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TeeJ will be along to tell us it’s Scotland.
Ha ha. He'll no doubt dig up some stats to prove that! 😂
I reckon, just sticking to 6N, it’ll be pretty close - Although if just sticking to last decade, then one home loss will be a relatively large % - as over ten years, you play 25 home games. So a loss is 4% of the stats. Interesting to see who has best away record too - as that’s what wins championships.
Italy’s home record will skew things a bit as well I imagine.
I would assume England would have the best home stats. No way is it Scotland over the last 10 years.
and yes - I am still hiding and recovering - I tried the revolver and whisky but I missed
Was the bullet intercepted by Gareth Davies??? 😆
When is the orc horde announced?
Dants - nope - just sloppily executed 😉
England vs wales record is here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rugby_union_matches_between_England_and_Wales
It is very close. I had assumed that it would be more one sided to Wales as I can remember from the 70's and 80's when Wales were the team to beat.
wales are 58% at home vs eng
eng 57% vs wales..
Talking to some Welsh people today and they seem to think they might win at the weekend.
Lol. 😉
We might. England have pretty regularly shit the bed v wales when the pressure is on. Funnily enough the last time it happened at your World Cup was the catalyst for Englands improvement...had we lost that you could still be bumbling along trying to decide how best to accommodate Brad Barrit and Sam Burgess
I imagine our current back line is a bit more of a worry? In the Gospel according to St Ed, this year is where we develop our attack.
Kryton, we are at different ends of the confidence spectrum.
Going to be interesting to see what happens with kicking. V Scotland Wales banged it long and knew that Scotland would run it back. I expect Wales will want to avoid lineouts and keep the ball in play again whereas England will want the opposite. When Wales kick long England might do a lot of kicking back...will Wales run it? Or will we get kick tennis
I think England will win, but Wales could very easily win it too.
England always like to kick long with a hard chase.
I think England must be big favourites for several reasons, but Wales have a 20% chance and that’s enough to give hope and make it interesting. Also, England have a habit of making a blunder or two and if Wales can stay in the game long enough for them to mess up, who knows?
Funnily enough the last time it happened at your World Cup was the catalyst for Englands improvement…had we lost that you could still be bumbling along trying to decide how best to accommodate Brad Barrit and Sam Burgess
That still remains the only game I ever wanted England to lose. For those exact reasons.
A big thanks to Wales for ushering in the Eddie Jones era........
Joseph for Teo...bad for Wales
Care for Youngs
Had a call from my BIL yesterday - he has debenture tickets and my sister can't go, so I'm off the Twickenham on Sarturday 🙂
I've not yet been to a game that England have lost - I hope that continues this weekend but you never know with Wales!
Lucky boy! Could be a classic this weekend.
Nice.
The JJ/Watson link adds pace and guile. Teo will come on as a very punchy Finisher, I hope you boys have got got your fitness up, this looks as though both teams are expecting a fast game.
Having said that, this is Englands best team injury's taken into account which is very respectful to Wales, but if we don't win with this team a few questions will be asked - this is basically the RWC team coming together with a year or so to play together. Eddie's intent to have found a cohesive team is certainly their on the start, I think now its about who the Finishers and injury call-ups will be.
By the time we get to RWC there will be no surprises. Eddie will know who the 23 are, and the next 8 players to call will be - and they'll have all play internationally together. Smart.
"this looks as though both teams are expecting a fast game."
Having a 5 at 6 suggests one team is not to me.
anagallis_arvensis
Member
“this looks as though both teams are expecting a fast game.”
Having a 5 at 6 suggests one team is not to me.
Posted 54 minutes ago REPLY | REPORT
Apart Lawes playing most of his rugby at six these days. He's not certainly not in the Atwood/Kruis school of locks.
"Apart Lawes playing most of his rugby at six these days. He’s not certainly not in the Atwood/Kruis school of locks."
He's hardly from any sort of school of flanker though is he.
If England were intent on playing like Glasgow or Scarlets for example they wouldnt pick Lawes at 6. England have a big crushing pack with fast backs to finish off chances. Its not a criticism just a fact. Scotland wouldnt pick Lawes at 6.
Scotland team out
15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 56 caps
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 40 caps
13 Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
12. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 29 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 30 caps
10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 33 caps
>9. Greig Laidlaw VICE CAPTAIN (ASM Clermont Auvergne) – 59 caps
>1. Gordon Reid (London Irish) – 28 caps
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) – 13 caps
3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 19 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 39 caps
6. John Barclay CAPTAIN (Scarlets) – 67 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 16 caps
8. Ryan Wilson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 33 caps
Substitutes
16. Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons) – 47 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps
18. Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 12 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby) – 8 caps
20. David Denton (Worcester Warriors) – 35 caps>
21. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
22. Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
23. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped
Lawes isn’t that immobile though and he’s good in the tackle. He’s not quick like Simmonds by he’s always been considered a bit lightweight as a lock.
I don’t think our pack is that big or crushing. Our pack from 2003 was.
Maybe that’s why Scotland keep losing?
"he’s always been considered a bit lightweight as a lock."
He's huge
"I don’t think our pack is that big
"
Really its massive...three locks make a bloody big pack...Robshaw is a big 7 too
Wales Overall – 1,591kg, Pack Weight – 909kg, Backs Weight – 682kg.
France– Overall – 1,590kg, Pack Weight – 936kg, Backs Weight – 651kg.
Ireland– Overall – 1,580kg, Pack Weight – 915kg, Backs Weight – 665kg.
Scotland – Overall – 1,579kg, Pack Weight – 905kg, Backs Weight – 674kg.
England - Overall – 1,560kg, Pack Weight – 921kg, Backs Weight – 639kg.
Italy – Overall – 1,518kg, Pack Weight – 878kg, Backs Weight – 640kg.
Sauce 2017: https://www.myprotein.com/thezone/motivation/six-nations-rugby-2017-weights-size-forces/
Scotland's bench is a bit weak.
yer not kidding albanach. Its all we have tho.
I suspect those weights are not the current scotland team - we have lost our heavy backs and replacements are lighter
It's grim. JJ Williams was on the radio the other night and he said something along the lines of 'the fact that Scotland remain competitive given 2 professional teams is surprising' - I can't disagree to be honest. These injuries are killing us, seemingly more so than the other countries.
I think France will beat us at the weekend - if they don't they are a bigger shambles.
Looks like he's 7kg less than AWJ, that's not big (for a lock)
Itoje is bigger, Launchbury is much bigger.
Those are last seasons pack weights...Charteris takes 240 000kg off the Wales pack weight alone.
Ok I give in Lawes at 6 is the sign of a team dedicated to a high tempo game plan and 6 is the new 5 or something.
AA our pack isn't the massive scary white orc hoard it once was; I think your opinion of our pack is a tad outdated. We rarely dominate teams at the scrum and we don't bother with the breakdown. The line out is pretty good.
Look at the front row; Mako isn't there for his scrummaging ability, Hartley doesn't do much other than throw reasonable darts at the line out and Cole's top contribution is normally penalties. We don't have any old school enforcer locks these days - Launchers is a pretty big lad but he offers a bit more than grunt and fighting ability. There's far more to a pack than weight; the AB's are never the heaviest but seem to deal with the SA monsters ok.
Without Billy we'll be giving up a chunk of the weight recorded above.
As said before, Lawes had primarily been played at six this season and has been very good. He's not as mobile as some, but he's not your traditional lumbering lock either.
Having been at Pennyhill by chance one weekend, and in the hot tub with Robshaw (big bulk), Lawes has the most intimidating presence about him.
(Care really ripped. Launch big but was such a nice guy to chat to. )
The Premiership and England's plan around the breakdown is why Lawes has been playing at 6. Great for in the line defence, big hits and leave the ball alone. But up against a more traditional 7, or a team that will target the breakdown, then a pack made up with 4 or 5 second rows will get turned over at will.
Navidi will think his birthday and Christmas has all come at once.
Yr12 parents evening is a bit slow!!
What do we reckon on score
28:20 to England and I'd be reasonably content. I fear a Scotland style collapse if England get on a roll early. I fear for our lineout.
THM - glad we have your somewhat homo-erotic inside info to help our predictions 😉
Im being (overly) optimistic and going to say england fall behind early on and fight back but not enough to win
24-17 to Wales
😉
bit intimidating being in a spa/gym being surrounded by top athletes - all bloody nice guys eg Hartley, Launch, Robs all very happy to chat. But there was an “air” about Lawes that was far more intimidating
closets to that previously was Bollitieri tennis academy and Sharapova!!
Good sounder to RWC. England need to put down firm markers now
I am more worried about the banana skin at Murrayfield
Score predictions
Ireland 40 Italy 12
England 26 Wales 24
Scotland 15 France 17
Why have Wales left loopy liam out? 1/2 p did what he does fine against Scotland but loopy is the most dangerous back Wales have IMO.
I am not making any more predictions. I am still sulking
"Why have Wales left loopy liam out?"
Has played one game since Nov I think. V Ospreys, he was shit.
OK - ta.
England 29 Wales 13.
I’d be much happier if it was the other way around. The wait is agonising.