Can you feel it? That frisson in the air? No, it’s not fucking Phil Collins! (Don’t be an idiot.) Kick off your high-heeled stud boots; it’s party time. SIX NATIONS OPENING WEEKEND! WOOHOO!
The delectable anticipation, the raw hunger, the beautiful dream as yet undisturbed by some snot-nosed kids bringing your blissful reverie to a sudden and brutal end.
First up on the menu is a tasty treat in the form of a re-Gatted Wales against a McCloskey-powered Ireland. Roof is to be closed in Cardiff, apparently. Ominous.
Next up is England v Scotland. Can Scotland be Karl-like and pull it off again at Twickenham?
Finally, on Sunday, we have Italy v France. It would be surprising if Italy won, but could home advantage and perhaps a ref decision or two produce some drama?
So sit back and enjoy the anticipation! By the end of the weekend, half of us will be asking ¿Qué bandolera que eres tú?
Onna telly this week
Friday 3rd February
| Wales v Ireland (U20s) | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer / S4C |
| England v Scotland (U20s) | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer / RTÉ Player |
| Italy v France (U20s) | 20:00 | BBC iPlayer |
Saturday 4th February
| Sharks v Stormers | 12:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 / TG4 |
| Toulouse v Bayonne | 14:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Wales v Ireland | 14:15 | BBC1 / S4C |
| La Rochelle v Lyon | 16:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
| England v Scotland | 16:45 | ITV1 / RTÉ2 |
| Montpellier v Toulon | 20:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
Sunday 5th February
| Italy v France | 15:00 | ITV1 |
| Stade Français v Bordeaux | 20:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
Took me a second.
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Dan Cole is so sexy.
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It’s a reference to The Gronk from 2000ad
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I learnt that Time Lords have two hearts back in the 70s.
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(It was in the books.)
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Izzat held up????
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Suggestion of a forward pass in the buildup, but another fantastic try by Duhan.
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YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And ‘Ouch!’ Jumped up when we scored and battered my knuckle off the ceiling. I’ll survive.
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No! Another van der Marvellous!
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Fingernail-munching time.
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Well played Scotland.
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Well done Scotland!
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Fuck
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Played Scotland.
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YA FUCKING BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m over the moon, but that was a cracking game. Well played England – I think a good future for you with SB at the helm. They’ll get better.
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England looked a lot more cohesive and fluid as a team, until Youngs came on. Into the sun please.
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oooooooh yes
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Ticht – thank dog January’s finished, eh?
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There you are Ticht, you’ll have enjoyed that more than you would have an easy win. You just won’t have known that’s what you were doing while you were doing it…
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Wow, Scotlands game. Nice. England lost shape in the last 20. Wonder what happened. Great defence by Scots at the end, but they looked far more dangerous in the latter stages. Malins got a couple, and Ollie H-C went OK, but they both look novices on the international stage in defence.
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Plus we did it without Finn and Hoggy being the ‘star’ attractions. A real team effort.
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Duhan’s tries were things of beauty – big Richie’s part in the second would have been good from an international centre on ten minutes into the game, from a 30+ year old lock on 70 minutes it was nothing short of sensational
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Fair play, CMW, you were right
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Played Scotland. Really exciting team when they have the ball. Whereas England just don’t know what to do with the damned thing. Youngs was so slow when he came on. Please let that be his last game!
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Really fun match, any more of that and I’ll get some enthusiasm back for this game.
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Well played Scotland.
Lessons from Day 1, Round 1:
– Only Ireland showed true precision in their passes, kicking and movement
– Next best feature was the fluidity of Scotland’s back play
– England looked like a team in transition – some class, some dross.
– Importantly, Smith + Farrell doesn’t work – it ends up too cluttered. Personally I would play Farrell at 10: Smith looks a bit green. The alternative of going the ‘Full Quins’ is a nice idea but not yet.
I thought Chessum was very good: his younger brother was captain of England U20s last night.
Be nice to see them playing together in England’s 2nd row some time in the future – 2 x 6’7″ red-heads! Itoje seemed quiet when others around gave their all e.g. Genge, Sinkler, George, Chessum, Ludlum, Curry and Dombrandt.
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Agree, we were worse immediately after Youngs came on. There were some great tries from both teams but we made some glaring errors. The third Scottish try was well taken but soft from us.
We’ll grow into the tournament but I’m getting the sinking feeling that we’ll only beat Italy this year (please can we beat Italy this year!).
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Slade – I liked that if Faz or Smith carried but were tackled there was a first receiver immediately available. Smith took the wrong option a few times but I’d play him every game to keep him developing.
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ps great game to watch and van der McMerwe was terrific (plus some callow defence)
I don’t remember ever seeing such open space/gaps as offered by England’s defence for the early tries.
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Slade, it does look cluttered. It does look like we are playing a man down, with a centre short.
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Craigs
You are probably right but I don’t think it will be right for / by the World Cup
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SBT – now who could that be???
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Have to say I would like to go with Smith at 10, but either way, I don’t think Smith Faz works. I wouldn’t mind weeing Slade and Lawrence outside either of them. Also Watson in the side, not sure who for, but I think Steward, who looks like a shoo in, Malins and Ollie H-C is a back three with three players who are slightly suspect in defence. They are all callow, and could learn, but need to learn fast. Jonny May was a bit wafferty initially, and turned himself into one of the best defensive wings out there by working on it. He stopped rushing in , and became a master of shepherding, and slowing an attack, allowing the inside players time to recover and close space.
Also, If you are going to pay Cole, he should probably start.
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Both great games.
Ireland were just imperious, but maybe Wales were so weak it’s hard to juge how good the Irish were?
No, am just kidding. Ireland are wonderfully precise, fast and powerful. Unlike Thaum, I don’t think France can stop them, especially in Dublin.
As for Eng vs Scotland, an immensely enjoyable game, not something I have said often recently about a game involving England. Some great tries, no niggles, some great moves, a good ref, and that sensationnal try by VdW. More please!
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Flair, as individual brilliance goes, I thought vdM’s try was magnificent.
But, but but, his second was something else as a team try, and it took a hell of a lot of finishing as well
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Agree Ticht, his second try was even better, as there were fewer mistakes by England would be tacklers than for his first one. A greater team score indeed.
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The fact that Scotland’s second try involved fewer missed tackles than the first is evidence of progress and that England’s defence is improving
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“his second was something else as a team try, and it took a hell of a lot of finishing as well”
I can imagine that if he hadn’t scored there might have been some criticism of the number eight for passing to him so early, but if your winger’s that hard to stop there seems to be a good case for it as the best option.
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That’s the spirit OT.
Joking aside, I was surprised to read that Farrell missed 3 of the 8 tackles he attempted. If he can’t kick his penalties, can’t attack the line nor get his backs moving into space, can’t get into the ref ear, one wonders why he’s still in the squad. Smith is a better 10 than OF and he needs a true 12 next to him. Yes, England defence was porous, but it must have something to do with the defence captain, usually the inside centre. Or am I missing something?
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CMW, same feeling here. I was screaming at my TV when I saw the #8 pass the ball without drawing his defender first. But it was the right decision, obviously.
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Ireland remind me of England in 2003; Scotland remind me of Wales in 2005; Wales remind me of England in 2008; England remind me of Scotland in 2011.
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@flair
There’s a new defence coach with a new system so I assume that has something to do with it. England’s attack looked very good so I’d hazard a guess it is that they’ve spent more time on at the expense of learning the new defence system.
Ben Curry missed that tackle that he’d make in his sleep playing for Sale. For Scotland’s first try once VdM had beaten the first defender the England defence had no shape at all – without wishing to sound peevish and take anything away from VdM I reckon any international class winger (apart from Expro) would have scored from there.
So looking at the glass half full I would bet the defence will improve from here.
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Bit harsh OT, after Duhan beat the first defender he beat five more international players
Curry is getting a lot if stick for White’s try, where Steward is getting a free pass – Hogg got piles of dung thrown at him for a similar miss
There is a Rugby Pass article outlining how Farrell’s seeming obsession with nailing Finn left big holes in the English defence
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There is also a tweet of Finn running into Farrell as Duhan scored his first, giving Farrell some choice words over his missed tackle
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Finn is such a twat.
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@ticht
Perhaps I am being harsh but when I looked at a replay I actually laughed at the ineptitude of the chase and setting of the defence. It was as if following up a box kick is on page 7 of Kevin Sinfield’s defence manual and they’d only had time to get to page 6. VdW did such a great job of running into gaps and space I think the only player that could possibly have got him was Dombrandt who went too high.
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OT, I understand your point but I think a defence system basically works when facing an organised attack, say the type Ireland or Australia would apply. Endlessly recycling quick ball, pick and goes, one pass rugby etc., all of them creating holes. Very hard to defend unless your defence coach has rehearsed the moves a thousand times.
But in broken play, from which the likes of Scotland, the ABs or France thrive , that system is useless. Because the holes are already there. It’s down to individual brilliance, rugby nous and good tackling technique. That’s what England was missing a few times yesterday.
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Something to consider
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From the position he was in relative to the pack Curry had no chance of tackling VdM unless the latter ran straight into him, As it was there was yards of space either side. VdM would have looked a chump not to get round him.
Lots of defence for Smith BtL but he gave away more than his share of possession with silly or forced plays.
I think England’s big mistake on the day was too much kicking which broke up play and created situations on which Scotland thrive.
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