[2023 Six Nations] England vs Scotland - 4 February 2023

[Groundhog]

I hope this isn't true.

This is an old copypasta!! Absolutely not true. I'm deeply sorry to Ollie Chessum for the defamation!!! I just chose the most random member of the English squad I could think of.

I will be heading an Ollie Chessum fan club as recompense

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Twickenham boos 'definitely' hurt - Farrell

Owen Farrell says getting booed after defeat by South Africa in November hurt, and England will need the crowd's support when they host Scotland on Saturday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Geordie]

Rumours its Chessum and Itoje in the engine room.

 

[Geordie]

4 Itoje
5 Chessum
6 Ludlum
7 B. Curry
8 Dombrandt

 

[BPM]

I'd be happy enough with that. Still would have much preferred Willis in there, but as long as we have two flankers, I'm good with it.

 

[Groundhog]

Chessum will destroy Scotland. He is best player

 

[Geordie]

OHC to start also reportedly...with Watson other wing.

12 Farrell
13 Manu

 

[Nudger]

3 centres still in the squad ,I live in hope that 2 play

 

[Which Tyler]

OHC to start also reportedly...with Watson other wing.

12 Farrell
13 Manu

I like the first part of that post.
Not the second.

 

[Scotty]

OHC to start also reportedly...with Watson other wing.

12 Farrell
13 Manu

Faz is not a 12 and all his good form has been at 10 this season.
Manu is a shadow of his former self so not as distructive even at 13.

At least at 12 Manu he can do a crash ball and hold defenders, with some pace outside him.

I would be happy with
Starting
10. Faz
12. Manu/Lawrence/Manu
13. Marchant/Marchant/Lawrence

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Faz is not a 12 and all his good form has been at 10 this season.
Manu is a shadow of his former self so not as distructive even at 13.

At least at 12 Manu he can do a crash ball and hold defenders, with some pace outside him.

I would be happy with
Starting
10. Faz
12. Manu/Lawrence/Manu
13. Marchant/Marchant/Lawrence

Option 3 would be pretty damn bulky.

 

[Scotty]

Option 3 would be pretty damn bulky.

How bulky is Lawrence? I didnt think he was actually that big? He's a much different player to manu and doesnt have the power.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

How bulky is Lawrence? I didnt think he was actually that big? He's a much different player to manu and doesnt have the power.

He's definitely bulky. He's 100kg, which doesn't make him huge for a centre, but at only 5'11 (I say 'only' by the standards of international centres) it definitely makes him a pretty dense unit. Actually the exact same dimensions as Dan Frost, a hooker.

He is a very different player to Manu and I've said before that his handling and particularly his kicking game makes him a much better ball player than he's given credit for. But I still wouldn't want to see him paired with Manu. Lawrence has better ball playing than he's given credit for, but that's still not really enough to make up for Manu's weaknesses.

This won't be popular but I would actually opt for Faz at 12 before I went for a Tuilagi-Lawrence pairing. Manu-Marchant would be my ideal pick though.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Smith Manu Marchant is clearly the best option here, so I'm living in hope that we at least see it in the second half

 

[LIONSxv]

How bulky is Lawrence? I didnt think he was actually that big? He's a much different player to manu and doesnt have the power.

100kg on on 5 11 frame is the equivalent of 6 foot 4 flanker weighing 110kg. His power to weight ratio will be very high for a centre and he can run and kick which is a bonus !!

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Tuilagi used to be a powerful runner but he had poor handling skills. Now he has lost weight he is not powerful anymore and he still has poor handling skills so I don't see how he merits his place in the side.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tuilagi used to be a powerful runner but he had poor handling skills. Now he has lost weight he is not powerful anymore and he still has poor handling skills so I don't see how he merits his place in the side.

 

[Saintjay]

 

[Saintjay]

Charlie Morgan reporting OHC and Malins on wings. Watson on the bench. Manu not to make the 23. We shall see.

 

[Scotty]

Also reporting OHC and Malins on wings. Watson on the bench. Manu not to make the 23. We shall see.

Malins over Freeman is odd to me, not a horrible decision just I'd have gone the other way.