6N Round 4: The Calcutta Cup clash

yappysnap wrote:Sounds like we're getting that anger back into the side ready for the weekend, shame it's two weeks too late but I guess better late then never:

England's efforts to fine tune their ruck discipline led to a feisty training session on Wednesday as they prepared for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Scotland at Twickenham.

Stuart Lancaster's side head into Saturday's match with an emphasis on improving their work around the breakdown as they look to get back to winning ways following their loss in Dublin. They conceded 13 penalties against Ireland and the starting XV for the Calcutta Cup clash were put through their paces in training by those who are either on the bench for Saturday's match or who missed out on selection.

The 15 v 15 match was refereed by J.P. Doyle and it was feisty enough for England coach Lancaster to halt to ensure they "didn't play the game too early". He added: "Both sides had an edge about them. You can describe it as a backlash or whatever you want but we had 15 v 15 training today and I had to calm it down."

The starting XV for the Calcutta Cup match faced a pack of Mako Vunipola, Tom Youngs, Kieran Brookes, Geoff Parling, George Kruis, Nick Easter, Tom Wood and Matt Kvesic. The backline featured Danny Cipriani at fly-half, Henry Slade at 12 and Sam Burgess at outside centre.

"The non-15, if you like, had a point to prove but also wanted to create some intensity in the session, particularly at the breakdown, to make sure we were accurate as a team," Lancaster said. "They did that and were a huge challenge for us defensively. Equally the team that was selected, we had talked in the review of the Ireland game about being accurate at the breakdown and sharp.

"All of those components came to play and it was the type of session you need sometimes in the lead up to a big game."

The exercise also allowed Lancaster to run the rule over those who are currently not involved in the matchday squad. England have just five Test matches until the start of the World Cup and such is the competitiveness of the inter-group matches, Lancaster will not contemplate bringing in outside opposition to keep his team match-fit. It was a training session that was made possible by the absence of a Test last weekend.

"We were always going to have it," Lancaster said. "You wanted to put the starting team under pressure so that they get used to making decisions under pressure and the more you can replicate that in training, hopefully when the game comes around it comes easy.

"You can't do it very often because there is always usually a game you have just played. But because we didn't have the game and we had given the boys who had played a bit of time to recover, then it enabled us to. I am confident we'll be in the right place for Saturday."

Lancaster has changed two for the Scotland match with Courtney Lawes and Mike Brown starting. Lawes will call the lineout against Scotland and Lancaster is looking forward to having Brown's "winner's mentality" back in the squad.

"When it comes down to the fine margins on selection, technically, tactically, physically, you can look at the numbers, the intangible is that and he has it," Lancaster said. "Lots of players do. He is one that definitely does. Even though he is not that vocal off the field, just his sheer competitiveness is what you want in your team."

Any one else interested to see how that non-starting XV played? Match ups like LawesvKruis, RobshawvKvesic, VunipolavEaster and the 10&12 combinations must have been very tasty! Bet guys like Easter were giving it out to any one within range, he's just the right kind of player to have in a training squad.

GLove39 wrote:Dunbar is out after picking up a bad injury this morning

jimbopip wrote:Can Arthur Ashe play in the centres?

jimbopip wrote:Can Arthur Ashe play in the centres?

Weegie Wizard wrote:The chat on twitter is that Dunbar is out for the rest of the season and is now a doubt for the world cup.

Huge blow

Scottish White Line Fever wrote:Well I suppose the positives are that Beattie has been dropped to the bench for Denton and Ford is passed fit, which is a big positive for this game. Other than Richie Gray, that's probably our first choice pack, so that's a good thing.

Negatives: Dunbar missing, although at least Matt Scott looked to be finding his form again last weekend so it's not as big a drop in quality as it could have been. Laidlaw continues at 9 (unsurprising, but most of us would have preferred SHC). The 6:2 bench split is more than a little risky and I'm surprised to see we've picked both Ashe and Beattie on the bench - surely if you're going down the 6:2 route, you would want a back up seven and a 6/8 rather than an out of form 8 (Beattie) and an 8 who is only one game back from a 3 and a half month injury lay-off

EWT Spoons wrote:Hasn't ashe been playing at 6 for the last couple of games for Glasgow?  Suggests he's there to cover 8 & 6.  Really hope that Harley and Cowan don't get injured as we could be in a SJ wet dream.

Also there is a going to be a lot of shuffling going on if one of the backs gets injured.

SHC can cover wing and 9, Tonks can cover 10 & FB, anything in the centre is going to see players moved out of position.  Would Hogg be the choice for 13? (only asking as in the many discussions about moving him, 13 has been tipped on occasion) don't think Tonks has played centre, maybe SHC has.

There are a lot of eggs being put into a limited number of baskets with this selection.