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Of course teetwosugars 😉
Ok - a couple of thoughts. Scotlands pressure defense and fitness won that game. Patches in the second half they had France under such pressure when France had the ball that mistakes came. Scotland definitely finished the stronger with more running in their legs
Jonny Gray is a machine. Never gets subbed. works hard the whole game. just immense. He is made of granite.
Laidlaw. I thought his time in a Scotland shirt was done and that picking him for this match was a mistake - his slowness off the base of the ruck does not suit Scotland's way of playing and he did hesitate once and France counter rucked and won a turnover - but boy was I wrong. His cool head was really important to that win.
Russell should never be allowed to take a penalty to the corner again. We have Hogg to do that and missing two in a game is criminal
[TJ]
SCOTCHLAND ARE THE BESTEST RUGBYISTS EVER IN THE HISTORY OF ANYTHING! Definitely going to win the world cup.
[/TJ]
😀
Good win, that!
Nearly but not quite CFH
Scotland are the most entertaining and generous side in the world ( well entertaining for the neutral its frikkin painful for us fans) We like to give the opposition some nice free ball and a couple of tries so the game is a real match. If only the ABs would take a leaf out of our book and give their opponents a chance
Scotland are only the most entertaining if you like watching their wonder-boy mis-kick penalties 😉
Tj I paid attention to J Gray, the reason he never gets subbed might be because he walks everywhere.
He's actually running Gauss, he just really is that slow.
Nothing from either team to worry Ireland or England.
Anyway, well done for winning something.
Missed the match out riding again in San Fran 😎
Sounds like Scotland are turning into a more pragmatic test match team - earning the right to spin it wide, rather than the predictable intercepts last week.
i still don’t think beating any team bar Italy is s given - not much between the Other 5.
I am an England fan but I generally don’t enjoy watching them play. I think it must be because I have a vested interest in them winning but I have to say I far more enjoyed watching the other two games this weekend and this isn’t a new phenomenon! Maybe I should stop supporting them then I can start enjoying the games!
Scotland did well today. Enjoyed watching them win.
Enjoyed watching Wasps dismantle Quinn’s this afternoon with 14 men.
Young had another great game; his first try was very good. The young flanker Willis had an outstanding game tackling hard, winning turnovers and carrying well. Hughes had a bit of game time too.
YOu know I love a good stat. Ickle jonny in this game 3 passes 13 carries for a fantastic 8 m 😉 2 defenders beaten one offload 14 tackles none missed Had his hands on the ball the most of the forwards and topped the tackle count. Not many forwards regularly top the stats for both attacking and defending and the work he does creates space for others all the time. His tackling creates the opportunities for Watson to make turnovers. His carrying creates space for others as it always takes 2 or 3 to bring him down. He clears up all the rubbish ball ad turns it into good ball
He made the first scots try because he took out 3 players with his carry creating space outside and then offloaded out of the tackle
If he were English or Welsh he would be lauded to the skys
If only he could run instead of lumber about. He must be one of the slowest players in top rank rugby
I'll make another prediction. In the calcutta cup match no english forward will carry the ball as much and also make as many tackles. Someone might beat him in one category but add runs, passes and tackles together he will have the top count. He did in the welsh game. Add up all 3 passes, runs and tackles his numbers were the highest.
I can’t decide who you want to have babies with more TJ; Watson or Gray! 😂
I want Ickle jonny to have babies with Rebecca Adlington! think how big they would be
You can make as many tackles as you want but they need to be the right sort of tackle. I would suspect it is an area that is broken down into at least 5 different types, they’ve got to be the right ones to count.
Stats on the screen are for joe public, teams have way more and the analysis is amazing.
They should have played this Johnny Gray v Wales or at Twickers last season.
Robbo retiring from commentating, about time, bellowing oaf who should of gone years ago. I
He still topped the stats against Wales. Add together runs, passes and tackles and his numbers are the highest ie he was involved in the game more than any other player on the pitch
Eatmond needs to go back to run and wiggle!
https://mobile.twitter.com/Dukedando/status/962690890656571393
Make sure you watch till the end to see his first one too!
"He still topped the stats against Wales. "
and yet was totally anonymous.
Stats mean nothing
http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/matchstats?gameId=291693&league=180659
Wales ran for more m, beat more defenders and conceded 8 less pens and yet lost!!
Here's a good one though, Wales have not had a pen kicked against them in two games
HAs there been a yellow card in any
Of the matches yet?
I don't remember a single yellow card yet? should have been a couple 😉
Those tackles by Eastmond were bllody awful - Wasps still hammered Quinns though a man down.
'and yet was totally anonymous.
Stats mean nothing'
Agree. Gray not missing tackles won't make up for the ones that Russell fails to make...
Wales with some selection dilemmas for the Ireland game.
Back 3 could be 1/2p, Liam and North.
Biggar set to be fit but I'd stick with Patch.
Faletau could be back at 8, then Shingler or Moriarty at 6 meaning Tipuric may not even make the bench.
Anyone see if Liam was any good for Saracens yesterday?
Cipriani leaving Wasps.
Again.
Not surprising he's off with Sopoaga on his way over and the lack of England call ups.
Shame because he was very good yesterday, showing what he brings to the team. No official announcement on where he's off to yet - is France still the number one suspect?
And....
French flight home grounded, several players being questioned by the police about an alleged brawl... developing story!
Brian Moore
February 12 2018 2:30 AM
Events of the last week have revealed a fact that appears to have been a bit of a shock to some people in rugby - Eddie Jones, the England coach, is not necessarily a thoroughly nice person. Really? He is a former Australian rugby player and played hooker, the position of agents provocateurs extraordinaire. I'm shocked; shocked, I tell you.
What was also revealed is that some people can give it but not take it.
Wales fans, and remember there are many in the English media, have selective memories and sensitivities. You can use the lazy and pejorative prefix of arrogant against anything English-related without criticism.
Your coaches and media can be provocative in all manner of arenas around the world but shame on you if you have a jab at one of rugby's self-styled minorities.
So, Jones questioned whether a 24-year-old Wales fly-half, with very few caps, might struggle with the extra pressure of Twickenham and an England defence that, unlike the Scots the previous week, might tackle players behind the gain-line. In fact, Rhys Patchell found playing on the back foot difficult and was substituted in the second half.
Many chose to infer from Jones's use of the word "bottle" that he was alleging Patchell was not brave - a daft interpretation because anyone who plays international rugby has that quality. What Patchell does not yet have is the requisite experience that, say, George Ford and Owen Farrell possess, having played considerably more games.
Now, on to the allegation of incompetence at best, and perfidy at worst, against the officials on Saturday at Twickenham. I thought they erred in not awarding Gareth Anscombe a try but, after the game, it was open season on television match official Glenn Newman - respect for officials seems for some to extend only to decisions they like. The officials were biased towards England; that must be why they awarded five times more penalties to Wales.
England won ugly, in an ugly game, in ugly conditions, and should not apologise for doing so. They, perhaps, should have had the game won in the first half when they scored the game's only tries and were comfortably in control. England's habitual, and now glaring, flaw of giving away penalties kept Wales in touch on the scoreboard and in terms of territory in the first half.
When Wales came into the game in the second half, England's defence was tested fully and, as on other occasions, it bent but did not buckle. It was another incomplete England performance that, nevertheless, had many elements that were good.
If you want to develop a defining characteristic, being able to absorb pressure without imploding and find a way to win, and do so consistently, is a good one.
If you are Welsh - well, Wales didn't lose because of the officials or because of wicked pre-match slights against defenceless players. They lost because they kicked poorly; did not compete sufficiently well in the air; played on the back foot for substantial amounts of the game; made too many handling errors under pressure and, despite having three try-scoring chances, two other clean line-breaks and a penalty-count advantage of 10 to two, could not score more than six points. Blaming anyone else will not change those facts.
Finally, for fellow hacks - do not lap up Jones's copy-making comments and then get prissy when he says something you do not agree with, or allege disrepute, when you regularly disparage in similar fashion.
(© Daily Telegraph, London)
Interesting comment from Brian Moore who seems happy..
So, watching the Wales/England game it seemed as though every time the Welsh ball made it to midfield it immediately met a white wall that would stop it dead. Now I don't know if the English were rushing forwards particularly, or Wales were playing very flat - couldn't really tell. But could some of the blame lie with Patchell for lack of options? Or was it the game plan? He seemed to be firing out fast accurate passes to the centres who had nowhere to go with it.
Watching Scotland/France it looked like Scotland were deeper giving themselves more running options.
"and played hooker, the position of agents provocateurs extraordinaire"
I do like Moors and he clearly knows the rest is the usual mindless drivel.
"So, watching the Wales/England game it seemed as though every time the Welsh ball made it to midfield it immediately met a white wall that would stop it dead. "
Its because the Welsh tight forward pods in the 1,3,3,1 system were not getting any go forward. It was a similar problem that Scotland had v Wales
CFH - apparently nothing in it.
Officers said their inquiries had established that no crimes were committed
So, watching the Wales/England game it seemed as though every time the Welsh ball made it to midfield it immediately met a white wall that would stop it dead.
This isn't quite true though is it, they did make some good breaks and had us on the back foot for a good long while. Close game.
I thought the Scotland France game was much more scintillating.
Its because the Welsh tight forward pods in the 1,3,3,1 system were not getting any go forward.
Why tho? Help me out, I'm not that knowledgeable about rugby tactics.
This isn’t quite true though is it, they did make some good breaks and had us on the back foot for a good long while.
True but I reckon most of Wales's ball ended that way, at least in the first half. And for all that play in the last 5 mins or so.
True but I reckon most of Wales’s ball ended that way, at least in the first half. And for all that play in the last 5 mins or so.
Yeah, I am only going on memory and by the 2nd half when wales had all the momentum, I was a bit drunk. In the end we stopped them.
1,3,3,1 is how Wales set up their forwards in attacking play. Two pods of 3 in the middle and two faster players out wide. Shingler on one side made a few breaks and I think it was owens on the other. The middle two pods have the front five guys. Wales are very light on carriers to make the hard yards and this meant Patchel was getting shit ball with a lot of defenders as our carriers got smashed back more often than not.
I’ve just got back from the States, catching up on all the reports of the weekend matches.
Guscott on the BBC says The “Try that never was” for Wales can be seen, in frame by frame, to be a knock on by Evans anyway(apparently in single frame you can see the finger being back by the ball).
So after Gatland et al castigating the TMO publically, it never was a try anyway.
"So after Gatland et al castigating the TMO publically, it never was a try anyway."
Video ref said it wasnt a knock on and Watson got there first so he was wrong twice...tbf the knock on needed a magnified view to spot whereas a blind man could see that Watson did not get to it first.
The key to the TMO decision is the question "try or no try" the TMO has to be sure its scored. "any reason not to award the try" then the TMO has to be sure it is not
Viewing the video you cannot be sure Anscombe got it touched down. so correct decision given the question asked. I think he probably did but thats not good enough
AA - Anscombe did touch it first but the ball was in the air at that point. as he pushed it down his hand was rolling off the side of it. You could not be sure that he was in contact with the ball as the ball touched the ground.
AA, I didn’t say is process was correct, merely that after Gatland saying to the press everyone knew the TMO had disallowed a good try, it turns out it wasn’t, that’s all. Coaches shouldn’t criticise refs IMHO.
Let me "try" that again!!
Irrelevant if already knocked on by Evans, if we are using all available evidence.
AA - in the air when he first touched it. That is a couple of frames later as his hand rolls off it. Is he still in contact with the ball? Probably yes but you cannot see it from that angle for sure - blowing the pic right up it does look like it - was that available to the video ref?
I think he probably did score it but the ref asking "try yes or no" means the TMO has to be certain and I have yet to see anything from which you can be certain
To me it wasn't so much the fact he said it wasn't a try (debatable) but more the fact he stated that Watson <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">touched the ball first which was clearly wrong</span>