6 Nations 2022

[Robespierre]

There could be at least one change in the French side to play Ireland on Saturday. To combat Ireland’s physical presence, the excellent Cameron Woki, who played 2nd row against Italy, could move to 7 with either Racing’s Bernard Le Roux or Toulouse’s Thibault Flament in the 2nd row. For the Irish I think Le Roux will get the nod.

[Scott1]

We could see a pack of
Genge
LCD
Sinckler
Launchbury
Itoje
Isiekwe
Curry
Simmonds/Dombrandt

Chessum could well make the bench if Lawes,Ludlum and Hill are all out. Ludlum is definitely out,Lawes is out if he doesn’t train tomorrow but I’m not sure about Hills

[Tiglon]

We could see a pack of
Genge
LCD
Sinckler
Launchbury
Itoje
Isiekwe
Curry
Simmonds/Dombrandt

Chessum could well make the bench if Lawes,Ludlum and Hill are all out. Ludlum is definitely out,Lawes is out if he doesn’t train tomorrow but I’m not sure about Hills

Barbeary please

Simmonds can go to 6. There's enough experience in there, let's give the most explosive English ball carrier since Manu a go and see what happens.

[Scott1]

We could see a pack of
Genge
LCD
Sinckler
Launchbury
Itoje
Isiekwe
Curry
Simmonds/Dombrandt

Chessum could well make the bench if Lawes,Ludlum and Hill are all out. Ludlum is definitely out,Lawes is out if he doesn’t train tomorrow but I’m not sure about Hills

Barbeary please

Simmonds can go to 6. There's enough experience in there, let's give the most explosive English ball carrier since Manu a go and see what happens.

Good shout on Barbeary! But I rather Launchbury,Chessum or Dombrandt to 6 than Simmonds

[Dokie]

We could see a pack of
Genge
LCD
Sinckler
Launchbury
Itoje
Isiekwe
Curry
Simmonds/Dombrandt

Chessum could well make the bench if Lawes,Ludlum and Hill are all out. Ludlum is definitely out,Lawes is out if he doesn’t train tomorrow but I’m not sure about Hills

Barbeary please

Simmonds can go to 6. There's enough experience in there, let's give the most explosive English ball carrier since Manu a go and see what happens.

Good shout on Barbeary! But I rather Launchbury,Chessum or Dombrandt to 6 than Simmonds

Launchbury at 6! Now there’s a selection from left field. Hope that happens against a resurgent Wales.

[Scott1]

Barbeary please

Simmonds can go to 6. There's enough experience in there, let's give the most explosive English ball carrier since Manu a go and see what happens.

Good shout on Barbeary! But I rather Launchbury,Chessum or Dombrandt to 6 than Simmonds

Launchbury at 6! Now there’s a selection from left field. Hope that happens against a resurgent Wales.

He's played there before for England, shame he can't go head to head with "The Warrior" again and play him off the park and not get picked for The Lions 🤪

[Dokie]

Good shout on Barbeary! But I rather Launchbury,Chessum or Dombrandt to 6 than Simmonds

Launchbury at 6! Now there’s a selection from left field. Hope that happens against a resurgent Wales.

He's played there before for England, shame he can't go head to head with "The Warrior" again and play him off the park and not get picked for The Lions 🤪

Thanks for your contribution, my little fantasist.

[Scott1]

Launchbury at 6! Now there’s a selection from left field. Hope that happens against a resurgent Wales.

He's played there before for England, shame he can't go head to head with "The Warrior" again and play him off the park and not get picked for The Lions 🤪

Thanks for your contribution, my little fantasist.

Gatland: I'm picking The Lions squad on merit
Launchbury tears "The Warrior" a new one in a winning MOTM performance.
Launchbury doesn't get picked.
The End.

[tigerburnie]

I see Jones is now saying that sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong, just see that being acceptable in New Zealand, they'd hang him from the nearest lamp post.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Tom Pearson called up as back row cover

[RagingBull]

Ilione starting 8 for England U20 v Italy

[TigerFeetSteve]

Ilione starting 8 for England U20 v Italy

Really excited to see him in a Tigers shirt

[mol2]

Prior to his injury Launchbury was the form lock but he isn’t a 6. So if he plays it is instead of, who was anonymous in terms of ball carrying.
If Dombrant plays it should be at 8. Simmonds did OK.
Obviously Curry starts if fit.

Who plays 6? Take a punt on the Wasps youngster for me. England lacked dynamic ball carriers against Scotland. Only line busting option was Simmonds although Curry tried.

Need more from the 6 and a running threat in the centres.
Similarly Nowell would have been a better option on the wing than Marchant in that he is more powerful. Marchant and Malins offer speed and guile but not power on the wing, the latter is better under the high ball. Begs the question as to why a Centre was picked on the wing?

[Big Dai]

Something I wrote in Hospital years back.

It's not often that you have time to reflect. But lying in hospital with your leg in the air will afford you that opportunity. Put that into the context of the said hospital being in a foreign land.....(Wales) and there's even more time for reflection. The land that does things "Now, in a minute" is never rushed.

Before Italy joined the fray, when Blanco still played, Chilcot propped, and Jiffy was at 10 for the Welsh, international Saturday was sacred. First job.....find a pub or club that was going to do the lock in! No all-day drinking then. Well legally at any rate. You watched the match, got a little drunk, got home to the wife, fell asleep before tea hit the table and woke up to a lecture in the morning. Brilliant! You'd spent the day in good company, watching International rugby, not having to worry about how your club side was doing because they were all watching the game as well.

There was a certain etiquette about the drinking to be dealt with. First off you had to be invited in. The pubs were officially closed so you’d better behave! You’d have to get the beers in before kick-off and avoid the inevitable crush at half time. This is why perhaps I hate the half time dissection of the game that happens now. I never listened to it before. I was at the bar. Glasses were replenished during breaks in play, small rounds to save time, orders were sometimes simply made with a nod in the direction of those in your company who were to receive....based of course on what they had imbibed before. What goes in must come out. The pee break was often taken during the time the kicker had to line up his shot. The guys then struggled back, doing up the zip and whispering "Did he get it then?"

But most of all you got one Saturday off! That day when you could become the neutral! The day you could sit back and observe the partisans and not be a recruit. I really loved this day above all others. Perhaps being an Englishman in Wales it brought about some understanding of what the support was all about.

It's changed now. Everything is far more professional. Winning is far more important than the game itself. There's not even the adventure of finding a place to watch the game has gone. Support is less knowledgeable & I feel you watch the sport in company with those who would support their country playing tiddly winks....and be less certain of the laws.

The ramblings of an old fool? Maybe. But thanks to the men on Ward 3-1 for a pleasant discussion that calmed me down a bit and made me remember what it really is all about.



I do miss those days.............and regrettably some of the people are gone too!

[ay2oh]

Barbeary please

Simmonds can go to 6. There's enough experience in there, let's give the most explosive English ball carrier since Manu a go and see what happens.

Good shout on Barbeary! But I rather Launchbury,Chessum or Dombrandt to 6 than Simmonds

Launchbury at 6! Now there’s a selection from left field. Hope that happens against a resurgent Wales.

Resurgent Wales