[2019 Six Nations] Scotland vs Ireland (09/02/2019)

[ncurd]

The Irish got some big performers out mind... loving how there is at least 1 ***anic battle each round. England vs Ireland round 1, this round 2, Wales vs England & Scotland vs Wales round 3 & 4 and then two massive British and Irish matches on the last weekend!

I'm still not keen on the scheduling for argubly the ***le deciding game (based on ranking at the time of scheduling) happened on the first weekend of the tournament when in reality it should always be the last weekend.

If I were scheduling I'd do the same formula every year (and this is based of rankings but you could supplement previous years result, I think ranking are a better reflection). The idea being the top teams don't play each other until the last three weeks.

Week 1
1 V 4
2 V 5
3 V 6

Week 2
1 V 6
2 V 4
3 V 5

Week 3
1 V 3
2 V 6
4 V 5

Week 4
1 V 5
2 V 3
4 V 6

Week 5
1 V 2
3 V 4
5 V 6

 

[bushytop]

I'm still not keen on the scheduling for argubly the ***le deciding game (based on ranking at the time of scheduling) happened on the first weekend of the tournament when in reality it should always be the last weekend.

If I were scheduling I'd do the same formula every year (and this is based of rankings but you could supplement previous years result, I think ranking are a better reflection). The idea being the top teams don't play each other until the last three weeks.

Week 1
1 V 4
2 V 5
3 V 6

Week 2
1 V 6
2 V 4
3 V 5

Week 3
1 V 3
2 V 6
4 V 5

Week 4
1 V 5
2 V 3
4 V 6

Week 5
1 V 2
3 V 4
5 V 6

I think you would have to swap the 1 v 2 with the 5 v 6 on the last weekend to give the highest seeds the knowledge of what they 'need to do' scoreboard wise if there are teams level on points at the end of the championship.

 

[ncurd]

I think you would have to swap the 1 v 2 with the 5 v 6 on the last weekend to give the highest seeds the knowledge of what they 'need to do' scoreboard wise if there are teams level on points at the end of the championship.

Yes sorry the actual days the games are played on are for arranging on Super Saturday the games should build. If you are lucky you get GS decider as the last game with both teams still potentially in for it.

Lets be honest if (and its a big if) England win the next two games the championship and GS is pretty much over unless Scotland do something they've not done in 36 years on the last day.

 

[munstermuffin]

The thing is will there be shadow boxing with the World Cup in mind. Will both coaches hold a move or 2 back

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Also the way the scheduling works is less fair on some teams. Generally a year with 2 away games should be the best for a grand slam but England always have to play Ireland and Wales away in the same year. On the flip side, Wales play England and Ireland both at home in the same year, so in a year where they have 2 home games, both games are against arguably the most difficult opposition with their away games being against traditionally easier opposition.

 

[ncurd]

Also the way the scheduling works is less fair on some teams. Generally a year with 2 away games should be the best for a grand slam but England always have to play Ireland and Wales away in the same year. On the flip side, Wales play England and Ireland both at home in the same year, so in a year where they have 2 home games, both games are against arguably the most difficult opposition with their away games being against traditionally easier opposition.

Inherent issue with the tournament that is not fixable without doubling its length or dropping lots of teams. It is why ranking rather than previous position should matter more but its not fixable as you need teams to have equal homes.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Scheduling makes a huge difference, even when and where you have Italy probably makes a difference.

It also more or less balances out year from year I reckon.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The thing is will there be shadow boxing with the World Cup in mind. Will both coaches hold a move or 2 back

Have we gone back to 2015 already?
"Ireland's attack is only poor because Schmidt doesn't want to show his hand before the world cup"

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Have we gone back to 2015 already?
"Ireland's attack is only poor because Schmidt doesn't want to show his hand before the world cup"

Haha! That came from Schmidt doing that with Ster, we failed to realise that there's a difference between holding a few moves back away to Aironi and in consexconse six nations where not being able to cut teams open (coupled with Barnes) cost us grand slams.

I don't see it happening this weekend, Ireland's continued success over the past 4 test windows is slightly altering the same set moves with a different running line, pass or decoy runner. I reckon he backs himself to beat Scotland twice in a year without massive amounts of deception.

 

[munstermuffin]

Have we gone back to 2015 already?
"Ireland's attack is only poor because Schmidt doesn't want to show his hand before the world cup"

No more from Scotland POV too.
That Townsend sees the 6Nations as a lesser game than Japan.
With Henshaw/Aki in centre our attack will be limited and poor to an extent in terms of creativity. But will be a rock defensively

 

[General Melchett]

Scheduling makes a huge difference, even when and where you have Italy probably makes a difference.

It also more or less balances out year from year I reckon.

Yeah the team that plays Italy on week 2 (Wales this year) have an advantage in that they have the luxury of resting key players with a 7 day turnaround after week 1. Scotland also benefited albeit to a lesser degree by playing Italy on week one, which means their players may not have been in the same war as the Irish lads having played England.

It's also probably more beneficial for the likes of England/Ireland/Wales to play the likes of Scotland and Italy (with less squad depth) late in the comp when injuries may have taken their toll and they are missing several first choice players.

 

[ncurd]

Yeah the team that plays Italy on week 2 (Wales this year) have an advantage in that they have the luxury of resting key players with a 7 day turnaround after week 1. Scotland also benefited albeit to a lesser degree by playing Italy on week one, which means their players may not have been in the same war as the Irish lads having played England.

It's also probably more beneficial for the likes of England/Ireland/Wales to play the likes of Scotland and Italy (with less squad depth) late in the comp when injuries may have taken their toll and they are missing several first choice players.

Playing Italy late in the competition is always an advantage in 2015 they completely capitulated against Wales in the second halfleading to a very exciting rest of day as Ireland and England went chasing results for PD. However the reality is the top half of the previous years table should not of been playing the bottom half on the final day.

 

[Thingimubob]

Also the way the scheduling works is less fair on some teams. Generally a year with 2 away games should be the best for a grand slam but England always have to play Ireland and Wales away in the same year. On the flip side, Wales play England and Ireland both at home in the same year, so in a year where they have 2 home games, both games are against arguably the most difficult opposition with their away games being against traditionally easier opposition.

While I get where you're coming from, I wouldn't say Wales' fixture list is any easier than England's?

Sure, England have to play both Ireland and Wales away in the same year, but Wales also have to play both England and Ireland away in their "3 games at home" year?

They literally have the same "Blue teams at home one year, Blue teams away the next" fixture list.

Also as much of a state France have been in recent years, would be on the harsh side to call them "traditionally easier opposition".

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

R Kearney; K Earls, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong, Q Roux, J Ryan; P O'Mahony, S O'Brien, J Conan.

Thornley's team.

 

[munstermuffin]

R Kearney; K Earls, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong, Q Roux, J Ryan; P O'Mahony, S O'Brien, J Conan.

Thornley's team.

Not bad but I wonder is Henshaw at 15 a failed project or just a delay due to necessity.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Not bad but I wonder is Henshaw at 15 a failed project or just a delay due to necessity.

I reckon I had it right last week when I said Kearney wasn't in the squad because he didn't do a full training camp.

Whether or not Henshaw remains second choice 15 remains to be seen.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aki over Addison?
He couldn't catch turbo-gonorrhea at Alpha Bro's mom's house let alone a pass

This is why we need Brexit

 

[munstermuffin]

Aki over Addison?
He couldn't catch turbo-gonorrhea at Alpha Bro's mom's house let alone a pass

This is why we need Brexit

Well it will be clear our tactic. Defensive side will be strong with 2 lads in centre and then kicking will have to be on money for halfbacks and we try smother them down to concede pens. And then when they chase we aim to pick them off.

 

[Jimbo]

I am expecting Ireland back with a bang, I also think Hamish Watson is a massive loss to Scotland and will go as far to say I think he is as important to the way they play as Billy Is to England.

Ireland by 10

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I am expecting Ireland back with a bang, I also think Hamish Watson is a massive loss to Scotland and will go as far to say I think he is as imported to the way they play as Billy Is to England.

Ireland by 10

Freudian slip?