plus a chance for Billy V to get up to speed
Shame we cant use the tried and tested method of kicking it to Billy and getting Navidi to tackle him until Billy runs out of puff or gets injured!! I reckon old man Lydiate might break first in that respect.
Gatlands tactic of kicking infield to tire out teams like England seemed to be firmly in play last week.
Scotland team to play France
B Kinghorn; K Steyn, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, D van der Merwe; F Russell, A Price; P Schoeman, G Turner, W Nel; R Gray, G Gilchrist; J Ritchie, R Darge, J Dempsey.
Replacements: S McInally, R Sutherland, J Sebastian, S Cummings, S Skinner, J Bayliss, G Horne, O Smith.
World's greatest midget winger dropped!!
STW won't let me post the England team, has Duckman taken control?
I give up. I'm not typing it out.
Any way, weaker scrum than expected, looking forward to how Ben earl goes, interested also in the centre combo (at last we have real centres) Arundell. But, no 7 on the pitch, gulp.
I couldn't post it either! How about a link:
https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rwc23-england-team-to-face-wales-in-second-summer-nations-series-test
Seen the Wallabies WC squad has been announced... and people are upset that there's no room for Quade Cooper! LoLZ. 😆
Re wallabies:
"A whopping 25 of the 33 players picked haven't been to a World Cup before, with all nine locks and back-rowers yet to feature at the showpiece event."
Am I reading the list right, and Marler is in the England squad again?
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
14. Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 7 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 16 caps)
12. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)
10. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 106 caps)
9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)
1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)
7. Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps)
Replacements
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap)
17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)
19. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 20 caps)
20. Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)
22. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 82 caps)
23. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 19 caps)
Shouldnt George Martin be writing the final game of thrones book?
The England team look like they're supposed first team, with a lot of experience and familiarity with the way each other play (I may be mistaken). They should win. They likely will win. But, for some reason I have this niggling feeling that Wales might pull something very surprising off. I have a vision of the building pressure due to the media scrutiny and upcoming World Cup getting to them.
I need to go and have a word with myself!
If Scotland can beat France then I am going to buy into the hype. Fingers crossed.
If Scotland can beat France then I am going to buy into the hype. Fingers crossed.
I don't think you need worry about that. If we keep it within 20 points we will do well. This chap has been doing this for a few years
or
Predictions for the weekends matches?
Scotland France - I expect a high quality high tempo high scoring game and it could be a real cracker. The sheer power of the France forwards will win them the game especially as they seem to be fit enough not to get worn out by dragging them all over the pitch.
France by 10+ in a high scoring game and it could easily be the stuffing we thought was coming at last week after Fagersons card
England Wales. Another turgid affair and I give Wales a real chance of winning. England by 5 but I wouldn't bet my shirt on it.England have a bit more pace than last week but still overall too slow for me
Can I improve my frankly dismal prediction record? 😉
It's just occurred to me that Jonny Hill is on the bench but was not announced as part of the RWC squad. eh?
Chessum is injured but gets a seat on the plane, so Borthwick calls up Hill as a replacement for the warm up game.
It only makes sense in the strange world of English rugby, plus Chessum is a Tiger so that makes him 109.453% better than any other option.
I enjoyed the Wales v England game last week, but this game is dreadfully dull.
Is it only half time? FFS
It’s an injury-fest. Not looking good.
Zzzz......
Wow!!!
Have England ever been worse?
Lolz what a fiasco.
And I thought Fagerson was bad....
Whatever else may be decided by review that's a stupid tackle by Farrell
Kryton57
Full Member
STW won’t let me post the England team, has Duckman taken control?
I think the site was saving you from the disappointment. Hopefully the beer was good and paid for by others because that was a stinking game.
We are going to get thrashed but at least it will be worth watching.
At a party so haven't seen game, hope Lake is ok.
I believe the England 12- 14 deserved that win .
My oh my - Scotland looking great!
Oh no now we've woken them up
Oops 🙄
Proper entertaining half of rugby, think Scotland are hanging on by the fingernails though
Yup. We did well not to cocede a try or a yellow at the end of the half
Alors ......
Ben O'Keefe doing his best to dictionary define 'Hometown Referee' again.
But Scotland are clinging on by their fingernails here. This could well be a cricket score.
Great comeback
Squeaky bum time!
Great score 😁
Come on! Ah bugger!!!!
Merde!
Excellent game, much better than the borefest earlier. Scotland played well.
Thats entertainment. I thought we were going to sneak it at the end. Great game
We'll play worse and win in the group stage.
because that was a stinking game.
Still on my way home. Was it as dull on telly as it appeared in real life? Jesus Christ I was wondering if England are actually capable of scoring tries for a while there, and then down to 12 with the stupidity, I thought it’d be game over, as did every England supporter around us. And Farrell, again!
There’s no plan, no shape, no invention.
Anyway, tomorrow I shall watch the Scottish game to get my blood pressure off the bottom of the scale.
Well worth a watch Kryton
Been busy today and only got to watch the highlights so far.
I understand the talismanic effect Farrel has for England at 10 but Ford is a much better 10. Only however if England know how they are going to attack and that seemed a concept beyond them.
Just hoping Scotland haven’t peaked too soon and that we can create such attack against the stifling Irish and Sa defences which will be a different challenge from the French. Problem with such good performances is that it gives you hope and it’s always the hope that kills you!
