbury and I was siding with Slater but given the injury I'd have Itoje. Lawes and Launchbury have had a really good partnership though, can't say I'd be disappointed in any one player + Launchbury. Dean Ryan was reckoning on a Kruis Lawes one which doesn't strike me as smart.

The disappointment is going to be at 7 where I'd have moved on from Haskell about 2 tournaments ago. Hopefully he has his amazing game on Saturday.

I agree Geordiefalcon. On form and fitness Lawes is way down the pecking order, Kitchener can perhaps count himself unlucky. Lawes is purely in there because of experience and I believe because of his partnership with Hartley.

Itoje would also pair up with George if he's on the bench.

no 7 & 1/2 how would you define fully fit?


Oh and a fully fit and firing player is different to one who isn't.

I take fitness and form very seriously hence not wanting Farrell involved in the 2014 AIs despite playing for a certain club.

It seems that Jones is the sort of guy who isn't shy about telling players bluntly what they need to improve then sending them back to their club to sort it.

IMO he should have done that with Lawes rather than have him in the EPS. Tell him to get back to Saints, add some more grunt work to his game and start making his trademark hits on forwards rather than backs.

I do understand wanting him for the line-out though, especially heading to Murrayfield with the Gray brothers counter-jumping and Hartley completely out of match practice. If he wants the option of a second guy with a great line-out game then I'd have preferred Kitchener to add some bulk.

I'd be confident that Itoje will do well from the bench if required. He's ready IMO.