The Rugby Thread

[Dinowolf]

Earls and Zebo both injured for Ireland so the Kearney brothers replace them as Rob has recovered from his injury.
Sean O'Brien has also recovered so replaces O'Donnell in the pack.

France have made 6 changes for the visit of Ireland and no Picamoles through injury gives Ireland a great chance whatever the bookies think.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

Earls and Zebo both injured for Ireland so the Kearney brothers replace them as Rob has recovered from his injury.
Sean O'Brien has also recovered so replaces O'Donnell in the pack.

France have made 6 changes for the visit of Ireland and no Picamoles through injury gives Ireland a great chance whatever the bookies think.

Aye seems France have gone for an experimental look, lot more hopeful then I was this time last week.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

England going with a 6-2 split on the bench, Goode & Care to cover the back positions which is a bit of gamble if injuries happen.

Obviously plan to pound the Italians upfront and then have 6 fresh forwards to come on.

 

[Dinowolf]

England going with a 6-2 split on the bench, Goode & Care to cover the back positions which is a bit of gamble if injuries happen.

Obviously plan to pound the Italians upfront and then have 6 fresh forwards to come on.

If this is true, and I'm not saying it isn't, I don't understand the point of having Goode on the bench?

 

[Tredman]

England team looks good for the weekend - only thing I'm not sure about is Youngs in for Care and Farrell still in the centre.

Always like to see Lawes play as he really can make a difference around the pitch, same goes for Mako too. Hope Itoje gets a chance, looks like he could be a special player - we need more of the England U20s to come through, we always seem to be best at U20 in the world, but tail off as they get older.

England team to face Italy:

Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs); George Ford (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Mako Vunipola (Saracens); Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers); Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), George Kruis (Saracens); Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), James Haskell (Wasps), Billy Vunipola (vice captain, Saracens).

Replacements: Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens).

 

[Donegal Wolf]

If this is true, and I'm not saying it isn't, I don't understand the point of having Goode on the bench?

Suppose he can cover fly half and full back and if a winger gets injured then Brown can go on the wing so would be straightforward enough,. If a centre gets injured then there will be a bit of reshuffling, I think Nowell has played centre in the past for his club.

Although I do think there must be a better option as utility back out there, suppose Jones knows him from his time at Sarries.

Does look like a strong set of replacement forwards

 

[Dinowolf]

Imagine a 2nd half pack of

1) Mako Vunipola
2) George
3) Hill
4) Launchbury
5) Kruis
6) Itoje
7) Clifford
8) Billy Vunipola

Now that would be worth seeing as it must be part of the future.

 

[Dinowolf]

France beat Ireland 10-9 in an attritional game.
The France replacements made the difference in the second half.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Nearly time for the Wales game. Bring it on.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

France beat Ireland 10-9 in an attritional game.
The France replacements made the difference in the second half.

Yep didnt take our chances when on top, just knew it would come back and haunt us, French subs improved them no end.
Disappointing result and a few more injuries to boot.

 

[Tredman]

France pack was awesome in the second half.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Try time. What a brilliant finish.

 

[Nando]

Scotland are going to get annihilated going by the start of this game.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Try Scotland though.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Good start by Wales - decent response by Scotland

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

How the hell was that a penalty to Scotland? Biggar taken down in the air.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Fuck me - Cotter is the most ridiculously biased commentator in the history of sport.

 

[jd1981]

No worse than Eddie Butler use to be.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Eddie Buttler doesn't count. Due to being an insufferable cunt.

 

[jd1981]

Scotland playing the better stuff at the moment.