[2025 Six Nations] England vs Scotland - 22/02/25

[LIONSxv]

The only element of the English game that functioned well was the scrum. Own line went well but then hardly challenged perceived weaker Sco lineout despite picking two line out specialists
The whole team just looked shackled by an ineffective ill thought out strategy. It was like watching a re-run of the years of England under Jones
SB makes 0 sense

Watching England reminds me of when Gustard took over at Quins and tried to turn us into Saracens-lite. It doesn't suit the players we have and it doesn't work.

I'm not even against ugly rugby if it's the right tactic on the day. When it's done well (as we did in the RWC SF), it can be very effective. Should we be doing that against Scotland at home off the back of a decent win? Hell no.perf

Spot on point
It makes 0 sense to play a running, sniping scrum half a passing ex fly half at 12/13 and Marcus smith at 15 to play a box kicking game. You would argue that back row is not right for a slow attritional game either

 

[Weldit]

Matt Dawson column: 'England want to entertain but winning is all-important'

England needed the bounce of a ball in their Six Nations victory over Scotland but are being rewarded for their fight and resilience, writes Matt Dawson.

www.bbc.co.uk

What on earth?

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

It really annoys me how people are saying Scotland and France lost their games rather than England winning them. How's that any different from England losing so many close games where we butchered line breaks etc.

We won a tight game, we beat France. I'll take a right win over a tight loss. We arnt suddenly going to be playing like the 2015 all blacks next week will we.

The tactics were very odd at times agreed, there was obviously a plan (I'm not sure the right plan) but I'd rather see a plan than a none. Let's hope we see an improvement again next couple of weeks.

 

[Reiser99]

It really annoys me how people are saying Scotland and France lost their games rather than England winning them. How's that any different from England losing so many close games where we butchered line breaks etc.

We won a tight game, we beat France. I'll take a right win over a tight loss. We arnt suddenly going to be playing like the 2015 all blacks next week will we.

The tactics were very odd at times agreed, there was obviously a plan (I'm not sure the right plan) but I'd rather see a plan than a none. Let's hope we see an improvement again next couple of weeks.

This is the issue. We're not seeing a huge improvement. Yes we're on the right side of the last two games, but nothing says that England are really improving as a team. Possibly some of the attack once the game has settled, but that's too long. Play those games again next week and England likely lose. I know it's hypothetical, but as I've said before, if we want to be challenging for trophies we need to be playing well and winning well. At the moment, we can only scrape a win when the other team plays badly.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Matt Dawson column: 'England want to entertain but winning is all-important'

England needed the bounce of a ball in their Six Nations victory over Scotland but are being rewarded for their fight and resilience, writes Matt Dawson.

www.bbc.co.uk

What on earth?

Dawson innit

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

This is the issue. We're not seeing a huge improvement. Yes we're on the right side of the last two games, but nothing says that England are really improving as a team. Possibly some of the attack once the game has settled, but that's too long. Play those games again next week and England likely lose. I know it's hypothetical, but as I've said before, if we want to be challenging for trophies we need to be playing well and winning well. At the moment, we can only scrape a win when the other team plays badly.

But last year we scraped a loss, so that is an improvement.

I'd also add our defence looked better, we've learned how to use subs and the players have now all learned in that pressure environment.

We were never going to see a massive shift and turnaround but we have improved since last year.

 

[Reiser99]

But last year we scraped a loss, so that is an improvement.

I'd also add our defence looked better, we've learned how to use subs and the players have now all learned in that pressure environment.

We were never going to see a massive shift and turnaround but we have improved since last year.

Yeah but it's baby steps and I don't see the coaches as being good enough to get England to the level they need to be.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Yeah but it's baby steps and I don't see the coaches as being good enough to get England to the level they need to be.

Yes they are baby steps but SB is learning on the job. The chance to get rid of him has gone as the time invested now will help his learning.

I can't see anyone else being better now but a lot depends on how our attack evolves over the last two games.

SB should never have been appointed but now he's never and we've invested more time than we should we might as well use their experience they now have.

 

[TommiG88]

Dickson is just not a good ref

 

[higgik]

I think Randell is the weakest kicker

Exactly, so of all the choices, he picks the two weakest kickers and asks them to play the box kick game!!!!
This demonstrates there must be pressure from outside to pick players that do not fit the game plan, or SB is not seeing the obvious, we have a group of players who thrive in attacking with the ball and not suffocating the opposition.

 

[higgik]

The only element of the English game that functioned well was the scrum. Own line went well but then hardly challenged perceived weaker Sco lineout despite picking two line out specialists
The whole team just looked shackled by an ineffective ill thought out strategy. It was like watching a re-run of the years of England under Jones
SB makes 0 sense

Spot on point
It makes 0 sense to play a running, sniping scrum half a passing ex fly half at 12/13 and Marcus smith at 15 to play a box kicking game. You would argue that back row is not right for a slow attritional game either

Exactly why I think there is pressure to play certain players even if they do not fit the plan.
Wiggo played behind a dominant pack, so the pressure game worked. Sarries would force opposition into mistakes and then use powerful forwards or fast outside backs to score.
Our current group have been picked to play ball in hand and then given a kick plan
It is like giving a classical guitarist some rock music to play. They could do it, but it will not sound great.

 

[BPM]

Massive win for France. Not sure what that will do for Italy? Do they look at the game with us as an opportunity to bounce back or will it have knocked their confidence?

 

[Reiser99]

Dickson is just not a good ref

We didn't need him to get to international level to figure that out. Anyone who watches the premiership knows that except for the people selecting referees.

 

[Reiser99]

Also wrong thread.

 

[TopTen2003]

The way England play they need to be robust in midfield and frankly we are too soft around the edges there at the moment (and have been for a while). It becomes clearer with hindsight why Farrell used to get so much game time at 12.

We are inconsistent in defence and we don't set a platform to play off at the moment and I see the 12-13 axis as crucial to that. I wonder if that is the key contributor to us kicking away possession so frequently.

It was alarming how Scotland could go like a knife through butter off first phase ball from a set piece - England in defence look very set and rigid and with a little bit of Scottish footwork and variety we looked bang in trouble.

I don't think the tight 5 had a great game in the loose either- including captain Itoje who was on more than one occasion sent barrelling backwards in contact. Our back row is more physical than the tight 5 in recent performances.

It just looks to me like we've got an SB game plan that has a basis of strong fundamentals but a personnel group who just do not deliver that on a consistent basis.

We've seen enough games now to know this England team can't be relied on - at their best they're a very capable side but they are also a side with frailties that are not being addressed.

 

[Weldit]

Dawson innit

He seems to be parodying himself now.

 

[LIONSxv]

Exactly why I think there is pressure to play certain players even if they do not fit the plan.
Wiggo played behind a dominant pack, so the pressure game worked. Sarries would force opposition into mistakes and then use powerful forwards or fast outside backs to score.
Our current group have been picked to play ball in hand and then given a kick plan
It is like giving a classical guitarist some rock music to play. They could do it, but it will not sound great.

One of the oddities of SB is that he picks the a team to play fast open rugby. In his press releases he tells us that the focus is to play attacking rugby...all makes sense so far. Then asks this attacking team to play the an attritional ,physical box kick game.

No wonder the players look so unsure and without structure it's bizarre

With that game plan yesterday he should picked Hill at 6, Spencer at 9 anyone but Slade at centre FS at FB and swapped Roebuck for OS

 

[dgc47]

It really annoys me how people are saying Scotland and France lost their games rather than England winning them. How's that any different from England losing so many close games where we butchered line breaks etc.

We won a tight game, we beat France. I'll take a right win over a tight loss. We arnt suddenly going to be playing like the 2015 all blacks next week will we.

The tactics were very odd at times agreed, there was obviously a plan (I'm not sure the right plan) but I'd rather see a plan than a none. Let's hope we see an improvement again next couple of weeks.

England's first try is a talking point. Did Freeman ground the ball? The Referee said yes but when those who've played the game raise this point......well?
Russell misses all his conversion attempts which definately was a factor with the score when the whistle was blown to end the game.

Not being controversial but England defended (and defended well) a lot more than they attacked.

England's win was opportunistic and sometimes that's all that matters. Improvement will follow.

 

[Saintjay]

I think love it or hate it. He's more than likely taking England to another world cup.

 

[AlRums]

England vs Scotland - Match Statistics - Six Nations 2025 - 22 Feb, 2025 - ESPN

Get a summary of the England vs Scotland, Six Nations 2025 22 Feb, 2025 rugby match.

www.espn.co.uk

I'd like to say the match stats says it all but in this case it seems to say the opposite.

The area England were ahead was penalty count 10-13, unfortunately the 3 penalties that were kicked.

It does say something to be in the top half of the table with negative points difference and try difference.

Scotland have the consolation of 3 tries to 1, to a great extent vindicating their defence.