Rugby Football

[DodgyAgent]

Oh, and get ready for England to lose another half a dozen players too....

Uini Atonio to make Six Nations debut for France | Stuff.co.nz

They need to reduce team sizes from 15 to 14 to reduce the size of players.

[Doggy Styles]

Rugby players today are fitter than ever before, they train for the rigours of the modern game and condition themselves for the big hits they inevitably take.

More weight, more muscle, bigger hits. So how are they strengthening their cartilages, ligaments, bones, internal organs and skulls to take these big hits?

Agreed, England always seem to have half a team unavailable, but I feel this hits us hard as we rely on a handful of key players and do not have the strength in depth that the likes of Wales or NZ have.

This isn't quite right. England may not have the best players in the world in any position, but they have greater strength in depth than most countries, perhaps more than any.

Over the past few years they are usually playing 'reserve' props, centres and locks. They have four stand-offs scrapping for a place, at least two established scrum-halves, two hookers, about six wings and three full-backs. Any of which would form a competitive team.

[stek]

Is Super League back on then?

[Ramrod]

More weight, more muscle, bigger hits. So how are they strengthening their cartilages, ligaments, bones, internal organs and skulls to take these big hits?

This isn't quite right. England may not have the best players in the world in any position, but they have greater strength in depth than most countries, perhaps more than any.

Over the past few years they are usually playing 'reserve' props, centres and locks. They have four stand-offs scrapping for a place, at least two established scrum-halves, two hookers, about six wings and three full-backs. Any of which would form a competitive team.

I was almost going along with you until this point. There are certainly plenty of players competing for their place on the team in a number of positions - I couldn't name more than a handful who would get near to the All Blacks squad.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be screaming my heart out for England over the coming weeks, I just can't see them lifting a trophy this year.