Six Nations: Eddie Jones goes big on rookies, backs Owen Farrell

Stop press, Farrell also out injured for the opener. Now it gets interesting. Btw, Tui on the wing, absolute nonsense. The product of a game played only in the mind of a coach who wants to bend reality to his will.

It's not the only way, and I don't even think it's Jones preferred way. Remember the selection against Australia in November. Smith, Farrell, Slade with Tuilagi on the wing. Presumably, a fluid system with the 'wing' running lines in midfield periodically. However, having the option of a lump at 12 for certain games or parts of games can only be valuable.

Again, I get the only possible rationale for including him. But I question the reality (both Manu and Farrell would have to be unavailable for a start – half way there I guess) and the foresight and planning. It doesn’t have to be a 36 cap Kerevi this far out on the RWC cycle. But 6 would be a nice start. And is the only way to make Marcus successful to blindly attempt an Esterhuizen club clone and hope? Is that why we pay Eddie the big bucks?

He’s worked on his tackle technique to adjust to the new interpretations, as he’s done throughout his career. He doesn’t have a bad disciplinary record at all. The Wasps one was an aberration, not the norm. Given that the Wallabies barely ever get through an international these days without a yellow or red for a high shot, I’m not sure who you’re comparing him against. I agree he’s not the ‘complete player’ – there are very, very few of those, but it’s nothing to do with his tackling.

I think it’s simpler than that. He wants the option of a physical line-breaker at 12, and in the absence of Tuilagi, Atkinson is the best we’ve got. Also, Atkinson has really got his head down and worked hard the last few years after coasting in the early part of his career. He’s 31 which is hardly ancient. I’d prefer Kerevi, but he’s not available to us.

G’day FB. Should they be red or yellow? Doesn’t matter. Where they in internationals? Doesn’t matter. The red against Wasps the year after he spoke with the international head of refs to correct his technique? In the context of being the complete player, that matters. If technique is flawed, at what ever level, then a player is not complete. Is he good? No, 100 test suggests he is very good, perhaps as good as it gets currently. Just not complete.

Sure, I know what he is, but after years of strategising and Prem watching, is he really part of Eddie and England's best go to plan when Manu fails fitness? Like that hasn't consistently been Manu's story for the last four years. A 31 year old who's single cap came last year against Tonga by virtue of being last man standing in training camp? That's Eddie's vision? And if Eddie honestly believes at International level (untested) this guy 'can regularly win the gain line and distribute', only one of which Farrell (or Manu for that matter) can achieve equally in a 12 shirt, why not give him a shot earlier? You can only conclude he's there for training ground work, but offering a scenario on attack we won't likely see?

Yes, Ribbans deserves a look

But so old!

That was probably the worst AB performance of the decade until the recent loss to France.

If I'm trying to second guess EJ I'd say Ford has had six years under Eddie and while England have improved from the prior position we've got plenty of evidence of what fords capable of, and it's time to let a youngster have a go. Ford is a brilliant tactical kicker and distributer but too small on defence and poses a much lesser running threat than Marcus Smith, Smiths all round game is improving by the week, he's undoubtedly a large part of the reason (with Danny care and Joe marler) that Quins have done so well recently. Methinks this is a last chance saloon for farrell - EJ gave Hartley a lot of rope at the end - and farrells credit must be due up, he certainly doesn't make the team on form. Overall I like the squad, maybe a bit more second row meat - dave ribbans- but I think it's potentially an exciting team. I still think France will win the 6N

Barbeary's a very different player than Underhill. It's his carrying and go forward that sets him apart. Like always, it will be what balance Jones wants in the backrow given different opponents.

Because Atkinson is a '12' who can regularly win the gain line and distribute - and we don't have too many of those.

He didn’t receive yellow cards for no-arm tackles in internationals, and the ‘famous’ ones everyone in the SH are obsessed with certainly wouldn’t be reds even now under the interpretation changes as there was no contact with the head or neck. They might be yellows now (although by no means certain, although the one against SA 50-50) which is why he wouldn’t do it – what with him pushing 100 caps and all.

Montpelier fielded a very understrength side, and once the French decide they're not bothered about a game, the local girl's school could beat them. I think it's part of their charm.

No-one (including Eddie I suspect) doubts that Ford is in the top three of English fly-halves. Everything is about the RWC, though. Whether that's a good thing is another matter.

He seemed to muddle through alright there against the ABs in the RWC SF.

Sorry Tooly but those YCs for no-arm tackles, some of which could easily have been reds, remove him from the complete player category for me. I’d rather have Ford but then again, it’s England so I don’t care what kind of mistakes they make.

If he planned to come back, he would have done it by now. Reckon he is lost for the ages. Big loss

He’s been good at 12 when the team was rolling over someone. I haven’t seen him outplay a real 12 (Henshaw, Aki, Andre, Damian, etc) on a tough day vs top team. He’s a quality player so he can manage, but it’s just not his position.