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6 Nations 2019 Build Up thread

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12467…24

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    #92
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    That's a pretty good squad England have to choose from. In terms of injuries they're not too badly off compared to previous seasons, and obviously the two Vunipolas and Tuilagi being available is massive. I'm sure there'll be plenty of nervous English fans with the rosary beads out watching Sarries (and leicester in Tuilagi's case) this weekend however!


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    #93
    stephen_n
    Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    jr86 wrote: »
    That's a pretty good squad England have to choose from. In terms of injuries they're not too badly off compared to previous seasons, and obviously the two Vunipolas and Tuilagi being available is massive. I'm sure there'll be plenty of nervous English fans with the rosary beads out watching Sarries (and leicester in Tuilagi's case) this weekend however!

    Going on previous occasions they should be more worried about them going into camp with Eddie!


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    #94
    troyzer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,199 ✭✭✭troyzer


    stephen_n wrote: »
    Going on previous occasions they should be more worried about them going into camp with Eddie!

    You have to think some of the leaders in that group had a stern talking with Eddie, especially after their poor summer test showing.

    I can't imagine Eddie will pull the same bull**** again.


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    #95
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,028 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    teo / tuilagi midfield anyone??

    englands weakest link is their coach


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    #96
    Dubinusa
    Registered Users Posts: 8,142 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    That's a very strong squad. They will be a tough side to play.
    Just having Billy V makes them so much better.
    Cokansiga looks like a future star. He's a massive big winger.
    I think England are on the way back.


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    #97
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Squidgy Black wrote: »
    Robson over Care is such a weird call. I'll never understand what goes on in Eddie's head.

    I watched a good bit of Wasps in the build up to the opening round of Europe. Wasps with Robson are a decent team, Wasps without Robson are disjointed and ineffective. He is a clever hard working player that scores tries and pops up in defence all over the park. I'd absolutely have him in the England squad.
    sydthebeat wrote: »
    teo / tuilagi midfield anyone??

    I hope so. Absolutely no nuance in that midfield and the ball will die in the centres repeatedly. Plenty of bosh and hard to match up against physically but an organised Irish defence would be delighted with such a predictable opposition.

    English wingers would never see the ball.

    Ford, Farrell Tuilagi is what I'd be worrying about.


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    #98
    aloooof
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,225 Mod ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Ford, Farrell Tuilagi is what I'd be worrying about.

    Agreed, but thankfully Ford-Farrell 10-12 is very unlikely you'd imagine; Eddie Jones seems to have abandoned that selection entirely.


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    #99
    AdamD
    Registered Users Posts: 12,385 ✭✭✭✭AdamD


    A Teo/Tuilagi midfield would lead to some very cold and bored wingers


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    #100
    RugbyLover123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭RugbyLover123


    Slade has been great for Exeter this season anytime I’ve seen him.

    Farrell/Tuilagi/Slade would be interesting to see, if Eddie wants to go for a big 12 option.


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    #101
    Dog Botherer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,641 ✭✭✭Dog Botherer


    RugbyLover123 wrote: »
    Slade has been great for Exeter this season anytime I’ve seen him.

    Farrell/Tuilagi/Slade would be interesting to see, if Eddie wants to go for a big 12 option.

    Slade is doing his usual thing of playing extremely well in the run up to the international window, everyone calls for his inclusion, he gets in the starting team, then promptly ****s the bed.


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    #102
    Paul Smeenus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,326 ✭✭✭Paul Smeenus


    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/17/eddie-jones-jack-nowell-forward-england-six-nations

    Say what now, Ed?


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    #103
    MOLF Hunter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 49 ✭MOLF Hunter


    Paul Smeenus wrote: »
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/17/eddie-jones-jack-nowell-forward-england-six-nations

    Say what now, Ed?

    It's an interesting idea, I'll give him that


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    #104
    Squidgy Black
    Registered Users Posts: 21,605 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    Paul Smeenus wrote: »
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/17/eddie-jones-jack-nowell-forward-england-six-nations

    Say what now, Ed?

    So pretty much what Joe has been doing with his wingers for years now, strike runners off the 9 and getting them to concentrate on hitting rucks.


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    #105
    stephen_n
    Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    Paul Smeenus wrote: »
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/17/eddie-jones-jack-nowell-forward-england-six-nations

    Say what now, Ed?
    The game has changed. The game used to be 80 minutes, now it is 100 minutes.

    I missed that, is this a new thing coming in for the 6N


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    #106
    Paul Smeenus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,326 ✭✭✭Paul Smeenus


    Squidgy Black wrote: »
    So pretty much what Joe has been doing with his wingers for years now, strike runners off the 9 and getting them to concentrate on hitting rucks.

    Yeah. No scrum role = not a forward. He's talking about using his wingers differently, is all, as far as I can see.

    Sometimes I think Eddie just genuinely wants to be in the papers. Gartand loves his mind tricks, but Eddie, it seems, will say any aul' ballicks with a headline in mind.

    On the other hand, a bit of innovation in tactics is never a bad thing. The choke tackle,for example. England despite winning, will be forever mocked as the team that were genuinely flummoxed by the Italians standing off rucks.

    And, I don't know if was down to Eddie, but the Japanese countered their perpetual weight imbalance at scrums with a fresh - and pertinently, successful - approach at the last RWC. Get the ball through and out as quickly as possibly. They could do that efficiently and in a controlled manner even when they were skidding backwards, which they often were. They just thought about it in a new way - not as about a long, draining arm wrestle.

    But I don't think this will be the revelation Eddie thinks it will be - that's if he even tries it, rather than just talking for the sake of talking.


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    #107
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Paul Smeenus wrote: »
    Yeah. No scrum role = not a forward. He's talking about using his wingers differently, is all, as far as I can see.

    Sometimes I think Eddie just genuinely wants to be in the papers. Gartand loves his mind tricks, but Eddie, it seems, will say any aul' ballicks with a headline in mind.

    On the other hand, a bit of innovation in tactics is never a bad thing. The choke tackle,for example. England despite winning, will be forever mocked as the team that were genuinely flummoxed by the Italians standing off rucks.

    And, I don't know if was down to Eddie, but the Japanese countered their perpetual weight imbalance at scrums with a fresh - and pertinently, successful - approach at the last RWC. Get the ball through and out as quickly as possibly. They could do that efficiently and in a controlled manner even when they were skidding backwards, which they often were. They just thought about it in a new way - not as about a long, draining arm wrestle.

    But I don't think this will be the revelation Eddie thinks it will be - that's if he even tries it, rather than just talking for the sake of talking.

    I think Eddie is trying to give the optics of new thinking and big ideas but really he is just spoofing and creating a platform to launch excuses from if England fail to deliver in the Six Nations.

    As for Japan in the World Cup - South Africa didn't take them seriously at all. It was Ireland v Georgia except Georgia won. Yes Japan cleverly fought the scrum battle on their terms, and absolutely deserved to win but South Africa were on the start of a big slide that would see them suffer their worst run of defeats in history.

    There isn't anything revolutionary about a weaker scrum getting the ball out quickly - the bigger news story was how South Africa failed to use the set-piece as a platform on their own ball.

    One of my favourite games of rugby - but Jones get's too much credit for what was just as much a really bad day at the office for South Africa.


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    #108
    Paul Smeenus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,326 ✭✭✭Paul Smeenus


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    I think Eddie is trying to give the optics of new thinking and big ideas but really he is just spoofing and creating a platform to launch excuses from if England fail to deliver in the Six Nations.

    As for Japan in the World Cup - South Africa didn't take them seriously at all. It was Ireland v Georgia except Georgia won. Yes Japan cleverly fought the scrum battle on their terms, and absolutely deserved to win but South Africa were on the start of a big slide that would see them suffer their worst run of defeats in history.

    There isn't anything revolutionary about a weaker scrum getting the ball out quickly - the bigger news story was how South Africa failed to use the set-piece as a platform on their own ball.

    One of my favourite games of rugby - but Jones get's too much credit for what was just as much a really bad day at the office for South Africa.

    Well, it could have come from the forwards coach, anyway. And Japan had been doing it against a number of teams - it didn't just materialise for that game. But those are minor points - I agree with you. Particularly about SA underestimating Japan.

    Ulster's scrum seems to be stabilising now, for which I am ridiculously grateful, but last season it felt like we had the worst scrum in the Pro12, and it was frustrating that we ever tried that approach; we just gave away penalties continuously instead. In fairness, it may take a degree of skill and organisation of which we weren't capable.

    And I suspect you could be right about Jones effectively laying groundwork for excuses for a poor 6N campaign. "Hey, I said we were trying something new! Sometimes you have to take a chance."


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    #109
    aloooof
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,225 Mod ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I think Eddie is trying to give the optics of new thinking and big ideas

    Completely, it reminds me of the time he claimed one man to clean out a ruck was the way forward.


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    #110
    razorblunt
    Registered Users Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    Yeah, he's throwing shít at the wall here and some journalists are lapping it up e.g. Paul Morgan.
    They were falling over themselves when Mallet picked Bergamasco at 9.


    Greenwood is another saying "oh Harlequins used a winger in the back row this season" because yeah, Harlequins are flying aren't they and not at all facing 5 International backrows within the next 2 months.


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    #111
    reg114
    Registered Users Posts: 687 ✭✭✭reg114


    In his comments Eddie says 'Ireland are a good team', to be hes never been anything other than disingenuous in his praise of Ireland's achievements especially against his England team. I would also question the wisdom behind his gearing his squad selection towards the Ireland game, surely you should cater for the opposition but ultimately play to your own strengths?


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    #112
    Thrashssacre
    Registered Users Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭Thrashssacre


    Is the Wales game more important (6 nations standing aside) due to the fact that IF Ireland were to make the world Cup final Wales may well be the team they face?


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    #113
    aloooof
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,225 Mod ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    Thrashssacre wrote: »
    Is the Wales game more important (6 nations standing aside) due to the fact that IF Ireland were to make the world Cup final Wales may well be the team they face?

    Hugely jumping the gun, imo. By this reasoning, I'd say Scotland is more important.


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    #114
    troyzer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,199 ✭✭✭troyzer


    We're far more likely to face Wales in a semi.


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    #115
    Thrashssacre
    Registered Users Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭Thrashssacre


    troyzer wrote: »
    We're far more likely to face Wales in a semi.

    Think Australia will beat Wales in the pool stages personally


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    #116
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    https://youtu.be/owP1J5cfRHE

    Love this 6 Nations RTE opening from 2013.

    Obviously don't want that year's results ;)


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    #117
    troyzer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,199 ✭✭✭troyzer


    Thrashssacre wrote: »
    Think Australia will beat Wales in the pool stages personally

    Really? That would be some turnaround from Australia. They've been awful this year.

    Seeing Wales in the final would also require them to beat the All Blacks at some point, something they've never done.


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    #118
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,356 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    troyzer wrote: »
    Really? That would be some turnaround from Australia. They've been awful this year.

    Seeing Wales in the final would also require them to beat the All Blacks at some point, something they've never done.

    They have, just not since the 50s - which is more or less the same thing in all practicality.


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    #119
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    Certain teams tend to perform at World Cups. South Africa, Australia rarely have a bad one. Look at how SA only lost 20-18 to NZ last time round. They lost to Italy a year ago but getting their act together now. Australia are a team capable of rapid upturns in form too. 2011 was their poorest. In the final in 2015.


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    #120
    Bridge93
    Registered Users Posts: 7,018 ✭✭✭Bridge93


    troyzer wrote: »
    Really? That would be some turnaround from Australia. They've been awful this year.

    Seeing Wales in the final would also require them to beat the All Blacks at some point, something they've never done.

    Wales only beat them 9-6 with a kick a couple of minutes from the end at home in November. Australia butchered a couple of easy chances too. Australia will be favourites id imagine


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    #121
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    Argentina, needless to say, like 1999, 2007 and 2015 are another good WC team.


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