The Rugby Union Thread

elstoof

Farrell off to Racing then. Doesn’t seem like a great fit tbh

bertie

elstoof said:

Farrell off to Racing then. Doesn’t seem like a great fit tbh

every cloud

TJT1979

Ok, Farrell is out of the running for Eng, as expected. Who go you play as the starting fly half? Ford and both Smiths playing well. Safety in experience, or start looking to the future?

bobblehat

TJT1979 said:

Ok, Farrell is out of the running for Eng, as expected. Who go you play as the starting fly half? Ford and both Smiths playing well. Safety in experience, or start looking to the future?

Ford for me. I'm not convinced Smith is the future.IMHO the Premiership flatters him to some degree.He's not exactly inexperienced now and still doesn't look that great at international level.

scrumhalf

I'd start Smith against Italy on the basis that the theoretically weakest team in the competition should allow him to show his range of skills. 

bertie

scrumhalf said:

I'd start Smith against Italy on the basis that the theoretically weakest team in the competition should allow him to show his range of skills. 

opposition makes  a difference and who the 10's playing with inside and outside - tho now the RWC is behind us,  its time to "experiment" I think...........or at least re-evaluate some options

tbm

elstoof said:

Farrell off to Racing then. Doesn’t seem like a great fit tbh

He had the bang of a 1 club man off him, so it's somewhat surprising. It's like if POM left Munster. 

Stuart Lancaster is at Racing. Could be exactly the coach Farrell needs. Build his confidence, teach him to tackle...

I dunno, he gets an awful lot of shite, but I like Farrell.

sev112

scrumhalf said:

I'd start Smith against Italy on the basis that the theoretically weakest team in the competition should allow him to show his range of skills. 

I’d have been tempted to go the other way, use him against the “standard” teams who all play to a menu, and he Mike break them up a bit,  Use Ford against Italy to bring the others intomplay

TJT1979

Ollie Lawrence, Oscar Beard and Cowan-Dickie out of Eng training camp with injuries. 

Replaced by Ojomoh, Blamire and Muir. 

fretmeister

scrumhalf said:

I'd start Smith against Italy on the basis that the theoretically weakest team in the competition should allow him to show his range of skills. 

Which Smith?

One is playing like a 10 year international and the other is Marcus.

TJT1979

I'd like to see Fin get some game-time this tournament. 

fretmeister

TJT1979 said:

I'd like to see Fin get some game-time this tournament. 

I think he will - even if only to stop Scotland getting him.

koneguitarist

Gonna be a loose competition this year. France have a few injuries and no DuPont, Ireland without Sexton should be most consistent. England without Farrell should be better and could be dark horses. Scotland are the most intact side with least disruptions. Haven’t heard much about Italy, but possible to be 4th if they get a good run. Wales, to be honest I think we need to write the next two seasons off, scrap the cap requirements and give Gatland time to sort out World Cup squad for 2027. We could be wooden spoon challengers, but I think we are likely to be 7th in this years six nations. And I am normally optimistic! 

Rocker

It seems daft that Farrell becomes ineligible for England as he plays for a French club.  If football followed that thinking international matches might be 'interesting' spectacles.  The PL would feature more English players for a start.

elstoof

Every big union has a similar rule, one of the main reasons is ensuring players are available for Test whenever they’re needed - the RFU compensates Premiership clubs quite handsomely whenever they take their players for huge chunks of the season and there’s no similar arrangement with foreign leagues. The money in rugby is in Tests, club rugby in England barely scratches by. And England player will make more money playing 5 tests a year than the average yearly salary in the Premiership. Football is the other way around, all the money is in the leagues so there’s far less clout for any football association to make demands 

guitars4you

So the first match is France v Ireland - Is this the championship/grand slam decider, on the first night 

bertie

fretmeister said:

scrumhalf said:

I'd start Smith against Italy on the basis that the theoretically weakest team in the competition should allow him to show his range of skills. 

Which Smith?
 

Will,  

just in case it gets a bit tasty

Nitefly

guitars4you said:

So the first match is France v Ireland - Is this the championship/grand slam decider, on the first night 

...and the last one is France v England, of which the same might not be true... 

drofluf

Marcus Smith out injured for the weekend.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68145355

fretmeister

I really hope it's Fin Smith as starter.

Having Mitchell next to him will calm the nerves and they already play really well together.