6 Nations 2018 - Other teams

[neill_m]

Welsh Squad:

Backs: Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Steff Evans, Alex Cuthbert, Hallam Amos, Josh Adams; Scott Williams, Owen Williams, Owen Watkin, Hadleigh Parkes; Rhys Priestland, Rhys Patchell, Dan Biggar, Gareth Anscombe; Rhys Webb, Gareth Davies, Aled Davies.

Forwards: Rob Evans, Wyn Jones, Nicky Smith; Scott Baldwin, Elliot Dee, Ken Owens; Tomas Francis, Samson Lee, Dillon Lewis; Adam Beard, Bradley Davies, Seb Davies, Cory Hill, Alun Wyn Jones (C); James Davies, Taulupe Faletau, Ellis Jenkins, Ross Moriarty, Josh Navidi, Aaron Shingler, Justin Tipuric.

Call ups for James Davies and Josh Adams.

Is Jamie Roberts a victim of Gatland's Law, out of favour, or out due to the hit from Haskell?

Dropped. Didn't make the original AI squad in Nov also. Got a game due to injuries.

[paddyor]

Think he's 2nd choice in Quins as well isn't he?

[Ruckedtobits]

That's 14 players from Scarlets in the Welsh Squad which will be a significant disruption to their preparations for Pro14 games, including those double-headers against us. So it looks like we'll both have about the same disturbance in our Squads prior to those games.

[Ruckedtobits]

Glasgow have 17 in Scottish Squad. Will we beat that in Irish Squad?

Interestingly Edinburgh with 11 selected have eigth forwards - the 'Cockerill' effect?

[simonokeeffe]

Glasgow have 17 in Scottish Squad. Will we beat that in Irish Squad?

Interestingly Edinburgh with 11 selected have eigth forwards - the 'Cockerill' effect?

Nah its the Glasgow injury effect
If it wasnt for injuries we definitely would

We'll get 15 or 16 I reckon

[kermischocolate]

Not sure if hes injured but I think Strauss effing off to Sale wasnt well received

Theyre down to the bare bones in the front row. Hogg is not fit yet either and hed be another huge loss

So weak front row, good starting locks, pugnacious backrow but lacking bruising carriers like pack in general.
Relying on Laidlaw still would give me the heebie jeebies
Zero depth to backline

Rumour has it he went to Sale after being told his contract wasn't being renewed (as opposed to him choosing to leave) as he wasn't consistently good enough often enough. Rumour also has it him and Toonie have issues for him not to have been in the AI squad. I know he's injured at the minute but to pick Denton over him . All seems very odd.

Front row is ridiculous- they'll be calling up the schoolkids next! Zander is out with what is presumably a broken foot after dropping a weights bench on it (no really. Couldn't make it up!)
Laidlaw hasn't played since October. Hopefully he's not fit enough to get anywhere near the actual squad but then I'm not convinced Hogg is much fitter.

Hogg would be a big loss but Dunbar would be worse- I think he's essential to steadying the midfield ship- Jones outside him can score tries for fun in Murrayfield but seems to lack the basic idea of actually passing the ball to a teammate that's not going to land him in hospital! Don't think we're going to see anything like the best of him until he has a proper break- running SH into NH seasons can't be an easy thing to do.

As has been pointed out the number of Edinburgh forwards is because they are kind of doing well at the minute and a simple numbers game. Glasgow have none left standing to give to Scotland!

Our injury list is horrendous. I know it's all part of the game but seems to be much more than usual this year (or is it just more high profile players getting injured so it's noticed more?). Be interesting to know if our much vaunted change in strength and conditioning plays a part.

[blockhead]

Eddie Jones signs a 2 year extension. He'd better reach the final at least in the WC.

[paddyor]

......

As has been pointed out the number of Edinburgh forwards is because they are kind of doing well at the minute and a simple numbers game. Glasgow have none left standing to give to Scotland!

.....

I actually think Edinburgh have on paper a better first choice pack than Glasgow though not really any depth. Very rare that you get to see 2 first choice teams lineup against each other mind you. Cockerills made a big difference IMO, but the raw material was there.

[paddyor]

Forwards: Eddy Ben Arous, Yacouba Camara, Camille Chat, Paul Gabrillaugues, Cedate Gomes Sa, Kevin Gourdon, Guilhem Guirado, Arthur Iturria, Anthony Jelonch, Felix Lambey, Wenceslas Lauret, Sekou Macalou, Jefferson Poirot, Dany Priso, Rabah Slimani, Marco Tauleigne, Christopher Tolofua, Sebastien Vahaamahina

Backs: Mathieu Bastareaud, Anthony Belleau, Henry Chavancy, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Brice Dulin, Antoine Dupont, Benjamin Fall, Matthieu Jalabert, Remi Lamerat, Maxime Machenaud, Geoffrey Palis, Morgan Parra, Teddy Thomas, Virimi Vakatawa

No Picamoles, no Trinh Duc. Very young squad on the face of it.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I've barely seen him this season so maybe his form is terrible but can't believe they left Serin out. Thought he managed to look good in November despite the team performing so poorly and saw him in the TOP14 recently and he played well. Himself and Dupont would have been the strongest scrumhalf combo in the tournament IMO.

[simonokeeffe]

Only one Toulouse player in the squad. Only one residency qualified player too

Parra is an interesting call; its bringing Bonaparte back from Elba

[Leinster Lout]

No Penaud is a shame for the tournament; really thought he'd announce himself proper this spring - such a classy player.

As dangerous as many of those French players are, it would be an awful failure if we don't win in Paris. I think we will though, and comfortably if we play well.

[neiliog93]

We tend to have too much reverence for France. They have 5 or 6 very good athletes in there, and due to their population size some guaranteed talent. But on an individual position-by-position basis (never mind factoring in other considerations such as coaching, team cohesion, morale etc) we're better in every department.

[simonokeeffe]

We tend to have too much reverence for France. They have 5 or 6 very good athletes in there, and due to their population size some guaranteed talent. But on an individual position-by-position basis (never mind factoring in other considerations such as coaching, team cohesion, morale etc) we're better in every department.

+ 1

[blockhead]

Haskell gets 4 weeks.
Sticks and stones (or dangerous tackles) may break my bones but names will never hurt me.

[Experimental]

We really should be giving France a good beating with our squad. Not sure I've ever seen them in such disarray. Personally, i think it doesn't matter 'which French team turn up', we should be beating them comfortably. We need to call a spade a spade. The lads just need to keep the head down and keep doing what they are doing for it to happen. Everyone seems to be talking Scotland up, but i don't think they have the pack/depth to challenge and will be on one leg by the end, Wales imo are a far more dangerous opponent (even with their injuries) and are probably quite happy to be off most peoples radar, they have a number of players who are coming into some good form at the right time. Not sure if they will have the team to beat us at home, but I think they will be there or there about by the end. Scotland game is key for England, Id say the way Eddie is looking at it is wing and a prayer until some of his front liners return towards the end of the competition, but personally I dont think its going to be enough for England. I think Scotland and Wales could easily beat England

My expected Order come the end:

Ireland (GS)
Wales
England (on points difference)
Scotland
Italy
France

[Ruckedtobits]

We really should be giving France a good beating with our squad. Not sure I've ever seen them in such disarray. Personally, i think it doesn't matter 'which French team turn up', we should be beating them comfortably. We need to call a spade a spade. The lads just need to keep the head down and keep doing what they are doing for it to happen. Everyone seems to be talking Scotland up, but i don't think they have the pack/depth to challenge and will be on one leg by the end, Wales imo are a far more dangerous opponent (even with their injuries) and are probably quite happy to be off most peoples radar, they have a number of players who are coming into some good form at the right time. Not sure if they will have the team to beat us at home, but I think they will be there or there about by the end. Scotland game is key for England, Id say the way Eddie is looking at it is wing and a prayer until some of his front liners return towards the end of the competition, but personally I dont think its going to be enough for England. I think Scotland and Wales could easily beat England

Even with their absentees, I doubt any of the other five will easily beat England.

Win they might but not easily.

My expected Order come the end:

Ireland (GS)
Wales
England (on points difference)
Scotland
Italy
France

[Experimental]

Might be taking it slightly out of context there, I probably should have been a little clearer
could easily = might , in this part of the world anyway

[blockhead]

England squad

Backs
Full-backs: M Brown (Harlequins), N Earle (Saracens), H Mallinder (Northampton Saints), J May (Leicester Tigers), D Solomona (Sale Sharks), A Watson (Bath Rugby).
Inside backs: D Care (Harlequins), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Leicester Tigers), J Joseph (Bath Rugby), A Lozowski (Saracens), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), B Te'o (Worcester Warriors), M Smith (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Forwards
Back five: G Graham (Newcastle Falcons), N Isiekwe (Saracens), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), J Launchbury (Wasps), Z Mercer (Bath Rugby), C Robshaw (Harlequins), S Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), S Underhill (Bath Rugby).
Front row: L Boyce (Harlequins), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), T Dunn (Bath Rugby), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), A Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), K Sinckler (Harlequins), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Williams (Exeter Chiefs).

[paddyor]

So looking at a backrow of

6. Robshaw /Itoje
7. Underworsley / Robshaw
8. Simmonds

They'll have Haskell back by the time they face us but he seems a bit off the pace.