6 Nations 2015
Discussion
At last, some talk of the Men of Harlech. Glorious, brave and fearless to the last men in red 
So....Roof open or closed? Will England pick take up the Challenge (as Gats puts it)?
On team selections I do hope SL doesnt go for his talented young, quick talented centres and opts for the usual stoggy lumps. That will play right in to our hands as ours are bigger, faster and better skilled
D1
So....Roof open or closed? Will England pick take up the Challenge (as Gats puts it)?
On team selections I do hope SL doesnt go for his talented young, quick talented centres and opts for the usual stoggy lumps. That will play right in to our hands as ours are bigger, faster and better skilled
D1
If Lancaster sticks to defensive "stodgy" backs then England should hopefully be playing the 10man game steam roller Wales. If the AIs and European competition has told us anything lately it's that nobody can live with England up front when they play properly except the Boks. As it's away in Cardiff that should be the only game an in town. Which if course no doubt means the opposite tactic will be picked, Care, Cipriani, Faz and Joseph and the Welsh back line will bugger us senseless.
As it is I'm a big fan of Joseph and Eastmond, they are both game breakers and deserve to play for England. I just want to make sure we also have a BB or Burrell or Manu in there as a bricks
thouse battering ram/defensive rock to hinge around.
I never want to see Faz play inside centre.
As it is I'm a big fan of Joseph and Eastmond, they are both game breakers and deserve to play for England. I just want to make sure we also have a BB or Burrell or Manu in there as a bricks
thouse battering ram/defensive rock to hinge around.I never want to see Faz play inside centre.
DJRC said:
Jones retiring? Be fair to the chap - his body must be buggered!! He can't keep putting his body on the line just to make you happy! Good career, the boyo done well. Genuine world class aswell, not just Northern Hemisphere.
Absolutely, just a shame it all ended on a bit of a sour note and he didn't quite hit the 100 cap mark.Now now GS, play fair. This is Welsh rugby, if sour notes, arguments, disputes and threats of impending death doom and disaster aren't involved then it doesn't count Whilst Carling's description of the RFU might still be the most accurate observation of them, in terms of PR, HR and generic administration and management of the game, the WRU make them look like a well oiled machine!
Whilst Carling's description of the RFU might still be the most accurate observation of them, in terms of PR, HR and generic administration and management of the game, the WRU make them look like a well oiled machine!
DJRC said:
If Lancaster sticks to defensive "stodgy" backs then England should hopefully be playing the 10man game steam roller Wales. If the AIs and European competition has told us anything lately it's that nobody can live with England up front when they play properly except the Boks. As it's away in Cardiff that should be the only game an in town. Which if course no doubt means the opposite tactic will be picked, Care, Cipriani, Faz and Joseph and the Welsh back line will bugger us senseless.
As it is I'm a big fan of Joseph and Eastmond, they are both game breakers and deserve to play for England. I just want to make sure we also have a BB or Burrell or Manu in there as a bricksthouse battering ram/defensive rock to hinge around.
I never want to see Faz play inside centre.
I don't think the English pack are quite good as you're making out DJRC although I'm happy to be proven wrong in the 6N but unlike the WC a 10 man game could win England the 6N. I do agree though that the way that the current coaching set up's game plan does require a crash ball type centre. Be interested to see in Tom Wood's injury put's him out of the 6N opener.As it is I'm a big fan of Joseph and Eastmond, they are both game breakers and deserve to play for England. I just want to make sure we also have a BB or Burrell or Manu in there as a bricks
thouse battering ram/defensive rock to hinge around.I never want to see Faz play inside centre.
As an Englishman I'm sorry to see Adam Jones hang up his international boots, seemed like a genuine bloke and Lion. I expected him to make the WC squad TBH given the line up Wales have behind Samson Lee an experienced head to have around the squad and able replacement I thought would have seen him make it.
DocJock said:
I feel sorry for AJ.
A prop who has gradually been sidelined by constant IRB tinkering with the laws to depower the scrum.
He has adapted admirably but it seems his destructive scrummaging is no longer as fashionable as mobility.
I was surprised he struggled to get to grips with the new laws, could be more to do with time catching up with him, lack of fitness/game time-he was training on his own for a while? I thought the new law generally favours those with better technique rather than those with better timing who could 'win' the hit.A prop who has gradually been sidelined by constant IRB tinkering with the laws to depower the scrum.
He has adapted admirably but it seems his destructive scrummaging is no longer as fashionable as mobility.
Fazlet looks to have had a nasty injury in the CC, wouldn't wish an injury on any player but would be less of a problem for Lancaster having to put him anywhere just so he plays.
ETA
I see Hartley was binned, haven't seen the incident but he want's dropping till he sorts his temperament IMO.
I thought AJ was just more succumbing to Father Time than anything and then got embroiled in a bit of WRU politics? An operator like Jones doesn't become crap because of a change in scrum laws. If anything as all the old lags of the ABC union know, the older you get the more you concentrate on technique. It's why old props invariably bury young bulls in the dirt unless they are exceptional. Speaking of which...Samson...future World Class.
Changing tack entirely to our Sporron sporting brothers, young Sam Hidalgo-Clyne of Edinburgh looks a very decent prospect from what I saw this weekend. My first look at the lad and have to say was v impressed. Any regular Edinburgh fans/watchers on who can say more?
Changing tack entirely to our Sporron sporting brothers, young Sam Hidalgo-Clyne of Edinburgh looks a very decent prospect from what I saw this weekend. My first look at the lad and have to say was v impressed. Any regular Edinburgh fans/watchers on who can say more?
DJRC said:
Changing tack entirely to our Sporron sporting brothers, young Sam Hidalgo-Clyne of Edinburgh looks a very decent prospect from what I saw this weekend. My first look at the lad and have to say was v impressed. Any regular Edinburgh fans/watchers on who can say more?
He has potential to be very, very good. Done a good job for Scotland's sevens team too.Not as big as some of the current test halfbacks at 5'9" but likes to challenge defenders. Just needs the experience to know when NOT to try it as he does get caught more than you'd like.
Definitely going to be in the squad for a long time IMO.
London424 said:
What are the collective thoughts on the injuries in the game at the moment?
Are there more than normal or just more media able to report it?
My feeling is that the players are bigger/faster/stronger than ever before and injuries are more frequent than 'back in the day'.
Feels like that to me too.Are there more than normal or just more media able to report it?
My feeling is that the players are bigger/faster/stronger than ever before and injuries are more frequent than 'back in the day'.
Interesting article in The Times this morning about how Lancaster's meticulous planning for RWC 2015 and how he had planned backwards from what the successful team looked like (circa 700 caps etc). The point the article made was that he'd copied this from Olympic sports like cycling and rowing where that approach has had huge success....difference being that those sports suffer nothing like the injuries that Rugby does. I'd also argue that Rugby has a greater intangible in that you are relying much more on individual decision making on the pitch, form etc which are nowhere near as bigger factors in a rowing race or track cycling.
People said:
Farrell is out
Good, although I'd never wish injury on any player his form hasn't been great. I've said it before, on form he's a good if limited player. I expect Myler and Cips will battle it out for the bench position? I'd like to see Young Slade from Exeter get some time in the senior squad he can play in the centres but long term probably a 10.I expect in Lancaster's mind Myler might just be above Cipriani as he's more in the Farrell mould i.e. dependable place kicker if somewhat limited in other areas. I've not seen the kicking stats for this season but suspect Cips is poorer than the rest in this respect.
Injuries are stacking up but strength in depth has at times been a blessing and a curse and in this case welcome.
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