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

[LIONSxv]

That back line feels very Eddie doesn't it. Players out of position, lacks pace in the main and lightweight

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Marchant is probably our fastest 13 and OHC is no slouch, neither is Malins TBF

Lawrence at 22 will be interesting - providing he comes on for one of Farrell/Smith and not Marchant

 

[LIONSxv]

Marchant is probably our fastest 13 and OHC is no slouch, neither is Malins TBF

Lawrence at 22 will be interesting - providing he comes on for one of Farrell/Smith and not Marchant

Eddie started that same back line last year Vs Scotland. Malins has average pace for an international wing. He is very neat and tidy with no real weaknesses, however the fact he has 0 tries in 15 odd games says a lot .He isn't going to scare anyone

Then we have Farrel at 12 again. Farrel as proven is neither quick enough or carries well enough as an international centre

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

The only reason I can think of for Malins to be starting over the other wing options is that in attack they plan to rotate him and Steward with Malins coming into the midfield to distribute. The same way I think they likely would have used Daly.

 

[LIONSxv]

The only reason I can think of for Malins to be starting over the other wing options is that in attack they plan to rotate him and Steward with Malins coming into the midfield to distribute. The same way I think they likely would have used Daly.

Agreed that will be the thinking. However why do we need three distributers. Ire and Fra seem to cope with just a Number 10
Rugby is still a simple game in that you still need fast or big players. Having too many backs that are neither fast or big or both is not the way to go imo

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Agreed that will be the thinking. However why do we need three distributers. Ire and Fra seem to cope with just a Number 10

I agree with the sentiment that we have too many, but the bit about Ireland isn't really true. Ringrose is a very capable distributor, and Keenan and Lowe get used pretty regularly in that role too. The difference is that their distributors are also excellent runners, whereas ours are Faz and Malins.

On a positive note, I do like to see that late call ups have leapfrogged some initial squad members, ie. Hill for Ribbans and Lawrence for Tuilagi. Shows that Borthwick isn't too stubborn to blindly stick with his first man. Got to be very encouraging for the players to see that if they come into camp and perform then they will actually be rewarded. A nice change of pace from Eddie.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I agree with the sentiment that we have too many, but the bit about Ireland isn't really true. Ringrose is a very capable distributor, and Keenan and Lowe get used pretty regularly in that role too. The difference is that their distributors are also excellent runners, whereas ours are Faz and Malins.

On a positive note, I do like to see that late call ups have leapfrogged some initial squad members, ie. Hill for Ribbans and Lawrence for Tuilagi. Shows that Borthwick isn't too stubborn to blindly stick with his first man. Got to be very encouraging for the players to see that if they come into camp and perform then they will actually be rewarded. A nice change of pace from Eddie.

Hansen has played pro rugby at 10 too. France have Dupont so very little point comparing but they gave Ramos, another 10 hybrid, every chance they possibly could considering he's always cooking up ways to give the opposition points and good field position.

Ireland's advantage is that outside of 9 and 10 everyone is also a very capable strike runner which I don't feel like England get with Farrell at 12 and Malins at international level. Malins seems like a throwback to the safe Halfpenny/Brown/Kearney types but they always acted as a foil to allow a winger play with a bit more freedom, don't see how it works when Steward is very capable covering the backfield.

 

[Scotty]

The only reason I can think of for Malins to be starting over the other wing options is that in attack they plan to rotate him and Steward with Malins coming into the midfield to distribute. The same way I think they likely would have used Daly.

Wouldnt that mean no Faz at 12? Because having Smith Faz Malins as playmakers is to much IMO, where as sort of makes sense if he's going for a Lawrence Marchant, not my favourite use of Lawrence but definitely got some attacking flair.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Wouldnt that mean no Faz at 12? Because having Smith Faz Malins as playmakers is to much IMO, where as sort of makes sense if he's going for a Lawrence Marchant, not my favourite use of Lawrence but definitely got some attacking flair.

Yeah, 3 definitely seems like overkill. But it's not unheard of. Just think how many times EJ went with Ford/Smith-Faz-Slade.

It's not what I would do, but I imagine it's what they're trying to go for.

 

[Scotty]

Yeah, 3 definitely seems like overkill. But it's not unheard of. Just think how many times EJ went with Ford/Smith-Faz-Slade.

It's not what I would do, but I imagine it's what they're trying to go for.

Surely Nick Evans whos what Smith could do off the bench and after watching Smith Faz fail all that time are they thinking it should have worked but they did this wrong or no it wont work as a first choice.
Although if Lawrence and Watson come off the bench for say Faz and Malins then its a very attacking last 20.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Surely Nick Evans whos what Smith could do off the bench and after watching Smith Faz fail all that time are they thinking it should have worked but they did this wrong or no it wont work as a first choice.
Although if Lawrence and Watson come off the bench for say Faz and Malins then its a very attacking last 20.

It's worth mentioning that this is the selection they've been forced into after losing 3 very capable distributors in Kelly, Slade and Daly. If they always planned for 3 distributors then something like:
10. Faz/Smith
12. Slade/Kelly
14. Daly
With Slade/Kelly and Daly as the 2nd and 3rd distributors actually has a good, balanced look to it with players who can both run and distribute. But losing Slade and Kelly has meant that Faz is the next distributing centre off the shelf, and the same for Malins replacing Daly.

All hypothetical, I know, but that's how I see it.

 

[BPM]

Eddie started that same back line last year Vs Scotland. Malins has average pace for an international wing. He is very neat and tidy with no real weaknesses, however the fact he has 0 tries in 15 odd games says a lot .He isn't going to scare anyone

Then we have Farrel at 12 again. Farrel as proven is neither quick enough or carries well enough as an international centre

While I don't disagree, the other piece to consider is that the attack is being run by Nick Evans not Gleeson. Even if the personnel is the same, I'd like to think the mindset an approach will be considerably different.

It's obviously not going to click immediately and will take time for Evans to get his ideas across, but at the very least, I hope to see a gameplan that makes the most of Marcus Smith.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah I don't recall it being pace that cost us last year

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Yeah I don't recall it being pace that cost us last year

Lack of brains has been the big concern for England the last few years. It's funny but in all our discussion about players the question of whether they are a clever player or dumb as a brick is never brought up, and yet it's hugely important.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Lack of brains has been the big concern for England the last few years. It's funny but in all our discussion about players the question of whether they are a clever player or dumb as a brick is never brought up, and yet it's hugely important.

Comes down to TCUP as a team - Clive Woodward's (however unpopular the bloke is) mantra to win at test level and let's face it any top level sport. Not seen it really in any England team consistently since 2003.

 

[Becca]

Would be really nice to see a huge reduction in the amount of penalties we gave away under Eddie Jones.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I'm excited about the selection on Thursday. I think we will see an exciting team and will play a simple but brutal game which is what we need. I'll be down in 'twickers' cheering us on!!!

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Malins is the Ben Earl of the backs. Never impressed in white.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Times expecting:

Genge
George
Sinckler
Itoje
Chessum
Ludlam
Curry
Dombrandt
JvP
Smith
Malins
Farrell
Marchant
OHC
Steward

Mako
Walker
Cole
Isiekwe
Earl
Youngs
Lawrence
Watson

Individually there are some I'm quite pleased to see, and some less so. But as a collective it's a bit underwhelming with a lot of fairly inexperienced players in the starting XV (admittedly Borthwick's hand has been forced to an extent). Haven't done the maths but I'm guessing Farrell has more caps than the rest of the backs combined by a distance. Itoje will have more than 5,6,7 & 8 combined.

Some of the bench may make an impact but the Scots will definitely be fancying this.

 

[TommiG88]

Times expecting:

Genge
George
Sinckler
Itoje
Chessum
Ludlam
Curry
Dombrandt
JvP
Smith
Malins
Farrell
Marchant
OHC
Steward

Mako
Walker
Cole
Isiekwe
Earl
Youngs
Lawrence
Watson

Individually there are some I'm quite pleased to see, and some less so. But as a collective it's a bit underwhelming with a lot of fairly inexperienced players in the starting XV (admittedly Borthwick's hand has been forced to an extent). Haven't done the maths but I'm guessing Farrell has more caps than the rest of the backs combined by a distance. Itoje will have more than 5,6,7 & 8 combined.

Some of the bench may make an impact but the Scots will definitely be fancying this.

I like that team. Hand has been forced to have Faz at IC.

I would have preferred someone else over Malins on the wing but I don't hate it.