[2022 Six Nations] Scotland vs England (05/02/22)

[TRF_Olyy]

There's talk that Simmonds will start at 8, which, tbh, I'd not even considered at all
It'd be a very bold call not to start Dombrandt imo

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

It makes way to put Dombrant in the row! Jones' wet dream!

 

[Reiser99]

I personally feel Simmonds is better as an impact sub against tired legs.

 

[Scotty]

There's talk that Simmonds will start at 8, which, tbh, I'd not even considered at all
It'd be a very bold call not to start Dombrandt imo

Id go Dombrandt tbh(even with my display pic) but i wonder if he may go Dombrandt at 6 with Simmonds pace from the base at 8. A back row with 2 smart runners(diffferent ways obv but still) and Curry left to do Curry things. With the front row picking up most of the heavy carrying.

 

[BPM]

We'll find out in a few hours. I'd be concerned that Simmonds' pace and ability in the loose would be a bit wasted on a horrible day where I suspect we'll see little ball-in-hand rugby. OTH, his uncanny ability to get across the line from close range could be very useful if we're trying to grind it out with the pack.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Times saying there's talk that Malins is carrying an injury.

Ref 8 I can see a temptation for Simmonds for this particular game although I don't think it's overriding. But if Jones thinks Dombrandt might be his man for France next year he should back him so that Dombrandt can bank as many different experiences as possible.

 

[Scotty]

Times saying there's talk that Malins is carrying an injury.

Ref 8 I can see a temptation for Simmonds for this particular game although I don't think it's overriding. But if Jones thinks Dombrandt might be his man for France next year he should back him so that Dombrandt can bank as many different experiences as possible.

I really hope he's ok, Malins is class and seems to just do everything well at wing or FB, i want him to get real gametime in a 6N. I think he will be great for us.

Guessing it's Marchant Steward(FB) Nowell with Daly at 23.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I really hope he's ok, Malins is class and seems to just do everything well at wing or FB, i want him to get real gametime in a 6N. I think he will be great for us.

Guessing it's Marchant Steward(FB) Nowell with Daly at 23.

Same Times article was suggesting Slade at 12 with Daly at 13 for his experience and Nowell on the wing. If that's right and Malins is out you'd assume that Marchant will get the nod over OHC. Although on the Curry at 8 principle I wouldn't discount seeing Furbank at FB and Steward on the wing…..

 

[Scotty]

Same Times article was suggesting Slade at 12 with Daly at 13 for his experience and Nowell on the wing. If that's right and Malins is out you'd assume that Marchant will get the nod over OHC. Although on the Curry at 8 principle I wouldn't discount seeing Furbank at FB and Steward on the wing…..

Oh god not Steward on the wing, he's a great player but would be wasted there...

I still think it will be Furbank at 22 instead of Ford.

What time is the announcement?

 

[BPM]

I wonder whether Eddie might see Steward on the wing as a way of countering DVDM?

It's not my preference, but I could see some merits to the argument.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ref 8 I can see a temptation for Simmonds for this particular game although I don't think it's overriding. But if Jones thinks Dombrandt might be his man for France next year he should back him so that Dombrandt can bank as many different experiences as possible.

What I saw was Curry/Ludlam/Simmonds as the starting backrow,
The pace would be good to counter the lightweight/pacey Scottish backrow, but in a rainy sludgy Murrayfield armwrestle I'd be concerned about Simmonds' contribution in the tight

All this said: The Daily Fail seem to have lost their inside man at the RFU as their predictions have been wide of the mark over the last season or so, so we'll probably see Isiekwe/Curry/Dombrandt or something

 

[Jakedood]

I think in all honesty this is a very tough selection to even judge Eddie on based on the number of absentees he's contending with (particularly adding Malins to the pile if thats true)

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

What I saw was Curry/Ludlam/Simmonds as the starting backrow,
The pace would be good to counter the lightweight/pacey Scottish backrow, but in a rainy sludgy Murrayfield armwrestle I'd be concerned about Simmonds' contribution in the tight

All this said: The Daily Fail seem to have lost their inside man at the RFU as their predictions have been wide of the mark over the last season or so, so we'll probably see Isiekwe/Curry/Dombrandt or something

That's an interesting point. Should selection be driven by countering the opposition or should we just pick and let them worry about us? It's probably a balance at the best of times but given our disruption we may be more in counter mode.

If Ludlam plays I'll have no issue with that, he's an aggressive whole hearted player.

If conditions are going to be bad with lots of tight stuff and line outs then Isiekwe would make sense (notwithstanding my preference for him at lock). At 8 those kind of conditions ought to suit someone of Dombrandt's size although he seems to have been pigeon holed as a ball player. Do we really know how good he is in an arm wrestle?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I wonder whether Eddie might see Steward on the wing as a way of countering DVDM?

It's not my preference, but I could see some merits to the argument.

I think it's a bad mindset if we make changes to our team to counter the Scots. If we want to be the best it's us who should be making the opposition change to counter us. We should not be deviating from what we think is someones best position to a worse position to counter someone unless it has very clear and obvious benefits. Such thinking means we are always reacting to others rather than playing our own game.

 

[BPM]

Yes, generally I agree. Although to @Old Hooker's point, I wonder whether our disrupted build up is putting us in 'counter mode'?

Dombrandt's not 'pigeon holed as a ball player'. That's what he is. If anything, the mistake is to regard him as a heavy carrier purely because he's a big bloke. He can do that job, but I wouldn't say he's notably good at it. Where he might do well in bad conditions is control at the base of the scrum and good decision-making. His game sense is excellent.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I think if it's going to be a slog fest our first target should be rock solid discipline. If we can't get that right, everything else almost becomes irrelevant.

 

[Jakedood]

Thats not too shabby

 

[Juggler]

Thats not too shabby

Starting XV: F Steward (Leicester); M Malins (Saracens), E Daly (Saracens), H Slade (Exeter), J Marchant (Harlequins); M Smith (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester); E Genge (Leicester), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), K Sinckler (Bristol); M Itoje (Saracens), N Isiekwe (Saracens); L Ludlam (Northampton), T Curry (Sale, captain), S Simmonds (Exeter).
Finishers: J George (Saracens), J Marler (Harlequins), W Stuart (Bath), C Ewels (Bath), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), H Randall (Bristol), G Ford (Leicester), J Nowell (Exeter).

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

NGL don't like that back row balance at all

Rest is actually pretty good

 

[BPM]

Ooh … I like it. Pleasant surprise.