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Can we have Cipriani? He sounds Scots
As Scottish as the "We" who posted that.....
😉
Because he's a cock, that's why.
true enough
Seeing him eat humble pie is one of the best parts of the 6N. "Of all the teams in the six nations, I'd say our lads dislike the Irish the most"...anyone remember this pile of shite before they were beaten yet again.
Not sure how the two are related, had he said they were the team they most expected to beat, it would lead to humble pie. Also there's a chance he was telling the truth. Familiarity breeds contempt (and the scots are too rubbish to worry about)
Not sure how the two are related
Seeing someone like him eat humble pie is always fun. He's the only thing I [i]don't[/i] like about Welsh rugby a_a. I just thought it was a very Alex Ferguson/football manager type comment at the time. Ne'er mind - I'm over it now 🙂
Actually there was a Cipriani who played back row for either Watsons or Heriots a few years back,impossibly handsome and talented at rugby,I hated him,and couldn't get near enough to him to do anything about his good looks 😀
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8579247.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7958649.stm
Foden - Hook England
Ashton - Stoddard England
Tindall - Roberts Wales
Hape - JD Even
Cueto - Shane Wales
Flood - Wellies Wales
Youngs - Phillips England
Sheridan - James England
Hartley - Rees Wales
Cole - Mitchell England
Deacon - Bradley Even
Palmer - AWJ Even
Wood - Warburton Dont know
Easter - Powell Kind out two polar opposites I'm hoping will cancel each other out Even
Hask - Lydiate Wales
In summary Wales are screwed, especially with cant tackle on one wing and wont tackle on the other.
AA - not if they can move the ball around at speed and swarm the breakdown..
Serious lack of pace in the backrow and centres from England - I see a lot of recycles with no go forward and a lot of slow ball for England.
Harry them at the breakdown and get penalties and turnovers. Force them to give away penalties at teh breakdown on your ball by good rucking.
I foresee a dull game mind you.
when was the last time Wales got quick ball into mid field? Wales will also be humiliated in the scrum and are never strong in the lineout.
So - how you rating Scotlands chances chaps?
Hugo Southwell
Nikki Walker
Joe Ansbro
Nick De Luca
Max Evans
Dan Parks
Rory Lawson
Allan Jacobsen
Ross Ford
Euan Murray
Richie Gray
Alastair Kellock capt),
Nathan Hines
John Barclay
Kelly Brown
Substitutes: Dougie Hall Moray Low , Richie Vernon , Ross Rennie (Edinburgh), Mike Blair , Ruaridh Jackson , Sean Lamont .
I am happy with ther selection. Pace and power in the forwards - a match for anyone in the world. Pace to come off the bench as well
For the first time ecer since I started supporting Scotland back in the 70s Scotland have a pack that is as big and strong as anyones - and often bigger.
Special mentions to Gray - showed how good he was by playing Shaw off the park in a recent game - only 21. 6'10", 20 stone of athlete. Seriously quick for a big guy and with great ball skills, Scored a try this season with a dummy and a run to the line outpacing a back. I think he will be a great for years to come.
Kellock - no surrender! A giant of a man in all ways
Ford - an extra flanker in the loses. Playing really well this year.
But the backs - well its as good as we have got. Nick De Luca is a limited player but on the top of his game and will help protect Parks, I like max on the wing - give a free roles to Scotlands only dangerous strike runner. Ansbro has a bit of pace to him and he knows this is his opportunity, southwell and walker for solidity in Defense.
Scotland should get plenty of good ball - but can they use it? Its the opposite issue to England really - they have some great backs but getting decent ball to them will be hard.
Is kelly Brown the ugliest man in the 6n?
Only one Gloucester player in the scots line up for a change!
I think France or Ireland will be fighting it out. Would like Wales to be up there but not sure after recent performances. Can't wait until Friday morning trainride to the 'diff for the opening match with a load of mates who I've not seen in ages - awesome!!
AA- if you say wales are screwed especially with "can't/won't tackle" on the wing but still rate him above Cueto not saying much about Cueto or in fact England is it?
Cant tackle is Stoddart wont tackle is Shane and yes he's still better than Ceuto
Hugo Southwell
Nikki Walker
Joe Ansbro
Nick De Luca
Max Evans
all shite, dont think either that just because Walker is big he's any good in defence he's not.
10 is very poor defensively but has a good a good kicking game. Murry hasnt played much this season has he? and I'd be worried about Hines at 6, rest of the pack is very good. Could suprise France this w/e if all goes well or could get a right thumping.
A-A guess you've seen news re Henson bolting to Toulon to join Wilko et al?
Back up at 10 whilst everyone else is playing in 6 nations?
Hope Scotland can have some consistency and win at least 2 games. Otherwise think the French will have a hard time with away games and the English may do well.
Irish are getting too old, Italians may suprise us all but Welsh will all depend on what they do in 1st game against England, win and it could be good, lose and it may all go belly up.
AA - I don't think anyone thinks thats a world beating back line - but I understand why its been chose. Max Evans is a decent player - the only dangerous runner we have really.
Who else - thats the issue? I don't know of any backs who are missing out. Jackson at 10? A limited player in his own way and prone to be flacky. Cairns in the centre? not in good form. alec Grove? Not impressed.
Murray is a bit of a worry - not played a lot as you say and been distracted by cointract rows - howevfer that may work in his favour.
Hines will be fine at 6 because of the rest of the pack. It works as a unit.
Murray is a bit of a worry - not played a lot as you say and been distracted by cointract rows - howevfer that may work in his favour.
Yeah and failing in the final of the open wont have helped 😀
ah dear Ill get my coat..
Bring on Friday.. going to hand Wales their a$$ on a plate 😀
Hines at 6 is genius,he has been cutting about France like a young 'un this season.Backs are limited,a wee bit suprised Sean Lamont didn't start.On the bright side,while Walker has a turning circle like a tug,at least he isn't Danielli.Loving the front row; back to two squat stocky guys holding up a 16 stone monster,with a 20 stone,mobile youth and a VERY angry man pushing them on.
And with all due respect to those on here who played in the backs (numbers 7-15 IMO)Scotland WILL not be playing an expansive game this year.(I hope)
Beer has been laid in for tomorrow night,cannae wait! If Wales can get some forward ball against the English pack,we are in for some game.
anagallis_arvensis - Member
Cant tackle is Stoddart wont tackle is Shane and yes he's still better than Ceuto
Shane v Cueto. As good as Cueto is, Shane is much better.]
He is perhaps the only world class player that Wales have at the moment. He'd be close to getting into most world teams surely. Toulon looked terrified every time he got the ball a few weeks ago, and he must be the only chance Wales have of winning this game because they have no creativity anywhere else.
Without him, the Welsh backs just pass laterally until they lose the ball. I can't see that the introduction of Jon Davies will change that.
If Wales can get some forward ball against the English pack,we are in for some game.
Based on the last few games, the Welsh forwards could have 90% of the ball and they'll still lose the game because they seem to have forgotten how to score.
Maybe since the autumn, Gatland may have shown the team where the tryline is.
JonDavies ahas looked very good in the games I have seen him play.
I rate Cueto just about the only saes back that shows a bit of flair. I wouldnt say Shane wont tackle he is just so small that he rearely does anygood when he tries.
Scots pack look good but will any ball get past Parks before being hoofed away.
Have a really bad feeling about tomorrow night 😯
Pigface - Member
I rate Cueto just about the only saes back that shows a bit of flair.
I'd be happy to see Cueto playing in the Welsh team instead of Stoddart (if that was allowed!). Foden and Youngs are pretty good. I wouldn't worry about them playing in a team I support, and Youngs on current form is a damn sight better than Phillips.
TJ, I'm undecided on JD, despite having seen him play many times. I suppose that's the problem - up a against a good defence he becomes anonymous.
Intertesting one to call this year. In truth 5 of the teams are pretty well matched and those games could go either way.
If Wales lose to England (and I think they will) it could be a awful year for them. If they win then I can see momentum building. Ireland are on the slide but are perfectly capable of beating anyone on the day.
Scotland are learning how to win and close out games. Defensively they are hard to break down, the pack is an excellent unit, but boy is the backline impotent.
England have some good players (Youngs in particular) but will win or lose most games by only a few points so difficult to call.
France - well as always could be anywhere from awesome to awful
Italy - whitewash I think
Cannot wait 🙂
Cueto just about the only saes back that shows a bit of flair.
😕
Foden & Ashton have been dynamite for Saints and looked pretty sharp in the AIs.
Foden and Ashton are miles better that Cueto - he is useless. Nearly as useless as Monye
I think we may see some unusual tactics (in the modern game) from Scotland - lots of kicking to touch and then attacking the French lineout even on attacking ball - we have 3 excellent lineout forwards to try to steal the ball and loads of power to neutralise it if the French try to drive the lineout.
The idea will be to take the ball off the French and to pin them down at their end of the park.
Going for the counter ruck as well - The Scots forwards should be there at the breakdown in numbers due to the pace. If we can get the turnovers or force them into giving away penalties..........?
The other thing I think you will see is trying to put a lot of pressure on the stand-off. expect to see him with some ugly begger of a forward in his face all day.
Could come unstuck if the kicking is not good and we give the French counter ball. Southwell has a huge boot on him as well.
It so nice not to have the smallest pack for once 🙂
I am amazed by the fact that Parks is the best Scottish no10 that can be found! There must be a better player with Scottish ancestry somewhere in the world.
Cueto - he is useless
I really can't agree with that. He isn't as good or exciting as Foden and Ashton but he does do a job. He is solid in defence and rarely makes mistakes. His attacking play has gone off the boil in recent seasons but he did seem to wake up a bit in that regard in the AI's.
Overall, I'm happy enough with him in the team.
I like Flood, Youngs, the back 3. I'm concerned about the centres.
In the pack we would undoubtably be better with Croft and Lawes available, but they aren't so we have to make do. Wood is an excellent player at Saints, and Haskell on his day is can be very good.
I'm concerned about the centres.
Why would you be concerned about Tindall? Apart from the fact that a Tesco delivery truck can turn around faster?
Maybe since the autumn, Gatland may have shown the team where the tryline is.
Or bring back Roberts, Shane and an 8 who can carry. J Davis has also been in good form recently as is really attacking threat, if they can launch him at the outside shoulder of Tindall there could be hope.
Not sure we can really judge how good Davis is as yet because those good defences he's come up against often/always have good packs that totally shaft the shite LLanlli pack which would lead the best 13's to become annonymous
IdleJon - MemberI am amazed by the fact that Parks is the best Scottish no10 that can be found! There must be a better player with Scottish ancestry somewhere in the world.
You would have thought so wouldn't you. Find one and you will have the gratitude of a nation and all the porridge you can eat
The thing about Tindall is he offers very little chance of a line break any more, he doesn't have the gas. He can break then gain line or draw defenders on the crash but Hape is a strong offloading player and he could put a quicker 13 through more gaps.
Cueto has lost a bit of pace but he makes very few mistakes and is still a pretty effective carrier.
Parks isnt the problem with the scottish backline, its all the other muppets
oh and it seems the man god is off to compare tans with Ball Sackey as a replacement for the injured Contempony
TandemJeremy - MemberFoden and Ashton are miles better that Cueto - he is useless. Nearly as useless as Monye
That used to be accurate, I always thought Cueto a bit of a donkey too but in the Autumn he was absolutely outstanding so he's worth his place, for now.
Monye's one of those exasperating players with all the physical attributes but none of the mental ones - like Andy Powell.
Actually I'm now a big fan of Andy Powell since his escapades on the M4 in a golf buggy - that's how proper rugby players used to behave.
Here's Andy Powell's gameplan courtesy of [url= http://www.bloodandmud.com/ ]Blood & Mud[/url]
[img] http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/.a/6a00e39824cab28833013488a27c42970c-pi [/img]
That is superb,I salute you! 😀 Beer is chilling in the fridge, Can't wait for tonight;I have gone for a selection of Raven ale and a couple of bottles of Dark Island to start with.I have the wherewithal for kofte meatballs marinating.Mrs Donald and the boys are going to a film,so I will have the first half at least to myself.Now just the small matter of a six period day to get through 😐
I only have 5!!!
To be fair Powell has been playing well for Wasps, by all accounts.
Only seen him once close up at Gloucester and a) he's a big chap and b) blasted through our hardly small backrow once or twice
A.A. I got a please take,which was nice! Stuart Barnes wrote a good piece in the Tmes talking about how much the Welsh pack needs a strong platform for them to compete.If the Welsh teams recent sicknotes can get into the swing of int rugby quickly it should be some game.I also like the English back row; atheletes at wing forward,who would have thought it?And Mongos distant cousin at no 8.
Off to buy some Brains at lunchtime, get them nicely chilled....
*Nervous*
i am dreading tonight.... (welshman)
england are easily favourites, 'if' wales win it will be down to the wire and lots of luck.
the first lineout and/or scrum is going to decide the game.
the best thing is we have some young uns in the squad, some of the old guard have to go.
leave Powell alone, thick as a gate post but a heart of gold and he can turn cars over 😉
Scamper - MemberTo be fair Powell has been playing well for Wasps, by all accounts.
I have seen a few games and he has been pretty good.
Gutted the welsh Lions props are not playing
Despite all the dismay, Wales winning would be a suprise but not a huge shock they have a chance. Pack performed well against SA who destroyed England. Front rows are a mismatch but back 5 of pack are equalish as a unit. Backs not a lot in it overall. I reckon england should win but have some hope.
In other news Gatland is an idiot but this is pretty poor work too:
England full-back Ben Foden waded into the war of words when he thought the visitors should put their little brothers in their place.
"In a way, we have to think 'we are England, we are the big country, we are going to put these guys in their place'," Foden wrote in his Daily Mail column.
"It feels like we are the older brother and we have to make sure we beat our younger brother. we cannot let our younger brother get the better of us."
The above is nothing new,as jeremy the Gusset proved very ably,everytime he opened his mouth.I am sure it is all mind games,he will have his hands full tonight
Waitrose had sold out of Brains! 🙁
Good or bad omen?