The Return of Freddie Steward & JVP | O2 Inside Line | This Rose

[@senamiledubazane1901]

Absolutely love these BTS of all the teams, makes you realize how much it mean to each player to represent their country on the grandest stage. All the best to England!

[@TigerLegend-Orange]

He is one of my favorite players in recent rugby history

[@Odlaner1985]

Steward was an aerial threat to the Springboks. Was a fair contest. Springboks just had that extra gas in the tank during the final 20 minutes.

[@Macron87]

Steward was incredible against SA. Anyone who can’t see that, doesn’t understand rugby. I’ve seen people saying “he got stepped by the SA winger on that cross field kick” - as if that wouldn’t have happened to 99% of international wingers.

[@business3867]

It would happen and has happened to 99% of fullbacks, the man he was trying to tackle was Cheslin Kolbe.

[@jameswyatt4443]

Nonsense, he’s great in air, that’s it. Ball in hand and defensively he was terrible as he always is. The man cannot turn. When he’s on the field, England are completely restricted to playing a boring heavy kicking game, that’s not sustainable.

[@Macron87]

@@jameswyatt4443 so which terrible defending are you referring to? The one where he got stepped by the best and most elusive winger in the world, following a cross field kick? Or perhaps were you thinking of the one where two players ahead of him missed tackles on the fastest scrumhalf in the game, leaving him with a 50-50 choice to go left or go right? you clearly don’t understand, if they are either of your points of reference. Tell us, if you have others. Ben Earl and Henry Slade were last weeks defensive disaster, not Steward.

[@Macron87]

@@business3867Agreed. The 1% who would have tackled Kolbe would have got lucky. Mind boggles how Steward was left to cover to much ground - where was the 13 and 11?

[@jameswyatt4443]

@ He turns like a lock. When backline players see him,, they know it like running at a tackle bag. This isn’t the first time, you utter casual, he gets exposed regularly. He deserves blame for it.

[@garysmith2983]

Freddy was great. Two relatively soft try’s cost us. I don’t think we are far from being a really good team. Game management went awol in the last 15, but I think there is cause for optimism, despite what the pundits and media are saying. Well done SA.

[@MontgomerySloan]

Steward got stepped a couple of times and done for pace. How many times has that happened at international level? He has the dynamism speed and agility of a fully laden barge

[@Macron87]

Are you referring to the world’s most illusive winger, when Steward was covering half of the pitch with no support, following a cross field kick? Or are you referring to when he had a 50-50 choice to go left or right, when the fastest scrum half in the game, was in an open field, after two other England players had missed tackled a on him?

[@MontgomerySloan]

@Macron87 and the scrum half, many such examples. I don't think he is a terrible player, just don't think he is England's best option at FB. Perhaps he should have been developed as a 12 or a Tom Croft style 6? IMO, England's shape and attack looked far better when Furbank came in. I'm not convinced by JVP one bit either but will concede that Leicester Tigers do know a thing or two about rugby!

[@Macron87]

@@MontgomerySloanthe fastest scrum half currently in the top flight game, after two other England defenders had missed tackles on him, leaving steward with a 50-50 choice to go left or right. Is that the worst he did? Make the wrong 50-50 call, that maths would suggest 50% of people would do.

[@MontgomerySloan]

@Macron87 As I said, it has happened before against other teams that aren't the world champs. Defence aside, England's attack play often looks cumbersome and predictable when Steward plays, he's too slow hitting the line. I'm sorry, I'm sure he's a decent chap

[@Macron87]

@@MontgomerySloanIt might surprise you to learn that Steward didn’t play against New Zealand or Australia, because apart from moments of creativity from Marcus Smith, there wasn’t anything different in the dynamism of the attack in the South African game. Only real difference being Steward getting his hands on the ball - often in the air - and then taking it forwards. Caused the South Africans loads of problems

[@Bobertron199494]

Seems like a great chap. However, his super strength (aerial prowess) is equally balanced by his deficiencies. Remarkably slow for a test level back 3. Terrible 1v1 defender. Your 15 needs to be one of your strongest in that regard.

[@Macron87]

When you cite 1v1 defence, are you considering the specific situations? The truest 1 on 1 was against the South African scrum half. He’s acknowledged as the fastest 9 in the international game, was running in open play after two England players had missed tackles, and Steward was left facing a 50-50 decision to go left or right. Logic tells me he - or anyone else - has a 50% of making the right guess, then making the tackle. What is it that I am missing, in analysing the realties this way?

[@Hunchbacc]

OTBC

[@timwannell6477]

JVP…sorry mate you’re just not up there. But then again…what English 9 is? Freddie is a rock, but that lack of agility is a bit suspect.

[@Macron87]

Can you highlight a single example of this “lack of agility”? And please, don’t even bother citing Kolbe’s step on the cross field kick.

[@timwannell6477]

To be fair, you are right. I humbly retract my comment

[@thereader6667]

@@timwannell6477 No you are right, you have to call a spade a spade. We all called George Ford out for missing a one on one tackle, same principle with Stewards 1 on 1 with Kolbe in the corner, but if anything Stewards is worse as he had so much time to adjust but instead went for the highlight tackle and ended up on his arse 10 yards away. Awful defence and its why he will dropped again for Furbank. Just wheel him out for SA games when you really need the his height.

[@Macron87]

@@thereader6667Are you being sarcastic? For that Kolbe try, Steward was covering over half the pitch (where were 13 and 11?), the most elusive winger in the world receives a cross field kick and does something that would’ve beaten 99%. Ridiculous to compare it to Fords defensive errors. The defensive calamity versus South Africa was Earl and Slade.

[@thereader6667]

@ 99% players make that tackle. It’s called slowing down your run 😂 letting the bloke catch the ball and making the tackle. Go play a game and you might understand. It was a bad tackle and Steward will be dropped for sure.

[@cormacdoyle2433]

As an England fan I think steward and jvp should start every game till the wc 😂

[@TheBoarder360]

Steward maybe.. definitely not JVP… Mitchell, Spencer and Randall and arguably Will Porter all ahead of him

[@brandonpye8757]

@@TheBoarder360JVP is over hated. Done more in an England shirt than Spencer and Randall combined.

[@TheBoarder360]

@@brandonpye8757they’ve had less opportunity…. 😂

[@brandonpye8757]

@@TheBoarder360 Not by a lot. Jack objectively did more with his opportunities and as a result has a handful of caps more than them.

[@Macron87]

Steward was amazing against SA. Getting stepped by Kolbe on a cross field kick would’ve happened to 99% of international 15s - the other 1% would’ve just got lucky.

[@Danny-sd5xo]

Slade should be cut - he's been on the fridges for ever but offers little by way of power, pace or guile.

[@Danny-sd5xo]

But he's very handsome and talks the ernest talk

[@thereader6667]

He looks more like a Love Island contestant than an England Centre. He needs to add a few kilos of fat and muscle, ask Genge to break his nose in the dressing room, so he isnt so bothered about his looks when going into contact because at the moment he looks like a guy who doesnt want to get his shirt dirty. Send him a pic of prime mike tindall, thats what a 13 should look like.

[@johnrowney5087]

Steward should be nowhere near this squad.

[@TheBoarder360]

You’re so far out of touch it’s hilarious. He and Underhill have both been lauded for the standard of their games above everyone else against SA… he was world class.

[@Hunchbacc]

I don’t reckon you have a TNT subscription.

[@tomduncomb]

Eyes are the first to go John

[@jonathanpayne3298]

Chill out furbank you’ll come back in don’t worry

[@Baz-h9h]

Haha, yeah right. He's one of England's best players, caused the Boks all sorts of issues last year too