2024 Six Nations Chat

[Jimmy Skitz]

Isn't being a secondary playmaker what Slade is for?

[sam16111986]

Isn't being a secondary playmaker what Slade is for?

Not if you've seen what he offered the last two weeks. Slade is leading the blitz defence, Chiefs have implemented something similar so it makes sense.

Russell likes to kick long and look to move the opposition backfield around. He'll kick crossfield to the winger but not much to directly compete with the opposition fullback. He's unlikely to change tactics with Steward back there.

Furbank on the other hand is another playmaker in the backfield with a good range of kicking and passing options. He launches a lot of counter attacks for Saints from deep. Will Russell want to kick long to him? Will he want to change tactics and try to kick shorter to contest? We'll see tomorrow.

We're likely to see Steward return the round after though given how Ireland like to kick to compete.

[Tiglon]

Isn't being a secondary playmaker what Slade is for?

Not if you've seen what he offered the last two weeks. Slade is leading the blitz defence, Chiefs have implemented something similar so it makes sense.

Russell likes to kick long and look to move the opposition backfield around. He'll kick crossfield to the winger but not much to directly compete with the opposition fullback. He's unlikely to change tactics with Steward back there.

Furbank on the other hand is another playmaker in the backfield with a good range of kicking and passing options. He launches a lot of counter attacks for Saints from deep. Will Russell want to kick long to him? Will he want to change tactics and try to kick shorter to contest? We'll see tomorrow.

We're likely to see Steward return the round after though given how Ireland like to kick to compete.

Completely agree. If you look at Scotland's last match, and their game vs us last season, they kick long way more often than most other teams and you just don't need Freddie's aerial ability - the catches will be simple, the key will be what we do with it after that.

[mol2]

Scotland won’t have to worry about kicking long, just run it back in the direction of Daly!

The blitz effectively means that Scotland will know to have their wide men deeper to combat this so once Slade’s rush has been negated by taking it deeper the option of running down Daly’s channel on the wing remains. A solid defender and the attack is arrested behind the gain line. However Daly isn’t a front on tackler: he lets the man past and tries to tackle from behind, with limited success.

Perhaps Furbank’s extra gas has been chosen because of that? I wouldn’t deny Furbank has earned his recall but I fear his selection is more about allowing a non-tackling, non-winger to be selected.

[Robespierre]

Ireland v Wales. Pre match entertainment with a traditional brass band! You can’t beat it!!

[Tiglon]

Scotland won’t have to worry about kicking long, just run it back in the direction of Daly!

The blitz effectively means that Scotland will know to have their wide men deeper to combat this so once Slade’s rush has been negated by taking it deeper the option of running down Daly’s channel on the wing remains. A solid defender and the attack is arrested behind the gain line. However Daly isn’t a front on tackler: he lets the man past and tries to tackle from behind, with limited success.

Perhaps Furbank’s extra gas has been chosen because of that? I wouldn’t deny Furbank has earned his recall but I fear his selection is more about allowing a non-tackling, non-winger to be selected.

A lot will depend on the success of the blitz defence. Safrica did it very effectively against Scotland in the world cup and the Scots only managed 3 points. I think that is the template England are going for.

As you say, I'm sure Scotland will have their own plans to get around, or perhaps over, the blitz and if they get VdM round the corner running at Daly in space then they will likely have a lot of joy. It really all comes down to who implements their plan better on the day.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Ireland Wales is much closer than I thought it would be, Tommy having a much quieter game however

[Jimmy Skitz]

I think the Welsh boys ran out of gas, its ended up being the expected comfortable win

[Tigers86asw]

Whomever decided to have Monye over Johnno as a pundit for the Calcutta Cup is an idiot.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Whomever decided to have Monye over Johnno as a pundit for the Calcutta Cup is an idiot.

BBC gotta tick those boxes

[Jimmy Skitz]

sounds like a decent amount of English fans there singing GSTK

[Baz]

Why, O why, do coaches persist with Daly?
Hopeless tackler, hopeless positioning, and no longer quick.

[jgriffin]

sounds like a decent amount of English fans there singing GSTK

They play a crowd version over the sound system.

[Jimmy Skitz]

who was it that ran past VDM instead of tackling him to stop the try?

[sapajo]

Furbank enough said