Article: The Original Rugby Championship - Six Nations 2016

Catogrande

Even without those injuries PH it doesn't look the most experienced Irish squad in recent times. I have to say it looks odd not seeing O'Connel's name on the squad sheet. He is a big presence to lose.

SimonAdd

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="555682" data-time="1454321656">Lawes has been tried at blindside a few times and he hasn't really got it. He's too tall at about 6'7" and just not mobile/dynamic enough. For sure he's pretty dynamic for a lock but gets exposed in the back row. Takes too long to get down on the deck and too long to get back up again. Also, not sure he has the rugby nous to play there. itoje is different, he's a bit smaller at around 6'4" and has a lot more experience at 6. You're right though that they could both easily add a few kgs without losing their effectiveness. Itoje as an 8 could well work. After all we've got more than enough 6s thanks very much.</blockquote>
Agree about Lawes, he's a beanpole lock all day for me. Paired with a proper tighthead lock he can still be very effective there, his problem at the moment is simply form (along with the rest of the Northampton pack). These things are cyclical though and he'll be back. 
I actually think we're starting to get some good depth at 8 for once. Vunipola is in solid form in his tractor-like way. I don't buy the 'fat and lazy' argument I saw on another thread - you only have to look at the stats from last year's 6 Nations to know that's not true. If we want someone who's going to roam the wider channels rather than the fringes though, Clifford offers that with aplomb, as does Beaumont who's been fantastic for Sale and also offers a superb lineout option. There's also Nathan Hughes, who will be available to poach from the summer and is basically Billy V with more speed and better offloads. 
We do have lots of options at 6 but I think Itoje could be the best of them and should focus himself there. He combines a lot of the others' strengths without their obvious weaknesses; the aerial ability of Croft or Wood, the gainline physicality of Haskell and the workrate and handling of Robshaw. He's arguably better on the floor than all of them, too. 
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Wreck Diver

Classic comment from Stuart Barnes today about the 6 Nations.
"On the other hand, you can't talk up your team as 'world class' until the summer and autumn come around when they play those pesky southern hemisphere teams and lose a lot more often than not. It has been ever thus.
Maybe burying your head in the sand and enjoying the local rivalries is best. But please don't talk about great teams and coaches off the back of a tournament that has clearly been second rate on the field.
Wales and England, in particular, are guilty of exaggerating regional success and ignoring the global deficiencies in their game".

Catogrande

Chubby Boy Barnes has a point. If you are to aspire to be the best you have to measure yourself against all comers. Back in the halcyon days of Woodward running the England show that is exactly the mentality he had. Alas for some time now, despite the odd glimmer provided by a win against the SH teams England have not shown this level of expectation, although as he says they may have talked the game.
 
One thing I disagree with though is that the tournament has "clearly been second rate on the field". We have not had a stand out team in the 6N (a la NZ) but some of the rugby has been bloody good. He is such a bitter man every now and then and he has some serious rugby love for the SH in general and also for Wales. He is very rarely overly complimentary about England. Lack of sufficient caps probably the reason - and to be fair, he did deserve a shed load more.

Derm McCrum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="555713" data-time="1454330954">
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Even without those injuries PH it doesn't look the most experienced Irish squad in recent times. I have to say it looks odd not seeing O'Connel's name on the squad sheet. He is a big presence to lose.
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Agreed - but you have to move on. And Paulie's ship has sailed. 
 
On the form some of the more senior players have shown since the World Cup, you wouldn't blame Schmidt selecting some of the newbies and getting them blooded. But he's too conservative for that. 
 
In the backs, I'd love if he shifted Payne to 15 - performing better than Rob Kearney - and included newbie, Stu McCloskey to partner Henshaw in midfield to give it more power and panache. Two of Trimble, Zebo, D Kearney or Earls for the wing spots. 
 
Also going on form, you'd put Jackson in ahead of Sexton, although he's not the biggest up against the Welsh borgs, but he'll stick with his favourite. 
 
Toner and McCarthy/Ryan in the locks department doesn't fill me with hope, but I reckon the back row with Stander/O'Brien/Heaslip/Ruddock//O'Donnell/va der Flier to choose from is pretty handy. Van der Flier looks very promising so hope he gets a run-out at some point.

SimonAdd

Continuing with my Maro Itoje mancrush, Eddie Jones seems to have a plan for him: <blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">Eddie Jones refuses to fast-track Maro Itoje into his England team, but the Saracens lock could yet feature in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland. 
Jones was present at Allianz Park last weekend to see Itoje's man of the match performance against Bath, describing it as his finest game for the Aviva Premiership champions. 
The 21-year-old was omitted from the 23 retained in preparation for the trip to Edinburgh with Jones believing elements of his game still need work before he is given his first cap 
His hand may be forced, however, if Courtney Lawes fails to recover from his hamstring injury with Thursday's team announcement set as the deadline for the Northampton second row to prove his fitness. 
"Courtney is progressing. We'll give him until Thursday. It looks pretty positive. He probably won't train until Thursday but we're hopeful he'll be all right," Jones said. 
"I went to Saracens - I hid in the stands - and it was the best game I've seen Itoje play for them. It was really good, very impressive. 
"It's never too late to get in the 23. The 23 isn't set in stone, but generally speaking the 23 that we kept are the front runners. 
"Now they can play themselves out of selection by injury and by attitude, so there are still opportunities. 
"But remember that my job is to make Test rugby players. There's a step from club rugby to Test rugby here, as there is in every country. 
"There are subtle but strong differences between a good club player and a good Test player. 
"I want Maro to be a 60-Test player. I don't want him to be a 10 or 20-Test player. Sixty-Test players start their career well and build on that. 
"Some players you can expose too late, some too early. My gut feeling on Maro is that he's definitely progressing, but he needs just a little more time. 
"And if he's going to play 60 Tests for England we can wait because that would mean he's a bloody good player and that's what I think he will be."</blockquote>
 
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Billy Tell

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pot Hale" data-cid="555719" data-time="1454346095">
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Agreed - but you have to move on. And Paulie's ship has sailed. 
 
On the form some of the more senior players have shown since the World Cup, you wouldn't blame Schmidt selecting some of the newbies and getting them blooded. But he's too conservative for that. 
 
In the backs, I'd love if he shifted Payne to 15 - performing better than Rob Kearney - and included newbie, Stu McCloskey to partner Henshaw in midfield to give it more power and panache. Two of Trimble, Zebo, D Kearney or Earls for the wing spots. 
 
Also going on form, you'd put Jackson in ahead of Sexton, although he's not the biggest up against the Welsh borgs, but he'll stick with his favourite. 
 
Toner and McCarthy/Ryan in the locks department doesn't fill me with hope, but I reckon the back row with Stander/O'Brien/Heaslip/Ruddock//O'Donnell/va der Flier to choose from is pretty handy. Van der Flier looks very promising so hope he gets a run-out at some point.
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I think Ireland's tight 5 will be your undoing. Your 2 best locks now retired and injured, Healy miles off the form that made him world class about 3 years ago, McCarthy in decent enough form but no longer an 80 minute man, and the possibility of Nathan White, he of Crusaders wider training group fame, starting at 3.
 
However, the interest for me is whether Schmidt is Kiwi adventurous or Irish conservative in his selection policy. If he's adventurous then Stander starts at 6, McCloskey gets a run at 12, either Henshaw moves to 13 and Payne goes to FB, or Payne stays at 13 and Henshaw goes to 15. And he doesn't pick Dave Kearney on the wing.
 
Honestly, if he picks a back 3 that includes Kearney and Kearney then I never want him near the NZ coaching job.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="555717" data-time="1454337739">
Chubby Boy Barnes has a point. If you are to aspire to be the best you have to measure yourself against all comers. Back in the halcyon days of Woodward running the England show that is exactly the mentality he had. Alas for some time now, despite the odd glimmer provided by a win against the SH teams England have not shown this level of expectation, although as he says they may have talked the game. 
One thing I disagree with though is that the tournament has "clearly been second rate on the field". We have not had a stand out team in the 6N (a la NZ) but some of the rugby has been bloody good. He is such a bitter man every now and then and he has some serious rugby love for the SH in general and also for Wales. He is very rarely overly complimentary about England. Lack of sufficient caps probably the reason - and to be fair, he did deserve a shed load more.</blockquote>
 
Never got the love for Andrew. With Barnes you played such good footy. 
Barnes Guscott Carling Underwood ... 
As opposed to: 
Andrew ... (polite clapping for touch finder ...)

Catogrande

The thing is Boo, Andrew COULD play decent rugby but rarely did. Much happier playing the percentage game and doing as he's told. In marked contrast to his career as an administrator. Oh wait...

Stargazer

Sky Sport will broadcast the men's Six Nations:
 
RBS 6 NATIONS LIVE ON SKY SPORT 1 (unless noted)
 February:
Sunday Feb 7: 3.15am - France v Italy; 5.40am - Scotland v England 
Monday Feb 8: 3.50am - Ireland v Wales 
Sunday March 14: 3.15am France v Ireland; 5.40am - Wales v Scotland 
Monday 15 Feb: 2.50am - Italy v England 
Saturday Feb 27: 8.55am Wales v France
Sunday Feb 28: 3.15am - Italy v Scotland (Note; SKY Sport 2); 5.40am - England v Ireland (Note; SKY Sport 2)
 
March:
Sunday March 13: 2.20am - Ireland v Italy; 4.50am England v Wales 
Monday March 14: 3.50am - Scotland v France 
Sunday March 20: 3.20am - Wales v Italy; 5.50am - Ireland v Scotland; 8.50am - France v England

Disgusted of TW

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="555881" data-time="1454400847">
The thing is Boo, Andrew COULD play decent rugby but rarely did. Much happier playing the percentage game and doing as he's told. In marked contrast to his career as an administrator. Oh wait...</blockquote>
It's easy to forget that Andrew could play some great running rugby on his day, but generally that was seen for club rather than for country. 
Being called out as an injury replacement for the 1989 Lions, coinciding with the tide turning with the 2nd Test victory was what I always thought made the difference for Andrew vs Barnes. But reading this extract from "Lions of England", it mentions Barnes making himself unavailable for selection at one point, which I had entirely forgotten: <a class="bbc_url" href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=olnBaea-JNYC&pg=PT72&lpg=PT72&dq=lions+89+andrew&source=bl&ots=2J3jdNDOaR&sig=e1nCvXllhfgCBliEoPrsObRiuSk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitp_ih2tjKAhXHhhoKHTf5DNQQ6AEIODAG#v=onepage&q=lions 89 andrew&f=false">https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=olnBaea-JNYC&pg=PT72&lpg=PT72&dq=lions+89+andrew&source=bl&ots=2J3jdNDOaR&sig=e1nCvXllhfgCBliEoPrsObRiuSk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitp_ih2tjKAhXHhhoKHTf5DNQQ6AEIODAG#v=onepage&q=lions 89 andrew&f=false</a> 
He was a pretty good cricketer too

MiketheSnow

France by 12-17
England by 7-12
Wales by 5-9

Catogrande

I'd take that thanks Mike!
 
For Wales I see George North is happy being back in camp and has come out dissing Northampton's style, saying it doesn't help his game. Sending out a message to other clubs/regions perhaps?

Disgusted of TW

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="555903" data-time="1454408575">I'd take that thanks Mike! 
 
For Wales I see George North is happy being back in camp and has come out dissing Northampton's style, saying it doesn't help his game. Sending out a message to other clubs/regions perhaps?</blockquote>
 
The quote that struck me from that interview was: 
"I want to have that space to run at people and have the opportunity, rather than carrying straight into a (defensive) wall" 
Blimey! He does know that Wales are coached by Gatland and Howley, right?

Disgusted of TW

Meanwhile in other news, looks like Fofana may be out for a while - ribs. Despite that, I am quite intrigued to see what France bring to this year's tourney.

Disgusted of TW

Eddie has confirmed that Itoje and Daly will be "travelling reserves", with Itoje most likely to get a bench spot, as Lawes is in doubt, hamstring apparently. Be good to see Itoje get some game time.

Catogrande

I get why he's taking Itoje (possible injury cover) but what's the story with him being able to take Daly?

Disgusted of TW

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="556216" data-time="1454487911">I get why he's taking Itoje (possible injury cover) but what's the story with him being able to take Daly?</blockquote>
 
Yes, mysterious. No injury rumours re backs are there. Outside chance I know, but maybe he's being considered as a better bench candidate than Goode?

Catogrande

As I said earlier DoTW, I'd take Daly over either of Devoto or Goode purely to cover 13. However can Eddie take an extra man that is not (potential but likely) injury cover? Otherwise it just seems like he's taking a bigger squad and would that not be against the rules of the competition?

Disgusted of TW

I've tried to find the rules around squad size, but no joy. You'd have to think it's being justified by injury worries over one or more of the backs - but who?

The Silver Fern

Article: The Original Rugby Championship - Six Nations 2016