Dante will cause big issues for Slade (and Farrell wouldn't last two tackles against him). Can't see an England win. Although I'll be hoping for a good game from both teams.
Was supporting Ireland yesterday and was more behind the sofa than for any Scotland games.
(And not because ABE, waiting for my Irish passport).
one of the main reasons I gave up on this thread, utterly OTT reaction to anyones opinion on england unless it is glowing praise
Indeed I always get shit for criticism of other teams but anyone who looks can see I am most critical of Wales or the frankly shite regions/clubs.
Agree ^^ with onehundrethidiot. Teams are pouring through our backs, while we rely on the revolving door which is Tuilagi. It really needs sorting out.
I only occasionally dip into the annual rugby thread(s) as I have to say I find them, consistently, the most bad tempered, niggly threads on the entire forum.
We all get very passionate about our teams at this time of year. Since recent discussions some of us have been trying to make this more friendly but it does not seem to have worked
AA - you also come across very harshly sometimes.
Just all calm down folks please?
but anyone who looks can see I am most critical of Wales
It has been noticed 😏😂
Just all calm down folks please?
😂😂 oh tj
AA – you also come across very harshly sometimes.
Sometimes it's needed, I have avoided mentioning how appallingly bad Ewels tackle was. At least the ref got it right. Johnny Williams got away with one similar last season, forget what game it was
Great game. Sung myself hoarse.
I can’t speak for the red TBH because I missed it but nobody seems too bothered about it.
It was a phenomenal effort by the England pack to keep the team in the game & really Ireland should have been out of sight by h/t given a numerical & skill advantage. The fact they weren’t speaks volumes to the effort put in by England.
Lots of criticism of Englands lack of verve etc but when you’re a man down & one of your backs is in the pack you play to your strengths. I can’t help but wonder if England would have won if it had been 15 v 15. It would have been close & I think they’d have shaded it.
Anyway, great game. Shame about the lack of grace from some & the lack of acknowledgement of the England effort. Ireland, eventually, deserved winners. Bring on the French!
What a thread. I played an hour of rugby once at school, got a split lip and never played again; too rough and tumble for me. However, people on here, who no doubt used to play, get all upset if someone says their favourite player cannae catch. Surely there’s a place for a little teasing/leg pulling without people getting upset.
We’ve one more week of games to go. Whether it be France or Ireland who win, they will be deserved winners. Both teams are playing better rugby than the other 4 teams. Wales, Scotland and England are neither terrible or great, hopefully all three will be improved for next year, which promises to be something truly special.
So, I shall be posting over the next week despite knowing far less than everyone else. I shall be looking forward to the greater insights of others.
Sometimes it’s needed, I have avoided mentioning how appallingly bad Ewels tackle was.
Let me do it for you as a one eyed Englander. It was a straight and clear red. In fairness there were a few others from both sides that were very similar during the game, but they didn't lead to anyone getting knocked out so...
It was mentioned after the Wales game on friday by Tv common-taters that the tackling was woeful, we see it across the board, and whilst I don't like a card determining the outcome of the game, if we want the game to survive we need to cut down down on head injuries. It starts with tackling. England need to have a hard to look at retraining everyone to tackle lower.
Enjoyable game at Franklyn Gardens today, worth watching if you haven't already.
And to think I come here for some light relief.
It's like watching Mike Adamson referee but without the comical timing.
I thought England deserved to win. I take it all back.
I thought England deserved to win. I take it all back.
😂
Ok so France win against England. Probably.
Can the Scots get anything against Ireland and end up 3rd? Even a bonus point loss?
Or is it a runaway Welsh victory and the Scots finish 5th?
#ForebodingFeeling
Sorry to interrupt and talk about the 6N. 😉
Well this escalated quickly...group hug everyone!!
I think France will beat England. It’ll be the game of the Saturday. Ireland will probably beat Scotland. Wales will beat Italy easily enough.
Ok so France win against England. Probably.
Can the Scots get anything against Ireland and end up 3rd? Even a bonus point loss?
Or is it a runaway Welsh victory and the Scots finish 5th?
#ForebodingFeeling
Sorry to interrupt and talk about the 6N. 😉
Having a look at the current table, it is very interesting for 3rd, 4th and 5th place. Presuming France, Ireland and Wales win the final weekends games, then bonus points and points difference are likely to come into it. So, I think England above Scotland, with Wales potentially coming 3rd, 4th or 5th.
Edit: forget that, Wales would need to beat Italy by about 32pts and they’ve hardly been running in the tries this tournament. Wales/Scotland for 4th/5th
Ponts diff between England and Wales is 44 points I think. It depends on size of loss by England to france, but lets say its 7 points (so England get BP), that brings PD between England and Wales to 37. So they need to beat Italy by 38 I think to go 3rd.
If England don't get a BP then Wales go third if they do get a BP, very possible.
Possible points range look like this I think (check my maths?):
France 18-26
Ireland 16-21
England 10-15
Scotland 10-15
Wales 6-11
Italy 0-5
I'd just like to say that all the results went the way I wanted this weekend.
To give you an idea of rarely that actually happens, my team is Scotland and my 2nd team is Italy 🙂
Anyone come across any decent analysis of the scrums in the England V Ireland game? I would be really interested in reading or watching something from someone like Alex Corbisiero but can't find anything other than some comments he made on position to Cian Healy's feet.
On the game I think England shouldn't allow themselves to be too pleased with themselves outside of the performance of their tight 5. It was another game where they created nothing. It is possible to attack with 14 men, check out Irelands narrow loss to Wales last year where they had a deserved red after 14 mins. I was amazed to hear EJ say on the BBC rugby pod after Saturdays game that the sending off affected their defensive shape but not their attacking shape!
I’m no front row expert, but I know enough to understand when things are amiss.
To me the Ireland scrum wasn’t weak, the England front row were either pushing too early or walking round on the tight head. The England loose head was driving out, the tight head was boring in or pulling back.
They managed to convince the ref they were dominant.
When scrums push straight either you will see a collapse, someone pops up or the scrum goes backwards. They don’t wheel unless someone is cheating.
To me the Ireland scrum wasn’t weak, the England front row were either pushing too early or walking round on the tight head.
Under normal circumstances you would expect 1/8mile to deal with that though. The Irish hooker is quite inexperienced also which can't have helped, he's a converted back row isn't he
Under normal circumstances you would expect 1/8mile to deal with that though. The Irish hooker is quite inexperienced also which can’t have helped, he’s a converted back row isn’t he
That's what was most surprising, it was multiple times not once or twice. Nothing worked for us there. Sheehan is inexperienced but has been playing hooker for a while, certainly was an U20 international. He is possibly a little tall for a hooker though 6'2" ish I think. Great in the loose but perhaps les effective in scrum.
As I said during the game the white pack shoved early pretty early in the game. French refs love a going forward scrum. So a couple of early shoves and then go soft on the contact paints you as dominant and the opposition as not being to hold their feet. Once your losing that it's really hard to look on top again.
The wheeling was obviously deliberate. I think scrum needs a tmo from above.
A few shots of the set up also seemed to show white loosehead back from where he should have been, making green overextend and go long, easier to drop him to his belly from there which will usually result in a penalty. Dark arts indeed.
Thanks AA,
I followed up by reading Nigel Owens in the Torygraph, interesting analysis even if it is Irish TV 🙂
Wales: McNicholl; Rees-Zammit, Watkin, Halaholo, Adams; Biggar (capt), G Davies; Thomas, Lake, Lewis, Beard, AW Jones, S Davies, Navidi, Faletau.
Replacements: Roberts, W Jones, L Brown, Rowlands, Moriarty, Hardy, Sheedy, Tompkins
What is the point in picking AWJ?! FFS Rowlands has played his guts out this season and AWJ comes. Back in with no game time.
interesting analysis even if it is Irish TV
Yeah the overhead views when slowed down are illuminating usually
I wondered if he’s about to announce his retirement and they’re giving him one last run out, maybe?
I wondered if he’s about to announce his retirement and they’re giving him one last run out, maybe?
If that were the case he'd be on the bench wouldn't he?
I like awj and I get he's a leader like poc but for his own good bench him. I rather a cameo 10 minutes at the end than broken 10 minutes in.
Interesting piece on some perhaps flawed research on head injuries
Yeah, fair points both. I dunno, I was just guessing really. I suppose he might see Italy as not a high risk game, final one of the 6N, wants to have one last full game, etc etc. I mean, he may not be retiring at all - who knows.
The noise around AWJ is that he’s going to the 2023 World Cup. But then a lot of that is coming from Pivac.
Could be a bluff, double bluff, spin around, stand on your head bluff. Don’t know.
If he is planning on playing on then it seems a stupid move, get him 100% fit then wrap him in cotton wool until the World Cup. Don’t risk ending his career through injury against Italy, especially since Rowlands and Beard are now looking like a settled partnership.
Oh for sure, if he’s going to RWC2023, no way he should risk this game.
Starter rather than sub, Think it's so they can clap him off as last six Nations game
Of the 6 coaches (and their chosen entourage) in this years 6N, which one would you most like to have for your country and why, you can stick or twist.
I'm going for Townsend for England. I think, other than Italy, Scotland has the smallest pool of talent, is hamstrung by players outside Scotland, has less resource, and yet he has managed to do a great job with what he has. To be fair I'd probs pick any of the other 5 over Jones right now, I'm seriously unconvinced. The fact that we were all impressed with Englands fight last Sat was really down to them being forced to think for themselves rather than following the plan, and it made them all the better for it. So I kind of see that as less Jones influence. I am bound to be uttterly wrong about this.
Id have the wales coaching team. they are the best prepared team for their opposition Or maybe the irish
You are welcome to Townsend. Scotland have underperformed under him and something is clearly off in the camp. I do not rate him at all as a head coach. he is still learning his craft and it shows. No way has he done a great job
I'd say I was basing that on the fact the you beat us pretty well. Scotland 100% were prepared for England and knew exactly how to sort out our game. I think England played well in he circumstances, but Scotland had a plan and it worked nicely.
Shaun Edwards. What were the WRU thinking? Just give the guy what he wants. As for head coach. Not sure.
I'm pretty happy with Andy Farrell as our coach but Shaun Edwards would definitely add something as defense coach to any set-up
I see your point fivepluseight
Trouble is beating england and italy just is not good enough. Its all a bit odd tho. We have englands number, wales and ireland have ours
I agree EJ is not great - I actually think he and townsend have a bit in common as they are reacting to the previous game not creating for the current one.
also Scots players do not need to be motivated to play england but in the games since have looked really lacklustre. For that I blame Townsend
its almost as if the England game is the only one every0ne ids properly prepared for
Townsend has also made some huge selection clangers
We have two teams playing well below their potential - England and Scotland and one - Wales making 110% out of what they have. Thats why I think the welsh coaching team are doing something right
Ewels got 2 weeks if he does a 1hr online course.So out for as long as Ryan probably as he failed his HIA so has to do the return to play protocols,that's some quality biscuitage from the supposedly skint RFU.
Wales making 110% out of what they have. Thats why I think the welsh coaching team are doing something right
I think thats Wales all over. They don't need Pivac to do that. Theyve been doing it for the last 10 years at least..
its almost as if the England game is the only one every0ne ids properly prepared for
Ummm... Ahhh...
The problem with Pivac is the available players do not fit the attacking plan he has imposed, that's why I don't rate him. He has the team play a fancy Dan wide pod system where a carrier goes into contact with one clearing support player to get fast ruck ball and spread it wide. This is not working on a number of levels, first of all our clear number one ten is not designed to play a wide game he just doesn't have the skill set behind him Anscombe is a shadow of his former self and Sheedy is strictly medium paced at the top level. In addition to get quick ruck ball with just one player clearing we need big ball carriers to smash it up...we have none, NADA not one, that's why we often arse about going backwards and then get turned over, and by often I mean ALL THE BLOODY TIME!!
We should be kicking the leather off the ball and then defending like demons until we get a chance in the opposition's 22 and then switch to fancy attacking. Not arsing about in the middle of the park and getting turned over or pinged for holding on.
Ireland are the best coaches team, if not a bit over coached and lacking imagination. England are well drilled up front but lack any overall game plan development, Scotland are outstanding one week when it all comes off and then shite the next when it doesn't, you can't have a game plan built around an outstanding on his day ten and fifteen because when it's not there day it all goes to rat shit. No foundations, all fur coat and no knickers. Italy, well who knows, tough gig.
