The Rugby Thread

[E17yid]

Would love this to happen after the WC with Jones as backs coach and Pivac as top dog.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42851632

 

[talkshowhost86]

Would love this to happen after the WC with Jones as backs coach and Pivac as top dog.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42851632

Thought you meant Adam Jones then based on that article.

I too would love to see him as Wales' backs coach

 

[E17yid]

Thought you meant Adam Jones then based on that article.

I too would love to see him as Wales' backs coach

Jonesball

 

[teok]

Boyd in at northampton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42860674

 

[talkshowhost86]

Boyd in at northampton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42860674

Looks like a good appointment.

Would love Quins to be a bit more ambitious and look for people like this.

 

[Japhet]

Looks like a good appointment.

Would love Quins to be a bit more ambitious and look for people like this.

very happy with that. Hopefully can get us firing again next season.

 

[E17yid]

Interesting team from Gats. Done the right thing and picked as many Scarlets as he can.

Patchell at 10. Josh Adams coming straight in is a gamble but worth taking with our wing injuries. I’d have gone for Davies partnering AWJ from a club cohesion point of view but happy enough with Hill.

Back row or Navidi, Tips and Moriarty is good on paper but Moriarty lacks game time so will be interesting to see how that pans out.

 

[E17yid]

Shit just realised Tips is on the bench and it’s Shingler. Don’t think JT is 100% but good bench option.

Good to see Richie Gray is still out.

 

[E17yid]

Be interesting to see how Adams and Evans perform on the wing as we have 2 very good wings in Amos and North when fit. Great for depth though, if they perform.

Back row depth is great. James Davies missing out highlights that. 2 amazing scrum halves but we don’t want G. Davies getting an injury now. Really looking forward to seeing Patchell at 10. Needs to really grab this opportunity by the scruff of the neck. It’s just the bloody front 5. First team is good but beyond that we’re weak. Got the Scarlets front row which is good for cohesion and scrummaging.

Looks like we might throw it about a bit. Should be an exciting game. Could see both teams getting 30 points on the board.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Shit just realised Tips is on the bench and it’s Shingler. Don’t think JT is 100% but good bench option.

Good to see Richie Gray is still out.

I see Wales are continuing to help the myth around Tipuric by keeping him on the bench. I swear he's the most highly rated player who seems to never get picked when others are available.

Having said that, Shingler and Navidi probably deserve it having been good in the Autumn tests, and Shingler in particular has looked good whenever I've seen him this season.

Certainly can't say that Gatland isn't picking on form, and if they manage to get some of that Scarlets magic going with a bit of support from old heads like AWJ then it could work very well.

Yes it's a step up in level, but looking at the Scotland squad, it could effectively end up as Scarlets v Glasgow, and I think you'd back Scarlets in that contest.

 

[E17yid]

I see Wales are continuing to help the myth around Tipuric by keeping him on the bench. I swear he's the most highly rated player who seems to never get picked when others are available.

Having said that, Shingler and Navidi probably deserve it having been good in the Autumn tests, and Shingler in particular has looked good whenever I've seen him this season.

Certainly can't say that Gatland isn't picking on form, and if they manage to get some of that Scarlets magic going with a bit of support from old heads like AWJ then it could work very well.

Yes it's a step up in level, but looking at the Scotland squad, it could effectively end up as Scarlets v Glasgow, and I think you'd back Scarlets in that contest.

Tbf, Tips has had some injury issues recently. If he’s 100% he definitely starts with Warburton out. I know what you mean, though, he’s just incredibly unlucky.

Even with the injuries we’ve got when I look at our squad and Scotland’s squad it’s a no brainer in terms of which one I’d rather have though I accept I’m biased.

However, I hate the “who out of their team would get in our team” argument as it’s a team game so I appreciate it’s not just about who has the best individuals and Scotland are further ahead in their evolution and where they want to be compared to us so I expect a close game.

If this was in Murryfiekd I’d be expecting a 10 point loss but they’re terrible away, don’t think they’ve won an away game since 2011.

I’ve just gone and jinxed us now.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Tbf, Tips has had some injury issues recently. If he’s 100% he definitely starts with Warburton out. I know what you mean, though, he’s just incredibly unlucky.

Even with the injuries we’ve got when I look at our squad and Scotland’s squad it’s a no brainer in terms of which one I’d rather have though I accept I’m biased.

However, I hate the “who out of their team would get in our team” argument as it’s a team game so I appreciate it’s not just about who has the best individuals and Scotland are further ahead in their evolution and where they want to be compared to us so I expect a close game.

If this was in Murryfiekd I’d be expecting a 10 point loss but they’re terrible away, don’t think they’ve won an away game since 2011.

I’ve just gone and jinxed us now.

I do just wonder whether the Scotland pack might be the difference. If they can tighten up the game you have to think they've got the edge in that department, but if it becomes an open game you'd fancy the Waleslets.

 

[E17yid]

I do just wonder whether the Scotland pack might be the difference. If they can tighten up the game you have to think they've got the edge in that department, but if it becomes an open game you'd fancy the Waleslets.

They’re dangerous in the backs though. Can’t let Hogg run from deep and we’ve got to kick and chase well to limit that as he’s good from broken play. I know it’s cliche but set piece is vital. We’ve been scrummaging well recently but our line outs are a fucking lottery. Having said that the scrum is a lottery as it’s just down to who the ref is.

 

[teok]

I do just wonder whether the Scotland pack might be the difference. If they can tighten up the game you have to think they've got the edge in that department, but if it becomes an open game you'd fancy the Waleslets.

They have no front row which is usually a big strength for them.

 

[E17yid]

They have no front row which is usually a big strength for them.

And thankfully it’s the one area we’ve not been hit with any injuries.

 

[talkshowhost86]

They have no front row which is usually a big strength for them.

I was going to say that I've got no idea what Scotland's injury situation is.

I don't really rate Wales' front row that highly, but at least they've got some game time together so if Scotland are having issues in that department then they could be in for a long day.

Mind you, if Wales are going to play like Scarlets they probably won't even care about the scrum.

 

[talkshowhost86]

They’re dangerous in the backs though. Can’t let Hogg run from deep and we’ve got to kick and chase well to limit that as he’s good from broken play. I know it’s cliche but set piece is vital. We’ve been scrummaging well recently but our line outs are a fucking lottery. Having said that the scrum is a lottery as it’s just down to who the ref is.

Yeah these days I don't think anyone can predict the scrum.

It's completely dependent on the ref as you say, and can even change from half to half depending on who has managed to have a word with the ref.

I think unless you're within about 10-15 metres, it's more sensible to just get the ball in and out of the scrum as fast as possible.

Agree about Hogg but not sure how much else they've got in that department. Can't say I've seen a lot of Glasgow this year, although they must have some decent backs if someone like Visser isn't making the squad.

 

[E17yid]

Scotland have 5 props and 3 hookers out and their 6th prop is suspended. With Richie Gray out as well we should be bossing them up front.

Obviously not counting my chickens with our injuries but I’d kinda rather to have injuries spread out across various positions rather than in 1 area like Scotland.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Scotland have 5 props and 3 hookers out and their 6th prop is suspended. With Richie Gray out as well we should be bossing them up front.

Obviously not counting my chickens with our injuries but I’d kinda rather to have injuries spread out across various positions rather than in 1 area like Scotland.

Yeah I don't really recognise much of their front 5 or the options off the bench, so my previous concern that Scotland may do well upfront is now null and void. They do have a pretty tasty back row though so that should be an interesting contest.

Even though we're now starting to see squads and teams announced, I'm none the wiser as to what will happen in this tournament.

I'm fairly confident Italy will finish bottom, and I think Ireland will get a grand slam, but everything else is up for grabs.

England still have a strong squad, but do look light in a couple of areas and won't have the same strength off the bench as normal.

Scotland looked good in the Autumn, but have injuries and still cannot win away from Murrayfield.

Wales will be forced to move away from Gatland's traditional plan, so it remains to be seen whether he can bring together a team that has looked very good in its component parts elsewhere.

And as for France...I literally have no idea.

I think for this weekend I'll go Ireland to win by 10+, England to win by 15+ and Wales v Scotland to be an extremely keystone cops sort of extravaganza with Wales winning by 5+.

 

[E17yid]

Gatland marks his 10th year this weekend. Pretty incredible really, fair play to him.

The last 4 years haven’t been great and over the whole decade he could’ve done better against the SH sides but winning those 2 Grand Slams, a 6N championship and getting Wales to a Semi final in his first 6 years was pretty special.

Our longest serving coach who frustrates at times but in general has been great for us. Will be sad to see him go at the end of of WC next year but the time will be right and if we can get Pivac, Stephen Jones, the rest of the Scarlets coaching Staff with an Adam Jones in there I reckon we can get right back up there with some of the youth coming through. Interesting that he said he thinks a Welshman will find it harder to manage Wales as Wales is such a tribal country which is partly why Pivac is such a great choice. He understands Wales without being Welsh.

In other news Baldwin is out for us now which is not a massive loss though any injuries in the front row we’ll notice.