[Closed] Rugby thread 2016/2017

Not seen the match - had it recorded, but couldn't avoid spoilers.

I was genuinely fearful of a resurgent Scotland today. They got off to a bad start, an once we were ahead and playing with confidence it was curtains.

Scotland haven't become a bad team - they need to use it as a learning opportunity, much like when England got humped in Cardiff a few years back. They are a young team with potential, but the perennial lack of depth has hurt them.

Here's an exhaustive list of Scotland forwards who'll make the Lions tour after that showing:

.........

😆 😆 😆

Surprised how little impact the Scottish back row had in the game. I was expecting them to really take us apart and win an awful lot of turnovers.

Not much suprise, their front 5 was beasted and they are all midgets anyway. A lot of refs like whatsit w last night and todays ref dont seem to ping hanging on so players like Barclay are less useful.
As I said last week Wales battered them first half but couldnt finish and then fell away second half but England battered them even more AND could finish so it was always on the cards. England have a massive quality pack and their strength is exactly where Scotland are weak. Forwards win games, backs decide by how much, the old adage was true today.

So can we put to bed calls for the Grey brothers to be Lions?

Launchbury
Lawes
Itoje
AWJ

Bayfield is massive. Seen him a few times at Sixways and couldn't believe how tall he is in person. One of my mates is pretty big (played lock) and he looked like a Hobbit next to him!

Fair comments mostly but few people can't seem to win graciously, dread to see what they'll be like when England's current winning trend changes.

Correct AA with AWJ the midweek captain as discussed. (Two years too late for the 1xv and I'm a big fan)

Grays were ruled out today ditto Russell. Geeks and Laidlaw were honest on that after the match. He panicked and you can't do the against the AB.

An England front five, two welsh flankers with CJ and one England front five as the impact and Billy at 8. Sorted 😉

Only tough call is where to put Itoje.

As always Matt Dawson sums up the feelings of all English people.

A 40-point whipping of Scotland and we have to look towards the World Cup.

anyone know of a live stream of the U20 match? Showing on Sky Sports Mix (free to air channel) I gather.

Only tough call is where to put Itoje.

Not really Stander and Warburton are better 6's.
Cole, Hartley Marler may struggle to make the test starters too.

Hogg
Nowel
Joseph
Still not sure
North
Sexton
Murray
Not sure
Warburton
Stander
Launchbury
Itoje
Furlong
Not sure
McGrath or Healey( wonder if he may start v england next week) wouldnt pick Marler on principle, would take Mako first.

Great idea 😉 to leave out the two players who dominated the match today! Too much focus on the final scorers and not enough on the ones who created the opportunities.

(Although tbf I'm not sure about one of them as he can't tackle well enough)

grahamt1980 - Member

Ferrals, the yellow card he wanted to give was for a second high tackle that the replays showed it wasn't, was just a late tackle which didn't deserve a yellow.
Plus the tip tackle could arguably been red so i wouldn't complain too much as the score would have only been worse with Scotland at 14 men all match

Ah my mistake (re. the rescinded yellow).

I did think the tip tackle was going to be a red. It was a fifty fifty call IMO, lucky for Scotland he landed on his back.

dantsw13 - Member

Scotland haven't become a bad team - they need to use it as a learning opportunity, ... They are a young team with potential, but the perennial lack of depth has hurt them.

Completely agree.

The tip tackle law is looking an ass as most outcome based laws are.

I think it was lucky for the game that the tip was only a yellow as it would have messed with the structure even more than the injuries did

Great idea to leave out the two players who dominated the match today

The ones that the two most experienced pundits were eulogising over.

Farrell is unlikely to be picked at 12 for lions as Mr Gattland will want a big heavy centre to punch holes.....Might be incorrect but.... Ford losing out to Farrell at 10 for the Lions Murray number One then perm one from Russell, Farrell, Biggar.

Hooker will be either Best or Hartley with maybe George as the outsider and possibly best candidate.

8 will be Billy, maybe for 60 the Heaslip

Marler nowhere, on principle and performance so Mako

The ones that the two most experienced pundits were eulogising over.

8 will be Billy, maybe for 60 the Heaslip

Heaslip got owned by Moriarty last night...I think Gatland will go Billy and Faletau.

The ones that the two most experienced pundits were eulogising over.

I was cooking dinner. I know it goes against your every guiding principle but could you just give a straight answer?

Just seen Fickous try for france, great interplay and finished with panache...just like the France of old...maybe Ireland could poach Fickou in time for the Lions???

Fair comments mostly but few people can't seem to win graciously, dread to see what they'll be like when England's current winning trend changes.

Well if we can't be a a touch boisterous after a 40 point scunnering of the Jocks then when can we be? 😆

My English hating mate, Dod, has been here all day. We've watched 3 Super Rugby games, the two 6N matches and now I'm inflicting the U-20 game on him too before we watch the Vancouver 7s.

He's been spitting feathers..... 😆

.just like the France of old..

Errr..... except they were playing Italy. Who are shite.

I don't mind a loss when we've been playing badly, but to play well then fall apart for the Calcutta Cup is a bit galling.

Well if we can't be a a touch boisterous after a 40 point scunnering of the Jocks then when can we be?

This. We all know our team will lose one day, possibly next week, but for now i'd like to bask in the current glory of being second to only the mighty AB's, laying waste to every other team in our path. 😀

How embarrassing. 😐

To be honest given Scotland's injury list this year, I'm only surprised that didn't happen earlier in the tournament.

That said congratulations to the chariot boys.

How embarrassing.

QED.

Well played England, you ripped us a new one, we were abysmal and i considered it was touch n' go as to how the game would progress within the first 10 mins but following that i threw in the towel as did the Scottish team from my perspective......ho-hum - back to the training ground 😀

the floppy hat wearers

Help me out. Who?

French stereotype maybe. Berets?

QED

Help me out. Who?

The scourge of the real rugby fan at the millennium stadium. The drunken, floppy daffodil hat wearing halfwit.

Yet I choose to spurn the country of smug arses and take the country of my blood. What's it like to be rejected by one of your supposed own? It must hurt. Makes you think.

The scourge of the real rugby fan at the millennium stadium. The drunken, floppy daffodil hat wearing halfwit.

Is this were he gets to be a feisty sore loser and gets banned again? 😉

The drunken, floppy daffodil hat wearing halfwit.

I didnt know we had met 😆

No I'm not. I'm Welsh.
Cymru Am Byth and I like that you're desperate to call me english, I like that this Gog had the misfotune to be dropped in a cesspit. I'm happy that I have no english traits and that's because I'm not, I'm Welsh. I'm Welsh to the degree that I can pull ancesters who farmed Cadair Idris for generations.
How I love that that pisses you off. 😆

Funny thing is, no pissed of by the fact you're Welsh, except perhaps the Welsh reading this. 😀

Well this is panning out nicely isn't it 🙂

Funny thing is, no pissed of by the fact you're Welsh, except perhaps the Welsh reading this.

Kryton is clearly pissed.
I'm worried Jambas head has exploded trying to count up the England score!!!

😆
I'm happy that wrecker is still flying the flag of the crusades, and losing again.

Kryton is clearly pissed.

This is true.

Doesn't detract from my attempt at Welsh in response to Captain Cymru. 😉

Finally watching the match. Feel very sorry for Bennet - that looked like it hurt.

Todavia, no entiendo nada. 😐

Can you lot all get a beer and put your handbags away?? 🙄

I'm worried Jambas head has exploded trying to count up the England score!!!

Brilliant 😆

Lions:

Hogg
Nowell
JJ
Farrell
North
Sexton
Murray
Billy
Hovis
O'Stander
Itoje
Launchbury
Furlong
George/Best
Mako

you have been measured, you have been weighed, you have been found wanting, now Scotland XV go home .......

Todavia, no entiendo nada

Who let the Italian in?

Anyway, I reckon Tom B is pretty close on the Lions selection there.

I'm worried Jambas head has exploded trying to count up the England score!!!

Not to worry, it was close enough to 350m. Sadly.

Sexton for the Lions ??? on current form???

Who let the Italian in?

andylaightscat - Member
you have been measured, you have been weighed, you have been found wanting, now Scotland XV go home .......

If only we could have sent the 1st XV. 😥

Brute power and finesse today from England, few could have lived with them today, one of the best performances I remember - defence was bit disappointing, Nowell who is normally very strong let a few through.

EDIT: Kenny Logan will be hoping no one rereads his Telegraph column.

Brute power and finesse today from England, few could have lived with them today,

No one Got Courtney Lawes for the Lions ? am i missing something ?

You can only pick 4. The 4 who don't get in would all be great choices too. Lawes, Kruis, Gray, Toner is a pretty good set of Locks!

igm, would it have altered the result ??

andylaightscat - seeing as you can't prove me wrong... 😉

Yes. With the two first choice props fit, the first choice scrum half, kicker and captain fit, the full back row fit and a fit full back for more than 15 minute (who did I miss?), we'd have stopped all but one of those charioteer tries and scored at least one more ourselves.

Bonus point win to Scotland.

Honest answer? Still yes, but enough to give Scotland the win? Who knows?

Two strings of passes and JJ.

England scored 4 tries from phase 1 ball, that is a pretty uncommon achievement at this level and requires more than just a bit of passing.

EDIT: As Woodward said at the end, the impressive thing has been England winning away, taking Italy out of the equation, they are the only team to have achieved an away win so far this year and that is why they are champions.

There was something of a 'return to normal' feel about this weekends games don't you think.....Italy and Scotland were both shite and Wales v Ireland was a corker.

What do you want, that I give blood? Do you expect me to give credit where it isn't due? Scotland were poor, but england weren't spectacular either without JJ. Take away JJ and it wasn't that great a win.

IGM - England have been missing a lot of top players this season, but the next cabs off the rank have more than filled the gaps. Squad strength is everything and sadly, Scotland just don't have the depth of quality. In a 6N or WC that will always bite you at some point.

Captain S - sorry but that's tosh. Englands play all over the park was great. You can't just say "If it wasn't for xxx". Daly is just as devastating as Joseph at 13. Watson and Nowell were great. England defended really well, fast set piece possession, Ford/Farrell very cute pass timing.

Captain S - sorry but that's tosh. Englands play all over the park was great. You can't just say "If it wasn't for xxx". Daly is just as devastating as Joseph at 13. Watson and Nowell were great. England defended really well, fast set piece possession, Ford/Farrell very cute pass timing.

Are these 😆 for when people can't think of anything to say?

It's in response to stupidity and ****wittery.
😆

Anyway Capt - you should be far more concerned about how Wales lost at home to such a poor team as England.

😆

And maybe stop posting until the pub is closed

Once the pub is closed it will be worse.

Anyway Capt - you should be far more concerned about how Wales lost at home to such a poor team as England.

". I'm happy that I have no english traits and that's because I'm not, I'm Welsh."

This is the most ridiculous thing I've read in a long time.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've read in a long time.

Dude can't you go back to your beloved footy thread!

Why? Is this an exclusive club for the blinkered?

I'm really not sure what your point is? This is a rugby thread, and you are just intent on throwing mud and talking trash. Let's talk about how well your team did yesterday - a great match. Or how well England played - scoring 60 pts and winning the championship with a game to spare. Maybe pick out some performances relevant to the Lions.

Or just carry on and become irrelevant. Until you change tack I suggest we all ignore you. I will be.

I'm really not sure what your point is? This is a rugby thread, and you are just intent on throwing mud and talking trash. Let's talk about how well your team did yesterday - a great match. Or how well England played - scoring 60 pts and winning the championship with a game to spare. Maybe pick out some performances relevant to the Lions.

So apart from scoring 3 sublime JJ tries - and another 4 pretty good ones, and controlling the game, dominating set-piece, winning the gain line, kicking well, defending without conceding penalties, out-muscling Scotland - scoring 60 points and winning by 40......... England were rubbish?

and whether your english or Welsh would help.

I'm happy that wrecker is still flying the flag of the crusades, and losing again.

ps: What's my playing history?

england didn't play such a spectacular match today, they capitalised on an early yellow card and then the sublime skill of JJ. Without either, the score would have been significantly different.

If's, but's and maybe's.

If Brown had been redcarded as he very easily could have been; if Daly hadn't been head injury withdrawn, if, if, if.

Well at least I've learned today that some Welsh people can be more Welsh than others. Although quite how I don't know.