Six Nations 2016

PlacidCasual

PlacidCasual

PlacidCasual

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Obviously anyone reading this thread will have noticed the new England squad has been announced.

Backs:
Mike Brown (Harlequins),
Alex Goode (Saracens),
Chris Ashton (Saracens),
Jack Nowell (Exeter),
Anthony Watson (Bath),
Marland Yarde (Harlequins),
Elliot Daly (Wasps),
Ollie Devoto (Bath) (injury replacement for Manu Tuilagi, Leicester),
Jonathan Joseph (Bath),
Sam Hill (Exeter) (injury replacement for Henry Slade, Exeter)
Owen Farrell (Saracens),
George Ford (Bath),
Danny Care (Harlequins),
Ben Youngs (Leicester)

Forwards:
Dan Cole (Leicester),
Paul Hill (Northampton),
Matt Mullan (Wasps),
Joe Marler (Harlequins),
Henry Thomas (Bath) (injury replacement for Kieran Brookes,
Northampton), Mako Vunipola (Saracens),
Luke Cowan Dickie (Exeter),
Jamie George (Saracens),
Dylan Hartley,
Maro Itoje (Saracens),
George Kruis (Saracens),
Joe Launchbury (Wasps),
Courtney Lawes (Northampton),
Josh Beaumont (Sale),
Jack Clifford (Harlequins),
James Haskell (Wasps),
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins),
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester) (injury replacement for Dave Ewers, Exeter),
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)

Not a bad squad in general. I don’t watch a lot of Premiership Rugby mostly the highlights and what I pick up in the newspapers, so I’m no expert.
A few surprises for me, Hartley in but T Youngs out. Many commentators are saying Youngs is in fantastic form and often makes the team of the week, Hartley has barely played and hasn’t shown much in either offering added to which he is a liability.
Cole appears to be living off reputation, he is a good all round tighhead but gives too many penalties away and he is not destructive at the scrum to offset that.
I’ve yet to rate Marlon Yarde looks good going forward but inept in defence and not a kick chaser.
I don’t know enough about the new back row changes, but Josh Beaumont has caught the eye and Clifford and Kvesic seem to be making waves so no arguments there.
I’m surprised there is no third scrum half think this position is far too critical to enter the 6 nations with only one. Cipriani’s omission is no surprise. He’ll come in as injury cover , I’d like to see him get a chance and show if his recent promise of the last 2 seasons can translate. I think it will but he requires an opportunity which he has been denied thus far.
I’m looking forward to the other nations squads but France aside I expect less surprises, although I’m not sure how Ireland will respond to their regions recent poor performances.
 
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RBS Six Nations Championship

Saturday 6th February 2016
France 14:25 Italy
Scotland 16:50 England
Sunday 7th February 2016
Ireland 15:00 Wales

Saturday 13th February 2016
France 14:25 Ireland
Wales 16:50 Scotland
Sunday 14th February 2016
Italy 14:00 England

Friday 26th February 2016
Wales 20:05 France
Saturday 27th February 2016
Italy 14:25 Scotland
England 16:50 Ireland

Saturday 12th March 2016
Ireland 13:30 Italy
England 16:00 Wales
Sunday 13th March 2016
Scotland 15:00 France

Saturday 19th March 2016
Wales 14:30 Italy
Ireland 17:00 Scotland
France 20:00 England
 
Good to see some young players getting a chance.

Leaving Tom Youngs out seems a bit crazy to me but good for Leicester (Tigers Fan), especially as Haywood is getting played ahead of Hartly at the moment. Will be interesting to see who he picks as captain.
 
Harsh on Cipriani when he excelled in the limited opportunity he was given in the RWC warmup. Glad to see the back of Tom Youngs, I know his stats are fine but he's thrown one too many duff lineouts at critical times in critical games for me.

Yarde has been much improved for us (quins) this season compared to the last couple, I think he warrants the spot given the injuries.
 
Good balanced squad, I can't wait to see Itoje get his chance he is a monster and a future England Captain.

It really does look like a squad designed to develop young players with enough experience to from older hands to help them along. I can't wait for the 6th, an angry England visiting Murrayfield to play a Butthurt Scotland, should be a cracker :D

Suspect Joubert won't be officiating for that one ;)
 
I'm not a fan of deliberately choosing a young team to develop, I think you should choose the best team you can on any given day and the youngsters should come through when their good enough. An artificially weakend team isn't necessarily the right environment to excel, knocking the older guys off their perch must be a great motivator.
 
PlacidCasual said:
I'm not a fan of deliberately choosing a young team to develop, I think you should choose the best team you can on any given day and the youngsters should come through when their good enough. An artificially weakend team isn't necessarily the right environment to excel, knocking the older guys off their perch must be a great motivator.
Click to expand...

Nothing artificially weak about that team, all the young players picked are pretty much the best in their positions in the premiership at the moment.

The next World Cup begins the day after the you go out the previous one, all development has to be geared towards that because only consistency combined with experience will win you the Cup. For that reason there is absolutely no reason picking players who will be over the hill by the time it comes around.

If you don't believe in developing new Players at Elite level how do you expect them to reach Elite level :confused:. Pretty much all those young players are already World Champions at age group level and bring some much needed Rugby brains to a bunch of proven no hopers.
 
Wales Squad

Forwards: Rob Evans (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Dominic Day (Bath Rugby), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Josh Turnbull (Cardiff Blues), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, captain).

Backs: Aled Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Bath Rugby), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

No real surprises, Tom James' form has been good but I don't think he is going to get a chance. Bar injuries I expect the back 3 to be Amos, North and Williams.
 
Can't wait to see what Elliot Daly brings to the squad. I also think Eddie Jones is missing a trick with Joe Simpson, but I could well be biased somewhat ;)
 
New coach, a few new players, I'm looking forward to it. Danny Care has really grown into the captain's position at quins this year and would be my starting 9, although either him or Youngs would be fine.

Will be interesting to see if we get a Daly/Joseph midfield...worth a punt. Good to see Clifford involved, I think he'll go well off the bench as he plays 6/7/8.
 
Agreed, looks a young and exciting squad with the changes so far, though to be honest, it couldn't have got much worse :(

And after being recalled to the elite squad; Chris Ashton will miss England's entire Six Nations campaign after being handed a 10-week ban that ends on 28 March. What a prat...
 
Ireland squad for Six Nations games against Wales and France

Forwards: Rory Best (Ulster, captain), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), James Cronin (Munster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Nathan White (Connacht), Marty Moore (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), Sean O'Brien (Leinster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster).

Backs: Conor Murray (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Kieron Marmion (Connacht), Jonny Sexton (Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Jared Payne (Ulster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Dave Kearney (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Simon Zebo (Munster).
 
I see it as central to the hints Jones has given about wanting to return to England's core DNA of a gnarly aggressive tight five which sadly the last regime removed. He is a transitional captain with the likelihood that by the next World cup Itoje will be Captain. England are short on experience in positions where the likely starter is the one with the experience.
 
Lets hope he can control his temper, whilst I agree about lack of experience in some positions, surely an inexperienced player is better than an experienced one in the sin bin with a yellow/red card ;)
 
What are people's thoughts on Scotland's chances? The BBC has put a few articles which are positive about their chances. I think it's going to be more of the same with Scotland. They will push teams hard and get close but ultimately finish 5th.
 
Tough call Mike, they have a lot of new names I am really not familiar with tbh, but I do rate a lot of individuals within the squad Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and Greig Laidlaw to name a few. I also rate Vern Cotter and the last game they played they should have beaten Australia in fairness...

I think the opening Calcutta Cup is critical, if they can carry form and confidence from the Australia game, put one over a newly created England squad, they could do well. But not sure I can see it happening.

TL;DR - I have no idea really :D
 
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