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

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Youngs law is that he will play crap for 11 months then have 1 amazing game v Australia

 

[General Melchett]

Townsend showing England a fair bit of respect.

"England are an excellent team whose run to the Rugby World Cup final was no fluke.

"They will be smarting from their opener in Paris and Eddie [Jones, Head Coach] will have them primed to come to Edinburgh and put in an improved performance."

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Townsend showing England a fair bit of respect.

"England are an excellent team whose run to the Rugby World Cup final was no fluke.

"They will be smarting from their opener in Paris and Eddie [Jones, Head Coach] will have them primed to come to Edinburgh and put in an improved performance."

Shame then, that Scotland are ****.

 

[Nudger]

It's definitely better. Ludlam played 8 in WC build up and was ok so unsure why he isn't starting at 8. I guess it's EJ being stubborn wanting to stick with Curry at 8. If that was me I'd rather take a hit to the ego rather then looking stupid moving your best player out of position. Back to Ludlum he's been good for England but I get why some don't like his selection. Bit like the Ewels of the back row for me he's a good player but it's frustrating him getting picked over better players.

Billy went of against argentina but thought curry moved 8?

 

[Scotty]

So firstly ill go on record saying i dont mind curry at 8 in this situation, my main problem is the situation. He could have had a 8 and if he was adamant then he could have give curry 20 min at the end at 8

But the situation is what it is and its not likly to change because EJ is a stubbern bastarrd...now the reason i dont mind Curry at 8 is that we wont always have out and out 8 cover on the bench so if billy goes down minute 1 and we have a 7 on the bench curry could do a job, curry is the player for this because he will always be on the 15 or deffinatly 23. Therefore we will always have emergancy 8 cover allowing us to not worry about having a 8 on the bench. For me i really hope this works and he gets decent at 8 then Dombrant is in for the summer

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Ludlam does have a great premiership breakdown game and plays like an out and out 7 at the saints but agree his games for England haven't shown that.

Overall I agree that he isn't a top drawer 7 (like Curry, Underhill, David Seymour etc.) at the moment but we will see if he improves as time goes on.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ludlam does have a great premiership breakdown game and plays like an out and out 7 at the saints but agree his games for England haven't shown that.

Overall I agree that he isn't a top drawer 7 (like Curry, Underhill, David Seymour etc.) at the moment but we will see if he improves as time goes on.

Once Jones cottons on to Willis, Ludlam won't be involved.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Once Jones cottons on to Willis, Ludlam won't be involved.

He cottoned on to him 2 years ago - was named in the EPS before getting a bad knee injury.
It doesn't bode well that he hasn't been named since/in this squad - if EJ doesn't name you he rarely changes his mind later on.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

He cottoned on to him 2 years ago - was named in the EPS before getting a bad knee injury.
It doesn't bode well that he hasn't been named since/in this squad - if EJ doesn't name you he rarely changes his mind later on.

Eddie said he's resting his WC players for the summer tour of Japan, so expect a youthful squad full of the likes of Willis, Dombrandt, Lawrence and every other player people are complaining he's ignored to be selected for that and the Barbarians game beforehand.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Isn't the trouble with Willis is that since being named he has hardly had a run of games? Well till now.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Isn't the trouble with Willis is that since being named he has hardly had a run of games? Well till now.

Yep, but he's been going well. Hopefully he can stay fit.

I'd get out of bed early to watch Willis, B Curry & Dombrandt.

 

[Which Tyler]

Yep, but he's been going well. Hopefully he can stay fit.

I'd get out of bed early to watch Willis, B Curry & Dombrandt.

Yeah, but you'd be spent in 2 minutes!

 

[Reiser99]

Definite improvement from Jones, but still can't get my head around Curry at 8. That decision cost us penalties last week (not Curry's fault).

 

[MarkyH]

Yep, but he's been going well. Hopefully he can stay fit.

I'd get out of bed early to watch Willis, B Curry & Dombrandt.

Oh god yeah! Filthy!

Seriously, we thought EJ had made progress with his back row selections after a terrible run of form with a lock there. Now he's gone back to it. Madness.

We could, on paper, have a seriously dynamic team full of pace, carriers and players that aren't half bad in the set piece but EJ won't pick them. Crazy!

 

[Jimbo]

Once Jones cottons on to Willis, Ludlam won't be involved.

He knows about Jack, he was in the wider squad pre injury guess he's watching him from a far at the moment.

edit
That will teach me to read below can see Olly already said that.

 

[Roady26]

A better team than I was expecting from Eddie.

No Marler is the right call for me, we really need the carrying potential of Mako and Genge in this game - I just hope Mako's scrummaging holds up. With LCD gone home, I am fairly happy with Dunn on the bench, I expect him to have a solid, reliable game. Eddie clearly sees a lot in Stuart to bring him in over Williams, I haven't seen much of him but I hope he lives up to it.

Kruis and Itoje is the right call I think, we need to win this game and Kruis adds so much and gets the best out of Itoje. Good to see Launchpad on the bench, absolutely tireless and very level headed - I didn't realise he was available again. Lawes on the bench as well is ok with me as we have Earl too - which hopefully means he will come on at lock after a really strong game last week.

We knew we would get Curry at 8 again, hopefully he has had some extra targetted training this week on control from the base. I'm glad EJ has put Ludlam in at 6, I think he is a solid player and will at least be more balanced than Lawes there. Earl on the bench is exciting, I would hope he comes on at 8 but more likely on the flank for Underhill or Ludlam.

I like the 6-2 split, looks set to be an arm wrestle in the mud and after last weeks performance, bolstering up the pack can only be a good thing

 

[Scotty]

See i dont like the 6-2 split for this game. The issue is for me that Scotland like to attack wide and if they breakdown our defence and are finding holes or we get an 2 injuries or an injury after the replacement then this is not the game where you want youngs in your back line covering...not that i want him at SH.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

LCDs wife went into labour this morning, which is why Dunn is in

Congratulations to him, but a bit careless.....Times reporting that he had been pencilled in to start.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

See i dont like the 6-2 split for this game. The issue is for me that Scotland like to attack wide and if they breakdown our defence and are finding holes or we get an 2 injuries or an injury after the replacement then this is not the game where you want youngs in your back line covering...not that i want him at SH.

Rain and high winds predicted so I guess EJ is expecting a forwards slog

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Rain and high winds predicted so I guess EJ is expecting a forwards slog

That should suit us with our strong ball retention and how infrequently we knock on.