6Ns 2019

[wixfjord]

France still have more individual brilliance than Ireland, Wales and England but it keeps getting lost in their system.

Darce in IT today.

Also compares Man United under Jose to France under Brunel.

[neill_m]

France team to face Scotland at Stade de France on Saturday:

15. Thomas Ramos 14. Damian Penaud 13. Mathieu Bastareaud 12. Gaël Fickou 11. Yoann Huget 10. Romain Ntamack 9. Antoine Dupont 1. Jefferson Poirot 2. Guilhem Guirado 3. Demba Bamba 4. Sébastien Vahaamahina 5. Félix Lambey 6. Wenceslas Lauret 7. Arthur Iturria 8. Louis Picamoles

16. Camille Chat 17. Etienne Falgoux 18. Dorian Aldegheri 19. Paul Willemse 20. Gregory Alldritt 21. Baptiste Serin 22. Anthony Belleau 23. Maxime Medard


Very young 9 10 combo. They have at least picked a full back at 15 this week.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Do they just pick names out of a hat for that backline?

[neill_m]

Finn Russell ruled out for Scotland after suffering concussion playing for Racing at the weekend.

[ribs]

Finn Russell ruled out for Scotland after suffering concussion playing for Racing at the weekend.

Did he clash heads with parisse? Two high profile concussion absences playing in between 6 nations games

[Ruckedtobits]

Finn Russell ruled out for Scotland after suffering concussion playing for Racing at the weekend.

Finn Russell got a head knock through attempting to tackle a Toulouse player, coming from his right, with his right shoulder. The Toulouse player's right knee clipped Russell's right temple with his right knee. A classic "wrong shoulder tackle".

There also another head / blood injury in this manner during the game.

[neill_m]

Scotland team

1. Allan Dell (Edinburgh) 2. Stuart McInally (VC) (Edinburgh) 3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) 4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) 5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 6. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) 8. Josh Strauss (Sale Sharks) 9. Greig Laidlaw (C) (Clermont Auvergne) 10. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) 12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) 13. Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors) 14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh)

16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 17. Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors) 18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 20. Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons) 21. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 22. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) 23. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh)

[neill_m]

Didn't realise the last time Scotland won in Paris, it was in the 5N (1999)!

[neill_m]

England team to face Wales:

Daly; Nowell, Slade, Tuilagi, May; Farrell, Youngs; Moon, George, Sinckler, Lawes, Kruis, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola.

Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Williams, Launchbury, Shields, Robson, Ford, Cokanasiga.

[johng]

Didn't realise the last time Scotland won in Paris, it was in the 5N (1999)!

Last time they won in Twickenham was 1983. Anyone on either team who was alive back then?

[neill_m]

Wales Team:

Liam Williams (Saracens); George North (Ospreys), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Worcester); Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, captain), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Dragons).

Elliot Dee (Dragons), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Aled Davies (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Northampton), Owen Watkin (Ospreys).

[MylesNaGapoleen]

Wales Team:

Liam Williams (Saracens); George North (Ospreys), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Worcester); Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, captain), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Dragons).

Elliot Dee (Dragons), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Aled Davies (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Northampton), Owen Watkin (Ospreys).

Interesting call at 10 Anscombe starting over Biggar. Gatland know what he is doing I suppose but for me he isn't as physical or as solid kicking penalties as biggar. The english will probably go after anscombe from kick off.
So hoping the Welsh can cause an upset here.

[Laighin Break]

Wales Team:

Liam Williams (Saracens); George North (Ospreys), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Worcester); Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, captain), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Dragons).

Elliot Dee (Dragons), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Aled Davies (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Northampton), Owen Watkin (Ospreys).

Interesting call at 10 Anscombe starting over Biggar. Gatland know what he is doing I suppose but for me he isn't as physical or as solid kicking penalties as biggar. The english will probably go after anscombe from kick off.
So hoping the Welsh can cause an upset here.

I really don't rate Anscombe at all and surprised Gatland started Anscombe against France. But Biggar went off injured last week after 20-something minutes for Northampton, so that might have played a part this week.

[dropkick]

Should be interesting to see how Gatland deals with the England kicking game. He's had a few weeks to figure out how to deal with it. Wales are usually one of the best defensive teams in the world.


If England continue to be successful with their kicking game, it could potentially change rugby for the better as a way to nullify the rush defence.

[Oldschool]

Should be interesting to see how Gatland deals with the England kicking game. He's had a few weeks to figure out how to deal with it. Wales are usually one of the best defensive teams in the world.


If England continue to be successful with their kicking game, it could potentially change rugby for the better as a way to nullify the rush defence.

For the answer look at who Gattie has selected at FB specifically and his back three in general.
Have they the tools for the job, speed being a useful asset.

[Peg Leg]

Should be interesting to see how Gatland deals with the England kicking game. He's had a few weeks to figure out how to deal with it. Wales are usually one of the best defensive teams in the world.


If England continue to be successful with their kicking game, it could potentially change rugby for the better as a way to nullify the rush defence.

He will also have identified the space out wide which Ireland failed to exploit. Wales are good at getting the ball out there and North is just ridiculous in those situations.

[Oldschool]

Should be interesting to see how Gatland deals with the England kicking game. He's had a few weeks to figure out how to deal with it. Wales are usually one of the best defensive teams in the world.


If England continue to be successful with their kicking game, it could potentially change rugby for the better as a way to nullify the rush defence.

The rush defence is probably the main contributor to concussions or certainly a major one.
So nullifying it might be helpful in making the game safer

[FLIP]

So Wales beat England and are the only side still on for the slam.

Seems the answer to beating England's kicking game is to pick a fullback at fullback, and wind up Sinkler

[Ruckedtobits]

Great coaching by Gatland and Edwards. Has certainly given the lie to the concept of a 'back-three'. As Liam Williams proved, you need a full-back and two wingers who can field the ball. The positional play of Williams was a masterclass and his wingers accepted their responsibilities and relished the competition in the air.

The last day game against Wales in the Cardiff Stadium against a Welsh team looking for Grand Slam and Triple Crown (if they beat Scotland next), will be perfect preparation for a World Cup quarter-final contest and the Irish Squad will relish another day as underdogs - after the mis-firing effort against England.

[CiaranIrl]

Even if we get 15 more points (unlikely) we're relying on England failing to get 10 against Scotland at home and Italy (even less likely). Can't see that happening.