6N Tournament 2018 (non-Irish TT)

razorblunt · 23-01-2018 12:25pm

Picked up tickets* for Scotland - France in today's re-sale of returns.
I look forward to complaining straight away about the boos and the noise and the reason that they're being prevented from being the best team in the world.

*If Laidlaw plays I'm not going.

Dog Botherer · 23-01-2018 3:14pm

prawnsambo wrote: »

Apparently Henry Slade has pulled out of the England training camp with a shoulder injury. Gone back to Exeter for treatment.

Another loss, Slade has been in great form, would have been pushing Joseph hard for that 13 spot.

Stheno · 23-01-2018 5:16pm

Biggar out of the Wales squad for the first three matches with a shoulder injury

Clegg · 23-01-2018 6:24pm

Kyle Sinckler has pulled out of England's training camp with a hamstring injury.

Injuries are piling up now for most sides.

accensi0n · 23-01-2018 6:26pm

It's in the bag lads.

23-01-2018 7:37pm

We're gonna win the world cup

prawnsambo · 24-01-2018 3:21pm

According to the BBC, Robshaw and Brown are borderline as to whether they'll make the opening 6N game against Italy.

MJohnston · 25-01-2018 11:20am

Ah, the annual Eddie Jones Variety ****show Spectacular rolls around:

http://www.the42.ie/jones-schmidt-ireland-donald-trump-3814946-Jan2018/

Kudos to him for making the English hateable again, they were in danger of turning things around there a couple of years ago.

Bazzo · 25-01-2018 11:26am

MJohnston wrote: »

Ah, the annual Eddie Jones Variety ****show Spectacular rolls around:

http://www.the42.ie/jones-schmidt-ireland-donald-trump-3814946-Jan2018/

Kudos to him for making the English hateable again, they were in danger of turning things around there a couple of years ago.

Conor O'Shea has a great response to this particular flavour of BS from Eddie:

https://twitter.com/WorldRugby/status/956251869705158656?ref_src=twcamp%5Ecopy%7Ctwsrc%5Eandroid%7Ctwgr%5Ecopy%7Ctwcon%5E7090%7Ctwterm%5E1

25-01-2018 11:54am

That's absolutely savage. Brilliant form from Conor.

MJohnston · 25-01-2018 12:01pm

O'Shea for Ireland in 2020 on that reply alone.

25-01-2018 12:04pm

MJohnston wrote: »

O'Shea for Ireland in 2020 on that reply alone.

Don't actually rate him as a coach as highly as others. He'd be ideal for Ulster in a Director of Rugby role or in a development role with the IRFU but doubt he'd be interested in either.

prawnsambo · 25-01-2018 12:20pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Don't actually rate him as a coach as highly as others. He'd be ideal for Ulster in a Director of Rugby role or in a development role with the IRFU but doubt he'd be interested in either.

His forte is development work really. That's what he did with the RFU and where his reputation grew from. He seems to be doing the same for Italy and that's exactly what they need. Too many coaches have tried the short fix method and it got a few results, but made no difference to the long term outlook.

If he's given the time, it could well be the turnaround that Italian rugby has been crying out for.

Buer · 25-01-2018 3:12pm

That's an exceptionally sharp riposte from COS.

Dermo · 25-01-2018 5:22pm

Looks like no Rhys Webb for the 6 Nations either. Wales are going to have an unrecognisable half back line.

Buer · 25-01-2018 5:26pm

Not nearly as big a blow as it would have been a year ago although it's certainly a loss. Gareth Davies is well able to step in.

It's a blow to the Scarlets though as Aled Davies will now bench for them meaning they're down to their 3rd and 4th choice scrum halves for the 6N period.

Squatter · 25-01-2018 8:41pm

Dermo wrote: »

Looks like no Rhys Webb for the 6 Nations either. Wales are going to have an unrecognisable half back line.

Now confirmed.

"Wales have suffered another injury blow ahead of the Six Nations after Rhys Webb was ruled out of the tournament with a knee problem.

The scrum-half, who has 31 caps, was released from the squad on Thursday and the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed he will undergo further assessments “to establish the best course of action.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/wales-injury-list-mounts-as-rhys-webb-ruled-out-of-six-nations-1.3368703

wp_rathead · 26-01-2018 1:52am

Scotland really have now excuses facing a Welsh side without Warburton, Faletau, Liam Williams, J Davies, Biggar and Webb
Haven't won away against a "Home Nation" since 2010

Burkie1203 · 26-01-2018 8:16am

wp_rathead wrote: »

Scotland really have now excuses facing a Welsh side without Warburton, Faletau, Liam Williams, J Davies, Biggar and Webb
Haven't won away against a "Home Nation" since 2010

Scotland have plenty of injuries themselves. Especially front row.

prawnsambo · 26-01-2018 9:49am

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Scotland have plenty of injuries themselves. Especially front row.

Yeah, they're down three hookers, three looseheads and two tightheads. Scott Lawson has been called in as hooker. He's 36. Six of their front rowers have less than five caps each. It'll be interesting to see how Townsend sets up to cover that weakness. We could be looking at a revival of the famous Leinster reversing scrum of the late 2000s.

DGRulz · 26-01-2018 10:17am

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2018/0126/936119-out-foxed-jones-turns-cold-war-for-six-nations/

Or to put it another way, "England coaches do their jobs and analyse opposition"

prawnsambo · 26-01-2018 10:21am

DGRulz wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2018/0126/936119-out-foxed-jones-turns-cold-war-for-six-nations/

Or to put it another way, "England coaches do their jobs and analyse opposition"

I think their analysing themselves from an opposition point of view, no?

DGRulz · 26-01-2018 11:04am

prawnsambo wrote: »

I think their analysing themselves from an opposition point of view, no?

Shouldn't they have always been doing this? It doesn't take cold war military tactics to see if your professional players know the rules to the game they get paid to do for a living.

prawnsambo · 26-01-2018 11:11am

DGRulz wrote: »

Shouldn't they have always been doing this? It doesn't take cold war military tactics to see if your professional players know the rules to the game they get paid to do for a living.

I don't think they're looking at rules only. Any weaknesses are being looked at. But yeah, you'd think they'd be already doing that. That's what post-game analysis is for and you'd expect that to be happening during training as well.

I much prefer the idea of Lancaster and Cullen's 'chaos' approach. Throw curveballs into training sessions and see how the players deal with them.

wp_rathead · 26-01-2018 11:14am

prawnsambo wrote: »

Yeah, they're down three hookers, three looseheads and two tightheads. Scott Lawson has been called in as hooker. He's 36. Six of their front rowers have less than five caps each. It'll be interesting to see how Townsend sets up to cover that weakness. We could be looking at a revival of the famous Leinster reversing scrum of the late 2000s.

Dan MacFarlane has his work cut out so

stephen_n · 26-01-2018 11:31am

DGRulz wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2018/0126/936119-out-foxed-jones-turns-cold-war-for-six-nations/

Or to put it another way, "England coaches do their jobs and analyse opposition"

“The scenario that panned out against Italy last year, we had spoken about. We had practised, but not to the extend they ended up doing it.”

Well if that’s the case, how come your Captain had no idea about the law and it’s implementation. If they practicesed for it in training and Hartley was that clueless, he must really not be the sharpest tool in the shed.

prawnsambo · 26-01-2018 12:03pm

stephen_n wrote: »

Well if that’s the case, how come your Captain had no idea about the law and it’s implementation. If they practicesed for it in training and Hartley was that clueless, he must really not be the sharpest tool in the shed.

Hadn't Wasps used that tactic in their last game before the 6N? Certainly one of the Premiership teams had, if it wasn't Wasps, so those players whould have been clued in as well. Never mind having covered it in training.

And "not to the extent"? What does that actually mean? Italy used it a lot, is that what they mean by extent? Because there isn't really a watered down version of that tactic. You either contest rucks or you don't, there's no half-way scenario. The ref calls ruck and that's the end of it, the ref calls tackle only and you're able to go 'offside'. Did they actually plan to just play on if it happened? And nobody thought to just carry it up the middle which is the obvious response and the one they used in the second half eventually.

I'm calling bullsh1t on that one.

penybont exile · 27-01-2018 7:04pm

Strange weekend ... this one .... the calm before the storm.

Looking forward to next weekend ....... I can honestly say that I do not know what to expect from Wales this year. Reflecting on the same ... one of my mates said .... think Leeds United and not Man City ..... Leeds had just been dumped out of the FA Cup the day before.

A few weeks later ..... I feel a bit more optimistic. It's quite excitjng to be fielding a very different looking team this year. I'll be in the ground and hopefully they'll do us proud. The atmosphere next week is going to be electric with everyone having written us off ...... I just have a sneaky feeling that the trap has been laid for Scotland next Saturday. Beyond that ... who knows.

Just read the Independents journalistic assessment ..... @12 scribes with hardly anyone deviating from a Paddies day showdown .... Scotland, France and even Italy given a mention as potential spanner bearers .... no mention of us. Short memories rule in Irish (& English) punditry ..... long may it continue.

Neil3030 · 27-01-2018 7:18pm

penybont exile wrote: »

Strange weekend ... this one .... the calm before the storm.

Looking forward to next weekend ....... I can honestly say that I do not know what to expect from Wales this year. Reflecting on the same ... one of my mates said .... think Leeds United and not Man City ..... Leeds had just been dumped out of the FA Cup the day before.

A few weeks later ..... I feel a bit more optimistic. It's quite excitjng to be fielding a very different looking team this year. I'll be in the ground and hopefully they'll do us proud. The atmosphere next week is going to be electric with everyone having written us off ...... I just have a sneaky feeling that the trap has been laid for Scotland next Saturday. Beyond that ... who knows.

Just read the Independents journalistic assessment ..... @12 scribes with hardly anyone deviating from a Paddies day showdown .... Scotland, France and even Italy given a mention as potential spanner bearers .... no mention of us. Short memories rule in Irish (& English) punditry ..... long may it continue.

Missing Biggar, Webb, J Davies, Falateu, Lydiate, Jake Ball, Priestland, L Williams and Warburton, I just can't see how Wales can stay in the mix. It's an absolute horror show of injuries.

27-01-2018 7:24pm

Eddie Jones has been remarkably sore about the Italy game since his post match comments right after that game. For someone who loves to stir the pot and dish it out he doesn't seem to have been able to move beyond that criticism at all.

Definitely don't think England were as good last year as they were in Jones's first year either. Looking at how Lancaster has Leinster humming I wonder how much of that first year in charge was a hangover from the work Lancaster had put in?

With the massive extension Jones just got, it would be a little brilliant if they had a terrible six nations.

6N Tournament 2018 (non-Irish TT)

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