Six Nations 2018

[GhostShip]

Youngs injury looked like it could be a bad one. Real shame, as I like him as scrum half.

Danny Care can do some great things, but I wish he'd sometimes leave out the overhead kicks which become far too predictable and more often than not, concede possession.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Wigglesworth has been called into the training squad as scrum half cover. Probably the right decision.

 

[Covrich]

I can understand teh decsion for Wiggles, like many I really rate Robson and would like him to get a shot but for the sake of trying to control out a game wiggelesworth makes more sense.. Especially if dare I say England are winning with a quarter to go. He has probably one of the best box kicking games (which Sarries put to good use)Youngs isn't too bad at that eitehr but its not something care is too good at.

I suspect England will try and use it to put pressure on the young wingers and ½p

 

[Leon103]

Wales were decent and played better than expected. Scotland were poor but Wales were making them make mistakes.

 

[Dexter101]

Such a shame for Ben Youngs, seems a bit short sighted to not call up 2 new scrum halfs though...

I was talking to my boss and I was saying it could be Ben Youngs England career over, hes not getting any younger, if this puts him out until next season someone could step in and fill his starting place. Would much rather see Care as a "finisher" as he brings that lively edge that I don't think Youngs would add off the bench.

World cup year next year so they need to work out their options for that.

 

[Covrich]

. Scotland were poor but Wales were making them make mistakes.

Sort of Yes and Sort of No IMO.. A lot of Scottish mistakes I found to be just their own undoing, throwing miracle bad offloads in ability to catch a cold and playing forcing the game too much Wales defended well but it doesn't always mean the attacking team should look for miracle offloads, you cannot put all that down to the defending team. They just tried to play really high risk stuff perhaps Welsh pressure made them panic and do it though.. That intercept seemed to rattle them badly..

Not trying to take anything from Wales, I thought they played very very well and I never thought they were going to be as bad as a lot of people said especially when you look at Scarlets this season.. But that was the worst and most erratic Scottish performance I have seen in 6 years.

I think it will be a close battle this Saturday.

I think Scotland will be back pretty sharpish, I expect a tough battle at muddy field

BY apparently out for 4 months so far but his season is over I agree with @Dexter101 BY starting and Care finishing was the right combo.. A lot of people see the substitute 9 come on and make breaks and say he is better ect but they fail to see the starting 9 has much more pressure a fresher defence and has to manage the game early doors whereasthe finisher can come on and sharply run the ball against a tried defence where the fringes are much more open.

 

[GhostShip]

Two changes for England on Saturday - Danny Care replaces Ben Youngs and Jonathan Joseph is in for Ben Te'o.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Two changes for England on Saturday - Danny Care replaces Ben Youngs and Jonathan Joseph is in for Ben Te'o.

As expected really - Wigglesworth was never going to start, and though Te'o had a decent game last week I see him more as a "finisher", coming on to smash holes in tired defences.

 

[Dexter101]

Wales are trying to move away from the warrenball tag as well so less likely to need the "big" outside centre.

 

[foxbat]

Danny Care can do some great things, but I wish he'd sometimes leave out the overhead kicks which become far too predictable and more often than not, concede possession.

Totally agree with this. It really winds me up when the team I'm supporting voluntarily give away posession with a mindless kick into opposition-held territory. Do that against NZ, SA or the Aussies and what follows is just painful to watch!

 

[Linalmeemow]

Totally agree with this. It really winds me up when the team I'm supporting voluntarily give away posession with a mindless kick into opposition-held territory. Do that against NZ, SA or the Aussies and what follows is just painful to watch!

It's a good tactic when it works and your wings / centres are challenging to regain possession but England's SH/FHs always seem to drop it too deep. That said, Wigglesworth is known for being a better box kicker than Care or Youngs.

 

[Covrich]

If you watch Sarries or Munster they kick and chase with great effect, it is when you kick deep and give them 20 metres to run at you before kicking back!!! mind you my biggest pet hate is when you win a penalty and fail to make touch:mad1:

 

[GhostShip]

Good win for England though they should have put a lot more points on the board.

I thought Launchbury was immense - and Eddie Jones was right about Patchell, he was dreadful.

England look strong - and Haskell and Marler to come back in.

 

[Covrich]

Good Win but felt frustrated by England.. Dominated for 75% of the game but didn't find points for 50% of that 75%, Wales defended really well, as did England tbf.. Really lacked a N8 today to try and punch holes. Cirminstances but Robshaw is not an 8.

Lot of controversy about the Welsh disallowed try.. Very difficult, I can fully understand Wales feeling frustrated with that decision however I think it was a lot more 50:50 than made out.. You need to have control in grounding and the control of Anscomb or Watson looked questionable to me..

Wouldn't have changed the result Wales got 3 points subsequently from a pen ADV. You win or lose them sometimes with the TMO, Wales got a try from a fwd pass which gave them a bonus point last week, that did change the result from a 4-0 to a 5-0.

Can See Wales giving Ireland a tough time at Principality next.. England have to be a little more accurate at muddyfield.

Lets see what Scotland France bring both sides licking their wounds.

 

[Linalmeemow]

I'd be annoyed by the TMO decision if I were Welsh, but it wouldn't have made a difference to the outcome given they went back and kicked the penalty from the advantage that was being played. Had the try been awarded and the conversion kicked it would only have made four points difference. Also, there was a knock on in the play before that which was not given which would have negated it altogether. I thought Garces had an awful game yesterday - there was a point where the ball popped out of a Welsh ruck, Garces called the ball out and Farrell was penalised for playing at it with his feet

 

[Dutto]

Leave Wales alone!

Their national anthem is "We wuz robbed!" (sung to the tune "Men of Harlech") whenever and wherever they lose in any sport.

Okay, heading for my bunker now!

 

[Covrich]

Yeah Welsh discipline was good but they got away with a few things as did we, but some were blatant and bizzare like the Farrell one illegally bringing the maul down. Both sides got away with a few seatbelt tackles too..

Anyway I don't like to moan about refs and TMOs, a lot of that creeping into the sport.. I do find Garces pretty odd though when I watch him.. consistency between countires reffing would help.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Yeah Welsh discipline was good but they got away with a few things as did we, but some were blatant and bizzare like the Farrell one illegally bringing the maul down. Both sides got away with a few seatbelt tackles too..

Anyway I don't like to moan about refs and TMOs, a lot of that creeping into the sport.. I do find Garces pretty odd though when I watch him.. consistency between countires reffing would help.

I've had another look at the TMO decision, and it's definitely no try, but not for the reason given. If you watch carefully in slow motion Stef Evans clearly knocks the ball - it comes off his fingertips before it hits his knee. You can see his ring finger and little finger move as the ball makes contact with them.

 

[Leon103]

try end of

 

[Slid]

Leave Wales alone!

Their national anthem is "We wuz robbed!" (sung to the tune "Men of Harlech") whenever and wherever they lose in any sport.

Okay, heading for my bunker now!

I thought the Welsh national Anthem was "Bloody Great Fishes" (are Wales).

The only two lines of Flower of Scotland I know are the first and last. I know it is about Scotland's most recent victory over the English - in 1314 @ Stirling Castle, with a fourth generation Belgian as King and organiser. Why I would learn any words is beyond me, as it is just anti-English as opposed to anything else.

Anyway, ranting apart, we won "the day", albeit the much derided Laidlaw and not the much lauded Russell might take the credit. "Enough tae mak' a cuddy laugh" as my mother might say. Scrum was adequate, even against the mighty French. Line outs were a bit random on either side. Huw Jones and that Terry bloke in 14 for the French were both superb. French selection seems to be done by a tombola as opposed to anyone actually in charge. Surely there must be some players, with French grandparents, in the top 14 who can actually ponce around on a rugby pitch for more than 50 minutes without needing a siesta? Picamoles on the bench? PoC was very dismissive of his work rate, in the commentary. I guess a guy like Paul O'Connell will know better than me, for sure, but he (Picamoles) carried Northampton the season he played there, and that is a hard fact.

Anyway, next up is the Calcutta cup at Murrayfield.