6 Nations 2019 Build Up thread

Itssoeasy

Should have been ten all and it looks like France will be 17-3 up.

Edit: maybe not.

bilston

ionadnapokot wrote: »

And Marchand!
Not forgetting Chat....or Baptiste-Serin!
The talent available is staggering
But performances are just amateurish

What's happened to Serin? He's someone I was really impressed with a year or so ago

pickarooney

bilston wrote: »

What's happened to Serin? He's someone I was really impressed with a year or so ago

He's on the bench, coming back from a fairly poor year performance wise.

ionadnapokot

bilston wrote: »

What's happened to Serin? He's someone I was really impressed with a year or so ago

Not sure
His pass is something to behold

thomond2006

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057958804/3/#post109505390

Match thread for France vs. Scotland.

That French try is nailed on try of the tournament - special.

Buer

bilston wrote: »

You see with some of the talent coming through in France, if they actually got a decent coaching team in place they'd be deadly.

They produce more talent still than any other nation in the northern hemisphere. Every year there are two or three guys who would be in the Irish 23 based on natural talent.

They have absolutely no idea what to do with them though or how to nurture and manage their talent. Their selection policies and lack of structures just crush and isolate those guys.

ionadnapokot

glasso wrote: »

That French try is nailed on try of the tournament - special.

Eh!!!!! Spoke too soon!
Bastareaud with a chip over the top!!!!!!

Thrashssacre

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/47388295

Feel a bit sorry for them, I really can’t see who would take them be it in club rugby or international. Just not enough money in it for any of the competitions to be interested. I also don’t see a way for them to get their decent players back from Abroad to make a club side competitive and the pro 14 can not afford any more teams that are uncompetitive.

Eod100

Thrashssacre wrote: »

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/47388295

Feel a bit sorry for them, I really can’t see who would take them be it in club rugby or international. Just not enough money in it for any of the competitions to be interested. I also don’t see a way for them to get their decent players back from Abroad to make a club side competitive and the pro 14 can not afford any more teams that are uncompetitive.

I know they're in the Rugby Europe Championship but guess they're looking for something at club level as 6N won't change to allow them to break into the 6N.

A play-off for promotion/relegation between winners of REC and last-placed 6N could be interesting, but not sure if winner of REC would beat last placed in 6N and would it be fairest way to do it. But I don't think there's any appetite for that either way.

thomond2006

BOURGARIT Pierre (Stade Rochelais)
CHAT Camille (Racing 92)
GUIRADO Guilhem (cap)

ALDEGHERI Dorian (Stade Toulousain)
BAMBA Demba (CA Brive Corr Limousin)
GOMES SA Cedate (Racing 92)
POIROT Jefferson (Union Bordeaux Bes)
FALGOUX Etienne (AS Clermont Auvergne)

ITURRIA Arthur (AS Clermont Auvergne)
GABRILLAGUES Paul (Stade Frans Paris)
LAMBEY Felix (Lyon OU)
VAHAAMAHINA Sstien (AS Clermont Auvergne)
WILLEMSE Paul (Montpellier Hult)

CAMARA Yacouba (Montpellier Hult)
ALLDRITT Grry (Stade Rochelais)
LAURET Wenceslas (Racing 92)
PICAMOLES Louis (Montpellier Hult)

BEZY Sstien (Stade Toulousain)
DUPONT Antoine (Stade Toulousain)
SERIN Baptiste (Union Bordeaux-Bes)

BELLEAU Anthony (RC Toulon)
LOPEZ Camille (AS Clermont Auvergne)
NTAMACK Romain (Stade Toulousain)

BASTAREAUD Mathieu (RC Toulon)
DOUMAYROU Geoffrey (Stade Rochelais)
FICKOU Ga(Stade Frans Paris)
FOFANA Wesley (AS Clermont Auvergne)

HUGET Yoann (Stade Toulousain)
MEDARD Maxime (Stade Toulousain)
PENAUD Damian (AS Clermont Auvergne)
RAMOS Thomas (Stade Toulousain)

Eod100

England squad

Forwards
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons).


Backs
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens) captain, George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Dan Robson (Wasps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Eod100

Scotland: Forwards Hamish Watson, Willem Nel (both Edinburgh) and Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) are joined by Glasgow Warriors pair Stafford McDowall (centre) and Grant Stewart (hooker) in returning to the squad.

They are accompanied by incoming trio Matt Fagerson and Byron McGuigan – who missed out on initial selection through injury – and London Irish prop Gordon Reid.

As a consequence of their inclusion the following eight players, split evenly between injury and those released back to their clubs, are no longer part of the current Scotland squad.

They are injured quartet scrum-half George Horne (shoulder), prop D’arcy Rae (ankle), hooker George Turner (graduated return to play protocol for concussion) and centre Chris Dean (back), plus prop Alex Allan, back-row Rob Harley (both Glasgow Warriors), back-row John Hardie (Newcastle Falcons) and stand-off Duncan Weir (Worcester Warriors).

Dickie10

this france game is a potential banana skin if we are beaten i would fear for the job wales will do on us in cardiff. anyone think irelands match fixtures apart from england game have fallen badly , early kick off in murrayfield, sunday game in rome and another sunday game v france, id rather have france at 5pm on a saturday evening in dublin, we have a bad history v france on a sunday remember 2007 croker

troyzer

Dickie10 wrote: »

this france game is a potential banana skin if we are beaten i would fear for the job wales will do on us in cardiff. anyone think irelands match fixtures apart from england game have fallen badly , early kick off in murrayfield, sunday game in rome and another sunday game v france, id rather have france at 5pm on a saturday evening in dublin, we have a bad history v france on a sunday remember 2007 croker

Rugby in France is a Sunday game. Their TV rights holders try to have as many Sunday fixtures as possible.

jr86

Chris Robshaw back in England's squad

Would he not be better off giving a younger player a bit of experience, or is Jones expecting him to play a role in the RWC if fit?

Anjobe

jr86 wrote: »

Chris Robshaw back in England's squad

Would he not be better off giving a younger player a bit of experience, or is Jones expecting him to play a role in the RWC if fit?

It looks like he's cover for Curry at 7 in that squad, as Wilson and Shields cover 6. I don't know what other options England have at openside, it is not a position in which they have had strength in depth over the years. I would think that Underhill would be the preferred option behind Curry but he is not available.

Eod100

French team out. They seem to like releasing it early.

https://twitter.com/FFRugby/status/1102838657344552966

Eod100

Wales going early too: https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1102909180493611008?s=19

ionadnapokot

This is a brilliant headline
“Maro Itoje dodges Eddie Jones but runs into new England injury scare”
It’s literal
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/05/maro-itoje-injury-scare-england-training-rugby

razorblunt

Looking forward to seeing the Scotland selection, will Toonie have the balls to drop Laidlaw?

joseywhales

razorblunt wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing the Scotland selection, will Toonie have the balls to drop Laidlaw?

Please God, I'm tired of looking at his stationary arse for an eternity as he stares into the abyss as if pondering something masterful before passing 5 yards in the direction he is facing

Clegg

razorblunt wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing the Scotland selection, will Toonie have the balls to drop Laidlaw?

I'm not sure he will drop him. Maitland is injured now as well to go along with Huw Jones and Stuart Hogg. Russell is fit again but who knows if he's fully healed. He may want to keep Laidlaw in there as an experienced hand.

razorblunt

Clegg wrote: »

I'm not sure he will drop him. Maitland is injured now as well to go along with Huw Jones and Stuart Hogg. Russell is fit again but who knows if he's fully healed. He may want to keep Laidlaw in there as an experienced hand.

It's a big call alright but the alternative is having the Welsh defensive line completely smother them.

Dickie10

i think wales will hammer scotland and get a bonus point win

Eod100

England team out: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/1103604010399993856?s=19

Clegg

Te'o and Tuilagi as your centres really telegraphs your gameplan. No ball for the back 3!

jr86

Can see this being a massacre to be honest

England will obviously be keen to bounce straight back, and Italy at home couldn't be a better opportunity to do so. Could see Billy V and Tuilagi having a field day.

Interesting to see the subtle changes EJ is making to the side throughout the tournament. Te'o, Shields, Genge, and Cokanasiga all get their bow this week and injuries mean Launchbury gets a go too. I am surprised Daly has started all 4 games at FB though. Does Mike Brown not deserve a shot to prove himself before RWC? Thought Youngs might sit this one out too

A bonus point here should win them the championship if Wales slip up somewhere

Eod100

jr86 wrote: »

Can see this being a massacre to be honest

England will obviously be keen to bounce straight back, and Italy at home couldn't be a better opportunity to do so. Could see Billy V and Tuilagi having a field day.

Interesting to see the subtle changes EJ is making to the side throughout the tournament. Te'o, Shields, Genge, and Cokanasiga all get their bow this week and injuries mean Launchbury gets a go too

A bonus point here should win them the championship if Wales slip up somewhere

Yeah England's points difference is 40 so could nearly beat Italy by that amount. Even last year when Italy made a nuisance of themselves it ended up finishing 15-46.

Yeah downside if we beat Wales is England winning the Championship. :P

jr86

Eod100 wrote: »

Yeah England's points difference is 40 so could nearly beat Italy by that amount. Even last year when Italy made a nuisance of themselves it ended up finishing 15-46.

Yeah downside if we beat Wales is England winning the Championship. :P

An Irish BP in either of the first 2 matches could have made things interesting

As it stands, if England pick up the expected BP on saturday, any win against Scotland will do (being realistic looking at the PD)

I suppose with the BP rule its going to be very hard to replicate a final day like 2015 ever again

Anjobe

Eod100 wrote: »

Yeah downside if we beat Wales is England winning the Championship. :P

Not much danger of that on current form...

Eod100

Scotland team out:

https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1103641493158457344

troyzer

Eod100 wrote: »

Scotland team out:

https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1103641493158457344

Laidlaw benched, interesting.

Eod100

Italian team out. Only 1 left so is Irish team tomorrow pm.

https://twitter.com/Federugby/status/1103658918788714496

penybont exile

Dickie10 wrote: »

i think wales will hammer scotland and get a bonus point win

I'd take any win ..... BP's are irrelevant for us in any case.

troyzer

penybont exile wrote: »

Dickie10 wrote: »

i think wales will hammer scotland and get a bonus point win

I'd take any win ..... BP's are irrelevant for us in any case.

That's not true at all. A BP against Scotland makes it really hard for Ireland to come second, even if they win in Cardiff. It also keeps them in the hunt for first if England **** up.

penybont exile

troyzer wrote: »

That's not true at all. A BP against Scotland makes it really hard for Ireland to come second, even if they win in Cardiff. It also keeps them in the hunt for first if England **** up.

It's all about the GS for me .... & many of my ilk back in Wales.

troyzer

penybont exile wrote: »

It's all about the GS for me .... & many of my ilk back in Wales.

Riiiiight.

I personally don't think Wales are going to do it if Ireland find form, they've been poor for the majority of the tournament. In that scenario, getting a bonus point against Scotland is really important.

Buer

Ireland haven't won in Cardiff in the 6N under Schmidt. I don't expect that to change.

There was a huge lack of credit/respect afforded to Wales coming into this tournament. You could see it on here after the French game still with many people claiming Wales were poor and nothing to be worried about. It was pure arrogance on our part. They may not have beaten NZ but they've beaten everyone else aside from Ireland in the past year and they're going to be favourites to rectify that in a fortnight.

And I would imagine for the Welsh it is absolutely all about the Grand Slam now just as it would be if we were in the same position. The players won't be thinking about a bonus point whatsoever when they take the field tomorrow. Get the win and they're one game away from a massive achievement.

penybont exile

Correct .... Wales were not even worried about bonus points during the Italy game.

All about winning .... ROG figured it out ....

stephen_n

As poor as Scotland are, if recent history is anything to go by, they pose a much bigger threat to Wales than we do.

razorblunt

troyzer wrote: »

Laidlaw benched, interesting.

A great day for the parish!

jasonb

Not too certain where to ask this question, so please move it somewhere else if it's wrong here, but it does involve the outcome of 6 Nations matches so I thought I'd ask here.

After we beat the All Blacks a few months ago there was a lot of talk about Ireland becoming Number 1 in the World Rankings if we won our first couple of 6 Nations Games. We didn't have to win all of them, just the first two (I think?) Obviously losing to England made a mess of that, but I was wondering, can Ireland still get to Number 1? If we beat France and Wales, would that do it? Just curious really, any searching I do online only brings up articles from Nov after we beat the All Blacks, nothing more recent.

Thanks...

joseywhales

Matt Williams telling us that townsend is still getting to grips with international coaching is pretty rich.

The Lost Sheep

jasonb wrote: »

Not too certain where to ask this question, so please move it somewhere else if it's wrong here, but it does involve the outcome of 6 Nations matches so I thought I'd ask here.

After we beat the All Blacks a few months ago there was a lot of talk about Ireland becoming Number 1 in the World Rankings if we won our first couple of 6 Nations Games. We didn't have to win all of them, just the first two (I think?) Obviously losing to England made a mess of that, but I was wondering, can Ireland still get to Number 1? If we beat France and Wales, would that do it? Just curious really, any searching I do online only brings up articles from Nov after we beat the All Blacks, nothing more recent.

Thanks...

We wont gain many ranking points for beating France as theyre so far behind us in the rankings but if we beat Wales we'll go closer to number 1 but we cant make number 1 in the six nations

jasonb

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

We wont gain many ranking points for beating France as theyre so far behind us in the rankings but if we beat Wales we'll go closer to number 1 but we cant make number 1 in the six nations

Thanks for replying, I appreciate it. Just shows how one loss can make all the difference, both in the Rankings and in the 6 Nations!

Dickie10

yeah i hear people talking as if england are going to win the chamionship tomorrow , i think wales have the grand slam to lose to be honest. wales going for a grand slam in cardiff is a huge task for ireland espically with ireland out of the running for anything. i would actually fear for us in cardiff. we have been very dead in ourselves the whole championship if we go there in current form they will win by 20 points

razorblunt

Great interview with Liam Williams there on BBC.
I didn't realise he went working in the steel mills after school having been rejected from the Ospreys.
Certainly explains why he had a chip on his shoulder early on.
Came across very well.

Eod100

Hope Scotland make a game of it!

Eod100

https://twitter.com/OptaJonny/status/1104392479481180161?s=19