Itoje@6 wasn't a total disaster
Great, lets hope Jones is too proud to put him back in the row. If Wales can get Not Toby fit and the even bigger if the welsh front 5 can compete I would fancy Tips, Not Toby and Not Captain Sam over The Mercenary, John Rambo Wood and Itoje
if the welsh front 5 can compete I would fancy Tips, Not Toby and Not Captain Sam over The Mercenary, John Rambo Wood and Itoje
I agree but the English tight 5 surely can't be as poor again and Haskell will mostly likely be back at 7.
As long as Itoje is on the field he will make a difference - wherever he plays.
I agree but the English tight 5 surely can't be as poor again and Haskell will mostly likely be back at 7.
I dont think the English tight 5 will have to improve to over power Wales!
Jamie George was possibly the best hooker on show
🙁 maybe we can find Guirado a british nan.
Jamie George ffs have you seen the All Blacks hooker they are going out to play rugby not have a pie eating contest!!
Best had a good game and I would expect 'ickle Gray to be pushing behind him.
Jamie George was very good, certainly better than Hartley. And he's in no worse shape than Best!
Best had a good game
If you consider lobbing pies at the Gray brothers in the lineout good!
Jamie George ffs have you seen the All Blacks hooker they are going out to play rugby not have a pie eating contest!!
What happened to a game for all shapes and sizes?
Anyway, in the absence of any Dane Coles-a-likes I'll settle for a fat bloke who can do the basics well and leave prancing about on the wings to the.....errr.......wings.
9...???? Connor Murray was well marshalled yesterday.
Scotland back row as a unit including Barclay were excellent. Heaslip made some impressive ground and some exceptional passes, to Scottish players....
5 Jonnie gray, again good around the park. Midweeker defo.
Rory best was way off yesterday, not sure what he offered at all.
Best, Heaslip and Murrayhad their worst game for Ireland in a long time. The only forwards with credible performances were the props and possibly Stander to a lesser extent.
BF (Butter Fingers) Stander?
He dropped everything anyone threw at him.
Best threw some dodgy arrows, however he is still the most consistent candidate and has the experience of dragging a team over the line against this Summer's project. I would have liked to see Wasps Taylor get some time at this level though as I think he is the future for England once Jamie George returns to his part time job in the quality control dept of Ginsters. In other news; what is the going rate of pay for a Lions tighthead this year? Ian "the bear" Milne.Former rugby star set to lose 100lb for charity | The Times
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/share/3b5cdb4a-ebb4-11e6-b160-fe23d6a9b5dd.
Best had a good game
The line out in the first half was awful. He does seem prone to having some really bad days. He doesn't seem to do OK; its other spot on or utter tripe.
Jamie George is quite quick for a fat lad though. He and Sinckler do look like a pair of chubbers though.
Best has been much more consistent in the past couple of years but lineouts were poor on sat.
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Not sure what Ireland team Guscott was watching.
Davies has been shit all season wouldnt pick him. Would have North over Williams and Ken Owens is a good club player but under powered at international level.
Laidlaw is pants but I suppose the other options werent up to much. No idea how he picked Jackson over Russel.
Did anyone really play their way into the Lions starting XV other than A.N.Other?
Hogg
Maybe the two irish props.
^I'd tend to agree with that a_a.
I only saw the second half of Scotland v Ireland, but I thought that Rob Kearney looked really good too. Not seen his name mentioned much in potential Lions squads, but if he's in form, he's surely a contender?
Just read online that Joost van der Westhuizen has passed away. Such a shame.
Thought it was coming. Still sad news.
Joost was a true great RIP.
I may be out of line but a release for Joost, an amazing player and an even more special human being. RIP 😥
RIP Joost, thanks for some great memories.
He was great to watch wasn't he? Awful disease, hopefully his foundation can make a difference. RIP.
What danstw says, J9 joost.co.za
Tragic to hear of anyone passing so young but especially tough to think of those of such physical prowess such as Joost or Jonah being struck down in such a way
Had the great pleasure of seeing him play many times, exceptional. RIP.
Joost was one of the, if not the best player I've ever watched. Always enjoyed seeing him play. Sad to see him go so early. 😥
RIP. 🙁
I see Jones has gone with the typical "small country" mind games. He will need better bait than that I hope.
Meanwhile Howley says Joost was the best he ever played against...so he is capable of getting something right.
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Not really a spiritual person but it would be nice to think those two are having fun knocking lumps out of each other somewhere!
Van der Westhuizen was an out standing player. I'll remember the 95 rwc final for many years. RIP Joost
+1 AA and after they can shot some pool with Nevin and Jerry Collins
Looks like Tom Wood is out of Saturday's game having not trained this week.
That's a callow back row up against a very experienced Welsh one.
Although Wood looks busy getting involved he's been giving away pens a lot. Clifford although always looking small to me is 6'4 and 18 stone and pretty quick with it, he will add a dynamic.
Experience is the issue. Eddies stating that Haskell isn't ready for 60 mins yet, so we are likely to start with Itoje, Hughes and Clifford unless he risks the Hask on fitness.
Backrow wont matter if Wales get muched in the front 5. Wales unlikely to have Faletau start either.
Seems Faletau is fit. Big ask to start him and who do we drop? Could go Faletau, Tip, Moriarty or Faletau, Warbs, Moriarty or Faletau, Tip, Warbs...
Wing spot going to if North is broken. Could be Steff Evans or most likely the hoplessly out of form Cuthbert or even Scott Williams and put Roberts at 12 which could work if Biggar is broken and we start Davies.
Englands flank problem solved
Wood back in.
FNARRR
All the guff about the roof is boring! Unless it's pissing it down or snowing, I think it should be open.
Another had game to call. Wales certainly have the edge in the back row.
Ireland will beat Italy. I think Scotland may struggle against France, but I think the speed of their play will see them home.
All the guff about the roof is boring!
Not for Eddie he gets to decide and says he doesnt care but wont decide!
Not sure its a hard game to call. England big favourites.
Big favourites?? Like your man Sam, who flattered Ebg by comparing them to the AB, you ae being very generous AA. Unlike EJ at least neither of you are playing mind games! 😉
How close will the choir be breathing skull attack breath down the necks of our poor fragile roses during the anthems*? Or different tactics this time?
EJ has been practicing the anthems with 50 pissed up blokes from Frinley singing a foot behind the England team before this weeks training sessions at Pennyhill Parl. Check out the youtube clip its hilarious. Attention to detail is quite something.
* my highlight of the 6N is hearing Land of my Fathers sung at Cardiff when against England. Bsst anthem of the lot'
I would say england are huge favourites, if we lose by less than 10 I would be amazed.
We will be playing a dwarf at 10 and the front row is going to be under huge pressure even if Cole if playing.
I don't think that England are huge favourites - they were shite last week and have some pretty key injuries resulting in a back row that doesn't look up to international rugby.
Wales weren't great last week but are at home against a team that they love to beat. I can't help but feel that all of their experience will see them through.
Well the bookies dont agree
