England deserved that win, never gave up and pushed until the very end.
PhilTheFragger
Provider of Entertainment for the Golfing Gods 🙄
There’s only one thing better than beating the frogs, and that’s beating the Aussies 
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
The fans of Racing 92 aren't that pleased with him, and when he played in the whites of England every tackle he made you had your heart in mouth incase it resulted in a sin bin.
He was a liability, am I'm glad he scooted off to France.
GB72
Money List Winner
Farrell is not the future for England but fynn Smith today looked a decent cross between Marcus Smith and George Ford and helps that he has a playing relationship with much of the back line.
If I wanted one player back from France it would be Jack Willis.
If I wanted one player back from France it would be Jack Willis.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
What is it with Marcus Smith and his floppy hair - does he fancy himself or what.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I agree on Jack Willis. Fortunately though, Henry Arundel is returning to play for Bath next year so will be availabile for selection
I thought F Smith took the first half to settle down. In the first half he seemed to kick to quickly, but yes in the second he started to produce excellent ball.
TBH I was very impressed with M Smith today, especially when towards the end of the second half he called for the mark and gave his team a breather and paused the French activity.
I do worry though about Mitchell and his sniping. He seemed to pick the wrong moment and wall of players in front of him.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Probably his parentage..
AmandaJR
Money List Winner
I actually don't think he does. It's how his hair grows and unless he had a crew cut it's going to flop. Plus he's very animated and his head is constantly moving around. I like him and don't get any sense he's up his own ass or arrogant.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
His mother is from the Phillipenes, so it's how it grows.
I think he has a wonderful swagger and drive to win.
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Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
He isn’t arrogant that’s for sure
But he also isn’t a 15 , not great from there and his kicking was awful
When he stepped into the line he was good
Will be an interesting choice for next match
Not sure if Furbank is fit but have him at 15
Fin Smith deserves to stay at 10 , would put M Smith outside Fin Smith and Slade missing out
GB72
Money List Winner
Fin Smith starts for me, Furbank is injured and I would have steward at 15 but suspect we will go in unchanged. Rest week next week so time to work on things
Grizzly
Well-known member
Errr, are you Scottish?
I mean, I get that you are trying to find a way to get both in the side, but the 12 channel is where the heaviest traffic on the field goes, and young Marcus can plainly neither tackle nor defend. If he plays at all - and I think that that is up in the air here - it will have to be at full back, though that would be a risk/reward selection given that he was not super effective against the French even with their much deeper kicking game.
The saving grace as far as he is concerned is that Furbank is not fit, we saw in Ireland that for all of his competence under the high ball and improved attacking game, Freddie Steward will get isolated behind the aggressive defensive line that England want to play and Elliott Daly, for all that the changes to the kick-compete law will even out his occasional vulnerabilities against the steepling ball, has not played there in years. The result is that, unless there is going to be a leftfield debut (George Hendy at Saints perhaps), someone is going to have to play out of position.
Grizzly
Well-known member
I agree on Jack Willis. Fortunately though, Henry Arundel is returning to play for Bath next year so will be availabile for selection
I don't think Jack is the player that England miss the most - as much as he is a Lions contender in the 7 shirt, we are actually well stocked in the back row with the Curry's, Earl, Underhill when fit and lads like Pollock and Pepper coming through, as well as hybrid options at six such as Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South and Nick Isiekwe. Arundell is potentially more valuable - as I have just said in another post, our depth chart at full back is non existent - but of them all the ones we miss most are Joe Marchant and Dave Ribbans, both in their peak years and playing positions where we are thin on the ground.
spongebob59
Journeyman Pro
He can't tackle, cannot play him at centre
spongebob59
Journeyman Pro
Daly plays at 15 for Saracens, the only reason he never made it his position was because of Alex Goode.
Grizzly
Well-known member
To be fair he has played there quite a bit this year per their team sheets - I haven't had chance to go to many games this season - seems that he has attacked from 15 and swapped with Liam Williams in defence a lot. Last year, he was consistently at 13 and looked back to his absolute best, was an absolute joy to watch, even in what was a bang average, ageing side.
GB72
Money List Winner
That would s why Daly or Lozowski are great in the bench, fill so many positions if needed
Grizzly
Well-known member
Slade is similar - I think I've seen him play 10 through 15, as well as step in at 9 when there was a yellow.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Looking forward with hope, but that hope is tempered by significant trepidation. Its been no great and terrible failure (disappointing yes) to lose regularly to one of the top 3, sometimes the top, rated international teams in the world...lose regularly to the All Blacks - nobody is hugely surprised. Ireland aren't the All Blacks...? Maybe not - but over the last ten years they've been a great green version.C'mon lads...
Massive ask for Scotland today, we can but hope, really need Ireland to have an off day and we play at our absolute maximum.
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