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#Post#: 135173--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: poorfour
Date: March 16, 2025, 7:14 pm
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--- Quote from: T-Bone link ---
>
> Given that the centres should be the two Scottish centres, it
makes sense for Russell to start at 10.
>
--- End Quote ---
Why? Marcus has played just as well with Huw Jones as Russell
has, and Tuipolutu is exactly the kind of inside centre that
works with his game.
Now that we are past the Gatland years, I'd like to see a return
to one aspect of the Lions tours of old that I think still has a
place in the modern game: pick the best performing players in
each position, and let the combinations emerge from the warm up
games, rather than going in with a fixed idea of who should
play.
#Post#: 135177--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: March 17, 2025, 3:21 am
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Huw Jones largely played 15 with us.
Given you decried how unfair is was that Fin Smith got to
benefit from playing alongside players he knows very well I'm
not sure I understand the sudden reversal of that opinion when
it comes to Finn Russell's playing relationship with the
Scotland centres...
#Post#: 135179--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: March 17, 2025, 3:30 am
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It's a difficult one for Marcus, but ultimately he's got 40+
caps now so its not like he is still finding his feet at test
level. I think the problem is he's not had the same platform for
most of those caps that maybe Fin has had, as the pack this
tournament has held up. Also, with England winning the games Fin
has started, there is no clamor really to drop him, and to be
fair he played very well against Wales.
I think Marcus will be like Damian McKenzie for the ABs, in that
he will always be in the equation, but the mercurialness of his
style of play will always be a gamble to more of a belt and
braces classic fly half.
He isn't a 15, and I suspect Furbank will slot back in when fit.
I do think he will be a Lion though as his ability to play 10/15
will at least be helpful for the midweek games
#Post#: 135181--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: March 17, 2025, 4:17 am
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Marcus at 10 for the Lions is a better weapon than any of the
others. No one can do what Marcus does so they need to have a
minimum of 2 players watching him. If he steps, that becomes 3
and spaces everywhere else. None of the other candidates can do
that so with a Marcus Friendly back line, it's terrifying.
#Post#: 135185--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: Quinky
Date: March 17, 2025, 5:08 am
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Fin is good, but ordinary. Not spectacular. Marcus is
spectacular. Fin played well against sub par opposition. Marcus
played well against better opponents. Marcus would have run
Wales ragged more so.
As a metric, how many tier 1 international squads do you think
Fin would get into? Whereas Marcus would be a shoe-in to the
squad, if not the team.
Fin is "proven" against mediocre teams. He'll be found out
against the best.
#Post#: 135186--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: FishQuin
Date: March 17, 2025, 5:50 am
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--- Quote from: MaidstoneQuin link ---
> with England winning the games Fin has started, there is no
clamor really to drop him, and to be fair he played very well
against Wales.
>
--- End Quote ---
Let’s not get carried away here. Fin suits England’s style of
play and England won. But to claim he has played very well in
any of the games so far is a real stretch. He’s been okay.
Solid. Nothing more.
Against Wales his cross field kicks were too short. He missed a
couple of tackles - one of them a particularly embarrassing
attempt with his back. He only made 8 passes in total, and 1 run
(which went nowhere). He went missing for chunks of the game and
was outplayed by Ford in his cameo.
That’s not playing very well. And that was against a terrible
Wales team.
#Post#: 135199--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: March 17, 2025, 9:03 am
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--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
> As a metric, how many tier 1 international squads do you think
Fin would get into?
--- End Quote ---
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Australia. As for the
others... the Kiwis are struggling to find a good reliable 10.
France have Jalibert but he's a bedwetter at international
level.
I don't know why you've taken against him but Fin Smith is a
fine 10 who repeatedly creates tries for Saints with excellent
vision and execution, is a very good long passer, a world class
touch kicker, and a top-tier defender. He hasn't been the
all-conquering genius that the media want to paint him as in
this 6N, but he has been one of the best 10s on display.
#Post#: 135200--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: A222Quin
Date: March 17, 2025, 9:24 am
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The two Smiths provide a great mix of skills for the England 10
shirt. I don't get all the partisan one camp or another stuff.
The press and social media love all this adversarial stuff.
#Post#: 135205--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: poorfour
Date: March 17, 2025, 11:23 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: A222Quin link ---
>
> The two Smiths provide a great mix of skills for the England
10 shirt. I don't get all the partisan one camp or another
stuff. The press and social media love all this adversarial
stuff.
>
--- End Quote ---
Well, quite. England are very lucky to have the pool of talent
they have, and its frustrating that they haven't yet worked out
how best to use it.
If I come across as a Marcus partisan, it's mostly an (over)
reaction to the coverage of Fin. He's done well, and is probably
easier to fit into the team than Marcus, but he's also had his
flaws and there is a risk that his performance will dip when
opponents have had more chance to analyse his play and target
his weak spots.
#Post#: 135208--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wash my eyes!!!
DIR By: Quinky
Date: March 17, 2025, 11:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
>
> I don't know why you've taken against him
> [quote author=JammyGit link=topic=7248.msg135199#msg135199
date=1742220228]
> Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Australia. As for the
others... the Kiwis are struggling to find a good reliable 10.
France have Jalibert but he's a bedwetter at international
level.
>
> I don't know why you've taken against him but Fin Smith is a
fine 10 who repeatedly creates tries for Saints with excellent
vision and execution, is a very good long passer, a world class
touch kicker, and a top-tier defender. He hasn't been the
all-conquering genius that the media want to paint him as in
this 6N, but he has been one of the best 10s on display.
>
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
>
> Fin is good, but ordinary
>
--- End Quote ---
I don't know why you think I've "taken against him".
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