The wooden one?

It don get in – the love heart one? What is the relevance?

Yeah, it’s what Welsh people give instead of engagement rings. A big porridge spoon. Made of wood, naturally 🙂

Scotland – England. Hmmm…

If Scotland can stitch together an Irish first half and a Welsh second half then Eddie will be on the first Qantas flight he can find. I mean cricket score territory. Maybe.

But be honest we’ve had two good halves out of six – are we feeling lucky?

PS Qantas – good for scrabble seeing as how you don’t need a “u”?

The Calcutta Cup game is huge.

Their is pressure on both teams; England could equal the AB’s record which is huge really and must be hardy to put out of your mind and the first time in a long tine, there is expectation on Scotland for them to win.

I expect us to dominate the scums, the line outs will be a massive contest with both teams having very good locks but I think we’ll get done big time at the breakdown. Jones needs to get on the blower to George Smith and get him to offer some training again (our breakdown work has give backwards since he had a short term role).

The backs are interesting; Scotland will have the better full back for sure. There is promise in our backs but they haven’t really clicked this tournament where as the Scottish backs are creating opportunities and finishing them.

I have a nagging feeling that the wheels are about to come off for England because they have not fired since the autumn and Scotland do seem to be firing. Away from the international games, the English clubs haven’t been great in Europe whereas Glasgow in particular have been. I’m going for a Scottish win, but a slender one.

have a nagging feeling that the wheels are about to come off for England

Me too. I said in here at beginning of the 6N I thought Ireland will derail us, but so bad has been the English performance and so good Scotland than we could be 2 games down by the end of the thing.

Having said that, JJ is back, Hask is starting, Itoje started to look better in the 2H last week and Daly is a rising star and Nowell is starting so I feel England will be a lot more threatening. The English tactic does seem to be one of “absorb 1H, strike 2H” in the main.

With his admission of lame captaincy this morning and Haskells interference last week i do wonder if Hartleys time is coming to a natural end.

I think the prediction above is correct – England to sneak it at the end with a sigh of relief, making us nervous about the Irish game.

Wales beat the shit out of Scotland for the first half last week, I expect England to do the same for both halves next week and be more accurate and finish chances better.

PS Qantas – good for scrabble seeing as how you don’t need a “u”?

Can you use acronyms in scrabble?

Oh and I think England will win, by 10 ish. Although Scotland would also get the triple crown if they win won’t they?

Wales beat the shit out of Scotland for the first half last week, I expect England to do the same for both halves next week and be more accurate and finish chances better.

Yep, don’t get all the pessimism from the English. You have by far the strongest team that has proved they can still win well, in first gear, without a lot of key players. As individuals some of the players aren’t world beaters but as someone already said, as a team they don’t really know how to lose. England massive favourites for me

Agree with DanW – England big favourites for me too. What’s impressed me a lot about them is that when they’ve been conceding bigly on territory and possession, as they were for large chunks v France and Wales, they conceded very little on the scoreboard, which is why they’re favourites for both Scotland and Ireland games for me.

I predict England will not contest at the ruck. 🙂

😀

^ Opposite of Wales who seem to need 80% territory and possession to scrag a few points here and there! Anything less and the other team is well and truly in the game

Billy V back for Sarries at the weekend

Yup. Let’s hope Billy goes well at the weekend because Hughes has been poo so far.

Hardly

beat the shit out

of AA. On top yes but the try came from a reffing error where wales should not have had possession and even so the lead was not much

No they did. Wales failed to create or finish chances but they were doing a good job of duffing up scotland in the first half. England will look to do the same. I expect home advantage will enable England to make use of scrim dominance too.

Hughes has been poo so far.

I don’t think that’s fair.

If you watch Hughes for Wasps, he’s a different sort of player. He frequently carries the ball in one hand looking for the spectacular offload when he goes into contact or attacking the outside shoulder of the defender, using his extra pace.

England have asked him to play the BillyV role – being more conservative and making sure he holds on to the ball. He’s not the same impact runner as Big Billy (who is?)and it’s not his natural game – but he’s trying.

News in from the Italy camp – Connor O’Shea has announced that Italy are selecting a XV comprising entirely of dwarves.

Coach Brendan Venter said:

We prefer the term persons of restricted growth but we are picking a team with a maximum height of 1 metre. The thinking is that, with the new high tackle laws, every tackle that the French make will result in a yellow or red card. By the second half we should be playing unopposed and at that point we can bring on our finishers to seal the win.

😀

I think the Gray brothers might have a point to prove 😉

I don’t think that’s fair.

He was a penalty machine against Italy.

So far, I remain very far from convinced. I’m just hoping that Billy goes well this weekend.

The chaps on the ESR podcast had it right for Hughes, outstanding club player, but not quite there for international. I’m not sure Billy V is going to be ready, look at Mako last weekend, too soon to return to the 6N from injury. Really looking forward to the Scotland game, should be a great showcase if they play in the spirit of the game not stifle it.

It is only of late that Billy V has become such a good player, he showed promise and glimpses so maybe Hughes could grow into that player? Trouble is he’ll always be an understudy if BV is fit and continues the same form.

outstanding club player, but not quite there for international

Maybe. Maybe not.

He’s pretty new to international rugby and is replacing one of the world’s best No.8s.

As I said, he’s being asked to play a different way to fill Billy’s shoes. If England were playing a more expansive game we might see a different side to him.

Agree with you both, will he be given the time to settle and grow as an international if BV is fit..

I think the Gray brothers might have a point to prove

Plus channelling the spirit of David Sole from ‘ that’ game…..

I wonder how much the occasion and moment will affect Scotland?

AA is right Wales had the better of the first thirty but did not convert and then slid into in decision, Scotland hung in and did not fold, again these are two hugely resilient teams.

I would rather see Daley at full back than Brown as it will cause Hogg more defensive woes ( he was out of position a couple of times against Wales plus his kicking was a bit off)and if Billy is a tenth fit he will play.

The wings will be interesting as well, Nowell was excellent and hopefully will start, Daly has been possibly England s best asset so far this tournament, Tommy Seymour has been overlooked but has been in blistering form and should be a Lion in some form, then Visser – awful for 30 minutes against Wales and then unstoppable.

I would rather see Daley at full back than Brown

I’m wondering why we haven’t seen that yet – perhaps Jones is waiting for an “easy” game within which to experiment which hasn’t materialised yet.

With Daly and Nowell about you have two workhorses, so why not bring in Watson, Daly and Nowell as the back three? Crikey thats potent.

why not bring in Watson, Daly and Nowell as the back three?

He won’t be happy…..

Mr Angry I would suggest is part of the team, he offers that ‘edge, aggression, bloody mindness that Jones likes and probably sees as integral to the response/resilience of the team.

Edit as displayed by CFH vid 😆

Plus he is looking long term, I cannot see Brown in the next rugby world as first choice fullback or possibly in the squad.

Watson or more possibly Daly will there but Jones wants several players competing for one position, primarily so when they get injured in England camp training he has cover.

Undecided about Hughes, he is an outstanding player but he’s completely different player to Billy. Hughes is a lot more SH – a canny, running, breaking, offloading forward. Billy is the proverbial hammer.
Brown’s days are numbered so it’s either Watson or Daly to FB. I’m betting Watson.

Away from the 6N, it’s crunch time at the bottom of the prem. Bris vs Wuss on sunday at sixways (on BT sport). Both teams have pretty much full strength squads, should be an engrossing game.

I agree that I think it’ll be Watson at FB eventually. He plays there a fair bit for Bath. I think Daly is more than a workhorse winger; he’s got a good boot, is good defensively and is deceptively quick (the try against Leinster when he was shown the outside last season was pretty impressive).

Exeter going well against Tigers tonight is some grotty conditions.

Massive game for Wuss this weekend. It’ll no doubt be a terrible spectacle, just hope they plays like that did when they beat Sarries.

Massive game for Wuss this weekend. It’ll no doubt be a terrible spectacle, just hope they plays like that did when they beat Sarries.

F*** THAT!!!!

If you have a chance, look for the Matavesi try in the first half at Embraer.

The set up from Sam Davies shouldn’t have been allowed before the watershed.

Wrecker – ha ha.

Is it game over for Bristol if the loose?

Tigers have come out after half term with a bit more vigour. Harrison has made a big difference at scrum half.

Is it game over for Bristol if the loose?

I thought it was game over two weeks ago. I’d never have imagined we’d beat B***, but at this moment we are still in it. A loss to wuss is curtains I reckon, we both have a tough run in.

Just watched the Blues/Chiefs Super Rugby game. Stephen Luatua got sent off on trhe stroke of half time and the Chiefs ran away with it from there.

He deserved to go and the Blues didn’t deal with having 14 men too well but it got me thinking:

Wouldn’t rugby be better off if a red card just meant that the player sent off was out of the game but could be replaced so the team still had 15?

With the increasing number of offences that attract cards and the never ending use of the TMO we’re likely to have more and more games with uneven numbers on the pitch. An early red card is often the death knell for a game as a contest (with honourable exceptions like SA v Ireland and Exeter v Wasps.) THe team would still lose that player for the game and bans/sanctions would still be a deterrent for offending players.

In the NFL and NHL you can be ejected from the game but your team doesn’t ultimately end up short handed. In Aussie rules you can’t even be sent off, just put “on report”.

I thought it was game over two weeks ago. I’d never have imagined we’d beat B***, but at this moment we are still in it. A loss to wuss is curtains I reckon, we both have a tough run in.

It’s a tough one to call really. Wuss have been pretty hot and cold this season but look much better with Houggard back at nine.

Exeter heading for s big win tonight. They’ve looked very calm.

Tigers look clueless.

Tigers look clueless.

Yup. The wins against Bristol flattered them really; up against a top four team they look lost. Really sloppy in key positions.