[2020 Six Nations] Scotland vs England (08/02/20)

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

When the bar is don't kick every box kick out on the full, youngs is pretty decent ....

 

[McTallshort]

Well that's a relief

 

[Reiser99]

thank **** that England are more tactically astute than Scotland. Shitty game...

 

[Leinster Fan]

What on earth were Scotland thinking with the kick at the end?

What was the end game there, a series of five or six box kicks, retaining possession every time, gaining 10 metres per attempt before getting to the 22, flinging it wide, all for Hogg to drop it over the line?

 

[Rinkadink]

Gengey repping us around Brizzle well.

That's about all I can say about today.

 

[Scotty]

Deserved the win, but we got away with it a bit. Surprised that Daly and Furbank didn't get tested a lot more and our lack of carriers would have been exposed against better opposition.

Youngs managed to keep his kicks infield which was an improvement on literally everyone else.

I'm really seeing no reason why Genge shouldn't start now. Marler is still our best all round LH, but Genge's aggression is so badly needed.

Earl did well. Of the options in the squad I'd have him at 8 with Curryhill restored and Ludlam on the bench.

Genge is our best all round LH... strong carrier, strong in defence and a dominant scrummager. Marler is next to useless going forward he just tackles and scrumages.

Earl is a stronger carrier can curry, but curry did better this week than last.

 

[Nudger]

Thought it was tossers

He said sausages but tossers would have been better

 

[higgik]

Genge is our best all round LH... strong carrier, strong in defence and a dominant scrummager. Marler is next to useless going forward he just tackles and scrumages.

Earl is a stronger carrier can curry, but curry did better this week than last.

Because the Scots are lighter than the French backs. Its not about forward v forward its about mismatches and he could get some yesterday. Against Wales and Ireland he will be running into Parkes and Aki, he will have no chance to make yards

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Genge also has a tendency to go back and across before going forward. He's quick enough to mostly get away with it but he does sometimes get caught behind the gain line. His scrummaging can be variable, but when it's good it's very good. It shouldn't be long before he claims the shirt, but he's not yet the final polished article - if we were playing the Boks tomorrow I'd start Marler.

 

[Jashay]

Because the Scots are lighter than the French backs. Its not about forward v forward its about mismatches and he could get some yesterday. Against Wales and Ireland he will be running into Parkes and Aki, he will have no chance to make yards

Yesterday he made two carries; one was the score and the other was that sideways run at the end. It's pretty hard to say anything conclusive about his carrying or generated mismatches from that. But even against decent tacklers I'd expect Genge to make a bit of ground (as long as he's actually running forwards!)

I'd like to see Earl again, he looked to play well. And I don't think Furbank has either claimed or lost the 15 shirt, so I guess his position depends on Watson's injury?

 

[Jimbo]

Yesterday he made two carries; one was the score and the other was that sideways run at the end. It's pretty hard to say anything conclusive about his carrying or generated mismatches from that. But even against decent tacklers I'd expect Genge to make a bit of ground (as long as he's actually running forwards!)

I'd like to see Earl again, he looked to play well. And I don't think Furbank has either claimed or lost the 15 shirt, so I guess his position depends on Watson's injury?

Furbank probably slightly strengthened his claim as he was pretty solid in extremely difficult conditions, I'm not saying he claimed it but it was an improvement on last week, I would expect him to now be given further opportunity.

I'm not sure how anyone can honestly say that Aki and Parkes both consistently stop Genge making any ground, doesn't seem likely to me.

 

[LIONSxv]

Because the Scots are lighter than the French backs. Its not about forward v forward its about mismatches and he could get some yesterday. Against Wales and Ireland he will be running into Parkes and Aki, he will have no chance to make yards

That's flawed logic... Parkes and aki are both BTW 10kg lighter than Tom curry. But that's not my point. The likely Welsh backrow that will face England are lighter than manu tuilangi. Tiperic and wainwright by quite a bit. Still doesn't mean you can't make yards. Acceleration and footwork can be of equal importance to size and weight. Look at Billy vunipola is the wc final. Outweighed all of staffers backrow by 10kg...but got owned. Despite his size advantage
Ardie savea is a prime example. Great ball carrier but weights no more than an average centre.
Going back to curry.. He is a decent carrier but clearly not his game. I'm at a loss why he is playing 8. When his position is a 7. I also don't see why underhill plays at 7 when is more of a tacking 6. Englands current backrow should be
6.underhill
7.curry
8 dombrandt
You could argue that gives even better balence than biny at 8. As he isn't a lineout option

 

[martinspoonboy1]

Positives from the weekend:

The scrum has continued to be a weapon. Granted an inexperienced French front row and then Scotland may not be the toughest tests in the tournament but it was good to see we are having the edge in that area as it was missing in the WC. Ofcourse very blatantly in the final.

The lineout in horrendous conditions functioned relatively well. Bringing Lawes on at 6 seemed to be the right move in this scenario (although I don't like him starting there) and gave us another option as a target and a disruptor.

Despite playing 8 and clearly feeling a responsibility to carry more in heavy traffic, Curry was still able to do his bread and butter at the breakdown. Had a very good game . Ofcourse, I'd be starting Dombrandt there but hey ho, not a bad showing at all.

Johnny May continues to prove himself as world class. The standout yesterday was clearly under the high ball. Can't remember him putting one down. That part of his game has come on insanely over the past 2 seasons. Still baffles me how much he has improved.

Yes, there were a lot of negatives, decision making and execution when kicking was horrible , there wasn't any attacking shape (partly because it wasn't a day to be throwing it around) but in a game where pundits were saying you can't take anything from the game apart from the 'W' I thought there was a fair amount of good on show.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Gritting out for the win was the biggest positive - like obviously the W is great but the mental resolve not to let the countless errors and the conditions make heads drop was encouraging

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I'd like to see Earl again, he looked to play well.

I like the way he plays. But I also like the way Curry, Underhill, Willis and Dombrandt play. No so sold on Hill yet but I know a lot are. The competition for back row places is going to be insane. As ridiculous as it sounds now, in a year or 2 Curry could find himself squeezed out by slightly bigger stronger men who are still bloody quick and good at the breakdown.

 

[Jakedood]

Having re-watched the game, I actually thought Ludlam had a good game. Made at least one turnover, which resulted in a missed Farrell kick at goal, and did a lot of work at the rucks to allow the likes of Underhill and Curry to do the more viewer friendly work. He took on a kind of Scott Fardy role for Australia when he allowed Pooper to wreak havoc, and although I will say I was impressed by how Earl looked carrying, in particular his timing and the pace at which he took the ball into contact, I wouldnt write off Ludlam so quickly just yet

Farrell's kicking was a little odd, I was surprised he was hitting them with such height in his kicks at goal, normally in those conditions, you'd be wanting to drill the ball Low and Hard, ala Leigh Halfpenny, to reduce the effects of the wind. And even if you took out the wind, his kicks never really looked like they were slotting through the middle anyway. Its a facet of his game, although normally a strong-ish point (I say this believing he's a good goal kicker but great under pressure) that he may need to work on a little bit, it has fallen off the last few years IMO

Curry looked much better at 8 yesterday, his carrying was superb, his breakdown work very good too, looked like the mobile No. 8's like Kieran Read, though he'll have a ways to develop in the position to reach that level of prominence

Im still not convinced by England's centre partnership, Farrell- Joseph seems to lack penetration. Tuilagi demands extra attention that Joseph doesnt, and im curious as to how a Ford- Tuilagi - Joseph/Slade could cut loose, but I think there's a need for a bosher somewhere in the back line, even if its Nowell filling that role. As an Ulster fan, I can say that the advantage of guaranteed first phase gain line winning ball from Stuart McCloskey is so valuable in sucking in defenders

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Having re-watched the game

Why?

 

[Jakedood]

Why?

Saw Matt Dawsons article on how good George Ford was, and had to see with my own eyes how wrong he was?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeah it's bizarre how differently various commentators saw the match. Seen Heinz rated everywhere from 3/10 to 7/10.

Anyhow I'm forgetting all about this one and moving on to Ire. Burning question.....will Farrell pick Farrell to go up against Farrell?

 

[Jakedood]

Yeah it's bizarre how differently various commentators saw the match. Seen Heinz rated everywhere from 3/10 to 7/10.

Anyhow I'm forgetting all about this one and moving on to Ire. Burning question.....will Farrell pick Farrell to go up against Farrell?

If anyone should play, its Mr McCloskey! But yea, very weird, actually thought Heinz distribution was sharp from the base of the rucks, hit a lot more runners in stride compared with youngs. Just not a day where the extra whip really shows