The Six Nations Thread

[mol2]

EJ needs to look at his selections putting locks in the back row is not good. Robshaw looked a transformed player at 6 so why move him back to 7 to accommodate a lock in the back row?

Brown playing the occasional good game doesn’t justify his selection.

A lack of leadership from Hartley on the pitch. Surely keeping the best hooker in England on the bench cannot continue.

Care demonstrates that he lacks the game management to start. A creator of chaos late on against tired players when he comes on from the bench.

Not sure what some think Cole did wrong.

Too many players out of form: Ford, Brown, Care, Hartley to an extent Itoje.

Are the weaker teams in the league over represented? Quins and Saints in particular.

[BFG]

I think Cole is looking past his best mol2, he isn't the player he once was IMO but he is not alone, Mako doesn't look fit enough and Hartley hasn't been good enough for quite a while, Genge, LCD and Williams are for the now and the future in my opinion!
The backrow is laboured, Simmons and Billy V will change that, Robshaw should never wear 7 on his back at international level again, it's alright at club level but can be off the pace at international level when opposition turn up with their best game!
The half backs and centres are just a bizarre situation, Robson and Cipriani should be on England's bench, it's arrogant to think only about closing matches out with the likes of Wiggleswroth and Farrell as yesterday showed!
Ford is in Farrell's shadow currently, good as Farrell can be is Ford stifled by a second playmaker at 12? We have seen similar at Leicester, Ford's best game was up in Newcastle without a playmaker at 12!
Te'o and Daly at 12 and 13 for now, and have a good look at more of the backs from less fashionable clubs like Worcester who are capable of playing some scintillating stuff given good ball!

[Rugbyflanker]

I think the players are shot,it always happens after a Lions tour and our guys have played a ridiculous amount of games compared to the Irish players. Ill try and find some numbers.

[BFG]

I think the players are shot,it always happens after a Lions tour and our guys have played a ridiculous amount of games compared to the Irish players. Ill try and find some numbers.

I don't think stats around overplaying are relevant Rugbyflanker, they have just had two weeks preparing!
England have a history of struggling when international opposition are accurate, Wales, World Cup 2015 and another one yesterday!
It's the England (Sarries) way to squeeze opposition into mistakes and feed off them, only to find when they are accurate in their execution then England don't really have a plan B!

[Rugbyflanker]

Very relevant,historically proven too. We look terribly flat at present and you could see this coming. Player welfare is a huge issue with our players playing in some cases more than double the games the Irish team play!

[mightymouse]

Watson and Barclay had a field day against a ponderous English back row. Berghan has been a revelation (dare I mention under the tutelage of one Richard Cockerill).
Great to see Finn Russell back to brilliant best, sadly missing in first 2 games. Reminds me of his coach ..mercurial but prone to the odd mare.
Huw Jones was superb all game.. thank god he has managed to stay fit this year.
All the Scottish foward were excellent but other special mentions to Mcinally ..forced to play 80 minutes virtually every game due to injury crisis, Bhatti 5th choice loosehead at start of tournament and yet shoving England pack at the end, another good game from Reid, Gray and Gilchrist.

I suspect an English backlash against the frogs

[Jimmy Skitz]

I don't know why Eddie stuck with the pre planned change of Ford of for T'eo, surely you needed Ford to get back into the game

[HantsTiger]

I thought Cole looked ok at the scrum and indeed won our only scrum penalty. Mako isn't great in the scrum and again I think that was shown up.

Many have said about the other drop offs. I did wonder if the pre-match shennanigans with Farrell caused him to lose his head? He wanted to melt everyone he tackled but missed too many.

In hindsight Te'o should have replaced JJ and put Farrell to 13 to give us some distribution.

Some very iffy decisions, which had me filling the swearbox, but we had no momemtum and us Tigers fans know how that normally ends......

[Rugbyflanker]

We got beat by the better team,no arguments but I thought Owens was shocking at times. Farrell was dreadful defensively and JJ wasn't much better,the MF was porous. In fact IMO the only guys who can hold their head up high are Launchbury and Robshaw.

[mightymouse]

All of Owens major decisions were spot on .. Lawes knock on, Lanchbury handling whilst knees on floor in particular.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Owens was nothing to do with the loss, I do worry about some peoples view on him, is it about him not the way he refs?

[Rugbyflanker]

I couldn't care less which way he swings lol,good for him! He got the major decisions right I just thought he pinged us for things he let Scotland get away with,as I said we were poor anyway but it definitely wasn't one of his better games and plenty of folk agree.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

A lot of people on here are anti Nigel, regardless, that was my point.
You get a better game with him in charge.

[Rugbyflanker]

Well I'm not,worlds best ref! Now JPD and CMK don't get me started! ;)

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

All of Owens major decisions were spot on .. Lawes knock on, Lanchbury handling whilst knees on floor in particular.

The Launchbury one was a joke. If it was a penalty it was to England, he was on his feet long enough that it was Scotland holding on IMO.

However to say "off your feet now hands off, that's good" then change it to not good after the intercept was poor. He acknowledged that Launchbury got his hands off when asked but still penalised him

Scotland rightly won a lot of penalties at the breakdown in the first half however I did feel that there was a difference in the time allowed to knock the man of the ball, I thought England deserved more as well and certainly one before the 56th minute.

Scotland did their damage in the first half and dominated every single breakdown