6N starting team

[hugh_woatmeigh]

England: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Farrell, May; Ford, Care; Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Hughes.

Replacements: George, Marler, Williams, Kruis, Underhill, Wigglesworth, Te'o, Nowell

Move that pack about the park and they'll all be blowing out their arse besides a couple.

Anything else? No? Yeah... this will be a tough ask. Finn owes the fans a performance after the lats two matches and I hope we get it. We won't win without it.

[whatisthejava]

Its all going to go terribly,

although that pack isnt that talented they know full well Owens wont penalize the breakdown unless they do stupid things and will just destroy the breakdown, get some penalties hope for 1 or 2 tries and basically build a lead.

I dont think thats a great England team but if they get a grove on and with a ref who doesnt want to be a bad guy they will rinse and repeat what they did to us last year.

Every breakdown will just be 3 English players lying all over the shop and farrell telling ownes that the scottish backrow is offside

[Mikey Brown]

Pretty much yeah. Got to use our forwards wisely, not just fling it about but keep shifting the point of attack away from a pretty pedestrian England pack.

Can Russell take charge and get the forwards running off him, and pressure the Ford/Farrell channel, with Laidlaw at 9? This is a big test for both. Farrell has been more restrained in defence recently but I feel he may quite fancy shooting out of the line trying to cut out Russell’s wild passing game. If that happens Scotland must be ready to take advantage of it.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Maul defence will be interesting. First thing to do is test how Owen's reacts to the 'no defence' tactic from a fair distance. If he penalises England, adopt it in the 22.

I remember we thought it would be a good idea to test out theory a few yards out from the try line (i think against Aus). Idiotic.

[Big D]

I worry about our defence. We are often slow off the line (bar one or 2 players), miss a stupid amount of tackles and concede ground too easily. We must try and stop them at or behind the gainline.

Make the England backs be creative to beat us not simply having to over power us.

[Mikey Brown]

I worry about our defence. We are often slow off the line (bar one or 2 players), miss a stupid amount of tackles and concede ground too easily. We must try and stop them at or behind the gainline.

Make the England backs be creative to beat us not simply having to over power us.

Well Dunbar is the answer to the first part, but equally part of the reason Scotland got caught out last year when England didn’t just go route one, and actually got a bit more inventive with finding the gaps in midfield.

I’m not sure whether Peter Horne is the answer to either problem, as much as I like him.

[Big D]

I worry about our defence. We are often slow off the line (bar one or 2 players), miss a stupid amount of tackles and concede ground too easily. We must try and stop them at or behind the gainline.

Make the England backs be creative to beat us not simply having to over power us.

Well Dunbar is the answer to the first part, but equally part of the reason Scotland got caught out last year when England didn’t just go route one, and actually got a bit more inventive with finding the gaps in midfield.

I’m not sure whether Peter Horne is the answer to either problem, as much as I like him.

It wasn't anything fancy they did IIRC. It was relatively simple back moves and a spectacular show of shitting the bed by the defence.

[Mikey Brown]

I can’t tell if that’s you disagreeing with me or not.

It’s the same, single backs move England have used since Eddie came in, but Scotland were paying far too much attention to the pass out the back.

Anyway, here are some more stats to cheer everyone up. https://thechasesport.wordpress.com/201 ... -scotland/

[Big D]

I can’t tell if that’s you disagreeing with me or not.

It’s the same, single backs move England have used since Eddie came in, but Scotland were paying far too much attention to the pass out the back.

Anyway, here are some more stats to cheer everyone up. https://thechasesport.wordpress.com/201 ... -scotland/

I think we are sort of in agreement .

I would hope Taylor has then schooled on that move so hopefully we force them to need to be a bit more creative.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

England: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Farrell, May; Ford, Care; Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Hughes.

Replacements: George, Marler, Williams, Kruis, Underhill, Wigglesworth, Te'o, Nowell

Move that pack about the park and they'll all be blowing out their arse besides a couple.

Anything else? No? Yeah... this will be a tough ask. Finn owes the fans a performance after the lats two matches and I hope we get it. We won't win without it.

looks weak

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Wee Tam Allan had his arse handed to him tonight. Couldn't happen to a nicer chap.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah I hope he gets a terminal illness.

[ARM]

Yeah I hope he gets a terminal illness.

Clown

[Mikey Brown]

I’d hoped that was clear I was taking the piss out of Greg.

[Tobylerone]

He chose Italy over Scotland ? Why ?
The weather`s a bit better, the food is quite nice and, of course, Italy invented women.

[francoisfou]

He chose Italy over Scotland ? Why ?
The weather`s a bit better, the food is quite nice and, of course, Italy invented women.

But he cannae get a pint of wee heavy in Torino!

And - did you know the annual rainfall in Rome is higher than in Edinburgh?

[Tobylerone]

Nice day here today, hopefully a closer game than last years fiasco*.

*note the Chianti connection.

[francoisfou]

Nice day here today, hopefully a closer game than last years fiasco*.

*note the Chianti connection.

Duly noted!

If you're going to the match, Tobe, enjoy it, but make sure you've that packet of Kleenez in your pocket!

[Tobylerone]

Thanks, but this one is to be endured on television.
Though it is possible to simulate some of the Murrayfield atmosphere by leaving all the windows open and wear a t-shirt and shorts.
Drinking lots of beer and not going to the loo enhances the experience as well, I find.

[Cameo]

I’d hoped that was clear I was taking the piss out of Greg.

I thought so but I did wonder

[francoisfou]

Thanks, but this one is to be endured on television.
Though it is possible to simulate some of the Murrayfield atmosphere by leaving all the windows open and wear a t-shirt and shorts.
Drinking lots of beer and not going to the loo enhances the experience as well, I find.

Ahh. So you're watching the game in the Scotsmen's Lounge, Cockburn Street!

[Big D]

He chose Italy over Scotland ? Why ?
The weather`s a bit better, the food is quite nice and, of course, Italy invented women.

Allegedly the SRU offered him a 7s contract when he had a 15 a side offer on the table at Perpignan. He did play for them that year too IIRC.

[Cameo]

Bit off topic but Ireland are a bit tough to watch. Very good team but they have very little ambition.

Incidentally, if Russel makes anywhere near the number of mistakes today as Sexton has, he'll be absolutly crucified. Done some good things too mind

[switchskier]

Bit off topic but Ireland are a bit tough to watch. Very good team but they have very little ambition.

Incidentally, if Russel makes anywhere near the number of mistakes today as Sexton has, he'll be absolutly crucified. Done some good things too mind

I know what you mean but I personally find this Welsh side far more irritating. Just too much gesticulating to the ref, with Biggar culprit in chief. I also really want their next opponent to walk off next to AWJ at half time because that way he'll also be next to the ref and can call bull to whatever he's saying (regardless of the respective rights or wrongs, he's there every single game).

Ireland defended in a very strange way in that game. Can't see it being replicated against us but if it is I'd hope that we'd manage to find the space out wide with Russell and Horne in there. Just got to figure out a way to get the ball first.

Right, time to assume the position behind the sofa.

[Tobylerone]

Right, time to assume the position behind the sofa.

And watch through your fingers.