real issue for them is LH with Nel
I thought Nel was a tighthead?
Look on the bright side Wales have both Scott Andrews and Rhodri Jones in their squad!!
Nel is a tighthead. Zanderson is his backup then its Jon welsh. A 20 yr old and a guy playing for newcastle who has never quite been international standard
Its the usual problem for Scotland tho strength in depth. Loose our first chice and the replacements are often much poorer. Some players ( Russell. J Gray) are so critical that if they are injured our chances drop dramatically.
Bit like Wales. Andrews and Jones struggle to get on the bench for Blues and Ospreys!!!
I suspect a certain Mr Johnson may disagree!
He was on the 1993 tour, albeit as a replacement so I am not convinced he would.
I think if England played their first team against their second team then it would be a tight hard fought contest. If Scotland did the same it could be a massacre.
He was on the 1993 tour, albeit as a replacement
Ah yes, I forgot that!
Arscott has had his contact terminated.
Nel is a tighthead. Zanderson is his backup then its Jon welsh. A 20 yr old and a guy playing for newcastle who has never quite been international standard
My bad - not sure why I thought he was a LH. It's been a long week!
But Welsh's chip and chase is pretty good as displayed the other week!
With Eddie Jones' England squads you always know what you're going to get. It's evolution rather than revolution. Shows consistency and an understanding of player development/progress.
He's already paving the way for Mike Brown moving aside for Watson/Daly and we knew Ellis Genge would be back in to compete for the loosehead spot in the absence of Vunipola/Marler.
A stark contrast with the SL era - where we never knew what he was thinking (and neither did he).
ForwardsNathan Catt (Bath), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester ), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jamie George (Saracens), Teimana Harrison (Northampton), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Tommy Taylor (Wasps), Mike Williams (Leicester), Tom Wood (Northampton)
Backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Te’o (Worcester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester)
BBC reporting that Nel is out of the 6N.
Jones has named a squad without too many surprises. The three uncapped players probably deserve their call although I've never been hugely convinced by Catt.
Only name I'd have liked in there is Robson.
Mike Catt? 😆 😯
Only name I'd have liked in there is Robson.
Would agree with that because he's been very good for Wasps, but the Youngs / Care combo hasn't been too shabby of late.
No, but I expected to see 3 No9s named.
James Short of Exeter and Roko have reason to feel a bit seen off. Both offer more than Yarde and May IMHO.
We don't look too well stocked in the back row, Harrison isn't international class and I'm not convinced by Clifford either.
Both Robson and Simpson should have had more chances so far, but barring an injury I can't see them getting a look in.
No, but I expected to see 3 No9s named.
I don't think EJ has ever named 3 No9s in any final squads.
James Short of Exeter and Roko have reason to feel a bit seen off. Both offer more than Yarde and May IMHO.
I agree on Yarde but EJ likes him because he once ran over Ritchie McCaw a few years ago - but nothing much else in credit that I can see.
Disagree on May - he's bulked up a little and improved his defending a lot and he's seriously quick.
Don't agree on Roko either - great carrying but never looks for support and flipping lazy running off the ball. Compare his workrate to Nowell (or Ashton) and he'd be nowhere.
I'd rather see Wade in there or Ashton (if he wasn't going to France).
So, is anyone going to be watching the 6N on ITV then?
Despite it all, surely the Beeb are the better option?
So, is anyone going to be watching the 6N on ITV then?
I don't think there is any option. Aren't some games on BBC and some ITV?
Apparently not.
http://www.rbs6nations.com/mobile/en/liveontv.php#Uq4lWOFTd50Vs0fx.97
Looks as if anything that's on ITV is on the Beeb as well.
H = highlights
7/8 split for live games
(H) ? Highlights? As in not live?
eg Scotland Ireland live on BBC , highlights on ITV
Next one reversed
Ahhhh! I see. Bugger.
****ing hate ITV world cup stuff 😕
Bugger - VeePee out is a big blow - Zoolander is a decent replacement altho very young and inexperienced. But the sub is going to have to be Angela who is barely international class.
(W.P.Nel. Zander Fagerson, Jon Welsh)
We don't look too well stocked in the back row, Harrison isn't international class and I'm not convinced by Clifford either.
Id expect Itoje, Hugues and Hask starting at 678 for the bigger games, with Lawes and Kruis.
The Hask will knock himself out headbutting the side of the tunnel on the way on to the pitch.
Itoge is a second row throughout. He can play 6, but he's not international (or even prem) class there.
Wade is great going forwards but he's a liability in defence. He'll never be part of EJ's team. May is a complete tactical nightmare and doesn't have any kind of rugby brain. Nobody knows what he's going to do, even him. Good finisher if in a straight foot race though. Roko is a more astute player than either. Short even more so, but he'll not get a crack as long as the chiefs waste him on the bench, then wonder why they didn't start him when he comes on and score two tries in five minutes 🙄
Watson and Nowell have to be the first choice of those selected by a very large margin.
Harrison isn't international class and I'm not convinced by Clifford either.
I don't thought Harrison put in a really good shift at 8 last night for the Saints. He's been in pretty good form for them recently.
Roko is great in attack, but is lazy when he's not got the ball. He's often ambling back or Barf. He doesn't have the workrate of Nowell, who was brilliant last week for Exeter. May offers genuine pace and did well in the AI's. I do t get the Yarde thing because he's not great in defence and is pretty poor in attack too. Wade's defence is better and at least he scores tries!
I think Jones is good no to give someone else a run out a FB his 6N. Brown's days are numbered.
Can Glasgow do it? Should be a good game to watch I hope.
Yarde seems to be a bit like ashton, thinks he's better than he is and too close to giving away penalties. Don't like pirate jack but he's a great player and his work rate is massive. Pops up running tight lines yet gets back for the cover tackles.
For once I agree entirely with Wrecker!!!
Nowel has come on nicely and is a good player, long term him or Watson could play fullback. Brown is a good international 15 though so one point shifting them about.
May is brain dead but fast. Did you see him the other week. Last play of the game gets the ball on one side of the pitch ran sideways to the other side and got pushed into touch!
England squad looks good but any team (thinking Ireland her not Wales) who can stop their pack getting over the gainline may make them struggle as without the space that creates the backs lack of size may see them struggle. Ben Teo and his magic arm band is the only bosher and he isnt that great.
In other news. Wales fans watch this and try not to cry at what he's become!!
Bloody Hell Warriors
Underrated team by everyone outside of Scotland. They are demolishing tigers as they diud to racing. Speed speed speed plus a bit of magic from Finn
Tigers are complete gash at the moment.
Anyone see the sarries vs toulon game? Wondering how Lozowski got on at 15.
Great away and come from behind win for Ospreys 😀
wrecker - Member
Tigers are complete gash at the moment.
Anyone see the sarries vs toulon game? Wondering how Lozowski got on at 15.
Yes - good game despite the low score; some massive hits!
Lozowski was steady - ran the ball back a few times - was on the end of a a massive hit from Bastareau but was up pretty quickly.
Glasgow are playing well but Leicester are absolutely woeful.
Gutted they didn't get the 50 against the kittens.
I expected a Warriors win but I thought between 3-10 points
Ben Kay looked distraught during the post match analysis!
gonna stop underestimating Glasgow now? demolishing racing and Leicester home and away show their class even if Munster showed how to beat Glasgow earlier?
Pace pace and pace. watch the glasgow forwards - on the floor after a ruck / tackle? Bounce back to your feet and run to your place - not get slowly up and walk to where you shouldbe. this is why glasgow won - after a few phases there simply were more glasgow players available because of the pace at which they play. No ap or top 14 teamsplay with the pace adnintensity of the top pro 12 teams.
sarries next - more of a test and Sarries must be favourites but players like itoje are going to have to up their workrate to win.
players like itoje are going to have to up their workrate
That was a joke - right?
Kittens is about right, absolutely woeful. Leicester look like they've given up on the season already! Has anyone heard any rumours re the head coach job? They can't let Mauger have it, can they???
No ap or top 14 teamsplay with the pace adnintensity of the top pro 12 teams.
Not sure about that; Wasps play with a fair bit of pace and Sarries are relentless in creating pressure. Itoje is far from a last player.
That was a bloody good win for Glasgow who played unbelievably well. It'll be interesting to see if the Scottish players can bring that form to the 6N.
The Sarries Toulon was brutal at times. There are going to be some sore bodies after that. Lozowski was cut in half by Bastareaud.
Not really namaste. I was impressed with him in the Sarries game but he was not getting back to his feet and back into the action as quick as the Glasgow forwards do nor did he work as hard as the likes of Jonny Grey
Its the pace they are used to playing at,. The best teams in the pro 12 play with a higher intensity than they do in the ap or top 14. this is Why glasgow demolished Racing and Leicester but were beaten by Munster. Racing and Leicester were not used to the pace Glasgow play at but Munster are
Sarries / glasgow would be a fascinating matchup because Sarries can produce the pressure to suffocate Glasgow as MUnster did
I didn't say Itoje was lazy at all - but its that he is not used to having to react and get back into position as quickly as he will need to against Glasgow
