2012 6 Nations

[spooony]

Scotland scored 2 tries and the Jones try was a beautifully counter attack. But that missed tackle on Malzieu was poor really. You do not expect that at this level

 

[Bardon]

Another brave Scotland loss but a loss is a loss. The effort Scotland put into the first half seemed to take it's toll as they tired in the seconds half. France not very impressive but they didn't have to be.

When it got to the final minute and Scotland had to go from their own 22 I couldn't seem them making it into the French 22 without making a mistake let alone score a try.

Can't really read much into the French performance in terms of next weeks game against Ireland in Paris. I think there will be changes in terms of personel and intensity.

 

[Dai bando]

Yep reminded me so much of the welsh team of a few years ago, another brave loss.

 

[Bardon]

It looks like Lamont broke his leg against France so he'll be out for a very long time. The guy is so unlucky with injuries feel really sorry for him.

On other injuries from yesterday Blair went off with a dead leg so he'll be fine for Scotland's next game. Laidlaw is being reported as suffering a head knock which I believe is when a player was concussed but they wont admit it officially incase he is forced to take a few weeks off and miss the next game.

Medard is out of Sunday's game against Ireland due to a knee injury and Poitrenaud has been called up to replace him in the squad.

 

[the plastic paddy]

I have a feeling we are in for a toweling next year in the lions series. A backline of Dixon/Phillips, Farrell/Priestland, North, Roberts, Tuilagi, halfpenny and Kearny looks very dangerous. And it is a given that the pack will be strong.

Do you mean Dickson????? Seriously, the england scrum half on saturday????? Agree with the rest of that backline although surely you can find someone else to play FB, Kearney was out for a fecking year after the last misadventure in SA. There are any number of Eng/ Welsh/ Scots who could play 15 surely!?! To be serious for a minute, shit for Rory Lamont, has had a brutal time with injuries; must have been tough for his brother to maintain his composure after an incident like that.

 

[Larno]

Ross Rennie has got a bright future ahead of him on last weekend's evidence. Fully deserved his official MotM gong.

 

[spooony]

England have named a 32-man squad to prepare for next week's Six Nations clash with France in Paris.

Forwards (18): Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints), Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Lee Mears (Bath ), Ben Morgan (Scarlets), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers), Rob Webber (London Wasps).


Forwards (14): Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers) Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), Joe Simpson (London Wasps), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester), David Strettle (Saracens), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_7551435,00.html

Just one thing about Saturdays game between England and Wales. It is nice to see Steve Walsh back refereeing international rugby. He is one of the good ones out there although sort of a character (one of the reasons I like him) nice to see he put the past behind him and that Australia helped him out getting back to the top.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Ross Rennie has got a bright future ahead of him on last weekend's evidence. Fully deserved his official MotM gong.

Putting pressure on Warburton for lions captaincy that everyone thinks is a certainty. Not me, whoever starts 7 is going to have plenty on his plate countering the man around whom Australia base their whole game, Pocock. Roberts should be the lions captain but not sure he will want it as it will interfere with his medical studies.

 

[Dai bando]

Putting pressure on Warburton for lions captaincy that everyone thinks is a certainty. Not me, whoever starts 7 is going to have plenty on his plate countering the man around whom Australia base their whole game, Pocock. Roberts should be the lions captain but not sure he will want it as it will interfere with his medical studies.

Roberts Nah, come on sam the man, he's a shoe in for the lions, the captaincy might not be nailed on for him but, he must be in the top 3, he captains Wales and it does'nt afffect his game, in fact an Englishman named him man of the Match saturday, he kept his cool when we had a man sent off kept the ball and run the clock down, Wales kept the ball for 8,1/2 min England took a min for the pen, I don't think him too bad under presure.

 

[spooony]

Australia you got to attack the set pieces, around the fringes, and attack Quade Cooper with a high ball. Get that right and you have a good chance in beating them

 

[dobduff11]

The Six nations hasn't really opened up as of yet especially not for England! Farrell showed promise at 10 and his composure for a 20 year old is pretty impressive!

Warburton is a bit of a freak tbh, the tackle on Tuilagi 5m from the line was ridiculous! I have a feeling the Celtic nations will occupy most of the spots on the Lions tour at this rate, its looking good though especially the back row and threequarters.

My Possible Lions 2013 team:
1. G.Jenkins
2. R. Ford
3. A. Jones / D.Cole
4. R.Gray / C.Lawes
5. P. O'Connell
6. S.Ferris
7. S.Warburton
8. T.Faletau / D.Denton

9. M.Phillips / B.Youngs (Only if Youngs gets back to form though he is terrible atm)
10. R.Priestland / J.Sexton /
11. G.North
12. J.Roberts
13. M.Tuilagi / BOD
14. T.Bowe / C.Ashton (See Youngs) / S.Hogg
15. L.Halfpenny / R.Kearney / B.Foden

 

[spooony]

The Six nations hasn't really opened up as of yet especially not for England! Farrell showed promise at 10 and his composure for a 20 year old is pretty impressive!

Warburton is a bit of a freak tbh, the tackle on Tuilagi 5m from the line was ridiculous! I have a feeling the Celtic nations will occupy most of the spots on the Lions tour at this rate, its looking good though especially the back row and threequarters.

My Possible Lions 2013 team:
1. G.Jenkins
2. R. Ford
3. A. Jones / D.Cole
4. R.Gray / C.Lawes
5. P. O'Connell
6. S.Ferris
7. S.Warburton
8. T.Faletau / D.Denton

9. M.Phillips / B.Youngs (Only if Youngs gets back to form though he is terrible atm)
10. R.Priestland / J.Sexton /
11. G.North
12. J.Roberts
13. M.Tuilagi / BOD
14. T.Bowe / C.Ashton (See Youngs) / S.Hogg
15. L.Halfpenny / R.Kearney / B.Foden

Did you notice how England exposed Priestland? They did that heavily. They made him decide quicker what to do with the ball. What happened. He turned over the ball 3 times or kicked it directly down someones throat aimlessly. Trust me international teams picked it up and watch the sharks come for him now. If he is truly world class he will react in a good manner by making better decisions in short space of time but on Saturday he was found wanting.

 

[dobduff11]

Agreed that was Priestlands worst game at 10 for Wales!

I watched him play for the Scarlets a few years ago and it seemed he just didn't have the temparent to make it even at Heineken Cup level. Then a couple of years later he had a few quality games at 15 and then hopped in to 10 for both the Scarlets and Wales. Then the RWC happened.

I'm hoping George Ford matures by 2013, really not a standout 10 for the Lions this time round...

 

[Bowside]

I liked the look of the englsih 9. Also liked the look of farrell at 10.

I think halfpenny is the best fullback but stuck him on the wing because kearney is in such good form.

 

[Bardon]

The 10 channel is already an obvious place of attack against most teams. For Priestland this is exacerbated due to the sheer size of the rest of the Welsh backline. As Spooony said it will be obvious to other teams how much joy England got from targeting him.

It's not just his responsibility the players inside and outside him are more experienced and they should be helping him. I thought England did really well against the entire Welsh backline simply by making sure the intensity and physicality was there. Priestland is a good player and I think he will adapt.

There's a lot of rugby to be played before even the Lions squad is pick let alone the test side. There always seems to be 1 or 2 bolters and I'm looking forward to the next 12 months of rugby and seeing who those are.

 

[Bowside]

I think north has one of the wing spots sown up but there could defiantly be a bolter on one of the other wings.

I dont rate phillips as much as other seem to. I just vividly remember how he played in the 3rd place playoff against us at the world cup. Sure he can turn it on at times, but he seems to give slow service for sustained periods in games. Genia is a bit the same, but this is normally game plan related, I guess it might be with phillips as well.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Roberts Nah, come on sam the man, he's a shoe in for the lions, the captaincy might not be nailed on for him but, he must be in the top 3, he captains Wales and it does'nt afffect his game, in fact an Englishman named him man of the Match saturday, he kept his cool when we had a man sent off kept the ball and run the clock down, Wales kept the ball for 8,1/2 min England took a min for the pen, I don't think him too bad under presure.

My post on Warburton wasn't clear, my point was whoever plays 7 will have enough on his plate countering Pocock without being made captain. Which is why I think they will look elsewhere. Not only is Robshaw not Pocock, but the Aussie game is based around turn over and counter and The zimbabwean is the fulcrum of the Aussie side. When does Roberts finish his studies? Reason being, he is the one player who is certain of his place at this stage and a decision will have to be made on the captain before the squad is announced.

 

[the plastic paddy]

I liked the look of the englsih 9. Also liked the look of farrell at 10.

I think halfpenny is the best fullback but stuck him on the wing because kearney is in such good form.

If he hadn't been caught drink driving Danny Care would have been starting for England and Dickson would have been back at Northampton saints struggling to get a start.

 

[spooony]

Agreed that was Priestlands worst game at 10 for Wales!

I watched him play for the Scarlets a few years ago and it seemed he just didn't have the temparent to make it even at Heineken Cup level. Then a couple of years later he had a few quality games at 15 and then hopped in to 10 for both the Scarlets and Wales. Then the RWC happened.

I'm hoping George Ford matures by 2013, really not a standout 10 for the Lions this time round...

Scotland placed a lot of pressure on the scrummie when they played Wales. England decided to stretch the blanket and try and put as much pressure on Priestland. He was the difference between the previous Welsh teams running sideways and the modern one running straight with purpose. Brad Barritt pressed so hard in midfield that they not only neutralised Jamie Roberts, who sat out the second-half with damaged knee ligaments, but they forced Priestland to often decide what to do after he received the ball. Gatland would have pulled him off if James Hook did not have chicken pox.

Just to show how Wales have matured. Last year they would have lost these games but they came back twice from 6 points down to win the game.

England conceded tries only of their own mistakes. They were not carved open yet by a fluent attack. On the other hand the two tries they score in the tournament were 2 Charlie Hodgson charge downs. Next up is France and France like to counter attack and feed of other teams mistakes.

 

[Bardon]

Lancaster is recieving praise from Brian Ashton for how he's handled the England job. I like how Ashton is pretty much warning the RFU to do to Lancaster what they did to him i.e. drop him like a hot potato as soon as a shiny big name shows interest in the job. Have a lot of respect for Ashton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17187007

Brian Ashton praises England interim coach Stuart Lancaster

Former England coach Brian Ashton has praised the positive impact of interim boss Stuart Lancaster.

Ashton, who led England between 2006 and 2008, believes Lancaster has enhanced his reputation since taking over from Martin Johnson.

"He's made a very impressive impact on the England squad," said Ashton.

"Could anyone have done a better job in these three weeks than Stuart's done? He's done almost everything everyone asked of him."

Former England Saxons coach Lancaster was handed the reins for the senior squad's Six Nations campaign by the Rugby Football Union in December, after Johnson quit as head coach in November following a miserable World Cup campaign.

The 42-year-old has made sweeping changes from the England side that made a quarter-final exit to France, handing international debuts to eight players in a much-changed squad led by new captain Chris Robshaw.

The new-look side started Lancaster's regime with their first win at Murrayfield in eight years against Scotland before a hard-fought 19-15 success in Italy .

Then, with seven players making their Twickenham bow, they earned many plaudits for a plucky display in Saturday's controversial 19-12 defeat against strong favourites Wales.

"He's been put in a very unfortunate position," said Ashton. "To have an interim coach job for five games must be incredibly difficult.

"But England have shown a lot of progress. They won two banana skin games away from home and almost beat what was a pretty rampant Wales team before Saturday.

"He's obviously decided first of all to toughen up and return to the basics of work ethic and discipline to try to build up the team spirit.

"He's sorted out the defence and set pieces and now, as he said he would do, in the third game against Wales, England showed a little bit more ambition and willingness and freedom to play with the ball in hand. So far, he's kept to his word."

Former Bath coach Ashton has also warned RFU bosses that they must pick the right man, and not necessarily the highest profile, as Johnson's permanent successor. And he has offered to help provide some insight into the fundamentals of the role.

"I hope they take the advice of some people who actually know what the job entails," said the 65-year-old. "And, if they are they haven't spoken to me about it.

"If they're just looking to appoint a big name then I think they're probably going down the wrong route.

"They need to appoint someone with a clear vision of where England need to go for the next four years.

"I would imagine Stuart Lancaster has got a clearer vision than anyone else at the moment. Translating that vision into reality is the job of the coach and so far he's not done a bad job."

Meanwhile, former England winger Mark Cueto has labelled calls for Northampton's Chris Ashton to be dropped from Lancaster's starting XV as "ridiculous".

"He is one of the best wingers in the country," Cueto told BBC Radio 5 live. "I don't think he is particularly out of form.

"He is just not getting the opportunities and he is getting frustrated.

"He has not done anything wrong, ultimately, and to pick someone out like that is just ridiculous."