The Urban 6 Nations 2018 Thread

[bendeus]

It's the one thing that's pissing me off about the game at the moment. I don't know that much about rugby as say someone like yourself. But it strikes me as ridiculous that the way a team is picked and played is sometimes dependent on the ref selected. I've seen players coming in off their feet, from the side etc and I'm scratching my head quite often as to why it doesn't get penalised on every occasion. I guess all reffing is based on interpretation... But it does seem rather muddled at the moment.

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It's telling when you can more or less predict how a game is going to pan out when you see who the geezer in the middle is.

 

[Ax^]

the all black effect

how long has it taken the north hemisphere to adopt the tactic

 

[bendeus]

Lol, so it begins...

. Nor is this the first time in Jones’s coaching career that a fast start has been followed by a sharp dip. If the need is for someone to come in and, in sporting terms, instantly sort out dodgy plumbing there are few better. Sustaining that success for four years with the same personnel has generally been less easy. From the outside it feels as if everyone would derive more benefit from relaxing in a hammock than yet another gym flogged. Sometimes in life it is less about working harder than thinking smarter.

England’s misery in Paris underlines home truths facing Eddie Jones

 

[flypanam]

Me too. I suspect he’ll try to exploit our poor defence in the wide channel but I’m not sure who he can pick to do so. Farrell at 10 and starting with Haskell would be a good place to start. If he does that I’ll be worried

Would like to see Sexton stop whinging at the ref and just fucking play rugby. He was poor yesterday. Bests arrows under pressure need to improve. What to see a bit more from our back row, especially Stander. Henderson starting instead of Toner too.

First of I agree with your earlier point that we were poor, Sexton's hamstring must be more serious than JS lets on. I was quite happy with our wide defence over the weekend, mainly because Ringrose is a better reader of the game than Farrell and secondly truth be told once Jones/Hogg butchered that opportunity their heads dropped and were forcing everything. Scotland are the epitome of a confidence team.

As for England game and your changes, I don't think we'll see Henderson in for Toner. With Best misfiring Toner becomes more important at the front of the line. The thing that gives me some confidence is the 10/12 axis. The relationship between Sexton and Aki is really starting to blossom, Aki's reading of Sexton is getting better. Aki isn't a playmaker but he does give some good go forward ball and his vision is improving his slow lay off to Ringrose is a case in point. Sexton seems to have every confidence in Aki's defensive acumen, and his work at the breakdown is excellent often being the second arrival. I think Aki could rile 10/12 on Saturday. Enough that they again will seem headless.

But what the fuck do I know. I thought that we would come third.

 

[stavros]

If there were to be some kind of 6N relegation system, could there be a scenario whereby one of the four home nations are removed from the competition? Would that not destroy a lot of the draw for viewers, and hence TV and sponsorship revenues?

 

[gawkrodger]

Review of the weekend from one of the best rugby analysis sites

 

[bendeus]

If there were to be some kind of 6N relegation system, could there be a scenario whereby one of the four home nations are removed from the competition? Would that not destroy a lot of the draw for viewers, and hence TV and sponsorship revenues?

Yes, it would hammer the bottom line. That's why they don't do it.

 

[flypanam]

Oooh err bendeus this should be easy to predict...
Saturday's assistant referee van der Westhuizen involved in England training

 

[bendeus]

Oooh err bendeus this should be easy to predict...
Saturday's assistant referee van der Westhuizen involved in England training

Jackson's performance aside I'd say that the TMOs have been stepping up to contend with the refs as arbitrary game deciders this 6N. A number of clear tries that weren't plus a bunch of other shit calls. Interestingly the culprits have tended to be from the SH. Not sure what you can read into that.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

If there were to be some kind of 6N relegation system, could there be a scenario whereby one of the four home nations are removed from the competition? Would that not destroy a lot of the draw for viewers, and hence TV and sponsorship revenues?

This sort of issue has previously been handled by expansion (the six nations was originally the four nations). That may run into logistical difficulties at a certain point as there are only so many matches that can be fitted in, but it’s far preferable to promotion/relegation. The problem with a promotion system is that a year of taking hidings from the established powers of the game before being thrown back out of the top tier will do far less good for the game in an emerging country than a year of hammering minnows and selling no international tickets will do damage to the game in one of the weaker established countries.

Georgia is the best opportunity for real expansion of the sport that there’s been in a long time. No doubt it will be fucked up by the other unions.

 

[starfish]

Oh and gotta feel for the Scots fans yesterday, some really poor handling skills on show, must have been so frustrating to see, shame as the second half would have been a lot more interesting if one of those attempts would have resulted in a try.

Thank you, it was & could so easily have been

 

[flypanam]

I don’t quite belong to the anyone but England brigade nor do I like slagging off coaches or players unless they play for my team but the video that emerged of Eddie Jones calling Wales a shit place and mentioning ‘scummy Irish’ pisses me right off. What is the point of barely veiled racism in this sport.

 

[sleaterkinney]

Interesting that it's coming out now. Will he survive this?

 

[flypanam]

He probably will. Tbh it feels like he was playing up to the crowd but fuck knows maybe he’s been getting etiquette lessons from joe marler.

 

[1927]

Interesting that it's coming out now. Will he survive this?

He shouldn’t!

 

[bendeus]

I don’t quite belong to the anyone but England brigade nor do I like slagging off coaches or players unless they play for my team but the video that emerged of Eddie Jones calling Wales a shit place and mentioning ‘scummy Irish’ pisses me right off. What is the point of barely veiled racism in this sport.

There he is. And the pressure starts to crank up under the weight of his own nastiness

 

[flypanam]

There he is. And the pressure starts to crank up under the weight of his own nastiness

I think the talk was last year... could have been the start of the process.

 

[bendeus]

I've dug a sandbag emplacement and nailed crooked planks of wood across the windows in anticipation of Grandma Death popping onto the thread

 

[Ax^]

Oooh err bendeus this should be easy to predict...
Saturday's assistant referee van der Westhuizen involved in England training

still don't see how this is allowed

any official involved in a game should not be so closely tied to one team in a build up



clearly something that need rethinking

 

[flypanam]

I've dug a sandbag emplacement and nailed crooked planks of wood across the windows in anticipation of Grandma Death popping onto the thread

You might have to say his name three times.

 

[Grandma Death]

Eddie Jones is a cunt sorry. His arrogance has built that team up to something they aren't.

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[Grandma Death]

I've dug a sandbag emplacement and nailed crooked planks of wood across the windows in anticipation of Grandma Death popping onto the thread

I've just read it. As they say in Wales. I'm fucking 'tamping fuming raging'

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[Grandma Death]

He shouldn’t!

I don't think he will. He's a loose cannon. When he was winning I think his arrogance was barely tolerable. If they lose Saturday he may well be out on his ear

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[The Octagon]

Ooh, the vapours in here

 

[Ax^]

how so

 

[Threshers_Flail]

That’s the Irish team talk sorted then.

 

[Grandma Death]

I hope EJ comments fire up the Irish to the point they fucking smash that team into next week. That outcome would mean more to me than Wales coming second

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[OzT]

re Eddie Jones

Well unfortunately he ran down a very good squad he inherited from MacQueen and finally got the boot. (from the Wallabies)

I think he has some good back line ideas, he did when he coached us and the Boks and Japan, but man management of the players, certainly with the Wallabies, wasn't great. Towards the end of his term with us he was a bit bursque with the press, but think he was under pressure being the coach, at the time, with the worst win ration.

But I think he will do good for England, and will do better. With such a good pool of players to select from I think he will motavate the players well.

I guess this weekend be the acid test. Losing at home can be damaging for his image.

The Irish are looking hot, they have been for a while. I think their back 3 may be the stronger running backs of the two sides, in terms of speed and agility and tackling as opposed to pure power.

The English wing forwards cannot have another dire game, three in a row? Not possible! And we know in set pieces the pack will more than hold its own.

all in all an exciting game to look forward to.

 

[bendeus]

I'd be very wary of writing off England at this stage, at least in the long term. I do think that the Lions and the insane AP player schedule will have taken it out of them, both in terms of injuries and in terms of player fatigue. Vunipola's loss was also huge for them as they're so reliant on his carries to generate the go forward they need. Think that after a decent rest and proper pre season they'll be dangerous again next year.

Agree, though, that they have to unearth/naturalised or clone a decent openside if they're to be in with a shout of the WC. They're so laboured around the breakdown and teams will exploit this time and again.

 

[flypanam]

Agree, though, that they have to unearth/naturalised or clone a decent opens idea if they're to be in with a shout OF the WC. They're so laboured around the breakdown and teams will exploit this time and again.

Is that not because they often only commit one player to the breakdown?