England Pre 2023 6Ns and Beyond.

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Continued.......

Changes need to be in the forwards realistically but with several key forwards injured the bench doesn't have masses of impact. Were the likes of LCD, Lawes, Curry or Underhill there would be some options to make tactical shifts. I don't see that with these replacement forwards.

Injuries are no excuse though. France are missing three THs, Woki and Jelonch after all.

Dombrandt, Willis and Ludlam all having their worst games of the tournament really. Alldritt, Ollivon and Flament meanwhile have been terrific.

Danty has had a very good game coming back too.

Not a surprise England are losing when there are no Gloucester players in the squad....

No 7&1/2 wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:7.5 I've deleted 4 of your posts now for adding nothing but digging.....

I won't delete another....discuss the game or counter debate.

Ah. Was just about to post again. I did hope it was another mod.

No, it was me.

You're on your last warning.

king_carlos wrote:I like that England are shifting the ball right on the gain line. I like little else.

Willis isn't having a good game 7.5. Others also being poor doesn't change that.

Good kick from Smith. England desperately needed something just to get on the board.

Just offering the balance that for some occasions picked out its not Willis. Look again at that criticism of Willis beaten on the inside. Slade jumps out no where near the ball and Willis is hung out to dry. Slades normal solid Ness has gone walkabout. Willis has partially been taken out of the game as France have just kept the ball aline any time he's anywhere near the ball.

glaws wrote:Not a surprise England are losing when there are no Gloucester players in the squad....

At least Ben Morgan would have had a rampage from 8...

Dombrandt looks great at Quins but I haven't seen much from him for England

Hopefully England make more of a game of it in the second half. Good stuff from France so far despite fairly miserable conditions.

Unfortunately I can only see it getting worse

What’s the rugby equivalent of 6 second half goals going in against you, we’re about to see it if England don’t come out firing

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:I like that England are shifting the ball right on the gain line. I like little else.

Willis isn't having a good game 7.5. Others also being poor doesn't change that.

Good kick from Smith. England desperately needed something just to get on the board.

Just offering the balance that for some occasions picked out its not Willis. Look again at that criticism of Willis beaten on the inside. Slade jumps out no where near the ball and Willis is hung out to dry. Slades normal solid Ness has gone walkabout. Willis has partially been taken out of the game as France have just kept the ball aline any time he's anywhere near the ball.

Hopefully somebody can be equally defensive of Slade and Malins whilst you're constantly slating them for any minor error?

Willis isn't playing well....not much more to it really.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:I like that England are shifting the ball right on the gain line. I like little else.

Willis isn't having a good game 7.5. Others also being poor doesn't change that.

Good kick from Smith. England desperately needed something just to get on the board.

Just offering the balance that for some occasions picked out its not Willis. Look again at that criticism of Willis beaten on the inside. Slade jumps out no where near the ball and Willis is hung out to dry. Slades normal solid Ness has gone walkabout. Willis has partially been taken out of the game as France have just kept the ball aline any time he's anywhere near the ball.

Hopefully somebody can be equally defensive of Slade and Malins whilst you're constantly slating them for any minor error?

Willis isn't playing well....not much more to it really.

If you want to argue they're playing well feel free. What do you think of Slades decision making so far. That one where he jumped out of the line and wandered back leaving Willis totally helpless was really poor wasn't it?

Nice bit of directness at the start of the half.

Should have been YC - that was so cynical

Gets to the point where you do need 7 to get back in the game.

England dont seem to have any backs moves

Fingers crossed on this tmo.

Nearly something very special from Smith and Malins there.

Decent effort from Malins but no cigar, unlucky

Ollie Thorley would have scored that #justsaying

5 minutes late but a change I think was coming.

Someone got a new account

Wow Mitchell raised rhe tenpo.

Lovely.

That was better

Very nice try

Having two distributors made an immediate difference there to be fair.

Mitchell is so quick around the base....lovely play!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Mitchell is so quick around the base....lovely play!

As an olive branch. I'll drink to that.

Aldritt showing Dombrandt the level he needs to achieve if he wants rhat 8 shirt ..bit I'm struggling to see how he can keep it...especially if Mercer is back and Tom Willis continues to improve.

Smart from Dupont. Raining hard so immediately kicks with no intention other than making it bounce.

king_carlos wrote:Smart from Dupont. Raining hard so immediately kicks with no intention other than making it bounce.

He's so so good.

Yes. Brilliant scrum.

And then no touch ffs.

Nice scrum pen then muff the kick to touch

And back to back mistakes again.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

king_carlos wrote:Smart from Dupont. Raining hard so immediately kicks with no intention other than making it bounce.

He's so so good.

Back near his very best today. The 50-22 that he made on the move was exceptional. Plays it quickly looking to pass, sees the space and does that on the fly. Playing like this there are few players who positively affect games for their side more consistently.

When I see Ben Curry in the England shirt I think it's Tom for a split second and get excited before feeling slightly sad. I'm glad I don't have an identical twin. Having not identical siblings who are better than me is distressing enough.

Great steal by curry albeit after the ruck was already formed!

Bloody bounce of a rugby ball.

Don't forget ....this is a team at the peak of their building ready for a big shot at the world Cup against a side that is litterally starting its rebuild.

At least we are seeing the players who the Rebuild can include and the players who will be told thanks but your services are no longer required.

Is it wrong that I'm actually enjoying watching France play despite the fact they are pummelling the team I support...?

Easiest thing to do in the Smith Farrell debate is drop both in my opinion. Replace them with Ford and Grayson instead

Heading for a similar score to the under 20s match

Surely that player is out of the game as they're off their feet.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Surely that player is out of the game as they're off their feet.

There's several tacklers that haven't rolled away as well.

What happened to releasing the tackled player too?

No it's fine with the guy reaching over then.

Ben O'K should NEVER be allowed to ref or TMO England

Nonsense call, but irrelevant to the result.

England had a very minor chance of getting back into it at 10-27, just after they won the scrum penalty, but the missed touch ended that.

Sobering sign of how far England have fallen away in the last four years.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Surely that player is out of the game as they're off their feet.

There's several tacklers that haven't rolled away as well.

Thought it was a hand from the french guy underneath. That's an OK try. Just Mitchell not reacting fast enough.