MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
When did you last beat England?
What happened last time you played Wales?
Yup – 4th to 7th in the rankings are really too close to split.
True lets go on the most recent result.
34-7
tjagain, I fear you are being very selective in which results you choose. Whilst Scotland have won two games in a row, they have yet to show any consistency in either the 6nations, or World Cup competitions iirc.
9 out of 10 at home is pretty consistent.
9 out of 10 at home is pretty consistent.
And away results?
Scotland have beaten Wales 3 times this century I think and once in the last 10 years.....
And away results?
Key question I’m afraid TeeJ. As we established about 15 pages back when talking about the home/away records, it is winning away that wins Grand Slams and championships.
And the weather of course...
5 out of the last 10 away games.
I'm not sure why everyone is assuming their team is especially great on the road. Last year if it hadn't been for a Jonathan Davies brainfart Wales would have won their game against England. If that had happened then the number of wins would have been the same for all the teams. They would have all won their home games and lost their away games. And beaten Italy, of course.
Ireland have beaten France (just) but apart from that it's looking like a similar result this year.
By the way, Wales have won 3 out of their last 10 away games.
Away Games? Beat france away. aus away. in the last year or two.
I agree that Scotland have yet to show any consistency. this Scotland team is on the rebuild after a long fallow period and is getting better and better. Look how young the players are. The nucleus of the team will be around for the next two WCs
I'm just teasing AA with his insistence that the rankings mean nowt and that Wales are a better side. BOth are clearly wrong 😉
us.
Scotland seem to have won 6 out of their last 10 away games from what I can see. don't actually believe it - maybe I can't count.
What an woeful weekend of rugby for an English man from Worcester.
Scotland deserved everything they got yesterday. Well played to their players .
Worcester, after beating Exeter and Gloucester in the last two weeks, lost to London Irish today. FFS!!
Oh well ,at least the sun has shone all weekend and I got a good ride in and get the old Esacapade stripped ready for the new Esacapade to be built up.
By the way, Wales have won 3 out of their last 10 away games.
Were 3 of those v nz in nz
.. we do like to test ourselves against the best/grab the cash!
I’m just teasing AA with his insistence that the rankings mean nowt and that Wales are a better side. BOth are clearly wrong
34-7
Only 2 of them.
I'll tell you what. Why don't you decide on a time frame (last 5, 10, 20 matches, whatever you want). Also, you can decide which teams count as a proper match and which don't (NZ are too tough so we don't count those games but Tonga is too easy so we don't count those either. However you want to do it, you decide).
Take your time and then let us know how to count or win loss records. Then we can finally figure out how shit Scotland actually are.
5th in the rankings v 7th 🙂
Enough AA - the true position is as you said and I agreed earlier that 4-7 in the rankings there is really nothing in it.
nz well clear on 94pts
England falling back on 89
Ireland chasing hard on 87
Aus 85.5
Scotland 84.4
SA 83.8
wales 83
then a gap to argentina on 78
aus away
But lost to Fiji at much the same time?
Tj: I’m pretty sure we’re all pleased that Scotland are doing well (albeit winning two games at home) and you should enjoy Scotland’s relatively high World ranking. It would appear to be their highest rank they’ve yet achieved. Would they go higher if they beat Ireland and Italy? Do you think they will? England have been ranked no. 1 in the World . Wales and Ireland have been no. 2. It would be a shame to see Scotland drop down again ( would that happen if they lose to Italy?) - as along with Italy, they are the only team of the 6Nations to have dropped out of the top 10. How on Earth did they manage that?
😉
Take your time and then let us know how to count or win loss records. Then we can finally figure out how shit Scotland actually are
How about the last game between the two teams?
I like rugby but **** me I'm bored of TJ an a_a now. Usually you guys talk a little sense but the last gazillion posts seem to just be cut n pastes.
I like rugby but **** me I’m bored of TJ an a_a now. Usually you guys talk a little sense but the last gazillion posts seem to just be cut n pastes.
Its just a bit of fun, have beer or dont read it!
Its just a bit of fun
I think this is mild - the run up to the next World Cup should be epic 😀. Although it’s unlikely Wales and Scotland will last long enough to meet.
I think this is mild – the run up to the next World Cup should be epic
. Although it’s unlikely Wales and Scotland will last long enough to meet.
What groups we in. I seem to recall Wales managed to get high enough in the rankings to be seeded this time.
Just wait till Townesend is the lions coach and doesnt pick any welsh!!!!
Guass - I thought 9 was as low as we went
If we beat Italy and Ireland we would go to 4th which is the highest we would ever have been. I hope / expect to beat Italy ( but they have beaten us enough that its no foregone conclusion). I doubt we will beat Ireland as I doubt they will be as generous in giving us the ball as England were although they do like to kick deep which might suit us. should be a cracker of a game for the neutral.
sorry for boring you chaps. Aa started it 😉
Where have you got ireland?
Scotland’s next two games are away.
Ireland will be at least as good at keeping it tight so we'll run out of ideas and overplay. I felt England didn't pressure 9/10 nearly as much as the should have gave them enough room to operate. I suppose it was partly the competition on the floor. Nice to see lawman and Russell operating well together.
England's game was shown to be unimaginative and reliant on bulk in the forwards, the likes of armand would bring an edge.
Are Italy’s chances of winning at home to Scotland , similar to Scotland’s were against England?
Scotland’s next two games are away.
Big test then but Wales pushed them hard so Scotland have a chance and will be confident.
Groups for the WC are
A) Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1. playoff winner
b) NZ, SA, Italy, Africa 1, repêchage winner
c) England, France, Argentina. USA, Tonga
d) Aus. Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay
Now if Scotland don't get out of that group we should take up tiddlywinks. Wales group is tougher but they should still get out of it. England get the group of death. Wales and scotland unlikely to meet until the final
Are Italy’s chances of winning at home to Scotland , similar to Scotland’s were against England?
No - unfortunately much better given results over the last while, Hopefully tho we have had our one implosion for the tournament. I am still scarred by being at murrayfeild when we lost to Italy. we gave them 21 pts in the first 10 mins. It was a while ago tho
Japan are at home though and no doubt, both Wales and Scotland will be missing 15 players each due to injury.
Sorry, I think I mentioned the World Cup far too early!
Its never too early for a ruck!
I know you like stats TJ. V ireland Wales made 209 tackles had 31% possession a 25% territory how they only lost by 10 is a miracle!!
I was at murrayfield that day too TJ the real problem was the sniper in the stand. 70 game playing minutes of italy players rolling on the ground in pain.
Jeepers AA - that is some set of stats
sometimes the stats really do lie. Scotland had near parity with Wales IIRC
Moriarty, Shingler, Navidi, Hill and AWJ made 100 tackles between them 23 more than all the irish tackles!!!
I have no idea what Hughes has ever done to be branded a thug. I suspect that someone has based their opinion of him on a single incident in a single game.
Last season, Ireland lost in Scotland who lost in England who lost in Ireland who lost in Wales who lost in Scotland who lost in France. This season, Scotland lost in Wales who lost in England who lost in Scotland.
Wrecker I’m not sure what Hughes has done to be called a thug either. Probably wearing a white jersey is enough...😉
I do agree with TJ (shudders) he was shit though but he’s played a few minutes for Wasps and been bought back. He’s a big lad but we don’t use him in the correct way; he’s not a replacement for Billy and works better in space. I also can’t help thinking that he’s a good club player but not really international quality.
I dont think that the imports are an issue for the AP; there’s a lot more clubs so it’s harder to have quality spread amongst them all.
Hughes was actually quite good by the team standards, best forward according to the try tracker key influencers. Interestingly, England's number 1 key influencer was Jack Nowell and he only played for 24 minutes!
Hughes did try to rip Ryan Wilsons head off / strangle him miles away from the ball. But seeing as it was Wilson he might well have a good excuse. Wilson was described in the sunday herald as " as abrasive as an angle grinder with no guard" and is well known for starting fights in an empty room. It was Wilson that Farrell got into a scuffle with in the tunnel
Bloody hell! The London Times and Owen Slot don't take losing very well, do they? "RFU to blame SRU for tunnel fracas." Is the first rugby article,which then makes the suggestion it was planned and may well have contributed to Farrell's poor game. Next article is the usual "sack em" piece with a wee bit on Englands costly errors....Which seems to include Scots winning turnovers 🙄
Best stat of the game; Dan Cole...0 passes, 0 carries, 5 tackles.
Re the tunnel fracas. The video seems to show a player barging through and having a go at other players. No matter what or who he needs a talking to.
From what little we can glean from the papers seems like Farrell was provoked verbally and responded physically. Wilson being the provoker
Its a weakness of Farrells - his temper. Been under control more recently but exposed here.
Hmm, is that not a weakness of Wilson and Scotland? Following on from Ireland being apparently held up on the way to Murrayfield last year, it sounds suspiciously calculated!?
Sure. However its not a costly to the team as it doesn't affect his game as badly. Wilson enjoys a ruck but Farrell loses his temper and focus
For a nation with only two professional rugby teams to beat one with far more (not to mention rugby-centric posh schools) is a great achievement.
This is a "golden generation" of Scots players tho. Sometimes these things just happen ( that you get a bunch of good players all appearing at once). academy systems seem to be producing good young players. I have been following Scotland for 40+ years and while we have had a few good teams in that time never have we had such a skilful team and its a generation since we had a competitive team.
Also we have good coaches in all the crucial places - again something that has not really happened before
Everything has come together at once and this team is also very young and will get better and most of them will be there for the 2023 WC as well.
One little incident set the tone for me. At the first scots try Russell put the grubber thru and was hit lateish by Farrell - ( no need to go thru with the hit but no pen) Farrell was snarling at him, Russell bounced up, laughed and ruffled Farrells hair playfully.
I think you'll find Scotland has a fair few "rugby-centric posh schools".
Not sure the Cole stat is that meaningful - playing against opposition who are on the front foot, winning fast breakdowns and playing an expansive game from there are always going to bypass the heavy props. If the weather had been c*** and it had become an arm wrestle up front he'd have played a bigger role.
Look Scotland were great. Everything came off for them. England were poor. Scotland's style will give results like Saturday but also results as they saw against wales. England's more pragmatic approach and depth of squad will ultimately mean they win more games, but not necessarily as entertaining.
Agree that Cole is more prominent in an arm wrestle, then he has the opportunity to give away more penalties. Sincklers absence looks to be more of a loss to England than I previously thought. Cole increasing looks like a throwback as a TH compared to the likes of Furlong and Lee
Very few Scottish rugby-centric posh schools, you could count them on one hand, and those that are a largely made of English pupils.
And few things look more ridiculous on a rugby pitch than square shouldered Dan Cole's beer belly tucked into a skin tight white top, all whilst those wee baby legs scurry about underneath him trying to support him.
Very few Scottish rugby-centric posh schools, you could count them on one hand, and those that are a largely made of English pupils.
15-20 off the top of my head. Maybe you've got few extra fingers.......?
I don't see why they'd be made up of predominantly English pupils. If you're a posh Edinburgh doctor or lawyer you're gonna send your kids to Fettes/Stew-Mel/Watson's/Heriot's/Academy/Merchiston.
Jamie Heaslip calling an end to his career after failing to recover from the back injury that kept him out of the England game last year. Sad to hear but he's had a good career.
More footage from tunnelgate....
Sad to hear but he’s had a good career
Indeed. Sometimes frustrated by looking for the contact instead of the gap and no one had more self-belief than he did. But that try against France with [i]that[/i] step - one of the finest by a No.8. And he kneed Richie McCaw in the head...twice. 🙂
One of the real modern No.8s. Still think that backrow of him, Ferris and O’Brien in their prime was the best Ireland has had and certainly one of the best the 6N has seen.
Standing by for TJ to disagree with you DD.........
Standing by for TJ to disagree with you DD………
Well, when I say “one of the best”, I mean “lucky to be in the same league as the current Scottish backrow”, (they’re number 5 in the world don’t you know?) and obviously only ever any real good in the rain.
😆
Hm, I think I'll reserve judgement on #tunnelgate until more video evidence emerges along with statements from all nearby players, officials, and fans.
I am looking forward to seeing the full analysis and frame by frame video breakdown in the build-up to the France game.
🙂 Nope - they were good - no doubt at all. Scots back row options are good but not complete. No real ballcarrier
On the tunnel incident. New footage.. Make your own minds up
Looks like 2 dicks being dicks.
Yup but only one of them started it from what we can see. Farrell was either trying to push past everyone and Wilson pushed him back then Farrell trys to lamp him or Farrell was trying to catch up with somone to "have a word"
Edit - we don't know if / what happened before than but farrell to me already looks like his temper has gone as he pushes his way thru the players
I can't help thinking tunnelgate is being blown out of proportion, scuffles happen regularly on the pitch and typically all the ref does is say calm down.
Oh indeed. I think a warning to both players is all thats needed.
However of more concern to the England fans I would have thought is that once again Farrell has the red mist descend and did this affect his game?
I'd settle for Farrell getting a 4 week ban, love to see Ford get a chance to shine and run the show 🙂
I have been a bit under the weather over the weekend so I have spent alot of quality time on the sofa and I have watched a frankly ridiculous amount of rugby (all the six nations, Saracens vs Leic, the Highlanders vs Blues and Crusaders vs Chiefs games).
From a rugby perspective, to be honest, the most entertaining rugby has been the 2 Super Rugby games and it wasn't even close.
The pace is faster, the handling is better and vision to play an expansive is there in spades.
The handling from the forwards in particular seems a step above the northern hemisphere, the amount of offload porn in those 2 games was immense.
The Tigers game was pretty good; Bateman is pretty quick for a fat lad and runs some good angles.
Sarries have struggled this season. Injuries and international call ups don’t help but they’re not the force the have been. Not sure what Jones sees in Earl though; he’s a bit of a donkey especially for dropping the ball over the try line
Still cant believe that Worcester blew it against Irish having beaten Exeter and Gloucester. Chumps.
The tunnel thing is getting dull now, but I guess the press life this shit. After they’ve been shot down by Jones a few times you get the impression that they’ve been waiting for something like this.
Wilson cited for contact with the eye area. Haven't seen if Hughes has for the same incident, would be quite surprised if that one cost him a ban bearing in mind what Hughes was doing at the time 😀
I think the citing is fair enough but I really think they should not give him any sanction given what Hughes was up to. I cannot see what Hughes would be cited for.
All possible contact with the eye area should be cited but surely trying to hold off a bigger man who has his hands on your throat is reasonable enough excuse for flailing about. Unfortunately Wilson cannot really pay the " good character" card
Given that Ashton and a few others were banned for accidental contact, I'm guessing he'll be banned. The eye area is the eye area.
Nothing coming from the 6n on Hughes being cited. I can't see how that is in anyway fair. How does the hearing proceed? So he was on top of you with a hand round your windpipe and your hand made contact with his eye AREA. Why did you do that Mr Wilson? If Wilson is guilty of a gouge, Hughes is guilty of foul play...which bearing in mind he is just back from a ban would see him out for longer.
I think the citing is right as there is clear evidence of contact with the eye area. all such cases should be investigated. a long ban or even any ban would be unfair given the circumstances tho IMO
ashton etc are different in that they did not have somone trying to strangle them at the time.
We shall see.
Under rule 10 with the catch all of "contrary to the spirit of the game." I am suprised that only one part of that incident got cited. And for clarity I was being sarcastic, Hughes actions will not be seen as an excuse. It will be put down as reckless and he will get 4 weeks, as he keeps his fighting to kebab shops and has no previous.
a long ban or even any ban would be unfair given the circumstances tho IMO
Those circumstances being "playing for Scotland" in your case I'm guessing.
6 week minimum usually.
low end sanction is 12 weeks with a 50% discount available although it can be reduced further if the citing officer deems the sanction would be inappropriate to the offense.
Kryton - those circumstances being a bigger player pinning him to the ground by his throat. I'd say the same for any nationality of player ( except Farrell who should have the book thrown at him for attacking the sainted Wilson in a despicable cowardly way in the tunnel 😉 )
Is that you accusing somebody else of being one eyed kryton?
Cited for the scuffle on the floor? Anyone got a vid? Nothing in it I thought.
Looks like bollocks to me. Whats he supposed to do lie down and get strangled?
Any possible contact with the eye area should be cited and investigated. Hopefully however he will not get a ban.