2017 Six Nations

[Kermit power]

Greg66 said:

Much prefer a 7N or even 8N to a relegation/promotion system.

What would you get rid of to compensate for the increase in matches though? Autumn Internationals, maybe?

[The Mad Monk]

I felt the Wales/England game was played in a much better spirit than the France/Scotland game. No silliness.

Nice photo in Sunday Telegraph sport section of Farrell helping Biggar to his feet at the end of the game. Can't find a link.

[London424]

I have noticed the Farell haters have disappeared now. His passing game has really developed now and he's a pretty complete player.

I also like how he didn't make a big thing out of the late hit and his interview after was quite funny.

[Jesus]

I can't see the clubs really wanting the competitor to go on another 1 or 2 weeks - would impact on the domestic and Euro games too much, especially those clubs who lose most players.

[TheGreatSoprendo]

Increasing to a 7/8N won't happen and nor will automatic promotion & relegation for the reasons already noted on this thread - too much risk of one of the home nations getting relegated.

The only possible option will be promotion/relegation via a play off, but more likely it will just be swept under the carpet and things will stay as they are.

[DocJock]

London424 said:

I have noticed the Farell haters have disappeared now. His passing game has really developed now and he's a pretty complete player.

I also like how he didn't make a big thing out of the late hit and his interview after was quite funny.

i was one of those a couple of years ago.

As you say, he has developed his passing game very well (kind of important for a 10/12).
His kicking and tackling always was very good. He's also dropped the petulance since EJ took over.

Must be a cert for the Lions.

[Zod]

Cheib said:

Yup. England put that away superbly....kind of try you'd only ever see NZ or Aus score. Daly has got some serious pace.

Great game, I don't think England would have won that twelve months ago but they now have such self belief. As it was for France England's bench was the difference....just makes such a difference having genuine impact players on the bench.

I noticed that Lawes was playing at blindside at scrum time...I guess Jones rates his tackling and maybe he's quicker than Itoje?

Twelve months ago, if they were down at 70 minutes (French game) or 75 minutes (Wales game), their heads would have gone down and that would have been that. Now, like the ABs (not saying they're as good - yet), they are alwys looking for the winning score, confident that they will find a way. It won't always work and they should do better to make sure they're not looking for that crucial score at the end of every match (no risk of that against Italy).

[dom9]

Zod said:

Twelve months ago, if they were down at 70 minutes (French game) or 75 minutes (Wales game), their heads would have gone down and that would have been that. Now, like the ABs (not saying they're as good - yet), they are alwys looking for the winning score, confident that they will find a way. It won't always work and they should do better to make sure they're not looking for that crucial score at the end of every match (no risk of that against Italy).

+1 That's how I see it now.

They seem to keep the faith and keep pushing forwards, confident they can make something happen.

They certainly seem better at closing a game than many of the other NH teams.

If they can keep this up, make sure everyone stays fit and keep the core of the team, I may well fly to Japan for the RWC...

I do think we may want to look at a transition at 15 from Brown to Daley but I've been wondering whether Ford is off the boil and Daley could slot in at 12 behind Farrell.

I am not England head coach for a reason though.

I'm also wondering whether Care has earned a start and we could really do with a first choice back row. Tipuric seemed all over them early on.

[Vocal Minority]

England could do with a dynamic, scurrying back rower. They miss Robshaw's work rate IMHO. That's not a slight against the current ones, but Robshaw's capacity for hard work is off the charts

[Derek Smith]

The Mad Monk said:

I felt the Wales/England game was played in a much better spirit than the France/Scotland game. No silliness.

This was subject of a conversation at my club on Sat.

I've noticed an improvement of late in response to high tackles. Instead of everyone leaping in and punching someone else, the players stand back. On Saturday one of our players did an HT at seven minutes to go. Everyone just stood there, our player put his hands up (as did the ref, but his held a yellow - the tackle started at chest height) and as the offender walked off the injured party made his way over to our chap and they shook hands.

No silliness. That said, our opposition, Chobham, is an 'old fashioned' club as we try to be.

[irocfan]

DocJock said:

London424 said:

I have noticed the Farell haters have disappeared now. His passing game has really developed now and he's a pretty complete player.

I also like how he didn't make a big thing out of the late hit and his interview after was quite funny.

i was one of those a couple of years ago.

As you say, he has developed his passing game very well (kind of important for a 10/12).
His kicking and tackling always was very good. He's also dropped the petulance since EJ took over.

Must be a cert for the Lions.

And another from 12 months ago - up until that point I felt he was a petulant knob, now he seems very much the complete player (I'm sure my approbrium means the world to him!), his niggle seems to have gone and he is so much the better for it

[hornetrider]

Haters? I just call it as I see it fwiw. Farrell was a prick but he isn't anymore. In fact he's very good indeed now, fair play to the bloke.

[schmalex]

For me, Elliot Daly is having a belting test tournament. He's always been very solid for Wasps, but his kicking and covering play in this tournament is second to none.

Saturdays game was an absolute belter and could have gone either way. Both teams would have been very worthy winners. Had North been on the field and got on the end of that 70th minute interception, the outcome would've been very different.

The only bit of disappointing play I've seen over two weekends was the conversion on Sunday by Russel. There's a reason why the true professionals go through the same routine no matter how easy the play and that was it...

[Cheib]

Mako Vunipola is apparently going to be fit for the Italy game (due to play this weekend) and Billy fit for Ireland according to Jones. Hakell will surely be fully match fit for the Scotland game.

Never, ever thought I'd be desperate to see Haskell back in the side!

[spikeyhead]

Cheib said:

Mako Vunipola is apparently going to be fit for the Italy game (due to play this weekend) and Billy fit for Ireland according to Jones. Hakell will surely be fully match fit for the Scotland game.

Never, ever thought I'd be desperate to see Haskell back in the side!

We've beaten both France and Wales without our first choice back row.

[Kermit power]

spikeyhead said:

Cheib said:

Mako Vunipola is apparently going to be fit for the Italy game (due to play this weekend) and Billy fit for Ireland according to Jones. Hakell will surely be fully match fit for the Scotland game.

Never, ever thought I'd be desperate to see Haskell back in the side!

We've beaten both France and Wales without our first choice back row.

And without our first choice second row!

[Joey Ramone]

Kermit power said:

The addition of Italy to the Six Nations was well meant, but has added nothing to the competition, and in many ways has detracted from it. How can it be right to persist with a system where Georgia have to much more promise than Italy?

Italy had plenty of 'promise' in three late 90s which is precisely why they were admitted to the tournament. It hasn't happened, for a variety of reasons, one of which is a corrupt domestic system. But there is no reason to believe that Georgia would prove to be the saviours of the 6N. They got thoroughly spanked by Scotland last time out. If they were promoted in favour of a relegated Italy, the situation would simply be reversed the following year. You'd just have an endless turnstile between the two of them.

It's a st situation, because it's causing real problems for the tournament as a whole.

[Kermit power]

Joey Ramone said:

Kermit power said:

The addition of Italy to the Six Nations was well meant, but has added nothing to the competition, and in many ways has detracted from it. How can it be right to persist with a system where Georgia have to much more promise than Italy?

Italy had plenty of 'promise' in three late 90s which is precisely why they were admitted to the tournament. It hasn't happened, for a variety of reasons, one of which is a corrupt domestic system. But there is no reason to believe that Georgia would prove to be the saviours of the 6N. They got thoroughly spanked by Scotland last time out. If they were promoted in favour of a relegated Italy, the situation would simply be reversed the following year. You'd just have an endless turnstile between the two of them.

It's a st situation, because it's causing real problems for the tournament as a whole.

That's true to an extent, but considering that in the same month the Scots also beat Argentina and only lost to Australia by a single point (in the last minute iirc?), it could be argued that you're doing both teams a bit of a disservice.

[anonymous-user]

Kermit power said:

Greg66 said:

Much prefer a 7N or even 8N to a relegation/promotion system.

What would you get rid of to compensate for the increase in matches though? Autumn Internationals, maybe?

Hmm. I see the problem, but other than "suck it up, babies"*, I don't have a solution.

• Obv would wish to say that out of earshot of any player and in a car with the engine running just in case they did hear me.

[London424]

Kermit power said:

spikeyhead said:

Cheib said:

Mako Vunipola is apparently going to be fit for the Italy game (due to play this weekend) and Billy fit for Ireland according to Jones. Hakell will surely be fully match fit for the Scotland game.

Never, ever thought I'd be desperate to see Haskell back in the side!

We've beaten both France and Wales without our first choice back row.

And without our first choice second row!

And one of the first choice props! 6 of the 8 are either the second string or in 1 case out of position.