This is a thread about the 2020 Six Nations, formerly the Five Nations

Clegg

This is what you get when you select a lock to play blindside flanker and a smallish openside at 8.

https://twitter.com/RugbyInsideLine/status/1224089732336037888?s=19

Clegg

Russell didn't return to Scotland camp for this week's training. No chance he's playing at all this Six Nations. Probably won't play for Townsend again either.

https://twitter.com/ScotsmanSport/status/1224315448369479681?s=19

Squidgy Black

Clegg wrote: »

Russell didn't return to Scotland camp for this week's training. No chance he's playing at all this Six Nations. Probably won't play for Townsend again either.

https://twitter.com/ScotsmanSport/status/1224315448369479681?s=19

Probably for the best, Hastings went quite well on Saturday all things considered.

prawnsambo

Clegg wrote: »

Russell didn't return to Scotland camp for this week's training. No chance he's playing at all this Six Nations. Probably won't play for Townsend again either.

https://twitter.com/ScotsmanSport/status/1224315448369479681?s=19

Great unseen work by Simon Zebo.

Utah_Saint

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Probably for the best, Hastings went quite well on Saturday all things considered.

I'm a fan of Hastings. I think he has real class and will get much better with all this exposure.

Russell is obviously a quality player but sometimes you need a bit of restraint in the 10 position.

AdamD

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Probably for the best, Hastings went quite well on Saturday all things considered.

Now they have absolutely no back up though..

Squidgy Black

AdamD wrote: »

Now they have absolutely no back up though..

Duncan Weir was called up after Russell was dropped.

Scythica

England team named.

Furbank; May, Joseph, Farrell, Daly; Ford, Heinz; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Kruis, Itoje, Ludlam, Underhill, Curry

Replacements: Dunn, Genge, Stuart, Launchbury, Lawes, Earl, Youngs, Devoto

6/2 bench split

LCD's partner in labour, no idea what happened to Marler?

sydthebeat

a bit tough on Ewels... but itoje / kruis with launchbury backup is probably englands best lock combo

Webbs

WALES TEAM TO PLAY IRELAND (Saturday February 8 KO 14.15 ITV & S4C)

15. Leigh Halfpenny (86 Caps)
14. George North (92 Caps)
13. Nick Tompkins (1 Cap)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (26 Caps)
11. Josh Adams (22 Caps)
10. Dan Biggar (80 Caps)
9. Tomos Williams (17 Caps)
1. Wyn Jones (23 Caps)
2. Ken Owens (74 Caps)
3. Dillon Lewis (23 Caps)
4. Jake Ball (43 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (C) (135 Caps)
6. Aaron Wainwright (19 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (73 Caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (73 Caps)

Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias (10 Caps)
17. Rhys Carre (6 Caps)
18. Leon Brown (7 Caps)
19. Adam Beard (20 Caps)
20. Ross Moriarty (42 Caps)
21. Gareth Davies (51 Caps)
22. Owen Williams (3 Caps)
23. Johnny McNicholl (1 Cap)​

I've a real mental block about Wales. I think it comes from their club performances but I look at that 23 and I don't see many players who would make an Irish 23.

Ken Owens, Wyn Jone, faletau from the pack.

North in the backs, Biggar into the 22 jersey.

And yet we always struggle against them. Gatland was a great coach, Pivac looks to have the calibre but needs to show it at National team level.

I've no idea what to expect from Saturday. I've a narrow Irish win but anything could happen from either team trashing the other to a narrow win for either.

sydthebeat

Deleted User wrote: »

North in the backs, Biggar into the 22 jersey.

Josh Adams before North, hes a shadow of what he once was, and has lost some pace.

both welsh SHs would be challenging ours too, and either could make an argument for starting in green.

aloooof

Finding it s really difficult one to call; 16/1 on the draw?

Scythica

Scotland named.

Murrayfield Stadium

15. Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 73 caps

14. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 45 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 24 caps
12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 10 caps
11. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 18 caps

10. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 29 caps

1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 4 caps
2. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 47 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 26 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 56 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 15 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) – 29 caps
8. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 11 caps

Substitutes:
16. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) – 34 caps
17. Allan Dell (London Irish) – 29 caps
18. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 24 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 23 caps
20. Nick Haining (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps
22. Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) – 4 caps
23. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 15 caps

NabyLadistheman

Whens the French team announced?

sydthebeat

Suarezistheman wrote: »

Whens the French team announced?

when they sober up .....

Squidgy Black

hahashake

Squidgy Black wrote: »

2 saffa locks...Must be something in the water down there to make so many good big men.

sydthebeat

hahashake wrote: »

2 saffa locks...Must be something in the water down there to make so many good big men.

did you see the size of leRoux roets this morning???

good jesus he must have pushed more drugs than harold shipman !!

Hurrache

Speaking of Saffas, the Mail is claiming they'll all be here this time a few years away
[url]

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1225910195315978241?s=19[/url][url][/url]

molloyjh

That would be the end of Australian rugby almost certainly. And possibly New Zealand too. SA are the ones bringing in the big money in SH rugby. Without them I dont know how the others would survive. I cant see it being allowed by WR tbh. It would be incredibly bad for the game as a whole.

Daily mail

razorblunt

Jesus, the size of Rob Wainwright now.

cameramonkey

Scotland looked better against ireland than Wales did today. I think if Scotland are up for this game and cut out the mistakes then they will win.

Big moment for Stuart Hogg.

PhlegmyMoses

Now to watch Itoje be constantly told to stop doing things by the ref but somehow getting away with it all

razorblunt

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

Now to watch Itoje be constantly told to stop doing things by the ref but somehow getting away with it all

Neck roll on Brown, nothing said, nothing given.

I read Finn Russell's piece in the Times and I have to say I think any future Scottish coach would be well within their rights to rule him persona non grata and leave him out.

If a player and coach disagree, the final call is the coaches - end of discussion. Russell strikes me as incredibly entitled and far too self important. Townsend no doubt has his failings but that's not a justification and Finn's childishness on social media leaves me in little doubt as to who is the more guilty party in all this.

Scotland are also playing a lot better without him. They did enough to beat us and stood up well in an arm wrestle against England.

Squidgy Black

"The current set-up and environment, I don't think I want to play in that, I don't think it's good for me as a person or a player. I've felt like this for more than a year.

"I'd love to play for Scotland again because I love playing for my country. But until I see or feel the big changes that I need to get back playing my best, it's going to be very hard for me to do it."

I think that quote sums up everything about Russell and his ego.

stephen_n

Squidgy Black wrote: »

"The current set-up and environment, I don't think I want to play in that, I don't think it's good for me as a person or a player. I've felt like this for more than a year.

"I'd love to play for Scotland again because I love playing for my country. But until I see or feel the big changes that I need to get back playing my best, it's going to be very hard for me to do it."

I think that quote sums up everything about Russell and his ego.

He seems well placed in Racing.

molloyjh

Squidgy Black wrote: »

"The current set-up and environment, I don't think I want to play in that, I don't think it's good for me as a person or a player. I've felt like this for more than a year.

"I'd love to play for Scotland again because I love playing for my country. But until I see or feel the big changes that I need to get back playing my best, it's going to be very hard for me to do it."

I think that quote sums up everything about Russell and his ego.

Is he one part Roy Keane, one part Simon Zebo!?

Clegg

If team rules say only two drinks them you only have two drinks. It's not hard. Russell is disrespect ling his own teammates and setting himself above them but flouting the rules.

Panda Killa

The RFU having to deny newspaper reports that Rassie Erasmus is being lined up to replace Eddie as England boss
Rassie was present at the game yesterday and some of the saffer press have gotten wind of something they think

razorblunt

The size of Joe Worsley’s head!

Strange last two posts by me I concur.

razorblunt

Deleted User wrote: »

I read Finn Russell's piece in the Times and I have to say I think any future Scottish coach would be well within their rights to rule him persona non grata and leave him out.

If a player and coach disagree, the final call is the coaches - end of discussion. Russell strikes me as incredibly entitled and far too self important. Townsend no doubt has his failings but that's not a justification and Finn's childishness on social media leaves me in little doubt as to who is the more guilty party in all this.

Scotland are also playing a lot better without him. They did enough to beat us and stood up well in an arm wrestle against England.

A nothing article, half a paragraph about the missed training session. Hardly cutting edge from Mark Palmer who wrote it. Russell doesn’t come across well at all in it.

bilston

France look to be in the mood. If they stay in the mood for 80 minutes they could rack up 40+ points here.

Subpopulus

Could be bleak for Italy here.

swiwi_

Dupont is a joy to watch. Right on top of his game. Add in a top 8 and a pretty decent 10. If they beat Wales in Cardiff I reckon they do the slam.

razorblunt

Italian scrum half wants the ball on a plate. Needs to get in there and get it.


Im late for this one but Tommy “bloody” Allen.

razorblunt

Thought Olivon dropped that in the ruck under the posts.

Squidgy Black

It's sad to see the progress Italy were making over the last couple of years almost completely disappear.

bilston

swiwi_ wrote: »

Dupont is a joy to watch. Right on top of his game. Add in a top 8 and a pretty decent 10. If they beat Wales in Cardiff I reckon they do the slam.

Agree.

I've thought for a while that their dominance of the last few U20 WCs is bound to come to the fore at some point.

Plus they have Edwards to add a bit of structure.

I think they are the NH team to watch over the next 4 years.

bilston

Squidgy Black wrote: »

It's sad to see the progress Italy were making over the last couple of years almost completely disappear.

They are getting worse, although ironically Benetton and Zebre are getting better.

They seem to have a decent crop of U20s this year which is a good thing, but they need a lot more than one "decent" year

Edit - good try by Italy!!

razorblunt

Nice one Minozzi.
Thomas’ defence again.

They’re not Mexican Waving now.

Subpopulus

Minozzi scoring.

You love to see it.

swiwi_

bilston wrote: »

They are getting worse, although ironically Benetton and Zebre are getting better.

They seem to have a decent crop of U20s this year which is a good thing, but they need a lot more than one "decent" year

Edit - good try by Italy!!

I’ve never really rated Le Roux but his tackling and and ruck work this tournament so far has been very good.

Subpopulus

bilston wrote: »

They are getting worse, although ironically Benetton and Zebre are getting better.

They seem to have a decent crop of U20s this year which is a good thing, but they need a lot more than one "decent" year

They've been strong at U20 level for a few seasons now. I guess like France that will eventually seep through to the senior team.

bilston

Subpopulus wrote: »

They've been strong at U20 level for a few seasons now. I guess like France that will eventually seep through to the senior team.

Hopefully.

They are showing a bit of character here anyway

ScrubsfanChris

France should have touched that down, its from a kick off so would be a scrum on half way
Young lads not reading the law book.

bilston

What a pass by Dupont