Rugby – 6 nations.

Just teasing CFH – although he was caught in po session a time or two against Scotland.

I totally agree with you tho – nothing more annoying than the SH standing around with his foot on the ball – get it moving!

in that there are often rucks where the player’s not bound in, with the ball effectively “out” for what seems like an age.

Very true.

bumpettyglitchedybump

bumpyglithyefftard

Nowt wrong with a 9 getting caught now and again, but at least he’s trying something rather than that laboured, slow approach adopted by many others….!

Besides, when Spikey gets caught, he can usually bully his way past. Massive lump for a 9, more like having another back row player some times!

Still think we’ll lose on Saturday, sadly.

that laboured, slow approach adopted by many others….!

I think this is why Youngs has been dropped. Shame Care was so silly or he could have made a rel impression this 6N.
Mike Phillips has to be my favorite 9 overall. Spikey, quick, skillfull. Mind you, Peel was very good in his day. I get the feeling 9 isn’t a position wales struggle with.

thm – not pessimistic at all, looking forward to some great tackling. Best part of the game. I reckon its a far better game to watch when teams have to work to create openings, than run straight through. That last World Cup Final was brilliant in that way. I agree physio could be busy, and there will be gaps in the last 10 mins. Plus have to admit, England could surprise us all.

CFH – you are right there. Won’t be any surprise to see “one” side use their big runners but, this could be the game where they don’t have it quite all their own way and need to try something different. England certainly need to find a new way to score without Charlie Chargedown.

Although, on form and experience England are not the “best opposition”, I think this will be Wales’ toughest game and could be the game of the tournament (until next time).

On another note, Farrell has a chance to make the 10 spot his for a long time, plus the Lions.

CFH – Unless England play a whole heap better ( and this England team do look better) they simply will not score enough to beat Wales. Wales will make ground and score tries.

SpikeyMikey – reminds me a bit in the way he plays of Armstrong – wannabee 9th forward. Him or Cussiter – who is the more annoying? Cusiter seems to delight in winding up opposing forwards and niggling the halfbacks. I was suprised we didn’t get a full on outbreak of Handbags in the Scotland Wales game. 🙂

ALL scrum halves are annoying. That is a SCIENCE FACT.

🙂

true, but withou them you couldn’t do this 🙂
(ps turn the music down)

interesting look to the england team. just hoping for a less- turgid performance, building on our 100% record and trophy already in the bag 😛

will probably be the most england achieve this year, but write them off at your peril (much like germany in football tournaments).
to paraphrase Kevin Keegan, I WOULD LOVE IT, LOVE IT if we beat them. 😆

Wales should still win but it could be closer than expected depending on how youth vs experience plays out.

I wouldnt be suprised to find out that Wales are both younger and more experienced.

Farrel at 10, how much has he played there? Cant work out if its a bold call or a defensive one. Can Barrit pass?

Anyway still hoping that wales can win but think it will be very close.

On another note, Farrell has a chance to make the 10 spot his for a long time, plus the Lions

FFS and people say the welsh big up their players too much!!!

This being England I’m doubting a few shuffled dream team picks in an already green backline will make much difference to the result but would like to be proved wrong.

At least History is on England’s side. However, if anything being the home side the pressure is just as much on England. They won’t win playing average rugby so need to put in a performance either way and score some tries, or they could go down by 20 points and its back to square one.

Recent history suggests England put in one really good performance evert 7 tests so perhaps this is it.

On another note, Farrell has a chance to make the 10 spot his for a long time, plus the Lions

To be fair, the 10 spot is wide open. None of us have an amazing 10 at the moment.

Farrel a lions pick? Loum have you been on the crystal Meth?

Farrel has an awful lot to prove to be a lions pick. While we don’t have a outstanding crop of talent at 10 there are a few around who have done more than he has and shown more ability / potential

Farrel has an awful lot to prove to be a lions pick. While we don’t have a outstanding crop of talent at 10 there are a few around who have done more than he has and shown more ability / potential

Absolutely. There is no “lock” at present was all I was trying to say.

Farrel a lions pick? Loum have you been on the crystal Meth?

Bit unfair to discount him after 2 games though don’t you think?

How many games has Farrel played 10 at senior level?
Priestland and Sexton are in pole for the Lions thus far and Flood would be ahead of Farrel with some gametime. I believe he has hardly played at 10.

Priestland and Sexton are in pole for the Lions thus far

How depressing.

If ever he was allowed to play there, Hook would be the form 10, IMO.

With Farrell at 10 there’s an even higher chance that England will kick the ball in the air and run after it.

Maybe he can be an international fly-half, maybe he can’t. Who knows?

The thing is, he’s at Saracens and all they do is kick it in the air and run after it so how’s he gonna learn how to run a game? He isn’t.

I read an interesting dissection of Farrell’s play at 10 against Scotland:

At Saracens they kick the ball almost all the bloody time. They kick more than any other premier side. They kick more than 25 times a game.
Lancaster said before the game, ‘just because they play like that for their club…………..it does not mean they will play like that for England’
Well Farrell moved to 10 on the 62nd minute.
He received his 1st pass on 69:17 where upon he ‘kicked the ball in the air’.
England had a penalty advantage when he got the ball and still he ‘kicked it in the air’
On min 71:42 he received his next pass. Now the key about this ball was it was a turnover and because Scotland had turned over the ball they had in their back line numbers, 7,4,18,2 and 16, all forwards.
So when Farrell received this a pass what did Farrell do? He kicked it in the air.
On min 74:53 he got the ball and can you guess what he did?
He kicked it in the air!
Min 78:06? Kicked it in the air
And finally, on 79:20, kicked it in that air.
In fact the only time he did not kick the ball in the air was on min 75:58 where he knocked on.

In fact the only time he did not kick the ball in the air was on min 75:58 where he knocked on.

I did a little lol….! 🙂

Bit unfair to discount him after 2 games though don’t you think?

He was touted as the Lions 10 above,so no; not really. 😀

*Recycles old gag*

Farrell got on a train the other day. Soon a man came and sat opposite him and proceeded to stare intently. Feeling uncomfortable Owen decided to break the ice.

“Hello,I’m Owen Farrell ,I play rugby for Saracens and England”.

“I know who you are” replied the starer “I play rugby too”.

“Oh really” said Owen “Who do you play for?”

“Saracens and England” replied the man “I’m your inside centre”.

All this talk of Lions’ fly-half options is depressing me.

Mind you, there’s only one candidate who could do this – shame he’s such a bell-end.

CFH very funny. Who was that originally for – Rob Andrew ?

Love the Aussie SH video. On that topic Stringer always looked like a SH you wanted at the bottom or a ruck. Indeed the only excusable part of the appaling Neil Back hand in the scrum incident (after which I ceased to be 100% tigers fan) was the fact that he did it to Stinger. His face was a picture!!!!! MP is an exception for me, I would love him in our team for the extra physicality. Brilliant in the last Lions test vs SA taking in Bakkies and Victor on his own!!!

Hasn’t Ladyboy signed for Sale?

Freddie Burns may be an exciting future option for England 10.

See that try by Cipriani, good to watch though it is, is just a basic dummy, a bit of pace and some terrible defence.

Cipriani try is a good reminder that the new Super 15 season kicks off tomorrow…just incase you are not going to get enough rugby over the weekend 🙂

CFH very funny. Who was that originally for – Rob Andrew ?

Gareth Edwards was the first version I heard. May be even earlier than that, though!

See that try by Cipriani, good to watch though it is, is just a basic dummy, a bit of pace and some terrible defence.

^^This^^

CFH – not heard that before, I like it.

I havn’t watched Farrell at 10 at all fo Sarries, but considering Hodgeson is meant to be a free running, excellent passing 10, and Farrell is supposed to be a bit of a kicker, I’m not expecting anything special. An on form Flood is still the best flyhalf England have. Maybe Cipriani has learnt to stay out the spotlight and do some playing? Maybe not…..
Can’t wait to see those centres go at each other though, that will be truely brilliant.

CFH^^^ 🙂
was that one Wilkinson? Similar style anyway.
If so, he was effective at times, though maybe not pretty.
It’s fair comment that he’s (OF) got a lot of players in front of him at the mo, but none of them are complete players.
Sexton and Priestland must be favourites, but kicking lets both of them down sometimes. See the first match? One of them will probably be Lions 10 but wouldn’t want both on the test squad.
Imagine its coming towards the end of a tight match, and Sexton (at 10) is having one of his off days and has missed half his kicks. You look to the bench and all you’ve got as an option is Priestland.
Now you think FFS! (aa)
You’d end up having to play 1/2penny for his goalkicking.
Farrell’s young, and predictable so far, but also in a good way. Like having a ROG on the bench, but one who can tackle.
I’d like to see Laidlaw and Weir both have good tournaments and put themselves in with a shout. Both look good players. But for me Lions 10 is up for grabs and Owen Farrell’s got as good a chance as any.

England v Wales will be another interesting sighter on the importance of a 10 who can tackle and that will be relevant to the Lions. No one can afford a Laidlaw moment (ok accept he might be a good tackler in club rugby) if they want to be on the Lions A list. Kicking out-of-hand seems to have been pretty poor so far by most 10s this season. So agree that no one is grabbing the shirt at the moment.

Apparently priestland hasnt passed to roberts at all this 6 nations when roberts is used its either wider kf ruck ball or straight from phillips. I wouldnt be worried about having 1/2p on the wing for the lions, he’s a bloody good player.

A-A that is an extraordinary stat. 😯

If you watch the games roberts takes a lot of ball taking an angled line close to the ruck and phillips hits him with flat passes. Phillips also hits him off fast middle of the lineout ball. There was a very good thread ongwlad about it with gifs to show some plays.

http://forum.gwladrugby.com/showthread.php?t=202125

think you have to register though

Hook out s jones to replace big blow as hook has been key to a lot of good attacking play.

TBH they way things are going I vote we make Wales the lions team, with a few notable exceptions (I still like O’Connell, when he’s on form he’s a fricking animal, and Richie Gray has to have some kind of bright future..)

I AM SAT IN THE BAR WITH WARREN GATLAND IN THE RICHMOND HILL GATE HOTEL