Pre-RWC test matches
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Former Hurricanes and current Scarlets No 8 Blade Thomson will make his Test debut for Scotland on Saturday against France at Murrayfield, in one of 14 changes from last week’s defeat to Les Bleus in Nice.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Pete Horne, 11 Sean Maitland; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw; 1 Gordon Reid, 2 George Turner, 3 Willem Nel; 4 Scott Cummings, 5 Sam Skinner; 6 Ryan Wilson, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Blade ThomsonReplacements: 16 Grant Stewart, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 John Barclay, 21 George Horne, 22 Rory Hutchinson, 23 Blair Kinghorn
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Immediate law change in response to North's try against England
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Immediate law change in response to North's try against England
@MiketheSnow said in Pre-RWC test matches:
Immediate law change in response to North's try against England
Sensible change. Glad this was highlighted and amended before the RWC.
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Immediate law change in response to North's try against England
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@MiketheSnow It was obvious that attacking when the other side had a yellow card and a concussion replacement was not in the spirit of the game. The ref should have used his only intelligence and whistled up.
@sparky said in Pre-RWC test matches:
@MiketheSnow It was obvious that attacking when the other side had a yellow card and a concussion replacement was not in the spirit of the game. The ref should have used his only intelligence and whistled up.
The ref hadn't stopped play for the concussion replacement - his mistake - so the Welsh transgression was to to start play before Watson had left the field.
Which has been rectified by this new ruling.
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Eddie bringing the big guns out for the Ireland game. Interesting midfield combination which might just work and he's gone from picking two specialist back rows in the squad to five including two opensides (0 last time) and picking Billy Vunipola yet again when most commentators would have him wrapped in cotton wool.
England: Daly; Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; Marler, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Cole, Lawes, Wilson, Heinz, Francis, Joseph.
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Eddie bringing the big guns out for the Ireland game. Interesting midfield combination which might just work and he's gone from picking two specialist back rows in the squad to five including two opensides (0 last time) and picking Billy Vunipola yet again when most commentators would have him wrapped in cotton wool.
England: Daly; Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; Marler, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Cole, Lawes, Wilson, Heinz, Francis, Joseph.
@Catogrande said in Pre-RWC test matches:
Eddie bringing the big guns out for the Ireland game. Interesting midfield combination which might just work and he's gone from picking two specialist back rows in the squad to five including two opensides (0 last time) and picking Billy Vunipola yet again when most commentators would have him wrapped in cotton wool.
England: Daly; Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; Marler, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Cole, Lawes, Wilson, Heinz, Francis, Joseph.
With the exception of Watson that's pretty the match-day 23 right there, right?
Lose this one and palms will begin to sweat.
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Manu Samoa have named a pre-RWC squad for the upcoming games against Heartland XV and Australia. This squad includes Crusaders prop Michael Alaalatoa for the first time, and Tim Nanai-Williams.
Alalatoa headlines Manu Samoa pre-World Cup squad
The Manu Samoa have unveiled a pre-World Cup campaign squad that includes six new players. The team will play two warm-up matches before heading to the Rugby World Cup. The headline recruits are prop, Michael Alaalatoa, and halfback Scott Malolua, who have linked up with the squad in Auckland, New Zealand ahead of potential international debuts. Alaalatoa, 27, is the son of former Manu prop Vili, and grew up in Sydney. He has played Super Rugby for the Crusaders since 2016. (He could face off against his brother, Allan, when Manu Samoa play the Wallabies on September 7th.) Samoan-born Malolua, 26,. made his Super Rugby debut for the Queensland Reds in May and ended the season as their starting halfback. Also with the team now are lock and loose forward Josh Tyrell, first five Tusi Pisi, wing Ed Fidow and utility back Tim Nanai-Williams, who all missed the Pacific Nations Cup campaign. With halfback Melani Matavao’s return to the side from injury, management have dropped six players from the Pacific Nations Cup squad. They are outside backs Jamie-Jerry Taulagi and Johnny Vaili, halfbacks Auvasa Faleali’i and Pelefofoga Cowley, hooker Elia Elia and prop Alofaaga Sao. The Manu Samoa will play the New Zealand Heartland XV in Auckland on August 31st then the Wallabies in Sydney, Australia on September 7th before leaving for the World Cup in Japan on the 10th.Manu Samoa squad of 34 in camp in Auckland:
Hookers: Seilala Lam, Motu Matu’u, Ray Niuia
Props: Michael Alaalatoa, Paul Alo-Emile, James Lay, Jordan Lay, Logovi’i Mulipola
Locks: Kane Le’aupepe, Teofilo Paulo, Senio Toleafoa, Josh Tyrell
Loose forwards: Afa Aiono, Afaesetiti Amosa, Piula Fa’asalele, TJ Ioane, Jack Lam, Tofatuimoana Solia, Henry Stowers, Chris Vui
Halfbacks: Scott Malolua, Melani Matavao, Dwayne Polataivao
First fives: AJ Alatimu, Tusi Pisi, Ulupano Seuteni
Midfielders: Kieron Fonotia, Rey Lee-Lo, Alapati Leiua, Henry Taefu
Outside backs: Ed Fidow, Tim Nanai-Williams, Ahsee Tuala, Belgium Tuatagaloa -
@Catogrande said in Pre-RWC test matches:
Eddie bringing the big guns out for the Ireland game. Interesting midfield combination which might just work and he's gone from picking two specialist back rows in the squad to five including two opensides (0 last time) and picking Billy Vunipola yet again when most commentators would have him wrapped in cotton wool.
England: Daly; Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; Marler, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Cole, Lawes, Wilson, Heinz, Francis, Joseph.
With the exception of Watson that's pretty the match-day 23 right there, right?
Lose this one and palms will begin to sweat.
@MiketheSnow Can't be far away, a little tinkering perhaps. Sweaty palms are all part and parcel of being an England fan.
In any sport.
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The French 14 is a very decent winger. I rate this French side to get out of their group st the expense of Argentina.
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I reckon the winner of our pool will face Japan in the quarters.
Scotland are just crap.
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I reckon the winner of our pool will face Japan in the quarters.
Scotland are just crap.
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@Billy-Tell Samoa might fancy their chances getting out of Group A too.
@sparky said in Pre-RWC test matches:
@Billy-Tell Samoa might fancy their chances getting out of Group A too.
Nah don’t think so. They should aim for 3rd.
