6N 2018

MiketheSnow

Oh FFS

alt text

Need massive games off Biggar, S Williams and L Williams

Crucial

It will be interesting to see if Wales fall into the same trap as England and are thinking to much about what they will do with the ball rather than concentrating on getting/retaining the ball in the first place. Disrupt that and all other plans disappear.

Derm McCrum

Eddie J, has gone and done it. He finally dropped Ford. And put Brown on the bench.

Should be interesting.

Watson, May, Joseph, Te'o, Daly, Farrell, Wigglesworth, Simmonds, Haskell, Robshaw, Kruis, Itoje, Sinckler, Hartley, Mako

George, MArler, Cole, Launchbury, Armand, Care, Ford, Brown

Crucial

Also (in case they are facing the right direction)

M Vunipola,
Hartley,
Sinckler,
Itoje,
Kruis,
Robshaw,
Haskell,
Simmonds.
Wigglesworth;
Farrell,
Daly;
Te'o,
Joseph,
May,
Watson;

Replacements: George, Marler, Cole, Launchbury, Armand, Care, Ford, Brown

Catogrande

@pot-hale said in 6N 2018:

Eddie J, has gone and done it. He finally dropped Ford. And put Brown on the bench.

Should be interesting.

Watson, May, Joseph, Te'o, Daly, Farrell, Wigglesworth, Simmonds, Haskell, Robshaw, Kruis, Itoje, Sinckler, Hartley, Mako

George, MArler, Cole, Launchbury, Armand, Care, Ford, Brown

I can see an argument for all those selections save Wigglesworth starting. Launchbury hard done by but not quite hitting the heights in the last couple of games. Front row as I'd hoped. Back row now has a bit of pace to it but still lacks balance for me.

Derm McCrum

And the buachaillí to play them:

Kearney, Earls, Ringrose, Bungee, Stockdale,, Sexton, Murray, Stander, POM, Leavy, Hendo, Ryan Furlong, Best, Healy
Cronin, McGrath, Porter, Toner, Murphy,Marmion, Carbery, Larmour.

Stargazer

World Rugby have made the decision to withdraw an assistant referee from the England Ireland game at Twickenham after it was revealed this week that Marius van der Westhuizen had been at an England training session.

When RugbyPass asked Eddie Jones about van der Westhuizen involvement in training at the press conference the England head coach defended the South African’s attendance.

“What,  are you questioning his integrity?”, the Australian said.

“There is no advantage mate, we went through World Rugby, which is the proper channel, so you are asking the wrong person?

We pushed and asked Jones whether the rules should change when it comes to allowing upcoming matchday officials into camp.

“Well you are asking the wrong person mate, you should be asking World Rugby.”

And World Rugby have reacted, by dropping van der Westhuizen for Nigel Owens.

A statement from World Rugby said: “World Rugby has confirmed that Marius van der Westhuizen will be replaced by Nigel Owens as Assistant Referee 2 for the Natwest 6 Nations match between England and Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.

“The decision follows Marius’ attendance at an England training session this week. While greater dialogue and collaboration between match officials and teams (including attending team training on request) has been agreed by World Rugby and the teams, Marius should not have been involved given that he was a member of the match official team for the weekend’s match.

“World Rugby takes responsibility for this oversight and has taken the proactive decision to stand Marius down to avoid any additional unfair and unnecessary conjecture. Marius is an outstanding talent with a big international future and both he and his employer SARU fully support the decision.

“World Rugby has also clarified with teams that, in addition to the regular pre-match coach and referee meetings, senior elite teams will continue to have the opportunity to request that a member of the high-performance match official panel attends training providing that the individual is not a member of the match official team officiating that team at a later date within the current competition or test window.”

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/questioning-integrity-jones-hits-rugbypass-assistant-ref

nzzp

@stargazer a masterclass in how Aussies can use 'mate' instead of 'asshole'

“There is no advantage ~~mate~~ asshole, we went through World Rugby, which is the proper channel, so you are asking the wrong person?

Crucial

The weather isn't going to be the greatest today. Forecast is 'sleety and breezy' but it's already snowing lightly.
Loving how every English pub is geared up for the money earner of St Pats day and is adorned in the usual Irish tack.

Crucial

Cold enough now that the snow has settled. Those camouflage white shirts of England may come in handy.

MiketheSnow

Italy on fire

Italy 24 - 12 with 50 mins gone

3 tries to 2

Italy had one try disallowed and blown two excellent chances

Game on

MiketheSnow

Townsend flooded the bench.

Massive increase in tempo and urgency from Scotland.

10 minutes of defending from Italy and Scotland finally in from Maitland.

Italy 24 - 19 Scotland
63 mins gone

MiketheSnow

Italian reserves stemmed the Scottish wave.

Parity for the moment

Italy 24 - 19 Scotland
67 mins gone

MiketheSnow

Poor kicking going to be the undoing of Italy

MiketheSnow

Scotland maul Italy to death

Hogg over

Italy 24 - 26 Scotland
72 mins gone

MiketheSnow

Scotland penalised for not rolling away

Italy 27 - 26 Scotland
76 mins gone

MiketheSnow

Italy penalised for offside

Italy 27 - 29 Scotland
78 mins gone

MiketheSnow

Italy knock on and that's the game

Italy 27 - 29 Scotland

Feel for O'Shea and the Italians

Phase 1 of England finishing 5th complete

Kruse

@mikethesnow said in 6N 2018:

Phase 1 of England finishing 5th complete

And there was me thinking I'd be nice and not phrase it in those terms.

Kruse

@kruse said in 6N 2018:

@mikethesnow said in 6N 2018:

Phase 1 of England finishing 5th complete

And there was me thinking I'd be nice and not phrase it in those terms.

Phase 2 starting well...

The Silver Fern

6N 2018