Dupont was maybe not quite as sparkling this 6N as we have seen him?

He yo yoed between amazeballs and very good imo

A shortlist of 6 with no England players who have the largest number of fans, and a split choice for Ireland and Wales. However, congratulations to him, he is indeed a very good player. Might he be an outside bet for Spoty?

So its a few hours since we had a row. 6N done and dusted. who are your lions?

I have been following loads of pundits selections. Its interesting how few players are in all / most teams.

this would be my starting 23.

Healy Owens Furlong

Itoje AWJ ( CPT) ( I still hate AWJ 🙂 but there is no doubt he had a great series and IMO cleaned up his game giving away less penalties)

Beirne, Watson, Faletou ( I think this is the toughest area to choose and i keep changing my mind indeed i changed it during writing this)

Murray Biggar

Henshaw North ( maybe??)

Van der merwe, Adams Hogg

subs – 6 /2 split
Sutherland, Cowan Dickie, Fagerson
Ryan Henderson
Tiperic
T williams, H jones ( covers centre and FB – Hogg is backup 10)

But for me the only nailed on players are Furlong, AWJ, Hogg, VDM

Not many england players there but this is a pick on mainly form with a bit of class. On form its hadr to argue for the english guys and I think the Sarries guys are out – poor in the 6N and no games left to play into contention

shoot me down!

I’m unclear if anyone is nailed on at present. Perhaps Faletau comes closest, but Gatland could choose someone unexpected like Sam Simmonds. A huge amount will no doubt depend on the non test games (forgetting injuries before then). Have these been decided upon yet?

I was contemplating both Simmonds and Underhill

No doubt Gatland will too.

Should I be more interested in the women’s 6Nations than I am? Which for a number of reasons, is close to zero.

I wouldnt pick Biggar and the only notable wtf in you team is

Van der merwe

He’s the archetypal flat track bully and his defence is poor. Watson, May, Williams and maybe Zammit I would pick ahead of him.

The bench is a mess too
You’d want a backrow player like Navidi or Curry on the bench as they can play a cross the backrow effectively. Jones will struggle to get on the tour much less make the test 23.

I’m not sure Gatland has ever gone 6:2 on the bench so don’t see him doing it now. He likes to have game changers to bring on the the backs, he seems to like contrasting 10’s as well.

Underhill was replaced after 17mins for Bath yesterday, didn’t see it but it doesn’t sound ideal.

I have changed my mind about the bench – you are right. One less lock one more back row which would be navidi

its not who I think Melonhead will pick – its who I would

Nowt wrong with VDM defense. Gawd dammitt missed 9, VDM 3 VDM was the standout winger by a long way. top try scorer, top tackles broken, most m made of any of the contenders

I wanted a big strong winger and a mazy runner. No doubt tho loopy is in the mix – for me his discipline is too suspect.

do we know if Stander is available? I know he has retired from ireland and gone back to SA but he would be a real assett

whats your 23 AA?

Of course players can play their way in or out of the side on tour so its just a bit of fun

Nowt wrong with VDM defense. Gawd dammitt missed 9, VDM 3 VDM was the standout winger by a long way. top try scorer, top tackles broken, most m made of any of the contenders

You do love your stats don’t you!! Who got burned by whom for Zammits second v Scotland?

whats your 23 AA?

Hogg
Watson
North
Henshaw
Adams
Sexton
Still don’t know.
Faletau
Tipuric
Bierne
Itoje
Henderson
1/8 of a mile
Not sure
Healey/ Marler

Marler/Healey
AN Other Hooker
Fagerson
AWJ
Navidi (although he looked broken yesterday)
A N Other 9
Faz
Loopy Liam

VDM defence

28s in

Burned

No doubt tho loopy is in the mix – for me his discipline is too suspect.

And yet you are happy to pick Fagerson and Healey, not to mention penalty magnet Itoje

If you don’t have the player of the 6N or clearly the best winger in there? You cannot claim RZ missing 9 tackles is OK in defense and VDM missed 3 but is rubbish!

VDM has been topping the stats in the pro 14 since he arrived and topped the stats by miles in the 6N

Itoje – i am giving him the benefit of the doubt on the pens – trying to do the job of two men same as curry

No doubt tho loopy is in the mix – for me his discipline is too suspect.

Whilst there is likely something in this, isn’t Hogg worse?

Josh Adams had a good tournament, but missed two games. Hence I’d say Watson was the standout wing.

Halfpenny has an excellent discipline record iirc. 😀

Also it is very difficult to compare players in different teams based solely on their stats. VDM plays on the left wing, which statistically scores more tries than the right obviously.

Hogg used to be – he has cleaned up his act.

Watson was good yes ( and its hard to shine in a beaten team)- Swap him for Adams if you want but Duhan topped the stats in almost every category bar missed tackles! 32 tackles broken – next nearest 20 – Hogg Watson 13 RZ a mere 6.

https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/statistics/

If you want a 5/3 split on the bench then does that give a little room for Frazer Brown? – plays hooker and back row. Just a thought if you want versatile players.

time for a ritual stuffing in the womens 6N.

and its hard to shine in a beaten team

Careful now 😂, they were in the lower half of the table along with Scotland!

england -9 pts difference, Scotland +47

The trouble with your stats TJ is they are too simple. If you break a tackle and make loads of meters but it is away from your support and you get turned over then they are useless meters. Same with tackles, teams will be breaking a tackle down at least three ways.
Where do players miss the tackles? In your own red zone or maybe it was at the other end and you were trying to pressure a turn over and got stepped.
Don’t rely on them they only tell half the story.

I have to have something objective to combat AAs one eyedness 🙂

On that 6n stats it does break the tackles down a bit further. You cannot argue with Duhan being the best winger tho at all. So far above the others!

Statistically maybe but it doesn’t paint the whole picture.
I also think he is suspect defensively especially when it matters.
Pure pace is what scares defences.

Duhan is as fast as anyone and really he is not that poor defensively

Another winger worth mentioning – Keith Earls. surprisingly good at every facet of the game, really really irritatingly good

Keet has another 2 champions cup tries today.
Against Toulouse, winning his battle v Kolbe.

Was looking forward to last night’s Leinster Toulon but covid cancelled.
Back row battle of rebbadj, ollivon, parrise against Ruddock, VDF, Conan looked tasty. Etzebeth was in at lock too.
But, Leinster through to play Exeter or Lyon next week. There’s a lot of support for Simmonds as lion , could be interesting cos Conan is a very similar style of fast open field 8. Did well with his try and assist v England too.

Still a lot to play for in the club game for many teams,

I have to have something objective to combat AAs one eyedness

You cannot argue with Duhan being the best winger tho at all. So far above the others!

Steady on…does the T stand for Trump!!!

Duhan is as fast as anyone

Watch Zammits try above, clearly Duhan isn’t as fast as him, not many are mind and that’s not the be all. Watson and Adams ( and May, even though I refuse to see him as Lions material, any pro rugby player that can’t work out where a flanker puts there head in a scrum should be excluded) are ahead of both Zammit and DVM.

time for a ritual stuffing in the womens 6N.

Well, it was better than last year 🙂

I think Simmonds has a real chance.
I’d like to see Spencer at scrum half too.

I think Simmonds has a real chance

I think Gatland would quite enjoy taking someone who Jones has ignored!!

AA – for sure, and I’m not certain he would be the only one

time for some more ritual slaughter. Edinburgh V racing! I hate being an Edinburgh fan

Should win that.

I think Gatland would quite enjoy taking someone who Jones has ignored!!

I also think Gatland would enjoy using lots of England players and showing Jones how to make them win against SA. Thereby earning his England call up and rescuing us from the current dirge.
I do like an idle fantasy on Easter Sunday.

Who is more distraught AA or TJ?

Not me. I knew we were getting a humping.

Racing did look awesome

Who is more distraught AA or TJ?

Me, TJ should be used to it!!

Ouch

Tbf Scarlets conceded 50pts at home to the SA 4th 15, that’s appalling.

Disappeared rugby team.

If anybody wants some not light but interesting reading while they wait for the next Lions selection instalment between cyclops and Statto, This is available on Kindle for under a fiver. “The Silenced”

Never thought I’d say this but feel a bit sorry for Mike Brown. Maybe a 17year club player should be kept in the fold. The Times article today reads as though it’s, see ya.
It’s not as though he’s followed the big money.