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England Rugby 2017


froggg

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20 hours ago, Highgate said:

4th behind, Ireland, Wales and Scotland in some order, wouldn't be the end of the world either.

Really? Wow! 13 games unbeaten, 2nd in the world rankings and you'd be ok with us finishing 4th in the Six Nations! 

With Wales and Ireland being away games it'll be tough. Marler just back from a fractured leg, Watson, Haskell, both Vunipola's, Kruis, Robshaw and Tuilagi all carrying injuries (most of them longterm) it's going to be a big ask but our Eddie will be frothing if 4th is the limit of our capabilities. Also, beware the French - the year ends in '7' so they're bound to cause an upset or two.

Assuming Marler is ok to start and Haskell isn't I think the starting line up against France will be something like the following:

Front Row: Marler, Hartley & Cole

Second Row: Lawes & Launchbury

Back Row: Itoje, Wood & Hughes

Half-Backs: Youngs & Ford

Centres: Farell & JJ

Backline: May, Knowle & Brown

Should be a great tournament whatever the outcome. I'm still hopeful England can make it to the Aviva unbeaten at which point it's game on.

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2 hours ago, 86 points said:

Really? Wow! 13 games unbeaten, 2nd in the world rankings and you'd be ok with us finishing 4th in the Six Nations!

You are making perfect sense if you assume I'm English. But I'm not, so it doesn't. If i were an England fan, of course I'd be only satisfied with winning the Six Nations this year, or at least, coming very close to doing so.  Quite rightly the favourites, given their recent form.

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I think the Grand Slam will be on comfortably until the final match and we should definitely have too much for France this weekend. I still think England's backs are an area of concern - other than Farrell, Youngs, Joseph and Watson (when fit), none of them are really world-class. The pack is very strong though, even with the current injury issues.

I expect Ireland to be on for a slam in the final game too, which should be very exciting.

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1 hour ago, Highgate said:

You are making perfect sense if you assume I'm English. But I'm not, so it doesn't. If i were an England fan, of course I'd be only satisfied with winning the Six Nations this year, or at least, coming very close to doing so.  Quite rightly the favourites, given their recent form.

Fair play @Highgate Might I enquire as to your allegiance then? Having squeezed Scotland into the list of teams that might conceivably finish above England should I take that as a clue? :)

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1 hour ago, Posh Ram said:

I think the Grand Slam will be on comfortably until the final match and we should definitely have too much for France this weekend. I still think England's backs are an area of concern - other than Farrell, Youngs, Joseph and Watson (when fit), none of them are really world-class. The pack is very strong though, even with the current injury issues.

I expect Ireland to be on for a slam in the final game too, which should be very exciting.

France actually worry me as they're performances under Guy Noves have improved steadily. Like you I'd hope we would win but it might not be as comfortable as some folk think. 

Just seen that Nowell is out for 'personal reasons' - Eliot Daly is tried again on the wing: France's kicking game may look to target him early.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38839946

Elliot Daly has been named on the wing for England's Six Nations opener against France on Saturday, with the in-form Jack Nowell on the bench.

Nowell missed two days of training this week for personal reasons.

Maro Itoje will start a Test for the first time on the flank, and is named alongside Tom Wood and Nathan Hughes in the back row.

Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes start in the second row, after George Kruis was ruled out with a knee injury.

Hughes is at number eight in place of the injured Billy Vunipola while prop Joe Marler, who has recovered from a fractured leg, starts. Flanker James Haskell is among the replacements.

Daly, who has also played at centre for England, was sent off on his last appearance for his country against Argentina in December, having started the previous Autumn Internationals against South Africa and Fiji.

"Elliot did superbly for us in the autumn," said England coach Eddie Jones. "He's got genuine pace and can play as a third centre. Jack's absence had nothing to do with selection."

Six questions for Eddie Jones to tackle

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BBC coverage of the 2017 Six Nations

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There are eight changes from the starting line-up that sealed England's first clean sweep of the Six Nations in 13 years when the teams met in Paris in March.

Mako Vunipola (knee) and Chris Robshaw (shoulder) are unlikely to play a part in England's title defence, while winger Anthony Watson (hamstring) and second row Kruis (knee) have been sidelined for the tournament opener.

Despite the disruption to his preparations, Jones wants his side to take risks.

Six Nations tries of the tournament

"In rugby terms you've traditionally got two contrasting styles - French flair and England's dogged conservative approach, but we want to be absolutely daring against the French in this first game and set the standard for the tournament," he said.

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"Guy Noves likes a big team. He picks a traditional French forward pack with squat front-rowers who scrummage well, big locks who give a lot of ballast and athletic back-rowers.

"It's based on size and crunching that gain line, getting an offload and then playing with flair.

"Of course, this gives you an opportunity when you've got a big forward pack against you and we intend to exploit that."

England's attacking threat was evident in the series whitewash of Australia in the summer and the autumn internationals, scoring 35 or more points in five of their past seven games.

However, despite 13 straight victories since taking charge last year, Jones has told his team to be tighter in defence.

Analysis

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Jack Nowell has been in outstanding form for his club Exeter this season, but after missing Tuesday's training session he has to make do with a place on the bench as the versatile Elliot Daly starts.

Maro Itoje's selection on the flank is eye-catching, as is James Haskell's return to the squad after his long injury lay-off.

And while George Kruis' injury is a blow, England are extremely well-stocked in the second row, with Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes a high-quality pairing.

England team to face France: Mike Brown; Jonny May, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley (captain), Dan Cole; Joe Launchbury; Courtney Lawes; Maro Itoje, Tom Wood, Nathan Hughes.

Replacements: Jamie George, Matt Mullan, Kyle Sinckler, Teimana Harrison, James Haskell, Danny Care, Ben Te'o, Jack Nowell.

Can Serin spark much-changed France?

France start with six players beaten by Jones' side in Paris during March.

The loss of Wesley Fofana to a torn achilles will see Gael Fickou switch roles, while there will be a focus on 22-year-old Baptiste Serin, playing his first Six Nations game at scrum-half.

Serin has captained his country at under-20 level and impressed in his early outings for Les Bleus at senior level.

Flanker Kevin Gourdon and loose-head prop Cyril Baille will also play in the competition for the first time as coach Guy Noves looks to improve on a fifth-placed finish last year in what is his second campaign in charge.

France team to face England: Scott Spedding, Noa Nakaitaci, Remi Lamerat, Gael Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Camille Lopez, Baptiste Serin; Cyril Baille, Guilhem Guirado (captain), Uini Atonio, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Yoann Maestri, Damien Chouly, Kevin Gourdon, Louis Picamoles.

Reserves: Clement Maynadier, Rabah Slimani, Xavier Chiocci, Arthur Iturria, Loann Goujon, Maxime Machenaud, Jean Marc Doussain, Yoann Huget.

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3 hours ago, 86 points said:

Fair play @Highgate Might I enquire as to your allegiance then? Having squeezed Scotland into the list of teams that might conceivably finish above England should I take that as a clue? :)

100% behind Ireland. Not quite sure why i squeezed Scotland in there. I think I'm just quite worried that they might beat Ireland on Saturday. Anyway, let's hope it's a good championship and the team that plays the best rugby wins...as long as they are wearing green jerseys. ;)

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2 hours ago, Animal is a Ram said:

Tell ya what, takes balls of steel to get back on a sports pitch after a fractured leg - especially rugby.

Like the old saying goes "Football players spend the game pretending to be hurt, rugby players spend the game trying to pretend not to be"

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