England v Scotland, 02/02/13

[Teh Mite]

9. Ellis
10. Hodgson
11. Cueto
12. Hape
13. Tindall
14. Sackey
15. Balshaw


*shudder*

 

[McTallshort]

9. Ellis
10. Hodgson
11. Cueto
12. Hape
13. Tindall
14. Sackey
15. Balshaw


*shudder*

9.Perry
10. Goode

 

[Teh Mite]

I'd rather have Perry and Goode then Ellis and Hodgson for England. The same way I'd rather have Chlamydia instead of Aids TBF.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

Scotland to WIN!!!!!

But all I can really hope is that Scotland play it wide. If they are going to lose, at least make it fun to watch. I also can't see why they would not. We have a great back row and an amazing back three. Running rugby should be our focus.

 

[Big Ewis]

^ Scotland does have the ability to attack...but can also be flat as...a crepe.
I certainly hope they play wide as well, they've got some athletic bodies in there, can prove to be entertaining.

 

[irelandfan123]

I have been reading your posts and I don't think you are french, just ****ing mental but I love it tho^
Most dangerous group of backs Scotland have had for a while, Martyn Williams say Johnson is one of the best attacking coaches he has had, so he could be the spark to alight the team, Scotland are far more threatening this. Most scarred I have been to face them since 2008.

 

[Big Ewis]

I have been reading your posts and I don't think you are french, just ****ing mental but I love it tho^

I...I'll take that as a compliment...

Oh and looking at that flag you've got on display, I don't think you're Irish !

 

[Zed]

Scotland to WIN!!!!!

But all I can really hope is that Scotland play it wide. If they are going to lose, at least make it fun to watch. I also can't see why they would not. We have a great back row and an amazing back three. Running rugby should be our focus.

They don't really have the skills in the backline to play decent running rugby. I can't remember the year - possibly 2011(?) Scotland lost to Wales at home - it was a pitiful match and the lack of skills on show from both teams, but primarily the Scots was dreadful. Even the basics, catching and passing, were missing. They play a conservative game, because when they do attempt to play an expansive game, they come unstuck, the ball gets dropped in their half, scrum to the opposition, so instead they just kick it. It's a vicious circle - they don't play an expansive game, so when they do, it's unfamiliar, **** goes wrong and they revert to type. The main issue is the players they have at their disposal lack the skills needed to play open rugby at international level. E.G - A 13, needs to be able to catch a flat 20m cut out pass from his 10, whilst running flat out and be able to catch and distribute to his outside man in one fluid motion. From what I've seen of Scotland in recent years, they just don't have players with those skills. They do now have a genuinely decent back 3, but they just need to figure out a way they can make space for them. It will be a shame if they don't use them.

 

[Seaton]

They don't really have the skills in the backline to play decent running rugby. I can't remember the year - possibly 2011(?) Scotland lost to Wales at home - it was a pitiful match and the lack of skills on show from both teams, but primarily the Scots was dreadful. Even the basics, catching and passing, were missing. They play a conservative game, because when they do attempt to play an expansive game, they come unstuck, the ball gets dropped in their half, scrum to the opposition, so instead they just kick it. It's a vicious circle - they don't play an expansive game, so when they do, it's unfamiliar, **** goes wrong and they revert to type. The main issue is the players they have at their disposal lack the skills needed to play open rugby at international level. E.G - A 13, needs to be able to catch a flat 20m cut out pass from his 10, whilst running flat out and be able to catch and distribute to his outside man in one fluid motion. From what I've seen of Scotland in recent years, they just don't have players with those skills. They do now have a genuinely decent back 3, but they just need to figure out a way they can make space for them. It will be a shame if they don't use them.

When speaking of not trying to play an expansive game, you are aware that Scotland made the most passes in the 2012 Six Nations by quite some distance? Only Wales came within 300 passes completed as Scotland.

 

[Zed]

When speaking of not trying to play an expansive game, you are aware that Scotland made the most passes in the 2012 Six Nations by quite some distance? Only Wales came within 300 passes completed as Scotland.

Most of the games I watched, yes they did pass a lot, but the passing was poor and ineffectual. i.e the backs were often way too deep, taking passes at half pace and then accelerating. They often didn't make the gain line. The passes were often slow and to the man as opposed to in front of him, so he could accelerate onto the ball. And I don't really think throwing lots of passes necessarily means a team is playing expansively. They could be lots of short passes off the ruck, or pops to support runners. I don't really recall any decent passages of play or set moves with the 10 for example cutting out the centres, flat pass to 15, who's accelerating into the gap flat out. And that's what they need to do - learn how to play an expansive game effectively. Any team can pass the ball out from 9 - 14, but to actually do it with accurate passing and at full pace is a very hard thing to do. NZ are supreme at this. They go from side to side, stretching the defence and eventually holes open up and a flat, bullet pass from Carter finds an outside back sprinting into a gap. The ball goes straight to his hands and he doesn't have to break stride. Most teams try to emulate this, but simply don't have the skills. And that's why NZ are so good, they do the basics so well.

 

[Peat]

Although i would like to see twelvetrees start i think he will be on the bench and cover the 10/12, think a centre of 36 and manu would be v.good it did work for tigers.

Backline will prob be, 9. Care, 10. Faz, 11.Brown, 12.Barrit, 13.Joesph, 14.Ashton, 15.Goode.

Don't like the centres orhaving a full back on the wing but can see lancster wanting to stick to this sort of team.

Lets just consider ourselves lucky he's not trying this...

9. Foden 10. Miller 11. Brown 13. May 13. Armitage 14. Abendanon 15. Goode

You know it would be his dream line up.

 

[Patchey]

Lets just consider ourselves lucky he's not trying this...

9. Foden 10. Miller 11. Brown 13. May 13. Armitage 14. Abendanon 15. Goode

You know it would be his dream line up.

10. Strettle...

 

[smb64]

Scotland team to play England:
15: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors),
14: Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors),
13: Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors),
12: Matt Scott (Edinburgh),
11: Tim Visser (Edinburgh),
10: Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors),
9: Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh);
8: Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier).
7: Kelly Brown (captain - Saracens),
6: Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan),
5: Jim Hamilton (Gloucester),
4: Richie Gray (Sale Sharks),
3: Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors),
2: Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors),
1: Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors),

Substitutes: Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), David Denton (Edinburgh), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres).

Lamont at center - Guessing that means a focus on crash ball game from Scot

 

[Seaton]

Most of the games I watched, yes they did pass a lot, but the passing was poor and ineffectual. i.e the backs were often way too deep, taking passes at half pace and then accelerating. They often didn't make the gain line. The passes were often slow and to the man as opposed to in front of him, so he could accelerate onto the ball. And I don't really think throwing lots of passes necessarily means a team is playing expansively. They could be lots of short passes off the ruck, or pops to support runners. I don't really recall any decent passages of play or set moves with the 10 for example cutting out the centres, flat pass to 15, who's accelerating into the gap flat out. And that's what they need to do - learn how to play an expansive game effectively. Any team can pass the ball out from 9 - 14, but to actually do it with accurate passing and at full pace is a very hard thing to do. NZ are supreme at this. They go from side to side, stretching the defence and eventually holes open up and a flat, bullet pass from Carter finds an outside back sprinting into a gap. The ball goes straight to his hands and he doesn't have to break stride. Most teams try to emulate this, but simply don't have the skills. And that's why NZ are so good, they do the basics so well.

I agree with everything you said, except that they don't try to play expansively. They do, they are just **** at it.

 

[ratsapprentice]

9. Ellis
10. Hodgson
11. Cueto
12. Hape
13. Tindall
14. Sackey
15. Balshaw


*shudder*

2. Mark Regan

Ewwwwww


Would be extremely surprised to see anything other than JJ going straight into 13.
If it's all going well in the second half I think 36 will come on at 12, if it's not however, I don't think he'll make an appearance at all.
If JJ is having a bad time specifically I reckon he might get swapped for 36.

I think the most interesting thing about this match (and the tournament as a whole) is the wing situation, not 36.
I honestly would like to see Monye and Strettle out of the squad, while both have played very solidly for their clubs, neither have really been very exciting for a number of seasons.
I think Ashton really needs to find better form too, and I don't think he'll do that until he's put under real pressure from inside the Elite squad.
Let's face it he's hardly under pressure from the fullbacks or Strettle/Monye.

 

[Teh Mite]

^Re: Ashton.

On this seasons form (and for that matter, all bar the last 2 months of last season), Sharples would have had his shirt long ago IMO.

 

[ratsapprentice]

You need two good wingers in the squad at the same time to displace him though.

 

[Teh Mite]

I suppose you could say there's also Varndell, Biggs & Strettle in the wings. But, well...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Would have like to have seen Wade and Biggs given serious game time this tourney but don't think that's gonna happen.

 

[Teh Mite]

Why Biggs? He's like a slow version of Paul Diggin.