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2019 Six Nations

Sheik Yerbouti

Very Well-Known
Honorary Member
No chat about the Six Nations?

England were brilliant, so quick to press the Ireland line.

Surprised the ref didn’t go to the video ref for the first Ireland try. Looked like it was held up to me.
 
Well deserved victory for England to be fair.

They dominated the physical exchanges and played us at our own game - box kicks , grubber kicks, playing patiently knowing that continually exerting pressure would pay off.

Henshaw at 15 didn't work out, he seemed to be out of position a few times and every time England took advantage with clever kicks.
We never looked dangerous with ball in hand and we were far too predictable. We needed to vary the tactics a bit, pick and pop isn't all that popular at international level but done right it can get the defensive line moving backwards. That can take the sting out of a rush defence and open up gaps.
 
I know fuck all about American Football, Baseball or Basketball. I'm more of a footy, cricket, boxing kind of guy. I mean no offence to the Americans on here but what the fuck is Nascar all about? It just looks like a meat and beer fest with loads of fights and fast cars........ Hang on.......:whistle:

Anyway I grew up with Rugby. I used to watch all the six nations because my Dad used to be part of the coaching set up in Northampton and had about 5 England Caps in the 70's. Fun times - I remember meeting Bill Beaumont and telling him to stop beating Crazy Horse on Question Of Sport. Bill said "What you on about did you see his tackle when he floored Albert.... (Something - I forget who it was) He could play front row for England that lad" :)

Anyway yeah it was well deserved. Great match though.
 
Fantastic Match, just so much sustained intensity and Ireland had no answer. Hopefully not a serious injury to Itoje.

The france - wales game on friday night was utterly bonkers. The french put in the most french performance possible. Absolutely brilliant in the first half, make a mistake in the 2nd and lost their heads completely. Mentalists.
 
I know fuck all about American Football, Baseball or Basketball. I'm more of a footy, cricket, boxing kind of guy. I mean no offence to the Americans on here but what the fuck is Nascar all about? It just looks like a meat and beer fest with loads of fights and fast cars........ Hang on.......:whistle:

Anyway I grew up with Rugby. I used to watch all the six nations because my Dad used to be part of the coaching set up in Northampton and had about 5 England Caps in the 70's. Fun times - I remember meeting Bill Beaumont and telling him to stop beating Crazy Horse on Question Of Sport. Bill said "What you on about did you see his tackle when he floored Albert.... (Something - I forget who it was) He could play front row for England that lad" :)

Anyway yeah it was well deserved. Great match though.
Surely it was 5 nations back then??

*whistles...*
 
Some cracking matches in Round One. Impressive England causing an upset. Wales showing great resilience. Scotland getting the job done. Don't envy the Scots hosting an angry Ireland.
 
The handicap for Ireland Scotland was 7 points earlier in the week. That's 6 points now.

Scotland are 2/1 to win the match and there home record is very good. I think I might stick a few quid on it just in case.

I was s bit concerned about how we looked a bit off the pace last weekend - we didn't look dangerous with ball in hand, we didn't win any turnover ball at the breakdown. We looked very one dimensional, and that's okay if you win the physical encounters but we simply didn't come close to doing that.

We're now down two of our first three second rows, Stander and Leavy are missing from the backrow. O'Brien being back should be a positive but I'm not sure he'd be far ahead of Leavy these days (if ahead at all).

If Scotland match us up front we leave it open to Finn Russell to work his magic. I would not be shocked if we lost this one.

I know we're not long from beating New Zealand but we looked a long long way short of that last week.
 
Missing big Toner as well.

I'm not optimistic about this.
 
Watching England reminded me of the skanks under Mourinho-- fantastic players hamstrung by a strange tactical call. Johnny May and Harry Slade are outstanding backs but hardly ever got the chance to showcase any of their skills. Well done Wales.
 
Watching England reminded me of the skanks under Mourinho-- fantastic players hamstrung by a strange tactical call. Johnny May and Harry Slade are outstanding backs but hardly ever got the chance to showcase any of their skills. Well done Wales.
Ironically, I think May is playing better than I have ever seen him during these 6 nations.
 
Ironically, I think May is playing better than I have ever seen him during these 6 nations.
Definitely, at least in the first two matches when England played [quick] ball to hand he was outstanding. Yesterday’s tactical setup seemed to bypass the midfield (why ????)
 
May was immense in the first match against Ireland, he seemed to be quieter yesterday. Although I was talking a lot yesterday as I was out with the lads*.

*I was the youngest, I'm 39 can we still call ourselves the lads?
 
He was also destructive against France. I just think the fact that England opted to kick the ball rather than run it. When passing ball to hand and run it, which it did in the first two matches, May and Slade, particularly, came alive and were an absolute joy to watch.

Edit: Only 39!
 
Will Ireland come out all guns firing when they play the Welsh in Dublin (in which case I think they may well win) knowing that victory could hand England the title?
 
Will Ireland come out all guns firing when they play the Welsh in Dublin (in which case I think they may well win) knowing that victory could hand England the title?
Did you see them playing Italy? They seem to be firing blanks...
 
I've thought they've looked off the pace in every game.

Across the board the team is either 10% off its physical peak (maybe we've stopped doping ?) or there's a motivation issue. Shane Jennings pointed out the latter after the game - noting the lack of line speed in defence but also the dreadful body language and lack of communication between the players.

Murray is playing like he's not over his neck injury. Sexton hasn't done anything of note. O'Brien looks about 65% fit. Best is now looking his age, and was rested completely yesterday.

The only players that emerged with any kind of credit were Kilcoyne, Dillane, Stockdale and Earls.

It's starting to feel like the run in to the World Cup that got Eddie O'Sullivan the boot
 
Sexton has had about five concussions too many. I can't see Ireland having a good world cup.
 
Did you see them playing Italy? They seem to be firing blanks...

I didn't, but as an old-timer I remember many games before which you lot looked spent in the run-up to them but then went and won. Wales were good against us but not least because we let them be - we've become flat track bullies to an extent and can deteriorate quite quickly when our momentum is interrupted. I'll admit to the possibility of a degree of wishful thinking here since, if you beat the Welsh and we win, the title's probably ours in view of the pasting we gave the French, but I don't think it's a lost cause by any means to think that you could beat Wales at the Aviva.
 
We needed to vary the tactics a bit, pick and pop isn't all that popular at international level but done right it can get the defensive line moving backwards. That can take the sting out of a rush defence and open up gaps.

To pat myself on the back , this is a good example of how the pick and go off the back of a ruck works well to force a pack to commit to the breakdown and the area around it.

 
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