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#Post#: 62306--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddie Jones's future hangs in the balance
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: March 25, 2021, 6:01 am
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That didn't sound right so I had a look. Ford's had two
appearances. Ditto Youngs. LCD's had 3, I think. Watson's played
two full matches at least (given his minutes). I suspect Rees is
being a bit disingenuous by referring only to the league, and
only to starts.
And that means they've also had all the preparation that goes
into the week leading up to those matches, because they actually
had matches to play!
#Post#: 62320--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddie Jones's future hangs in the balance
DIR By: Bolly-Quin
Date: March 25, 2021, 8:39 am
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Without trawling through previous seasons stats, I cannot prove
they would have played the same amount of games prior to the 6N
in a normal year, but it does seem like much less than they
would normally. When Quins players were regularly playing for
England, you could have expected them to have played 3 times or
more in December and a few in January before being whisked away
to England camp; this year they (England players, not Quins)
don't *seem* to have played the same amount. Since the end of
the Autumn Cup and the announcement of the 28 players for the
squad in late Jan, Quins played 5 games (3 league and 2 Euro)
and had Warriors game cancelled due to COVID and last 2 Euro
games cancelled - so some teams may have had 6 or so games that
England players could have played in.
I still feel that the Sarries boys are mentally unfit - and that
the rest of the team may have been dragged down by this; when EJ
picked his squad to go into the reduced bubble, he could have
perhaps picked Symonds at No 8, but who else before then had
shown "form"? Quins hadn't, apart from blasting Northampton!
There was a lack of preparation in a squad that may have been
affected by negative vibes of Sarries players and a lack of
ambition to change game plan.
The other thing that would worry me if I was responsible was the
repeat of the RWC feat of beating the favourites (NZ) and losing
to the underdogs (SA), repeated in the 6N by beating France and
then losing to Ireland. Eddie's squads aren't fit enough
mentally or physically.
Apologies for the ramble and missing any pertinent points!
#Post#: 62323--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddie Jones's future hangs in the balance
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: March 25, 2021, 9:05 am
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It's definitely fewer games than in a normal year and it's been
a disrupted season, no doubt. But I do think there's quite a big
difference between preparing for, training for, and playing
matches against other top-tier teams - even if it's only 2-3
time in a couple of months - and not playing anything for four
months. I'm not sure what Sarries were doing training wise when
Premiership clubs were allowed to play but the Championship
wasn't.
In terms of form: Mako had none and was injured anyway (Genge,
Obano, Hepburn), Daly had none and has been bad at fullback for
years (Malins), Billy has none and has been poor since before
the world cup (Simmonds, Dombrandt), Farrell had a poor autumn
nations cup, a poor world cup final, and a pretty average 2020
6N (tricky one here - Lawrence instead? Time to look at Piers
O'Conor as he's been tearing it up for 18 months?). Itoje I'd
have kept regardless. Farrell has no obvious replacement. But
Mako, Billy, Daly all deserved to watch someone else start in
their shirts for once, and I'd say LCD deserved it over George
on extended form regardless of COVID disruption.
#Post#: 62336--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddie Jones's future hangs in the balance
DIR By: Dibden
Date: March 25, 2021, 1:02 pm
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It seems to me Eddie has to present a plan to the CEO that gives
him enough confidence to believe EJ can turn it around.I suspect
that will be the outcome as it is less risky than hiring a new
coach who will take a good year to fully understand the job
properly.
On the other hand I am hopeful Sweeney will have the balls to
swing the axe if he has insufficient confidence in Jones.
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