2014 Six Nations: Scotland vs England (Round 2)

[Big Ewis]

Scotland vs England




Date: Saturday February 8th - 17:00 GMT (UTC+0)
Location: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
Referee: Jérome Garcès (France)
​

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

really hope we win this one last time england played at murrayfield we should have one but dan parks has to kick the ball to Hodgson. and time before that it was a draw and i've seen what france has done to england i hope scotland can do the same

 

[Big Ewis]

Read this Scotty:
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9147942,00.html


Main criticism:
- problems at the lineouts.
- scrum suffered undoubtedly.
- chances there but either "ignored or squandered".
- good defense initially, but big let down later, Irish tries too easy.
- not competitive enough at breakdown, more mistakes as it went.


Scotland will need to be a whole lot more competitive at the breakdown, look more "interested" or intense on defense and work on those gaps. They'll want to watch tape of that Ireland match nice and patiently to see how they've allowed some lazy spaces.
Quality backs are there though, and they'll need to cease the opportunities when they come and show more confidence and determination once they're close to the line. They can't just hang around there in the opposition 22 as they have against Ireland, they need to be incisive and raise the rate at that point.
And head coach Johnson wants a more expansive game, and it's shown a bit in moments recently.

The scrum though will be a problem, but the thing they can finetune is the lineouts. And they must be ready for another huge battle at the breakdown, possibly more fierce than in Aviva. But they'll be at home, and have played a match already. Now they've got something to work with and can sort issues out and know what to expect from themselves and from England, in Murrayfield.

Good luck against the old enemy ! No offense to English posters on here, but I'd really like to see Scotland beat England. Would mean a lot to that team and the fans, and Scotland has lost some matches by more than they should and I'd like to see them rewarded. But don't you beat France though, you filthy haggis shaggers !!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i agree with everything you said Big Ewis but with the defence if you watched the matched i noticed that all the irish trys were scored from us either losing a lineout or a scrum that is areas we definitely need to work on. with sean maitland out that does not help us at all. if we have any chances to beat the english on saturday i say we definitely just need to defence harder and take alot off kickable penalties and not to play ross ford he just poor today and i think putting pat macarthur on will help if i would see a scotland win on saturday scotland squad should look like

1.) Ryan Grant
2.) Pat MacArthur
3.) Moray Low
4.) Ritchie Gray
5.) Tim Swinson
6.) Johnnie Beattie
7.) Kelly Brown
8.) David Denton
9.) Greig Laidlaw
10.) Duncan Weir
11.) Sean Lamont
12.) Matt Scott
13.) Alex Dunbar
14.) Tommy Seymour
15.) Stuart Hogg

16.) Scott Lawson
17.) Al Dickinson
18.) Geoff Cross
19.) Jim Hamilton
20.) Chris Fusaro
21.) Chris Cusiter
22.) Rory Jackson
23.) Max Evans

from todays game i think denton should definitely be our no.8 he is a good and strong ball carrier and the same with Beattie who i thought played a better game than Ryan Wilson i thought his jumping and catching at the line-outs were poor i would like to see Chris Fusaro getting a turn. i mention playing a defensive game against england and Alex Dumbar's defence to day was top notch he should play in that game. Duncan Taylor didn't play badly but could have played alot better than he did today. i think since maitland is out Tommy seymour is most likely to be our winger for the england match even though i wouldn't mind seeing Dougie Fife on the wing. i say play like how we played against ireland in the first half. but as what Jonathan Davies said we need to have a better understanding off the break down as we passed to the wrong players when there was an overlap.

if we do all that i wouldn't be surprised with a scotland win on the day

 

[Crapspray]

Would mean a lot to that team and the fans, and Scotland has lost some matches by more than they should and I'd like to see them rewarded.

For what? Unflattering defeats? It's hardly an accolade. Nor are they necessarily unflattering.

If they get their hackles up (no pun intended) I still can't see them getting any change out of England's forwards. Even if it tanks down I don't think it'll help them; their best players are in the back three.

From an England point of view:

- Drop Goode (Watson)
- Pray May is fit (sacrifice Ashton to mighty Satan if needs be)
- Ford on the bench instead of Barritt
- 80 minutes for Care
- Put Cole in cotton-wool for another week.
- Oh, and switch on for the first 20 minutes.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

is Anthony Watson a good player ? jw cause i never seen him play

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

really hope we win this one last time england played at murrayfield we should have one but dan parks has to kick the ball to Hodgson. and time before that it was a draw and i've seen what france has done to england i hope scotland can do the same

Sorry but the only times Scotland have looked deserving of winning has been due to England playing really poorly, not Scotland playing well. Scotland are a team whos main tactic is to drag other teams down to their level and then try to beat them with experience at slow, boring, mediocre rugby. It often fails but rain helps it. Rarely can you say that Scotland won because they upped their game, Scotland win because other teams played poorly. Not meaning to be rude but games against Scotland are decided entirely by the performance of the non-Scotland team. If good, Scotland lose, if bad, Scotland stand a chance. I can't think of any occassion where Scotland have beaten a 6N team whilst they have been on form.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

is Anthony Watson a good player ? jw cause i never seen him play

Yes, very.

 

[nickdnz]

Sorry but the only times Scotland have looked deserving of winning has been due to England playing really poorly, not Scotland playing well. Scotland are a team whos main tactic is to drag other teams down to their level and then try to beat them with experience at slow, boring, mediocre rugby. It often fails but rain helps it. Rarely can you say that Scotland won because they upped their game, Scotland win because other teams played poorly. Not meaning to be rude but games against Scotland are decided entirely by the performance of the non-Scotland team. If good, Scotland lose, if bad, Scotland stand a chance. I can't think of any occassion where Scotland have beaten a 6N team whilst they have been on form.

Scotland last 6 Nations scored some cracking tries and played probably more running rugby than most 6 Nations teams - it didn't always work for them but you on;y have to watch their match against Italy or England too see that they hardly just played slog-it-out rugby. This post is ironic as it's very much what England are so often accused of.

 

[Crapspray]

I'd have to agree. Both on the irony and Scotland's ambition.

They've tried to be more creative in attack for the last few years; it's their execution that's let them down. It was shown yesterday against Ireland. As I said earlier, their best players are in the back three so it wouldn't make sense to stuff it up the jumper. England also missed a heck of a lot of tackles (one in five), so there's even more reason to play attacking rugby.

I think it'll be England that will look to strangle the Scots (lots of rolling mauls, as Ireland used it to great effect), then when they start to tire then bring the backs into it. I think that England's forwards have such an advantage, and Scotland don't have the clinical attack like the All Blacks had this autumn, that they won't be able to break free and score enough points.

I'd also (in addition to what I listed before) like to see Kvesic and Eastmond given some time. If we're going to throw in wingers we might as well give them the experience. Plenty of cover in the back row and backs to deal with injuries. It'd be nice to see how Kvesic does in an England shirt- Morgan seems to have shaken off the Gloucester disease. Maybe start Attwood to give Lawes or Launchbury a rest.

 

[Big Ewis]

I'm guessing Luther Burrell is a lock at center for the tournament, at least up until Tuilagi returns, no ? He's scored that try to cement or at least largely encourage his stay, and he's quite a specimen physically. Tall, thick as hell, powerful, and a strong runner.

 

[Patchey]

Seeing as no one has done this yet I'll take a stab at the England team:

1 Marler
2 Hartley
3 Cole
4 Lawes
5 Launchbury
6 Wood
7 Robshaw
8 Vunnipola
9 Care
10 Farrell
11 Watson
12 Twevletrees
13 Burrell
14 Nowell/Ashton
15 Brown

Watson should come in for May and I am skecptical as to whether Lancaster will keep fairth with Nowell. Bench should remain the same apart from Ford coming in for Barritt. Don't think they'll chose Eastmond over Goode, who lives a charmed life in England colours.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Considering Nowell made the most meters against France and beat more defenders than Ashton did in the entire 6N last year, I don't think he'll be swapping him back in any time soon.

Goode has become the new Ashton, a complete liability who somehow clings on.

 

[Patchey]

Considering Nowell made the most meters against France and beat more defenders than Ashton did in the entire 6N last year, I don't think he'll be swapping him back in any time soon.

Goode has become the new Ashton, a complete liability who somehow clings on.

I'm inclined to agree but I shall remain cynical until Thursday.

As for Goode. He isn't a completeliability, just very boring. Compared to how exciting our other options at 15 are he really is no match.

 

[Crapspray]

Hopefully Lancaster will take less than two years to finally drop him. He's like Ashton in that every time a replacement appears they get injured. Foden, Wade, Yarde, and now May. He only got into the 23 in the first place because Brown and Foden both got injured in South Africa. He's clung on ever since.

Even if he is dropped, he'll probably still be around camp. While Elliot Daly and Rob Miller get their two Saxons games a year...

 

[Patchey]

Maybe Sarries make voodo dolls of rival players and Allianz Park is actually built to lay lines. Probably the only explaination for every competing internetional player falling over.

 

[Big Ewis]

England would be foolish to go back to Ashton. And England CANNOT use Goode anymore, ever again. He was BAD months ago in a white uniform, he was pretty bad again last Saturday.

Would Nowell be in competition with either Yarde or Wade at this point ? I thought England would find fillers in the meantime, but that kid was GOOD.

 

[Peat]

I'm guessing Luther Burrell is a lock at center for the tournament, at least up until Tuilagi returns, no ? He's scored that try to cement or at least largely encourage his stay, and he's quite a specimen physically. Tall, thick as hell, powerful, and a strong runner.

Really, that try should have been the least of the credits. It was a very simple piece of work thanks to Big Bill the Tongan Tornado.

He did his job in defence and seemed to be alright ball in hand. He'll keep getting better as he gets used to the level demanded. I can't see any reason not to keep him until Tuilagi is back. At which point, the question becomes Burrell or Twelvetrees.

 

[Patchey]

England would be foolish to go back to Ashton. And England CANNOT use Goode anymore, ever again. He was BAD months ago in a white uniform, he was pretty bad again last Saturday.

Would Nowell be in competition with either Yarde or Wade at this point ? I thought England would find fillers in the meantime, but that kid was GOOD.

Probably not. Yarde and Wade have longer track records of success in the Premiership and have been earmarked as Englands two first choice wingers when fit. Nowell is going to be in the wider squad but I don't think he's going to break into the match day 23 without the help of injuries this season. Same probably goes for May. I don't see this as an issue though because one, with Nowell and May in the EPS there is genuine competiton for places out wide and two, they're excellent players to have as your second choice.

 

[Peat]

I'd disagree Patchey. Yes, Yarde and Wade were earmarked, and yes they've got longer track records... but at the end of this 6N Nowell will have a longer international track record than either. That's going to be huge going forwards.

More importantly, in terms of talent, does he stand to them? I think so. He's not as dangerous as either of them but looks more secure, more useful in tight spaces.

Long term I think we'll see Nowell move back to 15 mind.