Any recommendations on where to watch the eng Vs Scotland game in Edinburgh city centre? There’ll be 9 English not rowdy interlopers after a decent pub.

I was trying to think of somewhere to send you that would be “interesting” for an england fan.I couldn’t do that tho as it might be slightly unfair.

Perhaps the cask and barrel? https://www.caskandbarrelbroughton.co.uk/

You might get a wider audience and more suggestions with a general post. Not many folk read this thread now I think

Thanks @tjagain – that should be grand for us, I appreciate you not sending us into the lions den!

There may be better but thats the only one I know of.  IIRC it gets very busy – get in early

I appreciate you not sending us into the lions den!

I was the only English bloke at the Celtic Manor during a 5N Wales v England game once. Despite the “bantz” I had the best time with the Welsh supporters, and many a free beer! Its quite usual for Rugby, this isn’t football.

Hamilton’s down in Stockbridge used to show them with pies at half time.

It may not be there any more.

We’ve watched it here a few times – good atmosphere & music after the match

Bannermans bar

A week out from Six Nations starting what teams we expecting?
Wales…who knows, Gats loves em big so I reckon

Liam (no form but no other realistic option)
Cuthbert
North
No idea Probably Tompkins
Adams
Biggar
Tomos Williams
Faletau
Jac Morgan
Tshiunza
Beard
No idea (Probably the ghost of AWJ past)
Francis
Owens
Thomas

Lewis
a n other hooker
Carre
Rhys Davies (presuming AWJ starts)
Wainwright
Tipuric
Hardy
Owen Williams

I think he’ll be seriously tempted by a six 2 bench.

I’m not anticipating England, I’ll wait and see what happens. I am concerned that we have all those form players and will be starting with Youngs, Smith, Farrel and Slade out back.

My hope is we can get a foothold on Scotland and switch things up in the second half to bring Lawrence into the centre, and some of they young flyers out on the wings. However, let’s see what fit a state as a team we are first, I reckon it’ll be a very close game if not possibly a loss.

I’ve watched home games vs England in Wales and Scotland and never had an issue. It is rugby not football.

Agree Kryters, we are screwed.

If there one thing Tigers fans learnt while Borthwick was there, was never try and guess what team he’s gonna put out. We never got it right.

Recent history says Scotland will win! We have your number boys 🙂

Somehow I doubt it tho this year.  I think It will be a stuffing ie 25pt win to England.  I think Borthwick will revitalise England and we have too many injuries to critical players.  No Ryan Wilson to wind up Farrell either

A week out from Six Nations starting what teams we expecting?
Wales…who knows, Gats loves em big so I reckon

Liam (no form but no other realistic option)

I must say I’m surprised to see 1/2p named at full back unless Gatland is playing games and naming a dummy team early to have Ireland spend a wasted week analysing the wrong lineup

Gatland playing mind games? Nah, that would never happen.

Given I do not recognise 50% of the 29 in the England squad, my reaction to the Wales squad published today  is one of fear. Gatland is the man to make humble the rest of us.
Again – we are screwed.

I must say I’m surprised to see 1/2p

Me too.
Expect Wales to kick a lot and then kick some more and defend like madmen and hope we can sneak a win. Can’t see it working but we can hope.
I think a few players like Tompkins,Tshinza and Reffel have been hampered by not being with the squad as they had to be with clubs last week.

That Wales team must be closed to their record for total international caps fielded in one team.
Gatland has had pretty decent success against Ireland so lots of us here are pretty worried.
Ireland are basically just a slightly better Leinster and now Wales are a beefed up Ospreys. Could well be very close.

The other thing to expect from a team that Borthwick has only had a short time to sort and his hands heavily tied with what squad changes he could make (like when he arrived at Tigers) is initially expect a simple forwards based game plan. Scrum, lineout and maul.  And a lot of kicking the leather off the ball.

(It took him 6 months to a year to get Tigers to where he wanted them, cleared out the lazy and the dead wood, etc, before there was much attacking play).

This however could be the 1st England team I can actually get behind in about a decade. (Just wish they’d sack off the dullard Farrell who’s stifled England for the same decade).

Why kicking the leather off the ball works. Always make time for a bit of Squidge.

Reffel is a great player for Leicester

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-64488231

Thats a travesty IMO, and if thats gone, Swing Low should have gone way before it, and yes that has been sung by a choir / singer.

England squad for Sat.

Starting

15. Freddie Steward

14. Max Malins

13. Joe Marchant

12. Owen Farrell (C)

11. Ollie Hassell-Collins

10. Marcus Smith

9. Jack van Poortvliet

1. Ellis Genge (VC)

2. Jamie George

3. Kyle Sinckler

4. Maro Itoje

5. Ollie Chessum

6. Lewis Ludlam

7. Ben Curry

8. Alex Dombrandt

Replacements

16. Jack Walker

17. Mako Vunipola

18. Dan Cole

19. Nick Isiekwe

20. Ben Earl

21. Ben Youngs

22. Ollie Lawrence

23. Anthony Watson

Irish team out also, Furlong injured. Front row looks vulnerable, Dan Sheehan is excellent around the park but very tall for a hooker. In the backs Stuart McCloskey starts with Aki on bench which is good to see, form being rewarded. Aki also worries me every time he goes into contact he is a fraction away from a red!
For Wales as expected Halfpenny out and Loopy Liam in!

Given the madness in coaching and injuries across the board, the whole thing is wide open.
Prior to the coaching changes I would have said Ireland or France for the title, with England down the bottom near Italy. However with Gatland coming on the scene I would elevate Wales chances to defo be in the top 2 spots.
England still down the bottom.

I think England will beat Scotland, Italy and a close call with Wales.

There I said it.

close call with Wales

But which way?

I think England will beat Scotland, Italy and a close call with Wales.

I will take your optimism. I actually think the game we will most likely win will be Scotland, only because it is the first game, and we will be full of naïve enthusiasm of a new squad anxious to prove their worth.
I fully expect to get beaten, nay shocked, by Italy, Capuozzo is a genius and we will find it impossible to contain him..

And it’s at Twickers.

I think the 1H will be conservative with Farrell aiming to play the game in the Scots half and the forwards as battering rams. I think the think in H2 the subs come in and there’s enough size and pace in the back line to score tries and win after the Scot’s have softened*

*My optimistic view of things. Of course that can all be thwarted by Youngs coming on and kicking the ball away and Smith going off in favour of a centre. Farrell won’t go off, he’s Captain. Oh, and Scotland turning up and playing well.

Scotland would struggle to cope with that back 3 but it’ll be 80s English rugby. Centres crash it up into contact.

England V Scotland U20s is a cracker, England will edge it but a very good game

Well, here we are 😀.

The last few years I’ve made my predictions early and felt fairly confident in them, but this year I have no idea what might happen.

I think Ireland should go into the tournament as favourites. Whilst I think France are the strongest team, Ireland are seriously good and have the more favourable schedule – playing both France and England at home.

I do not have the confidence that a lot of Wales fans have now that Gatland has returned. I did fear that Wales might have potentially lost all their games this year had Pivac still been coach. But I still can’t see us finishing anything better than 5th or 6th.

Wales have a 20-25% chance today I’d say.

England favourites today, in large part due to home advantage. How well England and Scotland will play today, I have no idea.

Red cards could play a large part throughout the tournament. My prediction:

Ireland
France
England
Scotland
Wales
Italy

England favourites today, in large part due to home advantage.

Judging by the social media they are wound up to the eyeballs. I hope we don’t see a shouty Itoje and I think Gauss you are probably right about the reds. I didnt realise how big a winger Ollie HC is. **** me, 6’4 and 16 stone with Steward very similar. I do think Scotland are a bit more Cannie(?) in the backs and will exploit that area.

I’ve not seen the Scotland team for today. iirc Darcy Graham isn’t fit to play – I think they will miss him. He has turned into the player tj used to swoon over. Who is their replacement on the wing?

Steyn.is the replacement winger  some selection surprises as ever but looks like the form picks

1) Schoe
2)Turner
3) Nel
4)R Gray
5) Gilchrist
6) Ritchie
7) Crosbie
8) Dempsey
9) White
10) Russell
11) VDM
12) Jones
13) Tuipulotu
14) Steyn
15) Hogg

Bench

Bhatti, Brown, Fagerson Sr, Gray Jr, Dempsey, Horne, Blairhorn, Harris

Im looking forward to Tuipulotu running thru Farrell.

Im looking forward to Tuipulotu running thru Farrell.

Surely Farrell has seen it all before?

Who’s White?

White – plays for London Irish – decent young SH.  Big call leaving Price out.

Hairs standing on back of neck time. I’m English, but by crikey do the Welsh do a smashing anthem (Ireland aren’t bad either).
Edit: in the interests of fairness and transparency, Scotland are quite good too. Oh, and I’m an 1/8 Welsh 🤣🤣