Daly has been shit for Wasps. He’s a lucky boy to be called up.

Farrell as sole captain is a massive worry because having watched him recently for Sarries he still can’t tackle and seems to wind the refs up. Given the form of the English teams in Europe, I’m not expecting too much. We’ll get well beaten in Ireland and middle along from there.

I’d agree mindmap!

Back row, I’d like to see Wilson Curry Vunipola. I think that it’ll be Shields over Wilson though.

Also with mindmap on the Ireland front but in think a bit better than middling with the rest.

Id forgotten Wilson was picked, hmmm. A bit rangier and better in defence than shields?

quietly relived to only see a couple of Warriors in the pick, and neither Im too worried about losing either. Warriors need a strength squad to stay up this year and a big hole in the side through feb might have done for us. That’s not to say warriors cant royally **** this up anyway, but it makes life easier not to lose too many to the international squad mid season.

Here's the Ireland squad for the opening rounds of @SixNationsRugby

3 uncapped players and several 'tight calls' says Head Coach Joe Scmidt.#TeamOfUs #Ireland #ShoulderToShoulder #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/FbfH3jNS2G

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) January 16, 2019

That looks like a nice squad to be choosing from.

@ Stoner agree about the two England call ups but won’t they miss Adams on the wing?

Jones is **** mad isn’t he? Now his telling everyone this is the strongest England squad he’s ever had, and how Nowell could shake things up as great 7 with a view to the future being a Forward/Backs kind of crossover.

Can someone please give him a ring and tell him Rugby league is over there >>>>>?

I think he’s determined to make us look like a bunch of ****.

Kryton – he’s a gobshite! He literally has verbal diarrhoea and just spouts crap without engaging his brain first. Nowell is probably slow enough to be a flanker though….

Fair play Edinburgh. I thought they’d ballsed it up when they slipped behind.

Not sure that tea Saints game has much point with them scoring over 100!

Dragons were given a whooping tonight by Clermont.

#Paints myself blue and runs around screaming #

Ha ha. Thought you’d be a happy man TJ because doesntbthis mean that Glasgow are through now regardless too?

I’m just waiting for the next batch of disappointments from the English teams…

Yes
The mighty Edinburgh have done our little brothers along the m8 a big favour

Shit Hamish is broken.

not having Adams is a pretty normal affair though pete. And TBH Heem’s had a good run of form, the other backs are keeping it together too. More relieved that in form Ryan Millzy wasnt pinched by Jones.

Sarries v Glasgow game is a belter.

Very different to the last time they met.

Farrell a potential worry for England with a thumb injury. Hopefully it’ll just be the 10 days max expected to recover. Could be an issue loosing both co-captains.

Note to Seymour – running straight into Mako V & Maro Itoje together is a bad plan! Ouch!

Good win for Sarries today.

And a bloody good comeback from Wuss who looked out of it at half time.

Fantastic out of the bag save by wuss.
Was thinking of going myself but currently at a crucial fixture for Ledbury vs Alcester in the North Mids South West division 3. Top flight rugby for sure…

Scarlets did well away at Racing. Cracking game. Scarlets lack of bench told in the end. Nice to see Parkes show a bit of form.
Blues played well too Tomos Williams seren y gem. Hope he can start in Six Nations.

I note Williams made a rare start at 15 for Saracens, did he look any good?

Tight Munster-Chiefs game. Not exactly a classic in skills terms or open rugby but so intense.

Gloucester managed to balls it up…scrum half came away with a turn over with the clock in the red and I stead of hoofing it out to seal victory it gets hacked downfield and Castress managed to hold onto the ball for ages, force a penalty, win and line out and bosh. Jesus. That was really inept game management from them but all part of the annual disappointment that is the English teams in Europe!

Exeter were a tad unlucky in a high end physical game but the one sided Munster love in commentary got irritating after a while. Still, Munster showed why they are true champions.

AA – from the bits I saw loopy liam was pretty good.

Ireland must be licking thier lips at the through of Ford moving to No 1. WTF is in Eddies head that Cips can’t be called up as cover? The response seems to be that Slade will cover 10 behind Ford, so as usual we’ll take on one of the best teams in the world with a Fly Half who can’t play defensively, cannot be relied upon to kick points and with a Centre covering the position.

Absolutely no one ever is quaking in thier boots at playing England and we are becoming the laughing stock of the world with the bullshit Jones is spouting at the moment, god knows what it does to the players heads.

Curious moment before Racing’s first try.. Two Scarlets tacklers had hold of the R92 no.6. The ref shouted release, so they did immediately. The R92 stood up with no ball release – he’d been on his knees – and made a short break before passing the ball out. The try was scored a few passes later. The whole thing waved on by the ref, no mention by anyone that the no.6 should have been penalised.

so as usual we’ll take on one of the best teams in the world with a Fly Half who can’t play defensively

I thought Cippers wasnt picked…

I overtook Shaun Edwards on the M4 today, I always imagined he’d be a faster driver!!

Wasps look to be in for a ducking (not sure anyone expected anything else) and Bath have barely fried a shot against Tolouse. Exactly what we need heading into the 6N.

Kryton – Jones won’t pick Cipriani ever. That boat has long sailed. Slade surely can’t be in cover at 10. Exeter seem to have given up on him as a 10 with young Joe Simmonds going well. He’s not played there for ages.

Pretty sure it’s going to be a very poor 6N from us (again) leading into an equally dismal WC. Jones will then get the boot and the whole sorry cycle will start again. Joy.

Shields apparently a worry for the Ireland game too after pulling out of the game today with a side strain.

So whats gone wrong for England? I did read an interesting article that suggested that in the pro 14 the ball was in play a lot longer and the teams used more trick plays. Add to this the lack of emphasis on contesting the breakdown and is that enough to make a difference?

Certainly money is nothing to do with it. You could just about buy two Edinburghs for one sarries team

Circumstances and to some extent planning means that the Irish and Scots develop young players more than the english. Take Hastings as an example. Far from the finished product but now has a regular starting place. would he if he was English? Or would the club have bought an overseas player instead of risking a youngster?

Or take Carberry. He was not getting enough first team games so the IRFU moved him to Ulster so he does get that exposure – and he is developing nicely

To me until the RFU regain a bit of control of the english game they will continue to fall behind. Its not England have fallen back, its that the pro 14 teams have moved on due to the nature of the league.

Or take Carberry. He was not getting enough first team games so the IRFU moved him to Ulster so he does get that exposure – and he is developing nicely

Thing is, Ulster’s first choice No.10s are that good that he hasn’t had a single start for them. In fact, he hasn’t even come on as a sub. Furthermore, I reckon most Ulster fans probably don’t know he’s signed for them.

Doesnt Carbarry play for Munster?

shine a light – have I got that confused then? Reading too much guardian converage? Or too much nonsense on other forums?

DOPH!

dumbass I am before you say it!

I’m not sure it’s a single thing TJ, but probably the culmination of various issues…

The premiership is often pretty attritional.

No one seems to want to contest the breakdown the way the the Pro 14 and Top 14 do.

Relegation means that there’s no let up and a few poor results and you can easily find yourself scrapping at the foot of the table.

I’m not sure we have enough talent to support 12 teams which means the best players are spread thin (compare the way the IRFU have an input into who plays for who).

Sone of the coaches are shit.

The academy players don’t seem to be as trusted as say those from Leinster are.

Signing big names is often seen as a quick fix, some of whom haven’t lived up to the hype (e.g. Sopoaga, Shields etc).

Some of the rugby coached is shit and is very formulaic.

The best players often get flogged mercilessly (Itoje, Mako, Billy, Cole etc). The clubs don’t care about international rugby, they just want the most out of their signings.

The breakdown….again! It’s one of my biggest frustrations and always causes issues at European and international level.

TJ
You’re not completely out.
Jordi Murphy made the move from Leinster to Ulster to make sure he got enough game time to fight for a WC squad place. Not a bad signing to get a seven who’s beaten NZ twice on a “free”.
Leinster kept leavy, sob, and Van Der flier as their 7 options (young lad Penney coming through will be international class too).
Marty Moore moved there too to fight for a place.
Munster had Carbery and Tagh Beirne as their Leinster rejects this season

and the teams used more trick plays.

Presumably, the Ospreys are trying to trick other teams into thinking the Os are a decent rugby team. 😁

Beirne as their Leinster rejects

Scarlets reject please!!!

Funny how England and even more so France have struggled at international level despite a glut of very good players who play in the strongest leagues week in week out.