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Getting away from the puddingless one. As a Scot, to see my team come back; to ram that bellend Jones words back down his throat while short of 9 first choice players was just amazing. And FINALLY Russell showed for a decent period time what a player he is, he dragged Scotland forward by the scrff of the neck. Scotland; reigning Calcutta cup holders.
😁😁👍👍
Let's hope our girls have a second half like the boys 👍
And FINALLY Russell showed for a decent period time what a player he is, he dragged Scotland forward by the scrff of the neck.
I thought he was mad in the first half with his plays and tgen he was a mad genius second half.
I would be interested to see the penalty count for the whole tournament, my guess is Wales's is a fraction of anyone else's. England's defence looked more impressive at times, but the discipline Wales showed throughout was at a level I don't recall seeing before, knock backs for show, discipline for dough.
Didn't see the second half of Eng Sco today, apart from the last few minutes, as a Huddersfield Town fan I was quite relieved to see the final try.
I am still a little shellshocked from yesterday. I actually gave up watching in the first half but saw all the second. I think Russell was right to be gutted not to have won that game at the end but overall a draw is fair and retaining the Calcutta cup no mean achievement.
Russell - that was a display out of the top drawer and he had Farrell and co chasing phantoms. I can't wait for the squidge report! Now do you understand what we see in him? Russell showed good control and a good kicking game as well bar the obligatory missed penalties to touch. Normally the FB would be taking them but you buggers have broken all our fullbacks!!
Over all 6N - well done to Wales for a grand slam. No mean achievement and a tribute to Gatland as a coach that he has got the best out of these guys. Boring to watch as a neutral tho. 😉 Ireland - just looked spent. England - in patches unbeatable but in patches very beatable indeed. France - glimpses of potential as with Italy
Scotland - disappointing with only one win. The sheer amount of injuries was just too much. Missing half a dozen first choice forwards and loads of backs including in some places being down to 3rd or 4th choice! However that last half brings a little hope and many of those players should be back for the WC.
Pretty good summary there TJ.....Gatland has to now be considered as an all time great I think. The amount of injuries and changes that have happened to Wales over the last few years and yet they're grand slam winners. Ireland have almost done an England of last year, although not quite as bad.....they look knackered and Sexton looks a shadow of the world player of the year. England.....we've got to sort this second half problem out. We were comfortable against Wales and having Scotlands pants down big style at half time and folded big style both times. Scotland, hard to say, so many injuries....Finn Russell when good is great, when bad must be very frustrating to be around! France just looked like France, I doubt Morgan Parra will play for them again. Italy havled their -points difference of the last two years I think, looked vaguely competitive against Wales and probably should have beaten France yesterday, it's a worry that they just don't seem to have a clue how to win or control a game (why would you when you lose that often I guess)
Overall a great tournament, even my girlfriend was gutted when she realised that that was the final weekend. She's gotliterally no clue about rugby, but there's always such a great atmosphere in the pubs around here when they show the games. I hate the day after it's all over, it's as far away as ever now!
Gats for 2021 Lions coach?
Ooh also.....player of the tournament.
AWJ I reckon.
Honourable mentions to Tom Curry and Josh Navidi.
I have watched every single England test since 2002 live and yesterdays was the single most useless game I have ever seen and that includes some total cack.the moment I saw Dan Cole lumbering around a ruck I knew we were in trouble. Almost looked like match fixing.
Fairplay to Scotland who should be furious with themselves for not winning and well done to Wales who got better throughout the tournament. I see Ireland going well at the world cup with expectations lowered, Wales doing well and Engkand to play some great first halves.
Am I right in thinking the england women’s 15 is professional team, whilst the rest of the 6 Nations are amateurs? They put 80 points on Scotland to nil and smashed Wales. It is hardly a level playing field if they are.
I think a couple of the Scotland team are semi/professional.
Lisa Thomson, another hawick player, is a "supported player". But yes your going to get pumped by a pro team if your amateurs.
It is hardly a level playing field if they are.
No but you can't ask England to take a step back, it should help raise the profile given the coverage which should get more funds into the game which can help the other 5 to invest and develop
Jeez the men’s game in Wales is a shambles, can’t see the girls going pro for a long time, how long are sponsors going to put up with such one sided games. How long are people going to be interested when the outcome is preordained and how long are women going to want to play when they have no chance of getting a result?
and how long are women going to want to play when they have no chance of getting a result?
About as long as Italy's Mens side?
https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/women/womens-table/
https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/women/womens-fixtures-results/
The games below the England ones are more competitive, it's not all about winning the overall here.
You have to wonder if England need to look at their conditioning.
I know it's daft coming up with 'faults' when they've won the Slam, but is it just me that thinks Anscombe at 15 Liam on a wing and Biggar at 10 is the best Welsh formation? Add Webb at 9 Scott Williams back at centre, Falatau back at 8 and it's a very threatening team.
Add Mako and Maro back to the English team and ditto. I reckon Mako was a huge loss for us.
Once Ireland have got all first team players back fit.....man I can't wait for the RWC.
Maybe, but I think it's more tactical and mental. Against Wales they had no plan b, lost faith in being able to win, and consequently lost. Yesterday.... there's no way you should lose a game from 31-0 (I know they drew but tell me it wasn't a loss really). Conceding to 31-7 gave a glimmer but even so, it's still 4 scores and three tries in what, 15 mins.....that is purely in the head, that feeling of '****, we're going to blow this' and then everyone loses their heads, belief, focus, misses tackles, tries to chase the game to get control.
And then inevitably you start to get tired, because being ****ed like that makes you feel sorry for yourself and when that happens, you do feel it physically too.
Now do you understand what we see in him?
I've always understood.
Anyone who thinks Farrell is a better fly half is a neep.
I know it’s daft coming up with ‘faults’ when they’ve won the Slam, but is it just me that thinks Anscombe at 15 Liam on a wing and Biggar at 10 is the best Welsh formation? Add Webb at 9 Scott Williams back at centre, Falatau back at 8 and it’s a very threatening team.
I think Anscombe at 10 with Loopy at 15 and North 14 is Wales best bet. Having said that Biggar at ten in a monsoon like yesterday doesnt weaken us. Scott Williams legs have gone, he's slower than Parkes now. Parkes stays. Web b at 9 would be nice and Faletau back at 8 means Moriarty, Navidi or Tips are dropped, we could also have McShingler in the mix for 6 which will help the lineout. One of Navidi or Moriarty might not make the World cup squad if they are all fit!
but I think it’s more tactical and mental
Not sure, having all the heavy runners on from the start sees them blowing out their arse after 50 mins and then Dank Hole lumbers on to add impetus!!
I can't quite believe Dan Cole is back playing.
Last day of the prem season last year Leicester hammered Sale at home....my only memory though is every time Dan Cole was a guard at a breakdown Far dr Klerk literally ran around him and made a break..... honestly it was like watching a pro v a binman! We're ****ed if he's playing against SA in the world cup!
No way at all that Navidi isn't going to the RWC.... throughout the Autumn and 6n's you can make the case for him being the best player!! Moriarty looks out of form, didn't he have an injury lay off?
Moriarty looks out of form
Really you need to open your eyes, true he's no 8, he's a 6 but he was fantastic. You have to remember he's at least 10-20kg lighter than Billy V, Picamoles, Parisse and Stander.
Agreed he's not an 8. I'd have Navidi at 6 over him any day of the week. As for him being 'fantastic' I'll have to take your word for that then. I'd didn't see the Wales Scotland game, but didn't see much from him in the other games.
but didn’t see much from him in the other games.
But he wasn't doing the normal no8 work. He was playing as another 6. All of the hard nasty work at the breakdown. Navidi is a better allround back row player, he's deceivingly strong and a powerful ball carrier. And NotToby is a proper footballing 8.
Conceding to 31-7 gave a glimmer but even so, it’s still 4 scores and three tries in what, 15 mins…..that is purely in the head, that feeling of ‘****, we’re going to blow this’ and then everyone loses their heads, belief, focus, misses tackles, tries to chase the game to get control.
Indeed but can you imagine an England side containing Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson or, dare I say it, Dylan Hartley doing that?
England needed a bit of leadership but there was none.
As you may be able to tell, I'm a bit of a Navidi fanboi.....work rate, strength, carrying ability, breakdown work.....I rate him right up there. I could actually see him at 8 if NotToby was out injured.
Did a Warburton Navidi Falatau back row ever happen?
a_a, that clip up there ^^^
My lip reading's not brilliant but is that...
"Hello.
Nice to meet you.
I love you"
?
(",)
Anyone else have an embarrassing trip to the bottle bank today?
🍻
“Hello.
Nice to meet you.
I love you”
I thought "thank you mate" "I love you". You could be right though.
Did a Warburton Navidi Falatau back row ever happen?
Not sure, dont recall it. Problem for Navidi is that he's still not the best flanker for Cardiff even now Warburton has retired. Ellis Jenkins is a better player.
Moriarty was ****ing immense though, all six nations. England spent so much time smashing him behind the gainline and trying to run him over and it was them who got knackered. Having Faletau back would be great though. Keep Moriarty on the bench.
Oh and post World Cup I back Wainwright to displace them all at 6.
http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/playerstats?gameId=294259&league=180659
Navidi 20+ tackles
Wainwright 12 in 9 mins
POM 1 in what 60 mins!!!!!!!
It is easy to look at the shiny things these players get up to and forget what they bring to a team. I think Wales have a formula which can be adapted to Japan so it's a case of "if" there are injuries then who fills the same roll and in the more likely case, how do you adapt overall with who is available?
For me, you want Williams or 1/2p at 15 with the former the preference for x-factor attack. Both need to cover a lot of ground and read the game exceptionally well. I'd probably have Patchell as the third option. It was a good call to keep Anscombe kicking to try and get rid of up the perceived inability of him to kick points under pressure. Some of those kicks were immense. You now have 3+ guys with the mentality of being class goalkickers which is a strong position to be in with a lot of rugby to be played.
As a_a says, Biggar isn't a weakness coming on but isn't necessarily the guy you want for what will probably be hard fast pitches. Anscombe is the long term direction and does exactly what the team needs. Patchell is the next most similar but needs a run of games. Biggar comes in if anything happens to Anscombe but it would be interesting to see what that means for the overall shape.
Tomos Williams or Aled Davies are the style Wales need at 9. One is injured, one has been searching for form after a good season for the Scarlets which feels like an age ago, though I thought he was good yesterday. G.Davies is the one with the most work to do IMO and Webb while wouldn't be awful is a bit like Biggar in taking the team shape/ play back a tiny backwards step, despite all their abilities.
I don't know what others think but Scott Williams is more similar to Jon Davies, or at least he was before injuries. Wales don't really have anyone in the tough, grafter mold of Parkes. Parkes would be a big loss for the structure of the team and got through a ton of work. Backup options in the centres are a little lacking (what a novelty for Wales)
I don't see it as simple as the big names come back when fit. Wales have (thankfully) moved past that attitude and the team is bigger. If Jenkins and Faletau make it back in time then those two plus Navidi/ Moriarty/ Shingler/ Tips would give loads of options but they'll do well to make it back in time. It is really good to see the locks coming on well too and if a few more like Ball come good then happy days. Front row is probably the one to work on with more backup and the starters have been immense.... as well as finding the very best cotton wool/ bubble wrap for AWJ 😀
The most important thing is Wales look like they know what they are trying to do which hasn't always been the case!
The stature of Alun Wyn was confirmed for me before the start of yesterday's game when he took off his tracksuit top to wrap around the shivering lad (mascot) while they were lined up in the pouring rain for the anthems.
Psling, another grand moment was the sight of AWJ leaving the pitch chatting to Best like a couple of old mates.
Good people, good sport.
Plus love the photo of AWJ sat in the almost empty stadium while the rest of the team party drinking in the achievement.
Ps, I think I might have a wee man crush...
AWJ looked like an excellent player the first time he turned out for Swansea RFC, about 14 years ago. He captained them before the end of that season, iirc?
My sister worked for his father. Small town! I have seen him hobble out of Morrison’s* on crutches, glaring at everyone. He’s a big man. 😂
*Morrisons next to the Liberty Stadium. I have chosen cold/flu medicine next to Paul Thorburn in the Boots there. Had coffee in the Starbucks sitting at a table alongside a handful of Welsh players. I have held the door of Starbucks open for Paul Moriarty and got glared at for thanks. If you want to stalk Welsh stars, that retail park is the place to go. 😁
I once went to a 2 day conference at the vale hotel - I was walking round star struck for 2 days. It was the start of an autumn campaign and the press were in etc. As a Welshman it was nuts.
The blues have breakfast in the hotel restaurant- queuing up for breakfast I must have been the only person not having 6 poached eggs and beans!
Gussets team of the tournament on Beeb is comedy!! Did England win the Grandslam?
Its better than the Guardian one! that has Farrell at 10!
I think you need to be a little be fair here. There was plenty of skill from Scotland, but also luck of the draw. A couple of balls bounced the wrong way, 3 England players vs a Scottish 12 and they did actually make a tackle we'd all be in a different place. That near loss was a combo of some good Scottish play, poor English play but also some luck.
IMO - both Wales and Scotland saw this coming - they weathered the storm in H1 - Scotland less successfully and Wales as a part of their more complete game strategy - knowing to attack England in H2. This is going to re-occur in the RWC - everyone's aware of their H2 collapses.
Yes, England were shocking to let that go and are rightly being torn a new one over it. Apparently though Eddie has a secret weapon, who (she) can fix things so lets see who he enrols next and if it works. I'm prepared for a disappointing autumn TBH - the last time Englands tactics were exposed was a year long run of losses, because as has been widely reported, they don't have a Plan B.
An important part of the analysis of Wales doing so well has been under-reported IMHO. I went to two games this 6N, England and the Ireland matches.
Since 2004 I've never seen Wales lose a match when I've been at them, so whilst I was at the Principality I dropped my CV off for Pivac as I reckon the success is mostly due to me.
(I was too nervous to mention this before Sunday as it would have cursed Wales. Family and friends currently crowdfunding a trip to Japan and approaching WRU for a grant)
It's a well known fact that luck is an important factor in all Scotland games. Scotland are bad at rugby on a genetic level, you see.
England, on the other hand, are the result of a thousand years of eugenics to make them the ultimate rugby playing machine. England only lose games for one of two reasons. The first is that the gods are angry. On Saturday they were showing their displeasure at the governments handling of Brexit. Hence, all the balls bouncing conveniently towards Scottish hands.
The only other reason that England can lose is that rugby is wrong. Whenever this happens the rules must be changed.
I’m prepared for a disappointing autumn TBH
Many of us are hoping that England have a disappointing autumn. 🙂
Nice work by Anscombe Grand Slamming shitehouse 10. Shapes to kick to the corner which keeps Kearney wide and then dinks it over the top.
Copy cat. Thats a Finn trademarked move!
Which means we can claim that try and choose to use it in the Calcutta Cup retrospectively.
Still he wouldnt get in the Glasgow team ahead of Hastings!!
G love and the Scottish hype train. dunno if you guys have seen this but he has done one after most games for the last couple of years. https://twitter.com/GLove39/status/1107619006469599232
That is a funny video, to be fair.
I listened to the Wales Ireland match on the radio, and ^^^^^ was the first time I have seen the Parkes try - much better than it was described by the commentators.
Got to love a bit of g-love!
Bruce;Don’t you realise it is down to luck that we took the lead? Apparently, mentioning it twice makes it so...🤔 But then Wales also won the GS because Ireland were crap.
No we won because the Ireland team was leaked.
www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/joe-schmidt-blames-irelands-defeat-15990014
G love and the Scottish hype train.
Indeed. Even an Englishman has to laugh at the latest one.
Unless you're Danny Care, obviously.......... (Because you're a total prick.)
#Squidge report on the Calcutta cup
I had a conversation with someone about the Ospreys earlier. A long chat about why there is any discussion of them merging with anybody else, but some interesting points came out regarding funding..
Last June they were told that their funding from the WRU would be reduced by £500,000. Later that month the funding was reduced by another £400,000. Later in the summer they were told that the WRU would not be able to pay their portion of salary towards centrally contracted players.
They will be releasing around 12 players at the end of the season, partly because of an oversized squad, partly because of the quality of some of those players. There are in the process of signing 8, 9, 10 and 15 from overseas. No names were given, but none of those players is called Rhys!
Just wanted to thank idlejon for bringing the topic of conversation back to club teams.
Glad to be done with all that international bollox, worst six Nations ever. Glad that's all done and dusted.
Pro 14 looks interesting from here on in.
And Heineken cup too , for most of us.
😉
Also we'll played Wales, best team won.
Just wanted to thank idlejon for bringing the topic of conversation back to club teams.
What are these "club teams" you speak of?
When does the world cup start?
When does the world cup start?
When does the World Cup start, the one that Wales are going to win, you mean? The power of positive thinking! (Scotland should win everything on the basis of TJ’s positive thinking alone! 😂 )
I wasn't very positive in the 6N 🙁 Back to Private Fraser mode I was
Euro cup - well next weekend I have tickets for the 1/4 final at Murryfield. Munster - certainly a winnable tie. Edinburgh are looking at the biggest turnout for one of their games ever Over 30 000 seats sold now. Glasgow get Sarries which is a much more difficult proposition but their recent form has dipped a bit and I am sure the Glasgow boys will get in Farrells head as much as possible. Ryan Wilsons is already getting ready with his windups I am sure.
Pro 14 run in? I think Edinburgh will not make a euro cup place for next year nor the playoff. Glasgow should do both.
When does the World Cup start, the one that Wales are going to win, you mean?
.....no.
Munster – certainly a winnable tie.
PoPT! 😀
????????
Edinburgh have beaten better teams than Munster both home and away and this is at home with a big crowd ( we won't mention the losses to smaller teams)
Really good game at Kingsholm today, rugby is so much less stressful when you are a neutral 😂
Still don’t know why Charley Sharples hasn’t won more caps, he came on and really changed the game.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1109493400015900672
One doesnt push Loopy and expect nothing to happen!!
Not sure how the ref thought Care started it but couldnt give the try, seems like Care started it so both binned, fair enough but try stands. He said to couldnt give pen advantage retrospectively but he gave Saracens a pen.
If the ref had seen the foul play he would have stopped the game.
I can see the logic.
Good old Loopy. A real fun guy.:-) We should get him, Farrell and our new entrant into the bampot club Darcy Graham into a room to sort it out who is really the tough guy
Care does give Williams a big shove to put him out of the way of the side of the ruck. But Williams overreacts, both yellow fair enough.
both yellow fair enough.
Yeah I agree, just think it was odd to disallow the try but give Saracens a pen. Harlequims got the better of it despite being the ones pinged, makes no sense. Obviously an anglo-irish pact against the victorious Welsh!
What I love about Loopy is we all played with a kid like him who was skinny, but played with a complete disregard to his well being and the laws of physics. You would line them up and smash them and they'd jump up and run off leaving you on the floor!
Good win for Glaws against a full strength Wasps which hopefully just about secures a top 6 at least. They have taken some big scalps this season and with less of the frustrating slip ups.
If I had to select a team to play for my life Loopy would be one in it. I very much rate him as a player and even tho he is a bit "tempestuous" I don't see him as a dirty player.
Another fan of Liam Williams here!
I'll be honest I thought both were unlucky to be carded.....just a bit of handbags, given that no one is throwing a punch nowadays it still keeps that confrontational edge that makes the game what it is.
Anybody seen the incident the Newcastle lock is cited for? Opo player has both arms locked over his face and is clearly applying leverage. All he had to do was open his mouth and the Sale prop would put the mark on his own arm.
It's the Sale hooker, Rob Webber. I can't find a vid Duckman. Lots of discussion about it on the sale forum etc
From what I've read it's pretty hard to.see what was going on, I guess that it could depend what marks the ref saw and described in his report?
All the lock had to do was open his mouth and Webber did the rest. They interviewed Diamond during the game and he was fuming, I assume the Sale chat rooms are full of the same? To be honest as a neutral, it was one of "those ones." It isn't as the lock felt peckish in between scrums, Webber had a fairly large part to play in the incident; and remember how dodgy it is to put hands near face these days.
Sale chat was mainly full of abuse for Craig Maxwell-Keys.....I didn't watch the game but was listening to commentary as I was driving..... didn't get mentioned at all on the radio, but I'm not sure that they had a feed to the ref mic.
Wasn't there a similar incident last season with an alleged bite on an arm? Was it a Wales player bitten actually?
edit
I suspect he will be convicted, because he is the only person who could have done it. Looking at the bite in isolation seems unfair as sharking has a fair old ban.
I see Eddie Jones is being a dick again.
Blokes a dick, I'll be glad when he's gone.
Schmidt, Gats, Baxter, McCall, Cullen are the favourites in my mind for the job. Sadly, I think it might be a case of whom they can get to do it, rather than the best man for the job, it doesn't seem to hold quite the prestige that it once did.