GP / Six Nations plus others - w/e 04-06th February 2022

[Robespierre]

3-0 for Les Bleus after 5 minutes. Really looking forward to seeing a good win in readiness for the Irish next weekend.

[Rugbygramps]

3-0 for Les Bleus after 5 minutes. Really looking forward to seeing a good win in readiness for the Irish next weekend.

How far did the French 15 kick the ball pre penalty

[Scott1]

Looks like he’s done brilliant there! Great finish!

[Scott1]

What a kick wasted because of an idiotic tackle off the ball! Galthies fault

[Crofty]

How many England players were actually out of position yesterday, compared to where they play in the Prem?

15. Freddie Steward 100% in position
14. Max Malins started on the wing a couple of times for Sarries this season, and the majority of his appearances for Bristol last season were on the wing
13. Elliot Daly played at outside centre 95 times in the Premiership
12. Henry Slade started at 12 for a large part of the season when they won the league in 2017
11. Joe Marchant started a handful of games on the wing for Quins over the last few years
10. Marcus Smith 100% in position
9. Ben Youngs 100% in position
1. Ellis Genge 100% in position
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 100% in position
3. Kyle Sinckler 100% in position
4. Maro Itoje 100% in position
5. Nick Isiekwe half his career at 6, the other half in the 2nd row
6. Lewis Ludlam 100% in position
7. Tom Curry (c) 100% in position
8. Sam Simmonds 100% in position

So, arguably Slade and Marchant? So England lost because Slade, a player known for being able to play 10/12 in addition to his usual 13 played at 12, and a very quick centre played on the wing where he has only occasionally played before? I don't buy it, sorry.

Elliott Daly has played two England caps at outside centre, the last time in 2017. Henry Slade has played the majority of his international career at OC. So, look at that back division again and only Freddie Steward was in his normal position. Maybe you're right and the fact the back division looked ineffective for the whole game despite almost total forward dominance was just a one off. Or maybe this idea of hybrid players who can play in multiple positions across the backline and still be test match level wherever they're picked is a tiny bit flawed.

That and the insistence on kicking, kicking and more kicking. Whether it be high bombs from the full back, box kicks from the scrum half or kicks in behind from centres. It's all a bit predictable.

Hang on, I thought your beef was Eddie playing players outside of their club positions, are you now saying Eddie's previous positioning was gospel and the clubs were wrong?

[DeadlyDunc]

I’m not being argumentative but what is the alternative? Can you squeeze in all the games outside the 6N?

I genuinely don’t know ao just asking the question

Lets not forget it's made worse by clubs having bye weeks now as we decided a 13 team league was better...

This means clubs with bye weeks during internationals have an advantage over those who's bye weeks are outside international periods

Start with not playing 2 Prem Cup games outside the international window games.

April 1st-3rd is also a free weekend I think due to the prem cup.

3 weekends potentially saved

Seems sensible!

[Scott1]

How many England players were actually out of position yesterday, compared to where they play in the Prem?

15. Freddie Steward 100% in position
14. Max Malins started on the wing a couple of times for Sarries this season, and the majority of his appearances for Bristol last season were on the wing
13. Elliot Daly played at outside centre 95 times in the Premiership
12. Henry Slade started at 12 for a large part of the season when they won the league in 2017
11. Joe Marchant started a handful of games on the wing for Quins over the last few years
10. Marcus Smith 100% in position
9. Ben Youngs 100% in position
1. Ellis Genge 100% in position
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 100% in position
3. Kyle Sinckler 100% in position
4. Maro Itoje 100% in position
5. Nick Isiekwe half his career at 6, the other half in the 2nd row
6. Lewis Ludlam 100% in position
7. Tom Curry (c) 100% in position
8. Sam Simmonds 100% in position

So, arguably Slade and Marchant? So England lost because Slade, a player known for being able to play 10/12 in addition to his usual 13 played at 12, and a very quick centre played on the wing where he has only occasionally played before? I don't buy it, sorry.

Elliott Daly has played two England caps at outside centre, the last time in 2017. Henry Slade has played the majority of his international career at OC. So, look at that back division again and only Freddie Steward was in his normal position. Maybe you're right and the fact the back division looked ineffective for the whole game despite almost total forward dominance was just a one off. Or maybe this idea of hybrid players who can play in multiple positions across the backline and still be test match level wherever they're picked is a tiny bit flawed.

That and the insistence on kicking, kicking and more kicking. Whether it be high bombs from the full back, box kicks from the scrum half or kicks in behind from centres. It's all a bit predictable.

Hang on, I thought your beef was Eddie playing players outside of their club positions, are you now saying Eddie's previous positioning was gospel and the clubs were wrong?

Agenda is crumbling!

[Postiger2]

How many England players were actually out of position yesterday, compared to where they play in the Prem?

15. Freddie Steward 100% in position
14. Max Malins started on the wing a couple of times for Sarries this season, and the majority of his appearances for Bristol last season were on the wing
13. Elliot Daly played at outside centre 95 times in the Premiership
12. Henry Slade started at 12 for a large part of the season when they won the league in 2017
11. Joe Marchant started a handful of games on the wing for Quins over the last few years
10. Marcus Smith 100% in position
9. Ben Youngs 100% in position
1. Ellis Genge 100% in position
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 100% in position
3. Kyle Sinckler 100% in position
4. Maro Itoje 100% in position
5. Nick Isiekwe half his career at 6, the other half in the 2nd row
6. Lewis Ludlam 100% in position
7. Tom Curry (c) 100% in position
8. Sam Simmonds 100% in position

So, arguably Slade and Marchant? So England lost because Slade, a player known for being able to play 10/12 in addition to his usual 13 played at 12, and a very quick centre played on the wing where he has only occasionally played before? I don't buy it, sorry.

Elliott Daly has played two England caps at outside centre, the last time in 2017. Henry Slade has played the majority of his international career at OC. So, look at that back division again and only Freddie Steward was in his normal position. Maybe you're right and the fact the back division looked ineffective for the whole game despite almost total forward dominance was just a one off. Or maybe this idea of hybrid players who can play in multiple positions across the backline and still be test match level wherever they're picked is a tiny bit flawed.

That and the insistence on kicking, kicking and more kicking. Whether it be high bombs from the full back, box kicks from the scrum half or kicks in behind from centres. It's all a bit predictable.

Hang on, I thought your beef was Eddie playing players outside of their club positions, are you now saying Eddie's previous positioning was gospel and the clubs were wrong?

My beef is players playing in unfamiliar positions. I don't think it's that hard to understand. Anyway, we'll see at the end of the 6Ns. Hopefully we do well and I'm wrong. Maybe having a full back and a centre on the wings, a full back at outside centre and an outside centre at inside centre is the way forward and Eddie is a genius.

[Cardiff Tig]

Not convinced you can argue a back three player is out of position, especially a 15 played on the wing. In modern rugby the back 3 are a unit that do all the same roles pretty much. If Malins was an out and out winger I be more worried if he had to move to 15 than someone moving the other way.

[Scott1]

Elliott Daly has played two England caps at outside centre, the last time in 2017. Henry Slade has played the majority of his international career at OC. So, look at that back division again and only Freddie Steward was in his normal position. Maybe you're right and the fact the back division looked ineffective for the whole game despite almost total forward dominance was just a one off. Or maybe this idea of hybrid players who can play in multiple positions across the backline and still be test match level wherever they're picked is a tiny bit flawed.

That and the insistence on kicking, kicking and more kicking. Whether it be high bombs from the full back, box kicks from the scrum half or kicks in behind from centres. It's all a bit predictable.

Hang on, I thought your beef was Eddie playing players outside of their club positions, are you now saying Eddie's previous positioning was gospel and the clubs were wrong?

My beef is players playing in unfamiliar positions. I don't think it's that hard to understand. Anyway, we'll see at the end of the 6Ns. Hopefully we do well and I'm wrong. Maybe having a full back and a centre on the wings, a full back at outside centre and an outside centre at inside centre is the way forward and Eddie is a genius.

A full back at outside centre? Who was that? Same people moaning that Elliot Day is never an international 15 are the same people moaning now that he’s a FB playing at 13 hahahahahahahaha,no agenda though

[Leicestertinytiger]

Scotland are a very decent team these days and a very settled team - at times not having huge depth of players available helps them because there isn't that temptation to constantly change things, which is the trap Eddie falls into.

England have been missing a big carrying number 8 since Billy V got injured and lost form. Eddie's England have mostly only been near their best with Billy in form and on the pitch. Simmonds and Dombrandt are both good players, but they aren't what the team needs - Barbeary is the most likely answer for me.

The back line lacks physical presence - who is going to get you over the gainline? Just like the Billy V situation, Eddie doesn't seem to have a solution when Manu is injured. We tried to batter Scotland into submission yesterday but we just didn't have the players to achieve that against a very good defence.

All that being said, if just one of a dozen different situations had been executed slightly better by England then it probably would have been a victory.

The penalty try? 100% correct IMHO. Not Cowan-Dickie's fault, it's a team error to end up with your hooker as the widest defender in your own 22 when we all know that Finn Russell loves a cross field kick.

Been thinking the same. England are at their best with a big ball carrying 8 and crash ball centre. We had neither yesterday and looked a little lost in attack.

No doubt Simmonds and Dombrandt are class players, but do they suit the style England are looking to play. Barbeary is clearly the sort of player we need but has his injury problems.

I’d have also stuck Atkinson at 12 to try and fill the Tuilagi void in the midfield. Also unlucky that Cokanasiga also injured.

[Robespierre]

A good first half, far from perfect from a French point if view, but as confidence builds a winning bp beckons. This is a young side that will find an impressive Irish team a lot more streetwise than the Italians. Next week’s match in Paris will be the most important of this tournament.

[Scott1]

A good first half, far from perfect from a French point if view, but as confidence builds a winning bp beckons. This is a young side that will find an impressive Irish team a lot more streetwise than the Italians. Next week’s match in Paris will be the most important of this tournament.

Yes,you would back the winners to win the tournament.

[Postiger2]

Hang on, I thought your beef was Eddie playing players outside of their club positions, are you now saying Eddie's previous positioning was gospel and the clubs were wrong?

My beef is players playing in unfamiliar positions. I don't think it's that hard to understand. Anyway, we'll see at the end of the 6Ns. Hopefully we do well and I'm wrong. Maybe having a full back and a centre on the wings, a full back at outside centre and an outside centre at inside centre is the way forward and Eddie is a genius.

A full back at outside centre? Who was that? Same people moaning that Elliot Day is never an international 15 are the same people moaning now that he’s a FB playing at 13 hahahahahahahaha,no agenda though

What you've said here makes no sense. I don't think he's good enough for England in either position. My point is that he's absolutely not the answer at OC when he's hardly ever played for us in that position. He's even less suited to that position at test level than he is FB.

[Scott1]

My beef is players playing in unfamiliar positions. I don't think it's that hard to understand. Anyway, we'll see at the end of the 6Ns. Hopefully we do well and I'm wrong. Maybe having a full back and a centre on the wings, a full back at outside centre and an outside centre at inside centre is the way forward and Eddie is a genius.

A full back at outside centre? Who was that? Same people moaning that Elliot Day is never an international 15 are the same people moaning now that he’s a FB playing at 13 hahahahahahahaha,no agenda though

What you've said here makes no sense. I don't think he's good enough for England in either position. My point is that he's absolutely not the answer at OC when he's hardly ever played for us in that position. He's even less suited to that position at test level than he is FB.

You are saying he is a FB playing at OC as another dig at Eddie. He is an OC who has played FB and wing. If he hadve been picked at FB yesterday and had a mare you would’ve called Eddie out for playing him at FB. It’s boring mate and you have an anti Eddie Jones agenda. I shall ignore your drivel from now on