We beat Sale !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Warriors !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My old man will be dead chuffed .

Apparently, he’d once been within 200yds of a baguette.

The run and wriggle mob did well didn’t they 🙄

OK – stand corrected!! Oops

Did they exchange pleasantries while the medics were on? (BBC website picture)

I don’t think Burrells playing at his best. But will EJ use him or continue with Farrell? He’s a much heavier runner than Farell, has experience and has worked with JJ – once touted as the RWC partnership.

If the fans have their way Ford off for Farrell and Burrell in. Right?

He’s been very good indeed for the last 3 games.

At 13… which is where he was pretty impressive for England when he first came on the scene. I don’t think he’s a 12, he’s a big, quick guy but doesn’t break or bend the line enough to be a out and out bosh 12, and he doesn’t seem intelligent enough (as a player) to be a ball playing 12. His strengths seem to be out wide where he can use his size and pace a bit more, so for me he’s 13 or bust, and I can’t see him ousting Joseph.

I’ve not seen much of Saints’ games recently but have seen plenty of praise for Henry Mallinder, with some suggesting that its he who has brought the best out in Burrell again. Can anyone confirm?

In which case Ekul, we’d see Ford/Farrell again (groan), and potentially Burell / JJ subbed for different jobs?

Deservedly, I’ve seen I think 3 games he’s played now. One at fullback and he was excellent in all. He looks like a 10 year old, mind. A 6ft4, 17st 10 year old 😯
Ross Chisholm at quins has been looking very very good at Fb too.

Disagree about ford though, he’s getting smashed, because at present he is shit. Currently he does not deserve to be wearing an england shirt, nor, arguably a bath shirt either.

Some interesting comments by EJ on whether Tuilagi can be the next Nonu:

“I think 12’s his best position, yes. He’s not a 13. That’s what I know he’s not. He’s definitely a 12. He can carry the ball across the gain line.

“He threw a beautiful left to right pass on Friday night, threw a terrible right to left, so maybe he’s left handed, I don’t know.

“But he’s got the ability to catch and pass. I haven’t seen him kick but there’s no reason he can’t learn to kick. We have a reasonable kicking mentor (Jonny Wilkinson) here. He’s got all the attributes to be an outstanding 12.”

And on Burrell:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11593960

Indeed and he’ll probably get 150 if he avoids too many more bangs on the head. The cream seems to rise to the top a lot quicker in Wales.

True but I don’t recall much losing going on of late – a couple of RWC knockout games aside.

Wrecker – isn’t EJ trying to do that with Ford?
He is out of form and playing poorly, but has been identified as the one to take England forward as he does seem to have great vision and passing ability when on form. Therefore you stick with him?
Or do they just share caps about trying to find a miracle? Personally I think if you identify someone then you should stick with it. I hope EJ does this in several key positions when he is ready and has established the players he wants and that can play in the style he would like.

I disagree.

Sounds like you agree more than you disagree – that’s pretty much the point I was trying to make but perhaps I didn’t put it so well. :;

As for FH – Ford has proved with Bath and England that he can be a top-class operator so EJ looks like he’ll stick with him. Slade might turn out to be better but he hasn’t played too much at 10 for Exeter and he’s not playing at all at the moment so it’s a moot point, for now.

There’s a lot of luck needed in international rugby – unless you’re Jonah Lomu. Being uninjured and in good form when the various windows for squad selection open is paramount. Slade has fallen foul of that by breaking his leg when surely he was looking at being the starting 12 for the 6N. If he’s not back and playing well when the Aus tour squad is chosen then he might miss out again and that’s a years potential development wasted.

The same has happened to Christian Wade a couple of times and poor old JSD always seemed to play a blinder but then pick up injuries at exactly the wrong moment for England selection.

Is Farrell a better player? Apart from playing for a dominant club and being a good kicker and being able to throw a long miss pass to nobody in particular is he really better than Ford?

Well that’s the beauty of central contracts. In 1995 the RFU decided to “wait and see” how things would turn out under professionalism. How it turned out was the clubs took control of all the players and have never relinquished it. Hence the sorry state of the England team ever since – 2003 excepted.

That’s him lying down after running out the tunnel before the start of the match…….

At the moment, yes. By a long, long way. Ford is fickle mentally and can only shine when his team are going forward, hence him being so poor for bath this year.

He’s doing a job for Newcastle, but he’s far from the form 10 in the AP. The bloke doesn’t run, not even a little bit. Love the pic, it ws young harry mallinder who put him there.

Farrell has been playing great rugby this year and he shifts and he can tackle, as in actually bring players to the ground rather than act like a breathing speed bump 😉

Ah, we both know that stat to be bollocks. Farrell is considerably stronger defensively than both. You only have to have seen them play to know that.