Six Nations 2018

tangled_metal

Get the wales match over. If also worry any Scotland too. Not for any reason but I feel England are due a stupid mistake to knock them on the back foot.

What happens if any side comes up with a tactic to disrupt their kick charge game? What is their backup plan? Can they change their plan completely mid game?

Pross

diplodicus wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

But as I understand it can a team win all five games but by a low margin so only gaining four points per game giving them 20 points. However a team could win only four games but by a big margin and still attain 20 points because of the bonus point.

So could, in theory, the team that wins four, loses one, win the tournament over the team that has won all five?

From the rules,

"A Union that wins all five of its Matches (a “Grand Slam”) shall be awarded a further three Match Points."

So this would prevent your scenario as the team that wins all five games but by a low margin would gain 23 points

Also I think the team that lost one could gain a losing bonus point and hence end on 21!

That's interesting, I wasn't aware of that. I've always felt bonus points should just be a tie breaker when points are otherwise level (not just in 6 Nations) but also understand the reasoning for them.

shirley_basso

Can someone explain England's performance Vs the run up to this tournament and people vying for Jones head?

Genuine question. What's happened!? I know eddy behaves like a bit of a tool and generally irritates everytime he opens his mouth, but how has he suddenly producing a really well playing England team who are doing great work on the field!

Pross

Shirley Basso wrote:

Can someone explain England's performance Vs the run up to this tournament and people vying for Jones head?

Genuine question. What's happened!? I know eddy behaves like a bit of a tool and generally irritates everytime he opens his mouth, but how has he suddenly producing a really well playing England team who are doing great work on the field!

He's got pretty much a full squad to pick from for the first time in ages and they've executed a new game plan very well. The acid test will be whether they can adapt when a team inevitably comes up with a plan to counter their tactics (which at face value should be quite easy to do).

tangled_metal

Yes I think the vunipolas, itoje, etc with farrell at full fitness and playing well. Basically there's a squad that's not having to rely on its depth because the first picks are match fit and firing on all cylinders.

Add in the new coach brought in who's really changed the way they attack. Forget his name but he's a new Zealander who I believe is a tactically astute coach. He's got them working this game plan very well don't you think?

Sometimes you just need the stars to align. I don't think it's like 2003 but it's happening at the right time. England will be marked out for special attention by coaches who face them in Japan now, more than earlier in the year.

lucan

Any predictions for today? I'm hoping for an England win, and in style. As an avid rugby fan for a long time, I really don't like the current drive and recycle, drive and recycle style of play that seems so boring, unless you love rucks. That's probably why England's first two games have been good to watch.

But can Wales stop them playing the way they have been? Will the Welsh back three punish England's kicking game?

crispybug2

I’m hoping for an England win too, if both teams play to their potential then England will win by 12, however Wales have the game to neutralise England’s strengths, Elliot Daly can expect an absolute bombardment today, but England have have a much stronger bench which should see them over the line

France vs Scotland should be a lower quality game so I’m fully expecting this to be a cracker and Wales/England to be a lot duller

crispybug2

Pretty turgid first half in Paris, France scored one try in the great traditions of French rugby and they've had two more ruled out for knock one. But France have been very very poor in the second half of matches so far


Good Facebook post from a Scottish guy at my rugby club:-

Scotland have made poor decisions, very slowly!

diplodicus

crispybug2 wrote:

I’m hoping for an England win too, if both teams play to their potential then England will win by 12, however Wales have the game to neutralise England’s strengths, Elliot Daly can expect an absolute bombardment today, but England have have a much stronger bench which should see them over the line

France vs Scotland should be a lower quality game so I’m fully expecting this to be a cracker and Wales/England to be a lot duller

So far so very correct!

Pross

Hoping to be proved wrong but I really can't see past an England win. We could really have done with Biggar at 10 today, especially if England utilise the kick behind again as he's really good sweeping up that sort of thing.

France playing well again but I've never seen an international team so in need of a quality goal kicker. Scotland need to score soon and hope for a stereotypical French meltdown.

Pross

4 French fries disallowed. First 3 were correct, not convinced on that last one. In real time he was shoved over almost immediately. Got there in the end though.

crispybug2

France 27-10 Scotland

France get a bonus point win but bloody hell! Scotland were poor

Matthewfalle

the only thibg that matters today

COME ON WALES

crispybug2

A very intense first half, England leading 10-3

Tom Curry has been superb so far

Matthewfalle

GET THE PHUCK IN!

GET IN!

Matthewfalle

GET IN MY SON!

timothyw

Managed to tune in for the second half, wish I hadn't bothered, England have been a shambles, frankly.

Matthewfalle

'AVE IT! JUST 'AVE IT!

Matthewfalle

TimothyW wrote:

Managed to tune in for the second half, wish I hadn't bothered, England have been a shambles, frankly.

outplayed, out thought, out fought. your team are a shambles. losers. insipid.

Pross

High intensity game if not the most quality. England had no Plan B when the kick game didn't work and Wales managed to control the game better second half. Liam Williams was superb today (as was Tom Curry). Be interesting to hear Dorset Boy's analysis of the relative strengths and weaknesses.

orraloon

Watched the 2nd half. Interesting game for the neutral. Well played Wales.

crispybug2

Wales 21-13 England


Well that was disappointing, England just didn't/couldn't play in the second half

There should have been some changes, Owen Farrell and Ben Youngs were both awful and you have to wonder what they have to do to be subbed when they play as badly as they did

Maybe Eddie Jones will learn from this I bloody hope so!

bendertherobot

Those new dawns eh.......

ugo.santalucia

I always enjoy Wales hammering England...

Matthewfalle

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I always enjoy Wales hammering England...

hammered

destroyed

tore apart

demolished

'ave it

C'MON WALES

twotoebenny

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I always enjoy Pretty much anyone hammering England...

Fixed that for you

Matthewfalle

ABE

C'MON WALES

Dorset_Boy

Pross wrote:

High intensity game if not the most quality. England had no Plan B when the kick game didn't work and Wales managed to control the game better second half. Liam Williams was superb today (as was Tom Curry). Be interesting to hear Dorset Boy's analysis of the relative strengths and weaknesses.

Wales thoroughly deserved the win.
As I feared they played 10 times better than in their last few matches.
They positioned themselves really well to regather any tap backs from the early kicks, and upped the intensity in the second half.
England's kicking game was dreadfully executed, and they kicked too soon and too often - no plan B. Wales were excellent at blocking the kick chasers to which the officials turned a blind eye, so the Welsh naturally continued. Wales's lineout was allowed to function by Peyper allowing blatantly crooked feeds, but you play the ref.

Liam Williams was excellent - good move by the WRU to plant him at Saracens!

I still don't think it's a particularly good Welsh team, but they believe hugely in each other and that counts for a lot.
I don't think they're good enough to deserve a grand slam but may get it.

England need to work out a plan B, but I believe have a better chance of reaching the World Cup final than Wales.

Pross

Dorset Boy wrote:

Pross wrote:

High intensity game if not the most quality. England had no Plan B when the kick game didn't work and Wales managed to control the game better second half. Liam Williams was superb today (as was Tom Curry). Be interesting to hear Dorset Boy's analysis of the relative strengths and weaknesses.

Wales thoroughly deserved the win.
As I feared they played 10 times better than in their last few matches.
They positioned themselves really well to regather any tap backs from the early kicks, and upped the intensity in the second half.
England's kicking game was dreadfully executed, and they kicked too soon and too often - no plan B. Wales were excellent at blocking the kick chasers to which the officials turned a blind eye, so the Welsh naturally continued. Wales's lineout was allowed to function by Peyper allowing blatantly crooked feeds, but you play the ref.

Liam Williams was excellent - good move by the WRU to plant him at Saracens!

I still don't think it's a particularly good Welsh team, but they believe hugely in each other and that counts for a lot.
I don't think they're good enough to deserve a grand slam but may get it.

England need to work out a plan B, but I believe have a better chance of reaching the World Cup final than Wales.

I think you need to watch again first half in particular because I made exactly the same point to an English friend but about the English players. They weren't just holding their ground but we're moving into the gap between the chaser and the player fielding the catch so maybe we both watched with one eye and in fact both teams were doing it and getting away with it.

I think Wales played a bit of a rope a dope strategy on England first half. The commentators kept talking up the big hits but they had to make a huge amount of them and it paid a toll in the second half especially when Sinckler, who had been excellent, starting having his customary meltdown and had to be subbed. He's the new Hartley.

ddraver

As an ex hooker I wish I'd played with refs that couldn't see that straight.

I don't usually like criticizing refs but he was a bit rubbish today. Luckily he was equally a bit rubbish to both teams so didn't affect much....

Kyle needs to work on his innocent face.