RBS 6 Nations 2013

[JSRF10]

I don't know very much at all about Paddy Jackson so I was wondering what peoples expectations are on the sort of game he is going to play?

Jackson is very much an "all round" 10 albeit he is prone to goal kicking wobbles. He has a good break, can bring his backline into play, good range of passing and a decent tactical kicker. He isn't as good a defender as Sexton but holds his own and certainly won't be ran over a la ROG. If he can handle the occasion he'll be fine. Personally I would have went for Madigan but happy to see Jackson get a run.

 

[Craig Riddington]

Thanks JSRF. No doubt he will benefit from having Marshall starting beside him. It's a bit unfortunate that with Sexton out, you are left with a 36yo ROG or an uncapped player. Hopefully he wil grab his chance and no doubt, with USA and Canada coming up at the end of the season, Madigan will get some game time too.

 

[JSRF10]

Thanks JSRF. No doubt he will benefit from having Marshall starting beside him. It's a bit unfortunate that with Sexton out, you are left with a 36yo ROG or an uncapped player. Hopefully he wil grab his chance and no doubt, with USA and Canada coming up at the end of the season, Madigan will get some game time too.

Its indicitive of DKs reign, injury is usually the only way he'll bring uncapped youngsters into the fray (notable exceptions being Sexton and Murray). Healy, Ross, Ryan, SOB, Zebo and Marshall are among those who owe their selection to injury, form rarely comes into it. If Jackson was in DKs mind as the no2 back up to Sexton he should have been on the bench in the Autumn and got some gametime. The whole situation is of DKs own making.

Madigan's amount of game time will depend on who the Irish coach is, if it is still Kidney, Mad Dog won't get a look in regardless of how well he is playing. He is the kind of player that doesn't "fit" with DK, he is too off the cuff and doesn't play a structured enough game to fit into the Irish gameplan. Although given its a DK coached Irish team I use the word gameplan very loosely

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Irelands Jackson is actually a fairly similar player (marginally better though) to our Jackson.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Grant is also in form of his life, Ford would be a certain Lion if he could throw straight and as I said Cross playing for career.
Gray and Hamilton are the better 2nd row, so we should dominate in set pieces and loose in terms of front five.
But Cross could have a shocker and when Kellock comes on we struggle.
Will be very interesting, its really an Ulster vs Glasgow game - the two best sides in Pro 12.

I think Scotland could struggle in the set piece myself. Both of your hookers are prone to serious cases of the yips and Donnacha Ryan has the best stats for pinching opposition ball of anyone. With Donncha O' Callaghan starting we have more ballast in the second row at scrum time behind three very good scrummagers in Court, Best and Ross. Court strengthens the Irish scrum that has comfortably dealt with Wales and England. I think it will be advantage Scotland if the game goes very loose but the positioning inexperience of Visser and Maitland could well be exploitable especially as we have an OH starting who can kick the ball more than twenty yards, thank God ROG is not starting. If we pinch a couple of early throws from balls we have put through for position it could be a long afternoon for the Scots lineout. But if we have a mental breakdown and bottle it like we did against England we won't win a thing.

I think France can beat England as long as PSA starts Domingo and Mas to exploit the weakness of the English front row and Fofana at 12 not on the fucking wing.

It is fecking cold at the moment which will make handling trickier but at least it looks like it will be drier than the last round so hopefully we will see a welcome return to the rugby of round one!!!

 

[qwerty51]

Lawes at 6. Tuilagi at 12 with Barrett at 13. Interesting..

 

[the plastic paddy]

Lawes at 6. Tuilagi at 12 with Barrett at 13. Interesting..

And the thug Hartley to replace Youngs the larger. Allez les Bleus!!!!!!!

 

[Craig Riddington]

Lawes at 6. Tuilagi at 12 with Barrett at 13. Interesting..

Haskell has had the flu so he drops to the bench. It maybe a good call on Lancasters part to give Lawes a go as I don't think Haskell has stood-out. Wood was superb at 6 against the AB's but is covering 8 at the moment and I think they are hoping it might become a longterm option for him. Lawes is a supreme athlete who might go very well at 6 and will provide another line out option.
Tuilagi will be thirteen. It would be nice to see Twelvetrees get some time at 12.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Hartley and Lawes could keep the citing commissioner interested, hope they have cracking games as they would be excellent players for the Lions.

 

[JSRF10]

Interesting choice by Lancaster, seems to be picking as big a team as possible. I think the England France game could be a mirror or the Wales France game, two teams boshing into each other all day and kicking for position. I'd fancy France to really attack the scrum and lineout giving them the platform to win by less than 5

 

[Braveheart81]

Comeon France. You've got to keep this thing alive this weekend. Time to pull out your one good game of the tournament.

 

[daz]

Fantastic article from BBC Sports today, showing how the English coaches approach each stage of a match (before, during, after) and what their thoughts/structure looks like.

I found it really great reading and it certainly puts a human perspective on the coaching staff daily routine.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21526547

 

[Braveheart81]

If Scotland beats Ireland on Monday morning I'm going to wear my clan scarf and Scotland beanie to work on Monday... even if it is over 30 degrees.

If I owned a kilt for my clan, I'd wear that to work too.

 

[boyo]

If Scotland beats Ireland on Monday morning I'm going to wear my clan scarf and Scotland beanie to work on Monday... even if it is over 30 degrees.

If I owned a kilt for my clan, I'd wear that to work too.

Should you known as McBraveheart81?

 

[Braveheart81]

Should you known as McBraveheart81?

Yes. My username is entirely related to Scottish heritage. It has absolutely nothing to do with Mel Gibson. He only tarnishes my internet moniker these days.

 

[boyo]

Yes. My username is entirely related to Scottish heritage. It has absolutely nothing to do with Mel Gibson. He only tarnishes my internet moniker these days.

Apparently some of the movie was filmed in Ireland, and there are some historical inaccuracies.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Apparently some of the movie was filmed in Ireland, and there are some historical inaccuracies.

Some?

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Indeed. A great film but almost all doctored to fit in with Mel's religious agenda. If you get chance to visit scotland make sure to go to the Wallace monument and see the statue of Mel masquerading as a statue of William Wallace. Almost all shot in Ireland but then those filming deals are partly to blame for their economic downturn and the euro disaster

 

[Braveheart81]

Surely where a film is filmed is largely irrelevant. It's not like a Hollywood movie based on an historical event tries to stay true to the original locations of that event.

Were they meant to film the execution scene in central London outside a modern hospital where it actually happened?

Anyway, we digress. Six Nations Rugby tonight!

 

[Italophile]

Nice and wet in Rome. Forza gli Azzurri.