International Rugby

[Steve67]

Why is Eddie Jones still England's Head Coach?  We seem to be going backwards.

[paul_e]

Perhaps someone more qualified can explain - why was LCD's vollyball slap illegal ? It wasn't a pass, so why can't he just slap the ball into touch ?

Deliberate knock on. Penalty in normal circumstances. Yellow card and penalty try if a try would likely have been scored.

Also…..a player must not ” Intentionally knock, place, push or throw the ball with arm or hand from the playing area.”

LCD managed to do both things. Therefore, this was a clear yellow and penalty try

Thanks. Didn't realise deliberate knock-on applied to all actions, thought it was only for intercepting passes, and didn't know about the second stipulation at all.

I think if he'd made a show of trying to catch it he'd have been fine but the push motion is hard to defend.

That said I think it was a clearer yellow than it was a penalty try, there's loads of other ways it could've gone which didn't lead to a try. If he'd tried to complete the catch I reckon it'd have been a penalty the other way because Graham pretty clearly caught him in the face after he'd pushed the ball out.

That said I'm far from happy with the whole sequence of play which saw us with a hooker defending 1on1 against a winger with about 20-30m of space.

I can sort of understand the logic behind bringing Ford on but it felt like a predetermined sub that ignored what was happening on the field.

Giving Youngs the full 80 is about as poor a decision as Jones has ever made though. He should've been hooked when Price caught him dithering in the corner at the very latest. In football you can often pinpoint specific decisions that are the beginning of the end, like Smith going to a back 5, I think sticking with Youngs is the slow seath of Jones.

[nigel]

Had an option to level it with a long penalty, but decided to go for the corner.

I felt the ref was kind to Scotland with the scrums right at the end, too. Should we have had a penalty for deliberately wheeling?

On Youngs, I don’t mind him, and thought he needed to start yesterday, more as a calming influence in a hostile atmosphere. But, when you look at the other 3 starting ‘9’s yesterday there is a big gap in pace, and I think we should now look to move on with a couple of young guns, especially as Marcus Smith has settled in.

I like Cowan Dickie, so I’ll cut him some slack for his moment, but, as Paul says ‘why was he on the wing?’

[Jon Crofts]

Infuriating at times, especially Daly, we had a 4 on 2 and he kicked it away.
Smith was brilliant, the new Wilkinson for sure, but why take him off and bring Dombrandt on, surely we want those two together.
Stupid penalties did for us yet again.
A yellow card for LCD but a penalty try on top? Anything could have happened but the referee & TMO completely over egged it for me.
That said, I have a question regarding the Scots first try, should it have been allowed? They used the wrong ball at the quick line out, not sure that's permitted is it?

[paul_e]

Nope, didn't notice but if it's not the same ball you can't go quick.

[Jon Crofts]

Youngs finally dropped.

[UK Redsox]

Youngs finally dropped.

Against Italy, so it doesn't really count

[Jon Crofts]

It's a start.

[paul_e]

Backline is better, would've liked to have Quirke on the bench instead of Youngs though and I'd have hoped to see Hassell-Collins get some time in this one.

He's rotated the forwards a bit as well but I'm ok with it, still a very strong pack.

[luke:lamf]

Must thank the 6N organisers for arranging 3 out of 4 Italy matches on their own on Sundays (week 5 obvs all matches on the same day). Means I can load up on Saturday rugby and leave Sunday free for other stuff. Although, given their U20 forwards were apparently very impressive in beating England U20 last night, perhaps ignoring the Azzuri won't be advisable in the coming years. Anyway, predictions...

Scotland by 5
France by 10
England by whatever.

[Brazilian Villain]

Wales run out to that traditional Welsh anthem 'Enter Sandman'. Taking a leaf out of Virginia Tech's book and who can blame them?.

[Risso]

Wales run out to that traditional Welsh anthem 'Enter Sandman'. Taking a leaf out of Virginia Tech's book and who can blame them?.

Anybody with an ounce of musical taste?!

[paul_e]

France vs Ireland was a fantastic match, as good a 6n game ad I can ever remember.

[nigel]

Italy have certainly improved over the last couple of years.

Good half by England
Good debut by Randell

What a pass by Genge to Jamie George

[paul_e]

Has been a decent first half, backs line up is working better, shame that Nowell had to go off.