[2015 Six Nations] England vs Scotland (Round 4)

[Maverick1987]

Any1 think there's a chance Cipriani will start this game ? Give ford a rest for a potential championship decider if Wales can do us a favour ?

Also with us needing try's he may get us moving a bit more due to his unpredictability ?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Nah

 

[TheSaffycen]

He won't start. It would be sensible to do so though, all you need is a injury to Ford pre world cup and then we could be screwed. Farrell is out for another 10 weeks at least and even then he may have a problem like Tuilagi and not be able to get over the injury for months on end.
The real threat for Farrell and Ford is Spade getting games at 10. He has a bigger boot than both and doesn't really lack anything. Would prefer him along side one of them though.

 

[Peat]

At the same time Ford is raw and needs all the exposure to international rugby he can get. Gotta gamble one way or the other, makes sense to place the chips on Ford staying fit for now, even if I think Slade is the long term answer.

 

[Irishkid]

On another subject Glen Delaney has said Lancaster was talking about Alex Lewington being on the England radar. He has a great future but at the moment he just needs to grow abit and get better under the high ball. He will definitely play for the Saxons soon.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

At some point England need to stop having "potential" talent and develop actual talent.

 

[Crapspray]

Where is all this 'England to dominate' chat coming from? I think we're favourites to win but 25 points?!

Something to do with Scotland losing to Italy at home: a side England beat by thirty points despite some uncharacteristically bad defence.

To be honest, I'd go twenty points too (and endure that arrogance accusation). Despite the inexperience last year, and the awful backline the year before, England have beaten Scotland by that margin for the last two years. Jock morale will be pretty low; they'll probably come out swinging, but an early score could see them fall to bits. England won't exactly be nice either, after the loss last weekend.

Add to that Brown, Parling, Lawes, and Wood all coming back into contention and I don't see where Scotland will beat England. Lineout maybe, but that's hardly a game-winner on its own. Scrum is even, perhaps slightly England. Backs-wise, the Scots are probably the only side in the tournament with less composure. Loose-forwards, England have better carriers and engines.

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Attwood
5. Lawes
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola

9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Burrell
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

16. Youngs
17. Vunipola
18. Brookes (why didn't he play against Ireland again?)
19. Kruis
20. Easter
21. Wigglesworth
22. Cipriani
23. May (because I think he was harshly done to after the Italy game)

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Something to do with Scotland losing to Italy at home: a side England beat by thirty points despite some uncharacteristically bad defence.

To be honest, I'd go twenty points too (and endure that arrogance accusation). Despite the inexperience last year, and the awful backline the year before, England have beaten Scotland by that margin for the last two years. Jock morale will be pretty low; they'll probably come out swinging, but an early score could see them fall to bits. England won't exactly be nice either, after the loss last weekend.

Add to that Brown, Parling, Lawes, and Wood all coming back into contention and I don't see where Scotland will beat England. Lineout maybe, but that's hardly a game-winner on its own. Scrum is even, perhaps slightly England. Backs-wise, the Scots are probably the only side in the tournament with less composure. Loose-forwards, England have better carriers and engines.

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Attwood
5. Lawes
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola

9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Burrell
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

16. Youngs
17. Vunipola
18. Brookes (why didn't he play against Ireland again?)
19. Kruis
20. Easter
21. Wigglesworth
22. Cipriani
23. May (because I think he was harshly done to after the Italy game)

Wasn't he injured though ?

 

[ncurd]

Nope dropped defensive liability and making poor decisions in attack with the only visible improvement in 13 matches being he no longer runs sideways.

 

[Crapspray]

Wasn't he injured though ?

Nope, dropped for Nowell. Which seems ridiculously harsh given Goode is still stinking the place up after being woefully inadequate for three years now.

But that's Lancaster - if he likes you, you can stay for years. If he doesn't, you warm the bench and get three caps in which only flawless performances will win you a fourth.

Nope dropped defensive liability and making poor decisions in attack with the only visible improvement in 13 matches being he no longer runs sideways.

I must have imagined the tries in the autumn, the improvement to kick-chase, and his outside defence and decision-making in the autumn as well.

Goode, meanwhile, has 17 caps, and in all of them has shown no improvement whatsoever - starting from a much lower base. Farrell 29, whose improvement still sees him worse than at least three other players. Barritt 22 caps. Ashton about 20 under Lancaster.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Im going to name my Scotland XV for this game

1.) Al Dickinson
2.) Ross Ford
3.) Euan Murray
4.) Tim Swinson
5.) Jonny Gray
6.) Rob Harley
7.) Blair Cowan
8.) Adam Ashe (Hopefully)
9.) Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Been impressive this so go on vern give him a start and much quicker then Laidlaw)
10.) Finn Russell (Suspension is over, we need him as it looked against Italy)
11.) Tommy Seymour (putting him here because hopefully Maitland is back.)
12.) Alex Dunbar
13.) Mark Bennett
14.) Sean Maitland/Tim Visser (Visser is playing better dropped because of his poor defence but is better in the last 2 weeks for Edinburgh)
15.) Stuart Hogg

16.) Fraser Brown
17.) Ryan Grant
18.) Geoff Cross
19.) Jim Hamilton (Because i felt Tollis didn't do much against Italy)
20.) Hamish Watson (yes didn't play that great against Italy either but his impressive game against Treviso yesterday made me think that he deserve's a second chance)
21.) Chris Cusiter
22.) Greig Laidlaw (think he would be a better 10 replacement then Greig Tonks)
23.) Matt Scott

 

[yaboyjj]

What I expect to be England's lineup (assuming Burrell is out):

1. Marler
2. Youngs
3. Cole
4. Attwood
5. Lawes
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola
9. Wigglesworth
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. 36
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

Bench: Hartley, Vunipola, Brookes, Kruis, Wood, Youngs, Cipriani, Eastmond

 

[The Jones Boy]

It would be great to see Danny get a run against Scotland but one gets the feeling he is in the squad to keep potential detractors happy but Lancaster has no intention of giving him a genuine run

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd be very surprised if Eastmond was on the bench, much more likely to be May.

I think we'll see:
Marler, Hartley, Cole
Attwood, Lawes,
Wood, Robshaw, Vunipola,
Youngs, Ford,
Nowell, 36, JJ, Watson,
Brown

Youngs, Mako, Brookes, Kruis/Parling, Haskell, Wiggy, Cipriani, May

 

[Peat]

I'd be very surprised if Eastmond was on the bench, much more likely to be May.

Our previous record seems to suggest we're most likely to have either a full-back or a centre on the bench. Winger takes us back to the problem of no one covering 12.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Was no one covering 12 ever an issue we've had?
Even with a 12 on the bench we never replaced burell, just shifted him out.
May could cover 13 and 15 as well as wing, but then Nowell can cover them from the pitch too, and Eastmonds played a bit of wing.

Suppose it comes down to which Lancaster dislikes least, as both have been dropped in the past.

 

[Peat]

Was no one covering 12 ever an issue we've had?
Even with a 12 on the bench we never replaced burell, just shifted him out.
May could cover 13 and 15 as well as wing, but then Nowell can cover them from the pitch too, and Eastmonds played a bit of wing.

Suppose it comes down to which Lancaster dislikes least, as both have been dropped in the past.

Not so far - I doubt he's going to start now.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Stuart Hogg: Absolute jeb end.
http://www.therugbyblog.com/stuart-hogg-its-clear-england-dont-respect-us

 

[Tony Manx]

Stuart Hogg: Absolute jeb end.
http://www.therugbyblog.com/stuart-hogg-its-clear-england-dont-respect-us

Why should they? Respect has to be earned and Scots have not done too much earning (but there again, England not done too much better bar 2nd half in Cardiff)!!!!!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Stuart Hogg: Absolute jeb end.
http://www.therugbyblog.com/stuart-hogg-its-clear-england-dont-respect-us

It's actually quite hilarious as an article.
He's pretty much said "I know they shouldn't respect us because we're 0 from 3 but they don't respect us"
Scotland also have some work to do in the PR department. Declaring the intention to win a grandslam and the 2015 World cup in 4 years was interesting..
And they came into this tournament understanbly optimistic but ultimately saying we're looking to win.

And hat's fine, don't get me wrong, it's one approach to take. But for a new and unsettled squad, much better to beaver away under the radio, work up some points on the IRB Rankings, and as Tony says, earn respect the hard way.

Am hearing a number of people saying that Scotland can very well win on Saturday...
I'd almost go as far as to say that long-term, Scotland might be doing us some favours if they do. We have our issues and they shouldn't end up under the rug.