Croft at 6 would help the lineout but doesnt have the grunt of Haskel

I wonder if in attack they might revert to thier club positions.

I expect they will play in their club positions all the way; Burrell at 12, Joseph at 13. Easter will bench as will celebriani.
Kitchener, care, some fatties and sadly probably Goode.

Goode, Kitchiner and Care not in squad.

6 Nations Advert

Not sure if this was posted up earlier but I enjoyed this 😀

Am I brave in feeling optimistic for a few good Scottish results? We definitely won’t be winning but a finish outside the bottom 2 would be nice, maybe even top 3 if we’re lucky?

Well, with Vern Cotter you’ve got your first decent coach in a long while.

I think he can get Scotland back on the map. A weak Scotland is bad for the championship.

Frank Hadden, Andy Robinson, Matt Williams. Scott wotsisname – you’ve had some bad ones.

Goode, Kitchiner and Care not in squad.

WTF? No sub 2nd row???

Haskell and Croft as replacement 2nd rows? Not sure about that!

Its been hinted that Easter could sub in the second row. Wrecker I have a quite hope that that centre pairing works and becomes the RWC pairing.

Good players in their natural positions who’d have thought…

England:
Mike Brown, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Luther Burrell, Jonny May, George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Dave Attwood, George Kruis, James Haskell, Chris Robshaw (captain), Billy Vunipola
Replacements: Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola, Kieran Brookes, Tom Croft, Nick Easter, Richard Wigglesworth, Danny Cipriani, Billy Twelvetrees

Amazed that Kitchener isn’t on the bench (or any lock for that matter) and Croft / Cole, although I rate them both massively, are very short on game time. I think Cole is simply a case of no other options, but Croft?
Back line actually looks as good as any I’ve seen out for England in a long time. I know Burrell didn’t look good against Roberts the other week, but it’s hard when the entire team is taking a kicking, and although I don’t think he’s a better player, he’s good enough.
Really looking forward to it now, Friday night early finish and get down the pub to warm up!

France:
Spedding, Huget Bastareaud, Fofana, Thomas, Lopez, Kockott, Chouly, Dusautoir (cap), Le Roux, Maestri, Pape, Slimani, Guirado, Menini

Replacements: Kayser, Atonio, Ben Arous, Taofifenua, Goujon, Parra, Tales, Lamerat

IMO, Looks at least as strong as the other teams announced so far now they’ve found a good 10 in Lopez. Has the potential to make them a real top side, just in time for WC year.
Bit like Webb at 9, IMO.
Maybe not the best two players in the tournament, or even their own teams, but exactly what their teams have been crying out for to get the best of the players outside them.
Those two could turn out to be the most significant players in Europe.

I think Cole is simply a case of no other options

Brookes and Thomas are very good rugby players.

I know Burrell didn’t look good against Roberts the other week, but it’s hard when the entire team is taking a kicking

Agreed. Weirdly some seem to think that it was a two man game; Burrell did little wrong. They were just moving backwards at such a rate.

Like I said before, I think at last we have the best England centre pairing we are going to get, let’s hope Lancaster sees it the same way. I guess it’s up to JJ to prove himself, but it’s a hard game to do it in and I hope Lancaster bears that in mind and doesn’t shrug 36 back Onto the pitch should JJ have a muted game. I’m still not sure how 36 is so high up the pecking order.

It’s a bit weird this wales england game I reckon

England’s hopes seem to be to get some decent ball (are England’s back row quick enough) and for their iddy biddy backs to give the mahoosive welsh backs the run around!

Who’d have thunk it?

Anthony Watson 6’2 – 14st
Luther Burrell 6’3 – 17 st
JJ 5’11 14st
Mike Brown 6ft 14st
May 6ft 1 – 14st

Oh yes they are quite tiny. 😐

14st for 6 foot plus is also pretty iddy biddy in elite rugby (if you believe the stats). That is 1/2p weight for a shorter guy, and not far off Shane Williams’s quoted weights 😆

Also, I’m sure we’ve had this discussion before, but don’t believe the quoted height and weight stats in rugby 😉

don’t believe the quoted height and weight stats in rugby

Quite.

Mike Phillips
Height: 1.91 m
Weight: 104 kg

Phillips is a big lad, bigger than most opensides

Taller by a couple of cm perhaps but he isn’t the same build as any decent ones. He’s never just shy of 17 stone.
That puts him 2cm taller and 2 kgs heavier than dusautoir. No chance.

Mike Phillips, just being rolled out of a cryogenic chamber in time for a match ^^

Some things are just not surprising.

Not sure where that pic is from but he looks much smaller than when I last saw him a few years ago- it isn’t height as such, just that he was massively barrel chested!

Henson is allegedly 100kg and 1.83m according to Wikipedia but he was barely taller than me at 1.75m and no way anywhere near 100kg. I think my wife said something along the lines of “look there is a teenager that looks like Gavin” when we saw him wandering around town with his beautifully shaved legs out 😆

No doubt the stats are lies but I wouldnt argue with any of them!!

Quick gif for no reason whatsoever.

IRELAND team to play Italy – Saturday 7th February, 2015

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Jared Payne (Ulster)
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)
10. Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) Captain
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7. Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
8. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17. James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster)
18. Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
20. Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
21. Isaac Boss (Terenure/Leinster)
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster)
23. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)

Team looks to be coming together nicely. Decent bench too. 🙂

France playing in red, apparently.

Scotland team looks good too. Cant wait!!!

Rugby related beer PSA – Waitrose were doing Rev James for £1.50 a bottle.

I ordered plenty!

Any news yet on if the roof will be open or closed tomorrow? Lancaster seemed keen to keep it open unless there was a massive downpour

Open.

Telegraph sports pages were claiming that as “first blood” to Lancaster. Comical. Then again, same sports page was of the opinion that the English back row is better than Lyds, Faletau and Hovis.

Telegraph sports page was of the opinion that the English back row is better than Lyds, Faletau and Hovis.

Someone has been at the crack pipe.

Not a lot between the backrows. Englands carries better. Warburton is better on the floor and as a unit they defends better. Faletau hasnt played well for a while though

^

I’d agree a_a, the posters before seem to be suggesting that the Wales backline is the clear better one. Now I’d say that on the floor the are yes, but Haskell is in the form of his life, Robshaw never has a bad game for England and Billy V is a wrecking ball when on form. In terms of experience then I’d say that the Welshies obviously edge it, by Lydiate and Hovis in particular can be prone to going awol on occasion…..usually against the SH teams rather than England sadly.

Am I right in thinking that the Wales England match is on Sky?

Just checked, bbc1.

This has all the hallmarks of the best game for years, I hope it doesn’t disappoint. Lots of pundits are talking up JJ and the Burrell partnership as the potential RWC pairing – form players in position etc.

England, Haskell, Billy V, Burrell, May Ford, Watson and even Brown have a point to prove in this game. I can’t help thinking at Club level England are the form players, but at international level Wales are more the cohesive. I think England have the best attacking potential they’ve had for a while, but wales could smother the ball.

Its going to be on full on, that’s for sure.

And if England win, England v Ireland will be electric.

I’d agree a_a, the posters before seem to be suggesting that the Wales backline is the clear better one.

Backrow = 6,7,8, Backline = (generally) 11, 12, 13, 14,15

The general opinion here is that there isn’t much between the backrows which sounds fair but the England backline is very untested but exciting, again sounds fair.

There aren’t many caps between the English backs!

Haskell is in the form of his life, Robshaw never has a bad game for England and Billy V is a wrecking ball when on form.

I’ve always really liked Haskell and in form means playing the same as normal but not giving away penalties 😀 Really happy to see him playing for England again as he is definitely quality. Robshaw is always solid as you say and Billy will be great for 30 minutes before he gets exhausted 😆

Faletau hasnt played well for a while though

He always seems to go in to hibernation for club rugby but deliver for Wales. He looked alright in November although that was a long time ago!

Looking forward to tomorrow so much!

…

…

…

* unless Wales lose in which case I’ll quickly erase the entire game from my conscious

unless Wales lose in which case I’ll quickly erase the entire game from my conscious

If that happens it’ll be the refs fault or Englands cheating or the welsh players got cold cause the roof was open……..dont worry lads these are just the intro’s I have plenty more ready if the worst happens.

I’ll never hear it, but you could a.ways admit how mighty England were…

Then again, same sports page was of the opinion that the English back row is better than Lyds, Faletau and Hovis.

Yeah to be fair, Haskell isn’t better than lydiate.

Haha

Ok the day has arrived, hate living in england on this day. I work with two numpties who will dish it out for 6 months if Wales lose.

So come on Wales smash the saes 😆