Still less than 50 was a win
If we want to clutch at straws, the second half was 12-7 until the very final minute. If I was coaching England I'd be ever so slightly furious about that - playing a team who can barely field a first 15 never mind the dregs on the bench who limped on in the last twenty minutes, down to 13 for a chunk of game, and England struggled to pull away. I'm guessing they were being easy on Wales to avoid unnecessary injury. 🤣
Wales seemed to have forgotten how to play rugby at times during that game. They have some players doing well at decent clubs, but don't seem to be able to bring anything together in a Wales shirt. The very occassional flashes of potential, but i don't really know how they solve this at the moment. Astonishing when you think they won 6N 5 years ago. Complete dereliction of duty by the WRC that they had no program to bring on young potential. As if AWJ, Faletau, Liam Williams, Biggar were just going to keep going.
Scotland seem to have (at best) now plateau'd with Townsend - they probably need some fresh thinking.
I still can't see England beating France.
Italy could well finish 3rd
Scotland are suffering from a stupid professional/amateur set up and importing players.
I used to play at gala, just as toonie was breaking through, and the town was putting out 6 or 7 adults teams on a Saturday. Now struggling for 2 at times. Why would you slog your guts out on a Jan evening in the netherdale mud just to be replaced by an average overseas player parachuted in by the sru?
Grassroots rugby in the heartlands is on its knees.
France have this nailed..
They are playing surgically and like a ballet..
They are nimble and probably more crucially... Not making any mistakes.
They are dancing around like ninjas at a boxing match.
Not sure France have it nailed, England are more than capable of beating them.
Complete dereliction of duty by the WRC that they had no program to bring on young potential. As if AWJ, Faletau, Liam Williams, Biggar were just going to keep going.
Academies got closed about ten years ago.
The Welsh regions are shit, the players just practice losing.
France have this nailed..
They were playing at home, with a weak ref who allowed two tries that looked as though there were problems - possible forward pass in the first, a knock-on at the scrum in the second. Being a French broadcaster they managed to lose the coverage of those issues as soon as they happened, so they weren't shown continually as they would have been if Ireland had made those errors. If those tries hadn't been given, then the game is different. For all their efforts France wouldn't have pulled away quickly, the crowd get angsty, the team get nervous and start losing cohesion. All this has happened before.
Thankfully, France don't play all their games in Paris with Dickson as ref. They should win the 6N but we'll get more of an idea how good they are in a couple of weeks, after they've trampled all over Wales and can play against serious opposition.
Scotland just played badly. You can't lose that many set pieces or give away that many penalties in any game and expect to win it.
It doesn't matter that the second half could have been played in the Trevi Fountain, Scotland just made too many mistakes and Italy rightly punished them for it.
The frustrating thing being a Scotland fan is seeing such a good group of players achieve basically nothing. Townsend needs to go.
Never seen a team lose so many lineouts and still not replace the hooker! What was going on? On Rugby Spesh they said that wasn't Gregor's fault, but come on, make a change!
Scotland are suffering from a stupid professional/amateur set up and importing players.
I used to play at gala, just as toonie was breaking through, and the town was putting out 6 or 7 adults teams on a Saturday. Now struggling for 2 at times. Why would you slog your guts out on a Jan evening in the netherdale mud just to be replaced by an average overseas player parachuted in by the sru?
Grassroots rugby in the heartlands is on its knees.
And walkerburn have folded... Again.
Can anyone explain to me what King Blairhorn has done to not get picked?
Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey.
Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Millar-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horne, Hastings, Graham.
It's an odd 23. Potentially 3x10s, 3x9s. No out and out 15.
It's going to be a bit of a kicking match given the sunny dry forecast. That's not a game we'll win. We need to go back to old fashioned ruck and move. But English forwards very good at swinging around a ruck and slowing/disrupting the ball. So the modern game not good for our loose forward game.
Watching Ireland v Italy and hoping they'll be an advert during Italy's bonus points try.
Gutted for Italy, they really played well.
Gutted for Italy, they really played well.
Decent game and great that the ref had a good game. Not that I expected any different, it's just that it gave the keyboard arseholes nowhere to go.
I feel that 5 of the six nations sides are closer in ability than ever before. Makes for an interesting competition
England have already lost their heads. Predicting a 40 point win for Scotland.
Arundel is a pretty class player but that was just daft.
England have already lost their heads. Predicting a 40 point win for Scotland.
I think we all know that's not how Scotland work.
Come on Scotland!
World Beaters 😂
That's awesome! If this doesn't tempt tj out nothing will!
World Beaters
Wales beaters
Good game.
England were flattered last week against Wales.
Our loose forwards were allowed to play that kept it quick. Team just played better over all.
Yep England believe their own hype after a win against a weak Wales (sorry Wales). Scotland are a good team who played poorly last week. I am not a George Ford fan - looks great when not under pressure. first 5 minutes kick to Scotland and they ran it straight back..........
Obviously I'm biased but that was tremendous. However, it shouldn't (but probably will) distract from the fact that Scottish rugby isn't in a great place.
FOR SALE.
One Sweet Chariot. Some impact damage all wheels have fallen off. .Buyer collects Edinburgh area
First yellow was never a yellow, but England were shit and massively under prepared after the training game against Wales.
Scotland are always soooo up for this game, and England seemed to forget that!
When Wales beat France tomorrow though the table will be pretty even so game on for the coming weeks.....
When Wales beat France tomorrow
Nurse he's out of his bed again
Brilliant performance from Scotland, I'm still buzzing. Murrayfield was electric this evening. But in the midst of all the celebrations, full credit to the England players and coach. They stayed on the field to congratulate Scotland rather than sulking off to the dressing room the way many teams would have. And Steve Borthwick gave a very decent interview at the end. No excuses, no whinging, no blaming the ref, he gave full congrats to Scotland. Many coaches, and sportsmen in general, could learn from him.
But let's hope the Calcutta Cup gets bounced up and down Lothian Road tonight as it did in the good old days of John Jeffries etc.
The Scotland v England was a good game for a neutral. I thought England looked very good last week against a very shite Wales. It’s certainly blown the 6 Nations wide open for who’s playing for second place.
France to win in style. Wales to collect yet more woodwork.
Here’s a thought
Would Scotland do better in a 5 nations that didn’t include England?
I mean, beating England seams relatively straightforward, but it distracts from the rest of the championship.
Stick England in the 5/6 nations second division and you’d get a better championship.
(PS Please don’t take this seriously southern types)
First yellow was baked in especially where it happened. Hands on the ground no real separation and dragging ball out (that's what I that the time). His second yellow was a brain fart but if Steyn had landed more head down I'd think it would have been straighter red.
Ford really needs a bit more time with the ball so needs more protection in attack. He's good but Russell manages to play while in the weeds which is a massive difference and saved Scotland. A couple of things changes the match. Obviously the yellow/red, Russell escaping tackles to chip over and genge fluffing the gather, the charge down and try (reckon Arundel would have stopped that with his pace) and D'Arcy's exorcet try saving tackle.
The officials had a decent game but missed a few things. Obviously I see them more for one side than the other.
I'm still fuming about England's last try, at least one forward pass in the build up!
I'm still fuming about England's last try, at least one forward pass in the build up!
I'm still fuming about England's last try, at least one forward pass in the build up!
I'm still fuming about England's last try, at least one forward pass in the build up!
England against Wales were average, against Scotland poor, but Scotland were very good.
The only area England won were scrums, but Scotland didn’t drop the ball so there weren’t that many.
I thought the first yellow was tough but fair play set your stall out, wasn’t sure about the Cowan-Dickie one although he does have form for it. There was one play were I think Price played the ball on the floor when quick ball was on that they didn’t show a replay of as England got another penalty in a couple of phases, he was lucky to still be on the pitch though given the first yellow. If it was Hume he scored the next try too!
But Scotland didn’t drop more than enough to win the game, why doesn’t Jamie Ritchie play more, he’s consistent and tough doing lots of the hard work.
Do agree Ford needs more space and time whereas Russell thrives on chaos, both excellent players. I’ve always been a Ford fan but in the last few years having seen a lot more of Russell in the Prem he has a lot more of an all round game than I previously thought. Mind you he does play behind a great pack at Bath!
Obviously being English I would prefer them to win, but credit to Scotland, and as a wider view rugby needs a competitive Wales. Seeing Italy being competitive adds to the tournament. Sport is nothing with competition.
From what I have seen of the URC and the imbalance between countries and budgets it is a pointless competition where only a few teams can win. Time for a full British competition, 2 10 team leagues maybe more with a pyramid below. France’s 2nd division is well supported and shown on TV be great to follow that model.
And come on Wales today.
From what I have seen of the URC and the imbalance between countries and budgets it is a pointless competition where only a few teams can win. Time for a full British competition, 2 10 team leagues maybe more with a pyramid below.
**** that!
Whatever the shortcomings of the URC they will still be present for the current URC countries' teams in a British league (I'm going to be charitable and assume you didn't just say the Irish teams are going to be playing in this 'British' league).
If there are issues with the English league then it's up to England to sort out. Don't expect Welsh and Scottish teams to be in a huge hurry to come and join your of late stage disaster capitalism business model.
To be honest lots of little things would have made massive differences.
From a blue point of view (and being massively single sided). I'd like a replay of the first English try, looks like a knock on off white in the ruck that leads to the ruck before the try.
We got a penalty for, I think, curry in at the side when the ball popped out a ruck but the replay shows Earle punching it out while on the ground, more of a card than Arundel. Just not spotted.
I think you are probably right re knock on. Didn’t see Earl though.
Wales in 10 mins, hoping for a Scottish style response to last week's disappointment, but..... If we lost so badly last week to a team who lost so badly to Scotland yesterday.... I'm not holding out too much hope.
Great performance by Scotland yesterday, fabulous to watch. Almost felt I should put a skirt on at half time 😉
Almost felt I should put a skirt on at half time
I'm not at all 'anyone but....' but after this start I'm rummaging through the cupboards for a beret and some onions. Breathtaking
Wales somehow managing to just keep getting worse
I feel that 5 of the six nations sides are closer in ability than ever before. Makes for an interesting competition
Well 4 Teams, Wales really look lost, which is a real shame, and France look a step in front of everyone else.
I really thought England would win on Saturday. Scotland were absolute dreadful against Italy. The final score really flattered Scotland, it wasn't that close. Just shows what a difference a week and a dry home pitch make. Kyle Steyn was absolutely immense.
