6N 2016 (other teams)

[LeRouxIsPHat]

England have named their squad. There are a few guys in it who I'm surprised about, but the teams they'll actually pick will be really really strong. Tom Youngs is probably the biggest omission, Jones obviously wants big units in his front row.

England Six Nations squad:
Props: Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola, Paul Hill, Dan Cole, Matt Mullan, Henry Thomas [injury replacement for Kieran Brookes]
Hookers: Dylan Hartley, Jamie George, Luke Cowan Dickie
Second Rows: George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje
Back rows: James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Matt Kvesic [injury replacement for Dave Ewers], Jack Clifford, Josh Beaumont
Scrum-halves: Danny Care, Ben Youngs
Out-halves: Owen Farrell, George Ford
Centres: Elliot Daly, Jonathan Joseph, Ollie Devoto [injury replacement for Manu Tuilagi], Sam Hill [injury replacement for Henry Slade]
Back three: Mike Brown, Alex Goode, Chris Ashton, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Marland Yarde.

[johng]

England have named their squad. There are a few guys in it who I'm surprised about, but the teams they'll actually pick will be really really strong. Tom Youngs is probably the biggest omission, Jones obviously wants big units in his front row.

If I'm not mistaken he was a hooker himself (back in the days when they were the same size as scrum halves) so he must know his onions when it comes to hookers. (No sniggering down the back you lads)

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wouldn't have guessed that by looking at him! Cowan Dickie can't is a terrible thrower but great at everything else, if Jones et al can improve that flaw then he could be world class.

Actually another thing to note is how he's brought the likes of Hartley back in from the cold, not unexpected though obviously.

[simonokeeffe]

Clifford and Beaumont are surprises

not many guaranteed starters (Vunipolas, Brown) and some interesting calls throughout the team but especially halfback

if I had to guess
Brown, Watson, Joseph, Daly, Nowell, Ford, Youngs
Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Kruis, Itoje, Kvesic, Vunipola
George, Marler, Thomas, Lawes, Care, Farrell, Ashton

that said wouldnt be surprised if George started, the lock combo totally changed, Farrell at 12

they do seem stuck (still) of matchday backrow and outside back subs

[johng]

I wouldn't have guessed that by looking at him!

Have a look at Ciaran Fitzgerald.

I wasn't joking when I said scrum halves and hookers were the same size. Hookers used to hang loosely off their props.

Only in the 90s did they get really huge.

Mick Dawson was a hooker. Brian Moore played well into the 90s and though he bulked up a bit then was never a big man.

[Ruckedtobits]

Clifford and Beaumont are surprises

not many guaranteed starters (Vunipolas, Brown) and some interesting calls throughout the team but especially halfback

if I had to guess
Brown, Watson, Joseph, Daly, Nowell, Ford, Youngs
Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Kruis, Itoje, Kvesic, Vunipola
George, Marler, Thomas, Lawes, Care, Farrell, Ashton

that said wouldnt be surprised if George started, the lock combo totally changed, Farrell at 12

they do seem stuck (still) of matchday backrow and outside back subs

Based on form in PRL, since Jones was appointed i.e. this season, Clifford is not a big surprise. Selecting the son of the probable incoming Chairman of World Rugby, who is a real English legend in the RFU, if not the PRL, is smart politics at least and a nod to "good northern values" at worst.

Don't believe Cole will be selected at THP (unfortunately), he has been found out a couple of times this season and Oz LHP did a number on him in RWC.

[simonokeeffe]

due to foreigners in their league TH is not a position theyre overflowing in, same with 7 and 10

if they go with my guess pack

Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Kruis, Itoje, Kvesic, Vunipola

least English sounding pack ever? 6 Johnny foreigners in there

[fourthirtythree]

Stop it SOK you'll have Toulon Fan calling you a racist...

[simonokeeffe]

Stop it SOK you'll have Toulon Fan calling you a racist...

The Irish have a proud tradition of complaining about foreigners coming over to England taking our jobs

[Leoslovechild]

Clifford and Beaumont are surprises

not many guaranteed starters (Vunipolas, Brown) and some interesting calls throughout the team but especially halfback

if I had to guess
Brown, Watson, Joseph, Daly, Nowell, Ford, Youngs
Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Kruis, Itoje, Kvesic, Vunipola
George, Marler, Thomas, Lawes, Care, Farrell, Ashton

that said wouldnt be surprised if George started, the lock combo totally changed, Farrell at 12

they do seem stuck (still) of matchday backrow and outside back subs

Beaumont has been excellent for Sale this year in fairness
The one I am really surprised is not there is Will Fraser who has been brilliant at 7 for Sarries
Expect Hartley to be captain!

Based on form in PRL, since Jones was appointed i.e. this season, Clifford is not a big surprise. Selecting the son of the probable incoming Chairman of World Rugby, who is a real English legend in the RFU, if not the PRL, is smart politics at least and a nod to "good northern values" at worst.

Don't believe Cole will be selected at THP (unfortunately), he has been found out a couple of times this season and Oz LHP did a number on him in RWC.

[jezzer]

France squad for Six Nations
Forwards Uini Atonio, Eddy Ben Arous, Andoine Burban, Yacouba Camara, Camille Chat, Damien Chouly, Alessandre Flanquart, Kevin Gourdon, Guilhem Guirado (capt), Paul Jedrasiak, Wenceslas Lauret, Yoann Maestri, Louis Picamoles, Jefferson Poirot, Rabah Slimani, Sébastien Vahaamahina

Backs Sébastien Bézy, Hugo Bonneval, Jonathan Danty, Jean-Marc Doussain, Alexandre Dumoulin, Benjamin Fall, Gaël Fickou, Wesley Fofana, Rémi Lamerat, Maxime Machenaud, Maxime Médard, Morgan Parra, Jules Plisson, Scott Spedding, Virimi Vakatawa

No Basta, Dulin or Mermoz in the backs. Good to see Vahaa' and Chat in the pack. Can't believe Spedding is still in the squad.

[jezzer]

Scotland’s squad for Six Nations
Forwards Adam Ashe (Glasgow), John Barclay (Scarlets), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Bath), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow), Jonny Gray (Glasgow), Richie Gray (Castres), John Hardie (Edinburgh), Moray Low (Exeter), Pat MacArthur (Glasgow), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Josh Strauss (Glasgow), Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh), Tim Swinson (Glasgow), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh)

Backs Mark Bennett (Glasgow), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow), Peter Horne (Glasgow), Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps), Greig Laidlaw (capt, Gloucester), Sean Lamont (Glasgow), Sean Maitland (London Irish), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Tim Visser (Harlequins), Duncan Weir (Glasgow)


Fagerson makes it. No real surprises.

[jezzer]

Wales Six Nations squad
Forwards: Rob Evans (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Dominic Day (Bath), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Josh Turnbull (Cardiff Blues), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (capt, Cardiff Blues).

Backs: Aled Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Bath), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Morgan (Bristol), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Don't see anything that would be a shock there. Injuries for a few key backs and I think Liam WIlliams is still not fully fit.

[simonokeeffe]

Spedding is probably much loved for his reaction to his call up, only 3 projects in total
I think halfback will still be a weakness though, they can play Parra but then he runs the whole operation, either way no stand out 10s

Scotland or the individual players seem to be getting stronger but no amazing depth, wont be a great bench especially front row and Finn Russell is more important to them than Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray combined to us

[nc6000]

No surprise as Hartley is confirmed as England captain. Crazy choice really.

[Ruckedtobits]

Not unhappy from Irish perspective but if Jim Mallendar couldn't make him behave over three seasons, it's fairly unlikely that Eddie Jones will do so in less than 2 weeks in the pressure cooker of 6N's, particularly with Scots up first.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

They don't exactly have a lot of candidates. I could see England giving it to Itoje late on in games and then on a permanent basis very soon.

Not to get ahead of myself, but I wonder whether himself or James Ryan will be the Lions captain in 2021 and 2025?

[simonokeeffe]

he stamps on someone he gets a free coffee

[Dave Cahill]

One thing that no one has mentioned.

Hartley is one of the best hookers in the world.

If he stays on the park, then England are immensely improved right off the bat.

[simonokeeffe]

One thing that no one has mentioned.

Hartley is one of the best hookers in the world.

If he stays on the park, then England are immensely improved right off the bat.

there is that (when hes fit and in form)

also England historically thrive under hard nosed captains if you want to put it politely