The Rugby Union Thread

bertie

fretmeister said:

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.

I genuinely hope so, but I don't think Shrek's got the cujones to start with him

VimFuego

Fin smith kinda proved he can handle a team when the chips aren't going your way when he orchestrated that win over munster with 14 players. One of my reservations of Marcus S is he's great when his pack is on top, but struggles when they do. I think this is the perfect time for Fin to come to the fore, he seems to have the skills and temperament for the position.

TJT1979

VimFuego said:

Fin smith kinda proved he can handle a team when the chips aren't going your way when he orchestrated that win over munster with 14 players. One of my reservations of Marcus S is he's great when his pack is on top, but struggles when they do. I think this is the perfect time for Fin to come to the fore, he seems to have the skills and temperament for the position.

100% agree, but as we're lacking experienced options in a few positions I reckon Borthwick will start Ford. Hope to be proved wrong...

Dr_Necessiter

It looks like Marcus Smith is no longer an option due to injury. Time to make a virtue of necessity and play Fin methinks.

guitars4you

Nitefly said:

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... 

Rather Ireland win the grand slam/championship than France - But if that game ensures no glory at all for France then I’m certainly all in

fretmeister

When is Shrek announcing the England team?

fretmeister

Bugger… just seen that Mitchell might be injured! 

tbm

guitars4you said:

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

Don't think so. I really don't.  Nobody is talking about how well the English clubs are going in Europe, so you have a confidant bunch of players with Ireland at home. Yes France have a bunch of class players, but without Dupont they're not as good. simple as that. Squidge has an excellent video out this week on how either Ireland or Crowley will have to change how they play to accommodate each other.  Am excited to see Joe McCarthy at this level. Big 'narky-baby' head on him. 

Look at how Fin Smith managed that game in Limerick? He was OUTSTANDING. It speaks to an understanding of tournament rugby, and adaptability. Marcus Smith is a loss, but if Fin Smith plays England will do well I think. If England had France at home I'd be tipping them for the slam. 

And because nobody is giving them a chance, Wales will win the slam with Gatland fielding a bunch of 21 Ken's nobody has ever rated. Because that's what Gats does. Am I right @koneguitarist????

Always like the first 6N of a RWC cycle. All bets are off. 

elstoof

Fin Smith better take those 3 minutes of game time he gets at the end by the horns and lay down a real marker

fretmeister

So stupid.

By the time FS comes on, Mitchell will be off, and, to me anyway, the whole point is letting them work as a unit as they are doing so well for their club. Especially with Dingwall there as well.

sev112

I don’t think an improved Scotland will eve4 have a better chance of winning the 6N.  Ireland and F4ance both reached their mental highs at the lost WCup, England either crap or starting from scratch, Wales and Italy pretty crap .  Take your chance Scotland 

Gassage

Sat down with the great prop Adam Jones for his 6N predictions and he’s calling a couple of upsets!

https://www.planetrugby.com/news/adam-jones-six-nations-predictions-gutsy-calls-with-a-serious-threat-of-an-upset ;

Pjon

Gassage said:

Sat down with the great prop Adam Jones for his 6N predictions and he’s calling a couple of upsets!

https://www.planetrugby.com/news/adam-jones-six-nations-predictions-gutsy-calls-with-a-serious-threat-of-an-upset ;

I used to see him (and the other Ospreys) around quite a lot. I remember him staring at me as I ran along the beach one stormy night as they ran in the opposite direction, wind behind them. I'm guessing he was trying to work out if the loony fighting into the gale on the beach was one of his group or not. And my daughter always asks which of the hairy props used her as resistance training in the pool at the Village hotel when she was tiny. It was Duncan Jones and he was literally using her for resistance training, pushing her up and down the pool with my wife's agreement and to my daughter's amusement.  

koneguitarist

@tbm well we do seem to have a knack of boom or bust. Kicked out of RWC2007 by Fiji, Grand Slam 2008.
2011RWC, 2012 Grand Slam. 

2019 Grand Slam before RWC and 2020 nowhere. 

I think in the highly unlikely chance of Wales beating Scotland this time, then all bets are off as momentum helps a lot. 

ewal

sev112 said:

I don’t think an improved Scotland will eve4 have a better chance of winning the 6N.  Ireland and F4ance both reached their mental highs at the lost WCup, England either crap or starting from scratch, Wales and Italy pretty crap .  Take your chance Scotland 

Having England and France at home would historically be good for Scotland. However Wales and Ireland away are not happy hunting grounds.

Also Kinghorn, Graham and Darge being out injured will have an impact.

Squad balance is still an issue - real depth in the back row and backs. Sketchier in other positions.

Pjon

ewal said:

sev112 said:

I don’t think an improved Scotland will eve4 have a better chance of winning the 6N.  Ireland and F4ance both reached their mental highs at the lost WCup, England either crap or starting from scratch, Wales and Italy pretty crap .  Take your chance Scotland 

Having England and France at home would historically be good for Scotland. However Wales and Ireland away are not happy hunting grounds.

Also Kinghorn, Graham and Darge being out injured will have an impact.

Squad balance is still an issue - real depth in the back row and backs. Sketchier in other positions.

Or you could look at it this way...

First match, they travel to play Wales, who are massively depleted. Don't kid yourself about home advantage, Scotland will be playing against at least one player who was semi-pro just weeks ago, and others who are barely regional class never mind international. They put a record score on Wales last year, and that's what we in Wales are fearing again this year.

Second, you've got a difficult game against France, but have home advantage. France's performance may depend on tonight...

Next, a home game against an English side that Scotland have beaten consistently in the last few years, home and away.

Then a trip to Italy. If you can't beat Italy anywhere you don't deserve to win the 6 Nations.

And then Ireland, out there. If you turn up there with a chance of winning the 6N, it's only one game away. Obviously, injuries, bonus points, etc may change the situation.

But the fixtures are with Scotland, they have some fantastic players and a relatively settled team. If they don't win it this year, then when?

Having said all of that the bookies put it at France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy so they don't agree with me. Roughly 12/1 for Scotland to win the championship overall, 25/1 with a Grand Slam. However, I'm not sure why the bookies have England winning so many games....

crunchman

Pjon said:

...... However, I'm not sure why the bookies have England winning so many games....

We finished 3rd in the World Cup?  And have improved the squad by not having any Vunipolas in it.

ewal

If we have two wins on the board after the first two games, then might start to think more positively. Just don't know where the team is form wise post world cup.

I think England will have a good competition and are due a win against us.

fretmeister

crunchman said:

Pjon said:

...... However, I'm not sure why the bookies have England winning so many games....

We finished 3rd in the World Cup?  And have improved the squad by not having any Vunipolas in it.

And Manu has done the decent thing by getting injured before we start rather than 15 mins after we start.

bertie

allez le bleus