All bets are off if Samson gets injured early

The fact is; Wales are favorites. England don’t really need an excuse if they lose

True. Wales are effectively playing our second team, with a limited number of caps and 2 weeks max playing together as an international outfit. I will yet won’t be disappointed if England lose in Cardiff, and all the Welsh gloating that will prevail here will mean nothing.

If England win however, Wales will need to take a very hard look at themselves.

FWIW I have Ireland as 6N favorites to win now.

I will yet won’t be disappointed if England lose in Cardiff, and all the Welsh gloating that will prevail here will mean nothing.

I’ll be disappointed, just not surprised. I don’t really follow this “2nd team” thing. Injuries happen to all teams, on this occassion England have been unlucky. Wrong to use it as an excuse.
The most disappointing thing about it all is the fact that we might not get to find out our best centre partnership ahead of the RWC, which is more important than beating wales in the 6N.

If England win however, Wales will need to take a very hard look at themselves.

Unfair, They haven’t been on great form themselves recently. And, you never know the england team might have a stormer.

Wrecker +1 annoying for WC but can’t make excuses, not that they are necessary.

Wales as a team and at home should have adv over England (ditto Ireland)….

….and if WRU repeat the trick of billy goat gruff and a bunch of Caerphilly cheese/Brains SA breath breathing basses and baritones standing right behind our delicate roses at the start, then Engkand will be 0-20 before the start!!!!

Either way, hope it’s a good match. Annoying that I am out for dinner so will need to be recorded!

Either way, hope it’s a good match.

Yeah ditto. Hopefully it’s a decent game.

Annoying that I am out for dinner so will need to be recorded!

That was extremely poor planning on your part…..

Looks like David Wilson could be out now too……Jeez.

Wales are effectively playing our second team

Nonsense.
Defeatist, bottler nonsense.

There’ll be a couple of locks making a big step up, but that’s about it up front.
At 6 they’ve got a multi-tour Lion available, 8’s been shared between Billy and Morgan for a while now anyway, and Easter’s the form English 8 in Prem and Cup this season and got loads of caps too. Front row has massive strength in depth – look at Marler, Corbs and Mako fighting over places.
Most people thought Ford at 10 anyway. Plenty of choice at 9.
At 12 and 13, there’s hardly a tried and proven multi cap combo missing. Lancaster’s still experimenting, and tends a bit towards “horses for courses” here anyway. Personally ,my guess would have been Farrell and Barritt for this particular game. Now looks to me like it’ll be 36 and Burrell ( who’s on course to be fit to play despite being tagged injured above). That’s hardly an earth shattering difference.
Must admit I’d really rate Manu if fit, but he’s missed more than he’s played recently so they need to be able to cope, or at least prepare without. And IMO, it works in their favour for september if they can bring him in as a bit of a wildcard without Wales having had a pop at stopping him now. Cracking interview with Mallett on bbc :

“Tuilagi is a force of nature, and you only get one or two of that type of player in a generation,” said Mallett, who guided South Africa to a world record-equalling 17 successive Test wins from 1997-98 and will be working with Accenture to provide statistics during the Six Nations.
“He is so important, there is no question of that. If you have a Sonny Bill Williams or Julian Savea (New Zealand backs), or a Tuilagi, you have got someone who all the other players can feed off and play off.
“I haven’t yet seen another player of that physicality in the England set-up. Luther Burrell is a very powerful, strong, player, but he’s manageable. Tuilagi is not manageable. When he gets the ball on the front foot he’s devastating.”

Anyway, back 3 looks like it’s what Lancaster would have wanted. Brown’s established now. May is his favoured winger. And Watson looks like the best young English back for a while. Needs to have a game or three before WC.

Also, Wolfhounds are “effectively playing our second team” (your words) this Friday. Have a look at the strength of both teams here, this is gonna be some B-game.

Irish Wolfhounds:
Felix Jones (captain), Fergus McFadden, Keith Earls, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ian Madigan, Kieran Marmion; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Iain Henderson, Mike McCarthy; Dominic Ryan, Sean O’Brien, Jack Conan
Replacements:
Rob Herring, Michael Bent, Nathan White, Robbie Diack; Eoin McKeon, Isaac Boss, Noel Reid, Craig Gilroy

England Saxons:
C Pennell (Worcester), C Ashton (Saracens), E Daly (Wasps), S Burgess (Bath), H Slade (Exeter), L Dickson (Northampton, capt), M Mullan (Wasps), R Webber (Bath), H Thomas (Bath), M Garvey (Bath), J Gaskell (Wasps), D Ewers (Exeter), M Kvesic (Gloucester), T Waldrom (Exeter).
Replacements: L Cowan Dickie (Exeter), A Waller (Northampton), J Cooper-Woolley (Wasps), M Itoje (Saracens), C Fearns (Bath), J Simpson (Wasps), O Devoto (Bath), C Wade (Wasps).

SOB’s back.

Also, would have been a great time for Lancaster to bring Steffon over to get involved a bit without losing any face. Except he’s got himself locked up.

At 12 and 13, there’s hardly a tried and proven multi cap combo missing.

That’s rather the point…….England need to establish their best combo, and this is a large setback. Not really applicable to the outcome of this game but very important in the grand scheme.

And Thomson looks like the best young English back for a while

Watson?

this is gonna be some B-game.

Ain’t that the truth! I’m looking forward to it as much as I am the wales game!

Sorry wrecker, that’s who I meant. 😳

I don’t see this England 2nd team thing either. To be honest I don’t ever watch a Wales game and see them as favourites, even against a team like Fiji 😆

Is the Friday match televised anywhere? Could be an interesting watch.

It will be great to see Ken Owens making his return and hopefully be fit for the end of the 6N.

Is there any faint optimism from the Scottish fans this year? They have actually been running in tries in the November international and Glasgow seem to be doing alright… will be interesting to see if they can shake things up in the 6N

Pretty sure they’re all full caps in the Wolfhounds game except Jack Conan, who’s been Leinster’s MOM on many occasions this year. 4 lions too.

Other game, bookies have Wales mild favourites for the match, not much in it.
But they have England as joint favorites for the title with Ireland.

Is the Friday match televised anywhere? Could be an interesting watch.

It’s on sky buddy.

If Burrell’s fit, then claims of “2nd team” are waay out. If the only two centres we have to choose from are 36 and JJ then I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that it’s pretty far from the strongest side england could field. No excuses though, everyone gets injuries. It’s a part of sport.

loum – Member
Wales are effectively playing our second team
Nonsense.
Defeatist, bottler nonsense.

There’ll be a couple of locks making a big step up, but that’s about it up front.

No, it isn’t. There are 10 first choice internationals missing of a team of 14 to start.

There are 10 first choice internationals missing of a team of 14 to start.

Personally, I hope they choose to field 15 players!

Thanks Wrecker!

Say a funny comment from Gatland along the lines of he wasn’t sure if England will try and play 9 man rugby or 10 man rugby or something more expansive (doubt on the last option) 😆

No, it isn’t. There are 10 first choice internationals missing of a team of 14 to start.

Go on then- tell me who you think the team would have been.

The first choice obviously. If you can’t work it out from the injury list why should I write it down for you?

tell me who you think the team would have been.

Would or should because I’m pretty sure SL would have started BB and OF in the centre (no joke). That’s as MT is injured, otherwise it would have been MT and BB.

I agree wrecker. I’ve said the same up there ^^^. But not “should have been”, that’s too open and we’re all better team pickers than Lancaster.

But to be perfectly clear, what i wanted to know is the “Would have been” team in the opinion of the “second team” poster above.

The first choice obviously. If you can’t work it out from the injury list why should I write it down for you?

Humour me, you’re the England fan.

would have been a great time for Lancaster to bring Steffon over 

I thought he was in jail.

aa, do you only read the first line of a post?

loum – Member
Also, would have been a great time for Lancaster to bring Steffon over to get involved a bit without losing any face. Except he’s got himself locked up.

POSTED 35 MINUTES AGO #

in the opinion of the “second team” poster above.

That’s me told!!!! 😀

🙂

aa, do you only read the first line of a post?

To be honest the wailing about injuries was a bit much for me!!

Could have another 5 tight heads get injured and still have far better players than Jarvis and Andrews!!

Brown Watson Burrell 12trees May Ford BYoungs; Marler Hartley Wilson Attwood Kruis Haskell BVunipola Robshaw.

Not a bad side by any means. Front 5 still stronger than Wales. Backrow a match for anyone, backs have pace and creativity.

Not a bad side by any means. Front 5 still stronger than Wales. Backrow a match for anyone, backs have pace and creativity.

😯 You trollin?

They have creativity and pace, just don’t seem to know how to use it in an England jersey

Ford is creative and May is bloody fast!!

Ford is creative and May is bloody fast!!

I thought you were referring to creative billy;
https://twitter.com/creativbilly12t

When I get on the park today, I’m going to grubber kick the shit out of those Samoans.

😆

Healey thinks the answer could be Cipriani at 12. Oh please, please, please. He also seems to think Roberts is the only big back we have too. Having Vunipola mark him is fine. Davies could run at Cippers allday instead.

Well I’ve just seen Manu in the Marriott in Twickenham and to be honest he’s no where near as big as I thought he was. Looking forward to next Friday!

namastebuzz – Member
Annoying that I am out for dinner so will need to be recorded!
That was extremely poor planning on your part…..

Oops it’s next week, not tomorrow! No wonder I can’t find anything to record… 😳

Well I’ve just seen Manu in the Marriott in Twickenham and to be honest he’s no where near as big as I thought he was.

His 6ft1 frame must wear that 17stone 9 well then because in my book that’s HUGE!

Samson Lee has been declared fit. Which is a good thing.

Praise the lord, scrum parity can now be a realistic prospect if Gethin can have a good day and isnt in any more refs video’s between now and then.

Well I’ve just seen Manu in the Marriott in Twickenham and to be honest he’s no where near as big as I thought he was. Looking forward to next Friday!

I bumped into Va’aiga Tuigamala aka Inga the Winger in NZ in 1996. He’s quoted at 5’11 – 3/4 shorter than me. But when I stood in front of him saying hello he looked about 5 times bigger than that. As scary as hell he was.

Anyway, Wolfhounds vs Saxons on Sky Sports tonight worth a watch, if I can convince Mrs Kryton to let me take over the TV….

Aye, I just thought he’d be huge. Having said that myself and the other chaps I was with are all about 6ft 4 and around 15/16 stone so its a relative. Having said that I’m sure he’d smash us all with the exception of the Norwegian chap, who’s 6 foot 8 and around 19-20 stone.

Well you’re not exactly small yourselves then, however I expect he’d go through the Norwegian as well, but get injured opening the door!

😆