Six Nations 2020

[Comrade 86]

1 minute ago, CWC1983 said:

Pretty much spot on about Cotter and Townsend. I think he had 1 year left on his contract and the SRU were petrified Gregor was going to France and not be able to appoint him for another 4 years. 

It'll end up a comfortable win for the maypole dancers ? and the Townsend v Russell conversation will ramp up next week. 

Forgot about Russell's absence. Big miss that for Scotland. I've changed my mind and played England - 7 though and after Hadley parkes dropping the ball when over thereby scuppering my Wales +4 bet I'm thinking my luck's probably out this week anyway. You can thank me later if so ?

[CWC1983]

2 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Forgot about Russell's absence. Big miss that for Scotland. I've changed my mind and played England - 7 though and after Hadley parkes dropping the ball when over thereby scuppering my Wales +4 bet I'm thinking my luck's probably out this week anyway. You can thank me later if so ?

Rumour has it Russell is a bad influence in the squad and the players are glad he's not there. 

 

[Zag zig]

This Calcutta cup game is one of the most attritional international games I’ve ever watched. Awful weather, making awful rugby but players not doing basics at times.

[CWC1983]

Oh well, conditions made for a lottery of a game. 

Well played England. 

 

[Van der MoodHoover]

19 hours ago, CWC1983 said:

Oh well, conditions made for a lottery of a game. 

Well played England. 

 

Yes, you can't really read anything into that, but as an Englishman I do wish we could find a scrum half with zip like the Scottish, Welsh, Irish and french have. Youngs and Heinz are basically identkit players who appear to lack any sort of ability to improvise.

May had a decent game I thought. Daley less so. And Ford seemed to be playing auxiliary full back.

Good luck to Scotland - go on and beat the French ?

[CWC1983]

6 hours ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Yes, you can't really read anything into that, but as an Englishman I do wish we could find a scrum half with zip like the Scottish, Welsh, Irish and french have. Youngs and Heinz are basically identkit players who appear to lack any sort of ability to improvise.

May had a decent game I thought. Daley less so. And Ford seemed to be playing auxiliary full back.

Good luck to Scotland - go on and beat the French ?

Id pick Horne over Price at scrum half. Russell's interview in the Times today basically rules him out of the rest of the tournament unless Townsend walks. 

That Farrell penalty kick on 80mins in Paris might just win you this years 6 nations. The Irish game looks like a decider. 

[BaaLocks]

On 08/02/2020 at 17:47, CWC1983 said:

Rumour has it Russell is a bad influence in the squad and the players are glad he's not there. 

Well he comes across as a right twonk in that Sunday Times interview - sounds like he has the same media agent as Prince Andrew. I don't put too much faith in rumour but on this case it's straight from the horses mouth, what good does he honestly think can happen out of that?

[BaaLocks]

On 08/02/2020 at 19:34, CWC1983 said:

Oh well, conditions made for a lottery of a game. 

Well played England. 

I thought they were pretty poor, particularly in how they adapted to the conditions. Kick it flat and low, keep it in play, yet Heinz bangs it down the line like it's the flags are lying limp against their poles. And again, and again, and again.....

[Comrade 86]

On 08/02/2020 at 16:47, CWC1983 said:

Rumour has it Russell is a bad influence in the squad and the players are glad he's not there. 

Think he's gone and confirmed that in spades with hsi latest outburst. He's a talented lad but one or things I love most about rugby is that it is truly a team sport where you win or lose together. You don't tend to see the inflated egos that come with many of the top footballers these days.

As for the game, what a horror show! Sure, conditions were poor but god alive it was a shocker of a game. Don't think either side deserved to win and having changed my original bet from England by 1 to 7 to England minus 8 I took a bath there too! Fortunately the under 4.5 tries wager limited the damage ?

Saw your layer post ref the ENG v IRE game being a decider and that may well be the case. Like England, Wales seem to be suffering from a major RWC hangover, both sides looking a shadow of the teams that played so well in China. Where the line speed has gone for them and us I really don't know. Both sides look so listless right now but history has shown that in the same way that the country fielding the most players for Lions tours suffer in the following 6N, those teams that progress furthest in the RWC suffer too. I wouldn't be ignoring France though. If they can just stick to the game plan they can be a handful in a weak looking tournament.

[StockholmRam]

It pains me that the RFU seem to either not rate or like Shaun Edwards. Its quite clear watching the defences of teams he coaches that his style works incredibly well. 

Im as big an advocate of league as I am of union. Watched Edwards career unfold as an incredible incredible player. Not fancy but hard as nails, agressive, never took one step backwards in one of the toughest sports to play that there is. His career at Wigan was glittering to say the least. Wigan have a particular and very succesful defence tactic and style and Edwards has semi translated it to fifteen a side rugby. Made Wales very hard to break down and beat. He has been such a great asset to Gatlands success. 

Clive Woodward also scratching his head that England have not snapped him up. So now its France gain. 

I wouldnt think he will be so succesful there though. They, by nature, dont really have 80 mins sustainability in defence no matter how much structure they are given. But it remains to be seen. 

[Comrade 86]

On 15/02/2020 at 19:58, StockholmRam said:

It pains me that the RFU seem to either not rate or like Shaun Edwards. Its quite clear watching the defences of teams he coaches that his style works incredibly well. 

Im as big an advocate of league as I am of union. Watched Edwards career unfold as an incredible incredible player. Not fancy but hard as nails, agressive, never took one step backwards in one of the toughest sports to play that there is. His career at Wigan was glittering to say the least. Wigan have a particular and very succesful defence tactic and style and Edwards has semi translated it to fifteen a side rugby. Made Wales very hard to break down and beat. He has been such a great asset to Gatlands success. 

Clive Woodward also scratching his head that England have not snapped him up. So now its France gain. 

I wouldnt think he will be so succesful there though. They, by nature, dont really have 80 mins sustainability in defence no matter how much structure they are given. But it remains to be seen. 

Agree with all of this but I think Sean excluded the possibility of joining the England set up post-Wales himself. I do think after his contract with France we will see the RFU making an offer that can't be refused though and rightly so.

As for the French, they were pretty disciplined against us but immediately reverted to type against Italy. They are often a hugely frustrating side to watch.

[StockholmRam]

42 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Agree with all of this but I think Sean excluded the possibility of joining the England set up post-Wales himself. I do think after his contract with France we will see the RFU making an offer that can't be refused though and rightly so.

As for the French, they were pretty disciplined against us but immediately reverted to type against Italy. They are often a hugely frustrating side to watch.

He says himself that he only has had one offer from England as part time coach under Andy Robinsons tenure. Didnt take it as he had just lost his brother in a tragic accident and wanted to continue to immerse himself in day to day coaching. 

[StockholmRam]

45 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Agree with all of this but I think Sean excluded the possibility of joining the England set up post-Wales himself. I do think after his contract with France we will see the RFU making an offer that can't be refused though and rightly so.

As for the French, they were pretty disciplined against us but immediately reverted to type against Italy. They are often a hugely frustrating side to watch.

Pretty disciplined for 60 mins? 

I wish we could find a 9 though like Dupont

[Comrade 86]

28 minutes ago, StockholmRam said:

Pretty disciplined for 60 mins? 

I wish we could find a 9 though like Dupont

Yep, we're a 9 short of winning the big one and have been since Dawson. Grieves me that other countries roll out class 9s on conveyor belts yet we can't find a single one who can snipe, box-kick and pass. Youngs does my head in as he seems to always need to take a step. I've played with 9s who moved the ball quicker ?

Bit harsh on the Frenchies - bar Jonny May's brilliance they had us in their pockets all game, much as it pains me to say it. That said, if we'd actually managed to put ball through hands without dropping it every 2nd pass they may have not had such an easy time of things.

[StockholmRam]

1 hour ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Yep, we're a 9 short of winning the big one and have been since Dawson. Grieves me that other countries roll out class 9s on conveyor belts yet we can't find a single one who can snipe, box-kick and pass. Youngs does my head in as he seems to always need to take a step. I've played with 9s who moved the ball quicker ?

Bit harsh on the Frenchies - bar Jonny May's brilliance they had us in their pockets all game, much as it pains me to say it. That said, if we'd actually managed to put ball through hands without dropping it every 2nd pass they may have not had such an easy time of things.

I thought we " pack" bullied them last 20 and they ran out of steam. Just cant see a Wigan style 80 mins in any French team ever mate. They are, at their best, something to behold. However, the 60 mins they play had consistantly cost them trophies. 

 

[Comrade 86]

7 minutes ago, StockholmRam said:

I thought we " pack" bullied them last 20 and they ran out of steam. Just cant see a Wigan style 80 mins in any French team ever mate. They are, at their best, something to behold. However, the 60 mins they play had consistantly cost them trophies. 

 

I agree mate but I don't think it was a lack of discipline that allowed our pack to get on top. You're probably right in any case though. It'll be interesting to see how they go on from here though as they've got it in them to win what looks a sub-standard 6N this year.

[StockholmRam]

17 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

I agree mate but I don't think it was a lack of discipline that allowed our pack to get on top. You're probably right in any case though. It'll be interesting to see how they go on from here though as they've got it in them to win what looks a sub-standard 6N this year.

The blind faither in me still says England can and probably will beat Offsideland and Wales at Twickenham and sneak the title. 

Usually its 99% blind faith from me. But i think the Saries players are way off kilter. No 9 with any kind of snaz, pazzaz or wow going on. And pleeeeeease put someone good at fullback. 

Oh, and see if John Bateman wants to play union. 

[Van der MoodHoover]

On 17/02/2020 at 18:23, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Yep, we're a 9 short of winning the big one and have been since Dawson. Grieves me that other countries roll out class 9s on conveyor belts yet we can't find a single one who can snipe, box-kick and pass. Youngs does my head in as he seems to always need to take a step. I've played with 9s who moved the ball quicker ?

Bit harsh on the Frenchies - bar Jonny May's brilliance they had us in their pockets all game, much as it pains me to say it. That said, if we'd actually managed to put ball through hands without dropping it every 2nd pass they may have not had such an easy time of things.

if he tries to pass quickly in open play he has a high probability of chucking the ball out anorl........

and he's not as quick to the breakdown as i would like. We had a good run with 9's who could mix it up a bit..Dawson, Dewi Morris even. But we seem to have drifted away from variety.

[Van der MoodHoover]

Anyway, on we go to this weekend and Jones shuffles up the England back line.

Daley back to FB, Joseph on the wing, Tuilagi back in the centre - Henry Slade on the bench who i quite liked last season.

Youngs back at 9

And Lawes back as flanker........with the so far underwhelming experiment of Curry at 8 continuing.

[Comrade 86]

20 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Anyway, on we go to this weekend and Jones shuffles up the England back line.

Daley back to FB, Joseph on the wing, Tuilagi back in the centre - Henry Slade on the bench who i quite liked last season.

Youngs back at 9

And Lawes back as flanker........with the so far underwhelming experiment of Curry at 8 continuing.

I think the changes in the backs are forced really with Nowell and Watson injured and Manu was always going to start if fit. Heinz was poor in his last outing so much as it frustrates me, Youngs seems the best of an average lot right now.

More concerning as you alluded to is Curry at 8. Curry and Underhill make a fearsome flanker partnership and were for me, the biggest English success story at the RWC. If we are going to ignore Mercer, Morgan. Armand, Wilson and co then surely it makes more sense to reverse Lawes and Curry.

Heyho, Eddie's forgotten more than I'll ever know about the game but it does seem to nullify a good deal of Curry's assets playing him at the base of the scrum. As it stands, I take the team selection to indicate we are going to try and 'arm wrestle' the Irish which I'd have thought is exactly what they'd like us to do.