[2021 Six Nations] England vs Scotland (06/02/21)

[Scotty]

Just messing around, , I know you guys always say he should play lock...I still believe he could be England's Pieter-Steff Du Toit......

My thing with itoje at 6 is that he is in the team anyway, so bar in the scrum the number on his back doesn't hold alot of weight so what we need to ask is who is going to bring more to the game an extra back row like Willis Wilson or Earl or an extra lock like lawes or Hill. For me id always have the back row tbh

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Just messing around, , I know you guys always say he should play lock...I still believe he could be England's Pieter-Steff Du Toit......

Light blue touch paper and retire.....

My thing with itoje at 6 is that he is in the team anyway, so bar in the scrum the number on his back doesn't hold alot of weight so what we need to ask is who is going to bring more to the game an extra back row like Willis Wilson or Earl or an extra lock like lawes or Hill. For me id always have the back row tbh

I'll let you have that . The Itoje at 6 ship has probably sailed now, but if Kruis was available I might argue the case more. He was consistently one of our most influential players, but in an understated way.

 

[Nudger]

Ford farrel has to stop.
Hill has to start

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hill was pretty ineffective during the autumn (who wasn't, though?) and Exeter in general are in a bit of a slump atm

It's a shame Launch isn't available because he's in good form - him/Itoje would be my choice of 2nd row.
I'd probably go Itoje/Lawes with Hill on the bench

 

[ncurd]

Reality is we are very unlikely to move away from Youngs or Farrell and it means I can't really get enthused by the team selection regardless of what it is.

 

[Reiser99]

While you may disagree with Squidge's analysis, one thing I did notice was he talked a lot about Ford having an impact off the bench after watching teams. Maybe Jones feels this too and gives him bench time to analyse the defence and then come on late to exploit it.

 

[BPM]

Nothing to lose? The tournament hasn't even started yet.

I know it gets said every year but Scotland really do look to be on the up. With Wales and Ireland's recent form I'd say they have a very good chance at 3rd this year; 2nd if they beat us in the opening game, although I do feel we should beat them fairly handily (can't wait for this to come back and bite me).

I agree Scotland have a reasonable chance of 3rd, but personally I think that says more about the decline of Wales and (to a lesser extent) Ireland than it does about the Scots.

They have a decent squad and on their day, they can be very good, but I'm not sure how good they really are?

In recent times, they've beaten a poor Welsh team and a French team that would probably have won but for a dumb red card. They also beat Italy, which is almost a given, but only by 17 points.

I'm not dismissing them as a threat. Watson, Russell and Hogg are on song, they can be very dangerous and van der Merwe is a great addition, despite not being in the least bit Scottish.

That said, their midfield is weak and for this 6N, they are missing their first and second choice hookers, which will inevitably affect the quality of their set piece.

I'm definitely not complacent about it, but I would be disappointed if we were to lose.

 

[Scotty]

Hill was pretty ineffective during the autumn (who wasn't, though?) and Exeter in general are in a bit of a slump atm

It's a shame Launch isn't available because he's in good form - him/Itoje would be my choice of 2nd row.
I'd probably go Itoje/Lawes with Hill on the bench

We could end up with a bench of.
LCD
Obano
Williams
Hill
Willis/Earl/Wilson

3 chiefs on the bench could work well for Hill having familiar players around him. He is a class player byt hasnt found his feet on an internation stage, not ever player takes quickly to international rugby but he deserves he chance.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Would take anything that guy says with a shovel full of salt considering he thinks AWJ is a good player in the year of our lord 2021

I think a lot of that is joking now. He did a video about the squidge team of the year and when he got to the locks the video image was AWJ, AWJ was used all through the intro and preamble and then in the actual selections he didn't choose AWJ. I think he is taking the **** when he says how great AWJ is.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I agree Scotland have a reasonable chance of 3rd, but personally I think that says more about the decline of Wales and (to a lesser extent) Ireland than it does about the Scots.

They have a decent squad and on their day, they can be very good, but I'm not sure how good they really are?

In recent times, they've beaten a poor Welsh team and a French team that would probably have won but for a dumb red card. They also beat Italy, which is almost a given, but only by 17 points.

I'm not dismissing them as a threat. Watson, Russell and Hogg are on song, they can be very dangerous and van der Merwe is a great addition, despite not being in the least bit Scottish.

That said, their midfield is weak and for this 6N, they are missing their first and second choice hookers, which will inevitably affect the quality of their set piece.

I'm definitely not complacent about it, but I would be disappointed if we were to lose.

Eh, what are you on about?? They've got Redpath and if you've read the press this week you'll know he's the second coming, if not the first.

2 hookers down isn't a great place to be though.

Ref Hill, there's no way I'd be starting him over Lawes.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

I agree Scotland have a reasonable chance of 3rd, but personally I think that says more about the decline of Wales and (to a lesser extent) Ireland than it does about the Scots.

They have a decent squad and on their day, they can be very good, but I'm not sure how good they really are?

In recent times, they've beaten a poor Welsh team and a French team that would probably have won but for a dumb red card. They also beat Italy, which is almost a given, but only by 17 points.

I'm not dismissing them as a threat. Watson, Russell and Hogg are on song, they can be very dangerous and van der Merwe is a great addition, despite not being in the least bit Scottish.

That said, their midfield is weak and for this 6N, they are missing their first and second choice hookers, which will inevitably affect the quality of their set piece.

I'm definitely not complacent about it, but I would be disappointed if we were to lose.

This. Given that England have lost to Scotland once in the last 12 years, only 4 times in the last 30 years and not once at Twickenham in the last 37 years, and that we're in a good run of form (eight in a row) and a successful era for English rugby (3 ***les in 5 years, WC final etc), I'd be very disappointed if we lost this one.

But yeah, Scotland do make me jittery...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I'd be v bothered if this was away in front of a full crowd. But it's not.

I think Watson's an excellent player, his battle with Curry should be a good watch.

 

[ncurd]

not once at Twickenham in the last 37 years,

As I always mention in this thread Scotland have not beaten (Mum was likely pregnant with me) England at home in my lifetime. That's how unconcerned by this fixture I usually am, gave me a fright two years ago mind.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I do kinda miss the days when the biggest worry about England vs Scotland was if you would fall asleep before the game finished rather than actually losing. Then again when Scotland played their really dire rugby, England were also a bit ****.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If the weather stays as predicted (rain all week inc. Saturday) I expect a pretty low scoring/dull affair

Maybe two or three tries total, with England winning by a few penalties (19 - 12 or something)

Anything will be an improvement on last years, though

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

If the weather stays as predicted (rain all week inc. Saturday) I expect a pretty low scoring/dull affair

Maybe two or three tries total, with England winning by a few penalties (19 - 12 or something)

Anything will be an improvement on last years, though

Know what you mean, but rash given the Autumn.....

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Know what you mean, but rash given the Autumn.....

Aye, Olyy clearly hasn't watched any post covid rugby.

I think Scotland are going to be handy enough this tournament and I can see England a bad one (three wins bad now) they haven't looked great since the world cup whilst beating bad teams and I don't think their player pool is fit enough to buck the trend, it won't be long lasting though. Scotland should really be aiming to keep this game within a score and maybe nick it if England don't show.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye, Olyy clearly hasn't watched any post covid rugby.

You both forgotten England vs Scotland last year??

No denying post COVID rugby is terrible, but the conditions made that game one of the worst I've ever watched

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

You both forgotten England vs Scotland last year??

No denying post COVID rugby is terrible, but the conditions made that game one of the worst I've ever watched

Tried to, but unsuccessfully.

Conditions made it awful, but the downward spiral of the autumn was running it close with far fewer excuses.