6 Nations , Gateway to the trout season

[delray]

I can't help wondering why Eddie Jones hasn't availed himself and England of such a knowledgeable rugby aficionado as yourself. Surely someone with your depth of experience would be an asset to the team and country.

Thank you for those kind words; I can't work it out either. He's on my speed dial but obviously not reciprocated.

 

[original cormorant]

Since c19 hit rugby the 2019/20 premiership was unconvincing as a contest, the 2019/20 european matches took it up to a much higher level. The resumed 2020 6 nations failed to excite me and this is continuing with the 2021 6 nations and Eddie Jones is doing his best to keep it that way.
The 6 nations is not the place to give saracens players match practice.

 

[Mr Notherone]

The 6 nations is not the place to give saracens players match practice.

It has certainly looked that way. At some point those players (and others) are going to click and play to their potential. I hope it’s not tomorrow but suspect it might be. Playing Italy last time out plus a week of extra prep should have helped.

 

[BobP]

I was highly amused the other week after someone on here had been banging on about Anthony Watson being totally useless, the worst ever, blah, blah. Next game he goes & scores two tries. Not been a word about THAT of course.

Despite del's condemnation I find it difficult to believe that someone with 50 caps can be as useless as all that. Especially someone who can bang over a penalty from his own 10 metre line let alone the opposition's. Imagine that with two minutes to go and useless Daly welts one over to give us a stunning victory of 2 points!

 

[delray]

And that would be great. However, 2 games, 2 miss tackles, 2 tries against us. No authority in the air, and i think he finished a move scoring a try from a few yards out. As already mentioned, apart from Itoje, the Saracens lads are out of form and you cannot play your way into form using Test rugby, unless you're G.O. Edwards. As a club Saracens are struggling; 2 losses v Ealing and a close one v Coventry (yep, I know the Internationals aren't playing).
I can't recall the critique of Watson, but in my mind he'd get more ball at 15, he's safer under the high ball and he tackles, not ferociously, but they go down. Daly can boot the ball a long way...

 

[Mr Notherone]

I was highly amused the other week after someone on here had been banging on about Anthony Watson being totally useless, the worst ever, blah, blah. Next game he goes & scores two tries. Not been a word about THAT of course.

Despite del's condemnation I find it difficult to believe that someone with 50 caps can be as useless as all that. Especially someone who can bang over a penalty from his own 10 metre line let alone the opposition's. Imagine that with two minutes to go and useless Daly welts one over to give us a stunning victory of 2 points!

Aficionado of the game of rugby football are you Bob..............

 

[delray]

Lawes out, George Martin in..........who's George Martin? Is this a 'Ron Bassett, England Manager' cigarette box moment, Benson and Hedges being drafted in too?
I have just checked; Leicester 19 year old 2nd row.

 

[Mr Notherone]

Lawes out, George Martin in..........who's George Martin? Is this a 'Ron Bassett, England Manager' cigarette box moment, Benson and Hedges being drafted in too?
I have just checked; Leicester 19 year old 2nd row.

He's only ever played three premiership games Del ! An interesting selection to say the least and quite a baptism if he gets on. Lawes is a blow, I thought he was Englands best forward against Scotland.

I'm hoping England will maintain their current form, but I suspect they will be back to their best. Big games needed from Billy V, Daly, Farrell and Youngs.

 

[boisker]

He's only ever played three premiership games Del ! An interesting selection to say the least and quite a baptism if he gets on. Lawes is a blow, I thought he was Englands best forward against Scotland.

I'm hoping England will maintain their current form, but I suspect they will be back to their best. Big games needed from Billy V, Daly, Farrell and Youngs.

in an parallel universe I am getting really excited about Randall and Smith making their first start as a 9-10 axis

 

[Mr Notherone]

If I had a kettle that took 80 minutes to boil, I have rather watched it than the Irish/Italy game...result never in doubt but so dull.

I don't usually have a go at the officials but they were also really poor in this game. Made a difficult game even worse.

 

[boisker]

If I had a kettle that took 80 minutes to boil, I have rather watched it than the Irish/Italy game...result never in doubt but so dull.

I don't usually have a go at the officials but they were also really poor in this game. Made a difficult game even worse.

glad I didnt bother with it... I was half watching the prem games whilst alternating with sitting in the sun...

 

[PaulD]

Wales V England

BREAKING NEWS!

Referee and Video Ref' decide to change the Knock-on Law . . .

Law 12 DEFINITION: KNOCK-ON

A knock-on occurs when a player loses possession of the ball and it goes forward, or when a player hits the ball forward with the hand or arm, or when the ball hits the hand or arm and goes forward, and the ball touches the ground or another player before the original player can catch it.

 

[diawl bach]

Great ref, great game.

 

[PaulD]

Great ref, great game.

Yes . . . you do need a sense of humour!

 

[PaulD]

Well, irrespective of the final result, the worst day of 6 Nations Rugby I've ever seen,

Italy v Ireland was a dire game.

Wales v England . . . there was no way England deserved to win that, their mentality was entirely inadequate. England supporters will just have to put aside two wrongly awarded tries, that was, without doubt, particularly in the first half, the worst refereeing performance at this level I've ever seen.,

On the plus side, Youngs. B Vunipola and Daly all played well . . . but that's a fifth of the team, there are questions to be asked of the other four fifths.

 

[JRT]

Wales are the least deserving triple crown winners that I can remember - no excuse for England pen count but when wales come up against a decent team and a proper ref they will be found out. I hope France rip them and go on to win the 6n.

 

[Gdog]

Owen Farrell's interview afterwards said it all, a very cross man. I'd feel for him though, Wales scored 1 try after a knock on and another one from a quickly taken penalty when the referee told Farrell to speak to his players.

 

[diawl bach]

Hardly surprising, he'd just lost and Wales have the Triple Crown
Thoroughly enjoyed the match, particularly when England came back at the end of the second half and made a match of it.
So sorry this game caused such angst among the England supporters

 

[Mr Notherone]

Wales are the least deserving triple crown winners that I can remember - no excuse for England pen count but when wales come up against a decent team and a proper ref they will be found out.

That's a bit harsh. Wales are not playing great rugby, but they can only play what's in front of them. If Ireland and Scotland can't keep 15 on the field and England give 15 penalties away, it's not their fault. It's also not their fault that Jones is picking a team where a third of them have played almost no rugby...

Granted, the ref today was woeful.

 

[Gdog]

Hardly surprising, he'd just lost and Wales have the Triple Crown
Thoroughly enjoyed the match, particularly when England came back at the end of the second half and made a match of it.
So sorry this game caused such angst among the England supporters

Have Wales had a tiny rub of the green? What happened today with the 2 tries, Scotland in control and a man sent off, Ireland having a man sent off after 14 minutes. Italy up next no problems. By the time the France game comes around, the entire French squad will have Covid, and France will have to field a team full of new caps against Wales. It could be Wales year