International Rugby

[paul_e]

Lawes is a massive loss, he's been at the heart of what the team does well for a few years now.

[Villa Lew]

Talking about fitness, gotta say the new patron of England rugby looks pretty fit!

[nigel]

Lawes is a massive loss, he's been at the heart of what the team does well for a few years now.

Think that will be a massive boost for Scotland.
I actually fancy Scotland to win, now 😞

[UK Redsox]

England team: Steward; Malins, Daly, Slade, Marchant; Smith, Youngs; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Itoje, Isiekwe, Ludlam, Curry (capt), Simmonds.

Replacements: George, Marler, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford, Nowell


Daly & Youngs 

[nigel]

England team: Steward; Malins, Daly, Slade, Marchant; Smith, Youngs; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Itoje, Isiekwe, Ludlam, Curry (capt), Simmonds.

Replacements: George, Marler, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford, Nowell


Daly & Youngs 

Youngs had to start. England will need a calming influence, which Youngs provides.

Daly is a surprise for me, though.

[paul_e]

Disagree on Youngs, he's nowhere near the same level as Randall or Quirke, he's not even the best scrum-half at his club anymore.

Daly shows that, yet again, Jones has gone for the 'safe hands' approach to the backs.

[PaulWinch again]

I kind of get it with the injuries and given it’s a game at Murrayfield.

[DaveD]

England team: Steward; Malins, Daly, Slade, Marchant; Smith, Youngs; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Itoje, Isiekwe, Ludlam, Curry (capt), Simmonds.

Replacements: George, Marler, Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford, Nowell


Daly & Youngs 

Youngs had to start. England will need a calming influence, which Youngs provides.

Daly is a surprise for me, though.

Daly was head and shoulders MoM against London Irish two weeks ago. Best I’ve seen him play since he moved to Saracens, including a great try that he started and finished. Eddie Jones was there watching, Daly got called into the squad next day. So he is back on form at least.

[paul_e]

The problem for me is that it feels like a team selected to play for territory. Youngs is the best box kicker of the 9s in the squad, Slade has a strong kicking game, Daly has a strong kicking game, Malins is a 10 playing on the wing, add them all to Smith and that's 5 of the 7 backs are known for their kicking game and it's a core strength in their play and that's ignoring that Steward is as good with his boot as he is carrying the ball. The only out and out 'runner' in the backline is Marchant and he's been shunted to the wing instead of the centres where he should be.

I might be proven wrong but it looks like a team that is designed to kick for the corners and win it with rolling mauls and scrums inside their 22.

[UK Redsox]

I might be proven wrong but it looks like a team that is designed to kick for the corners and win it with rolling mauls and scrums inside their 22.

It'll be like watching Lydney v Berry Hill in the 1980s

[paul_e]

Dear me that's a soft try for Ireland, massive leadership gap in this Welsh team.

[nigel]

Dear me that's a soft try for Ireland, massive leadership gap in this Welsh team.

Will be interesting to see Wales response, they’re getting stuffed so far

[paul_e]

Better now from Wales without them threatening to get on the board. Still think the defensive organisation is lacking but at least they've had some ball.

[paul_e]

Wales improved but if the Irish centres passed morecthis could be a 25-30 point lead. Conway in particular has had acres of space and instead of getting the ball to him Ringrose has carried into the space instead, has happened 4-5 times so far and, if I were Conway, I'd be fucking livid with him.

[paul_e]

Round of applause for Conway, that's a spectacular finish.