6N: Wooden Spoon Nominations

[sweets]

It is entirely possible that England representation will be minimal for the Lions (if that goes ahead). Quite rightly so. Watson, Curry, Itoje and, errr, ????
And even more suprisingly it may include an England player not selected for the national side (Sam Simmonds). I did not see the full game but Dallaglio (who should know) reckoned Simmonds outplayed Faletau in the Exteter vs Bath game a fortnight ago. By quite a distance.
Especially as the boss was there watching that game.
England have now proved again and again that if they cannot bully a side, they cannot win. England lost to all 3 other home nations this year, as bad a return as they have had for decades.
Time for Eddie to get a new gameplan.
D

[Backward point]

This makes a few good points:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56478150

If there was ever a time for a reboot, and a bit of pruning, it's now. Building the side around Saracens players at a time when they dominated the English and European competitions was all well and good, but when they're not playing any rugby at all for months on end, and playing inferior (let's be honest) sides when they do eventually get started, is bound to have an effect.

The time has come for tough decisions to be made, bullets bitten. The next World Cup will be upon us before any new players have had a chance to influence the side, and the way that we play.

There's a certain irony that several former England players (Danny Care, Mike Brown, Joe Marler, Nathan Hughes, for example) are ripping up trees in the Premiership right now. While nobody should advocate bringing back guys who might not have a place in France in 2023, there's also nothing to be gained in persisting with players who simply aren't performing.

[CriticalMass]

Easy win for Ireland today. Worst England team I’ve seen for many a year.

Not the worst English team but certainly one of the most dismal performances I can remember.

Thé problem is that we have seen that they are capable of playing amazing rugby one week and rubbish the next.

Maybe time for a change at the top?

[CriticalMass]

It is entirely possible that England representation will be minimal for the Lions (if that goes ahead). Quite rightly so. Watson, Curry, Itoje and, errr, ???? D

Luke Cowan -Dickie on a late charge?

Time for Eddie to get a new gameplan?

Well his Plan A didn’t go well against Scotland - or Italy come to that. So tried Plan B against France with great success. So why in God’s name revert to Plan A for the Ireland game?

[Sinnlover]

Luke Cowan -Dickie on a late charge?

Time for Eddie to get a new gameplan?

Well his Plan A didn’t go well against Scotland - or Italy come to that. So tried Plan B against France with great success. So why in God’s name revert to Plan A for the Ireland game?

I Think LCD is one of the few highlights (ok the only) from this England team. He adds a bit of mongrel in the tight that George does not, George is better in the loose but I would start with LCD all the time.

I don't think there was a plan B against France, the nature of the game meant they could not play plan A and had to adapt.

Looking forward to Scot v Fra should be a cracker.

[Jimmcb]

So we have reached the end.

Wales are champs having beaten teams with less players than them in half the matches.

France failed at last hurdle.

Scotland lost the 2 key games by slimmest margins and dumped England and France in their own back yards.

Ireland were Ireland.

England are glad there’s an Italy as they went in truth from champs to chumps.

Italy gave good training games.

Standout and memories: refs! There has to be a root and branch change of them. Too inconsistent. Too showboaty. And a wee subconscious bias displayed a few times I sensed.

Here’s to next 6N

Jim

[Hood]

So we have reached the end.

Wales are champs having beaten teams with less players than them in half the matches.

France failed at last hurdle.

Scotland lost the 2 key games by slimmest margins and dumped England and France in their own back yards.

Ireland were Ireland.

England are glad there’s an Italy as they went in truth from champs to chumps.

Italy gave good training games.

Standout and memories: refs! There has to be a root and branch change of them. Too inconsistent. Too showboaty. And a wee subconscious bias displayed a few times I sensed.

Here’s to next 6N

Jim

Not sure of Gregor Townsend's comments after the game saying" It's sport and you can't win every game"
Eh sorry. That's how you win a grand slam or a world cup I'm afraid. Not one good game then one bad.
Enjoy watching Scotland but with the talent I think I would like to have seen what Vern Cotter would have done with them.

[RustyBin5]

I really thought the red for Hogg was harsh. Refereeing been shit the whole tournament. Hats off to the players with no fans still grinding out a very exciting 6 nations. Better than I expected.

Particularly delighted with away wins in Paris and London for Scotland. Those monkeys on the back were starting to weigh a bit.

[Sinnlover]

It was a good game, Scotland played the conditions perfectly.
The red card was not a red card as far as I am concerned, it was a shite tackle, he went too high, if the elbow had not made contact with the neck the Frenchman, the player would have been pinged for a seat belt / high tackle. The French player brought it on himself. There was nothing Russel could have done about it.

[Chewitt13]

Under the current rules of the game it was a red. 5 years ago it wouldn't have been. With the current focus on head injuries you can't get away with that. I thought it was the most obvious red in the tournement apart from the French boy last week.

Well done Scotland, another season of whatifs, Wales got better as the team bonded. Looking forward to the lions now

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[RustyBin5]

It was a good game, Scotland played the conditions perfectly.
The red card was not a red card as far as I am concerned, it was a shite tackle, he went too high, if the elbow had not made contact with the neck the Frenchman, the player would have been pinged for a seat belt / high tackle. The French player brought it on himself. There was nothing Russel could have done about it.

Wasn’t a tackle though. Finn had the ball. Rather he saw the French player coming in high on him and tried to fend off with his arm. Nothing in it and probably the softest red I’ve ever seen.

[RustyBin5]

Under the current rules of the game it was a red. 5 years ago it wouldn't have been. With the current focus on head injuries you can't get away with that. I thought it was the most obvious red in the tournement apart from the French boy last week.

Well done Scotland, another season of whatifs, Wales got better as the team bonded. Looking forward to the lions now

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He was defending himself from an incoming high tackle.

Also his first point of contact was the Frenchman’s chest not the neck.

There was no malice whatsoever in the tackle.

Cannot see how that’s the most obvious red in the tournament tbh.

[Chewitt13]

Because he was in control, the other 2 were guys running from distance at pace, the point they were hitting moved at last minute and they couldn't adjust, they were sent off for being out of control, Finn was not travelling at pace, he braced his arm and put it on the boys upper chest and or neck, he could have not done it, it wasn't an accident. Had his arm not been straight it would have been at worst a yellow card. Scotland were lucky with the win. France could have kicked out at 81 mins, claimed the win.

When Scotland were playing the conditions well in the first have, finn tried a inside pass that got turned over, France scored their try 20 secs later

He contributes lots but he makes major mistakes



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[Pitfitter]

I remember when a "hand off" actually involved a hand-or sometimes a clenched fist-keep the tackler as far away as possible so he can't tackle, an arm against the body invites being wrapped up,poor techniques?