Rugby 2016 6N

[irocfan]

TheGreatSoprendo said:

In other news, Will Greenwood's Lions selection is more sensible than most. He was bloody annoying as a player, mainly for his uncanny knack of scoring against Wales, but I like him a lot as a pundit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2016/03/22/...

interesting choices - I have to say that on current (and indeed recent) form I'd not be letting Ford anywhere near the plane

[London424]

TheGreatSoprendo said:

Welshbeef said:

I'll be there - unsettled business in expecting a huge performance by Wales plus they need to be ready for NZ x3 following it.

Really? It's a completely pointless dead rubber of a fixture, so anything could happen and probably will.

In other news, Will Greenwood's Lions selection is more sensible than most. He was bloody annoying as a player, mainly for his uncanny knack of scoring against Wales, but I like him a lot as a pundit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2016/03/22/...

It will be a pretty pointless game from an England perspective I think. It's the day after the premiership final, so in all probability you'll have all the Saracens players missing.

[a311]

I thought Farrell played well at 12, and agree Ford needs to sort his form out. I can see Farrell going back to 10 or potentially featuring at 12 as his place kicking is invaluable. I can also see him staying at 12 as there are many proven candidates it seems.

Slade, back from injury what his best position?

Tuilagi, he's a 13 or occasional winger. Seem Jones wants to turn him into a 12.

England will have a very interesting B team for the mid week games down under.

[0000]

Slade's most often at 10, but I think Lancaster had him out at 12 or 13.

[Smollet]

Welshbeef said:

You get your first slam in 13 years (Wales had 3 in that time frame plus a championship on top of that to boot) and your thinking England should be part of the Tri nations and leave the rest behind...

Did I read that wrong?

Ok I'll join in this bit of fun. Can you tell me how many times Wales have been World Champions?
Even the most myopic of Wales fans would trade in those 3 Grand Slams(and a championship. I think England had one of those in the past 13 years)for a world title.

[Trophy Husband]

Smollet said:

;)

Welshbeef said:

You get your first slam in 13 years (Wales had 3 in that time frame plus a championship on top of that to boot) and your thinking England should be part of the Tri nations and leave the rest behind...

Did I read that wrong?

Ok I'll join in this bit of fun. Can you tell me how many times Wales have been World Champions?
Even the most myopic of Wales fans would trade in those 3 Grand Slams(and a championship. I think England had one of those in the past 13 years)for a world title.

I must be myopic then! As a Welshman I would not trade ongoing success in the 6 nations for a long ago World title. Nor would I exchange beating a myopic England out of the recent world cup at Twickenham for one either.

[Trophy Husband]

Here's a question. Would your Kiwi captain even get in the All Blacks team? I'd hazard a guess at no chance. Yet the talk is of beating them. I'll eat my shoes if that happens.

Back to Hartley, hateful rat that he is. Banned for 55 weeks in total during his 'career'. Great ambassador for the sport I'd say.

Mark my words, he will be banned again.

[Madness60]

Wales are in an interesting position at the moment. There is no doubt that success over the last decade has put them at the top of the NH but the current style and players will never win the World Cup as they very rarely beat the SH teams. The management need to make a decision on whether to accept the status quo and be a successful NH team or try and change to enable them to take on and beat the SH teams and give themselves a chance at the next world cup.

[Joey Ramone]

0000 said:

Slade's most often at 10, but I think Lancaster had him out at 12 or 13.

Lanacster first selected him at 15 for a non cap game against the Ba Baa's. In the world cup warm up games and against Uraguay he played at 13. For Exeter, he switches between 10 and 13 although with the excellent Campagnaro there now at 13, it may be slightly different, which could work to England's advantage because personally (and I've long banged on about this) I think he's the key at 12 for England. The skills of a 10 with the physicality (although he doesn't look it) of a centre. A potentially brilliant 2nd five eighth and someone who can unlock England's attacking potential. With him there, the wings and full back WILL get the ball, and he's got a hell of a kicking game as well.

[TheGreatSoprendo]

I don't think we'll see much change until Gatland leaves. He seems to be firmly in low risk mode at the moment, presumably trying to tee up the Lions job followed by a plum job back in NZ (All Blacks?) when his contract with Wales finishes.

Don't forget that whoever gets the Lions gig will have to take a year off from their day job for it, so if Gats gets it, personally I'd sack him off at that point to get a new permanent coach in and give them a reasonable period of time to build towards the next WC.

[a311]

We could do a lot worse than get Clive Woodward as Lions coach for the NZ tour.

He did well last time right?

I've always liked wee Geech.

[dai1983]

Trophy Husband said:

I must be myopic then! As a Welshman I would not trade ongoing success in the 6 nations for a long ago World title. Nor would I exchange beating a myopic England out of the recent world cup at Twickenham for one either.

I'm with you on this. The 6n has the long history between neighbouring countries and happens every year which somehow makes it more important to me. The WC doesn't have the history and happens only every four years.

Still it would be good to compete with the rest. The best recent chance Wales had was in 2011 but "that" tackle happened against France.

[Kermit power]

Trophy Husband said:

Here's a question. Would your Kiwi captain even get in the All Blacks team? I'd hazard a guess at no chance. Yet the talk is of beating them. I'll eat my shoes if that happens.

Back to Hartley, hateful rat that he is. Banned for 55 weeks in total during his 'career'. Great ambassador for the sport I'd say.

Mark my words, he will be banned again.

Be honest.... Did you double-check to make sure that Hartley didn't play back in 2012?

[Joey Ramone]

Trophy Husband said:

Here's a question. Would your Kiwi captain even get in the All Blacks team? I'd hazard a guess at no chance. Yet the talk is of beating them. I'll eat my shoes if that happens.

Did you see the England lineout in the France game? Perfection. That's why Hartley's in the team - the set piece. Not larking about on the wing like Dane Coles.

[Yiliterate]

Trophy Husband said:

I must be myopic then! As a Welshman I would not trade ongoing success in the 6 nations for a long ago World title. Nor would I exchange beating a myopic England out of the recent world cup at Twickenham for one either.

Sorry, am I reading that correctly...? Are you genuinely saying that beating an unremarkable England side at last year's World Cup means more to you than would have a Wales tournament win in 2003??? Seriously?!?! Well, if so, here's to you mate - may you enjoy that moment as much as I did England's WC win 'long ago'

[Kermit power]

Yiliterate said:

Trophy Husband said:

I must be myopic then! As a Welshman I would not trade ongoing success in the 6 nations for a long ago World title. Nor would I exchange beating a myopic England out of the recent world cup at Twickenham for one either.

Sorry, am I reading that correctly...? Are you genuinely saying that beating an unremarkable England side at last year's World Cup means more to you than would have a Wales tournament win in 2003??? Seriously?!?! Well, if so, here's to you mate - may you enjoy that moment as much as I did England's WC win 'long ago'

It does seem rather bizarre, doesn't it! If the Welsh players thought like that, I suppose it would go a long way to explaining why they always flatter to deceive against SH opposition because it's not England?

[Cheib]

Love this from Eddie Jones

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36056761

Also anyone else listen to the Lancaster interview on Radio 5 ? Worth a listen, you can catch it on a podcast.

[irocfan]

Cheib said:

Love this from Eddie Jones

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36056761

Also anyone else listen to the Lancaster interview on Radio 5 ? Worth a listen, you can catch it on a podcast.

However, Jones says there is one England squad player who may miss the tour of Australia or the Saxons trip to South Africa in order to chase the Olympics dream.

"I have spoken to one player," Jones said. "He was very enthusiastic. It's a back, but we won't go any further than that.


any guesses as to who this could be? Seeing as they're talking Saxons too and it's a back are we looking at Cips or Wade?

[anonymous-user]

Cheib said:

Love this from Eddie Jones

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36056761

Also anyone else listen to the Lancaster interview on Radio 5 ? Worth a listen, you can catch it on a podcast.

Any guesses on who the backsliders are?

[dom9]

irocfan said:

However, Jones says there is one England squad player who may miss the tour of Australia or the Saxons trip to South Africa in order to chase the Olympics dream.

"I have spoken to one player," Jones said. "He was very enthusiastic. It's a back, but we won't go any further than that.


any guesses as to who this could be? Seeing as they're talking Saxons too and it's a back are we looking at Cips or Wade?

Cips, I guess? Is Eastmond in the squad?