6 NATIONS 2018 - England v Wales build up/Match/Autopsy Thread - 12-6

[TightHEAD]

First topic message reminder :

England v Wales (The Big One) ITV 16:45pm


So much rests on this game. Wales look strong, England did enough in Rome to look comfortable.

Really hard to see how this wil play out.

Discuss.

Ref - Jérôme Garcès (France)

Head to head - Played - 130 Eng 61 - Wales 57 - Drawn 12




England Team

15 Mike Brown (Harlequins 65 caps) 14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby 29 caps) 13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby 36 caps) 12 Owen Farrell (Saracens 54 caps) 11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers 30 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers 41 caps) 9 Danny Care (Harlequins 77 caps)

1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens 45 caps) 2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints 90 caps) 3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers 78 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps 48 caps) 5 Maro Itoje (Saracens 15 caps) 6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints 62 caps) 7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins 60 caps) 8 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs 4 caps)

Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens 21 caps) 17 Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs 1 cap) 18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs 6 caps) 19 George Kruis (Saracens 22 caps)  20 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby 4 caps) 21 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens 27 caps) 22 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors 9 caps) 23 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs 24 caps)




Wales team
Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets); Josh Adams (Worcester), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Steff Evans (Scarlets); Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys capt), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements: Elliot Dee (Dragons), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Bradley Davies (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Aled Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton).


NO TRY - https://mobile.twitter.com/mattyjwills/status/962615635321737217/video/1

[TightHEAD]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

[dummy_half]

I really wish Mr Anscombe was Mr Tickle instead. There'd be no question then!

Thought that was Charteris.

[Guest]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

That’s the only thing I noticed him do! It was good though. He’s like the new Tom Croft

[TightHEAD]

The overhead take, the position of his body to commit two tacklers and then that offload. Beautiful rugby and worth the admission fee on its own. (apart from Twickers which is a bit expensive for the normal working person)

[No 7&1/2]

Good player hill. Been impressive this 6ns. But no not better than Launchbury in the game or in general.

[nlpnlp]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

That’s the only thing I noticed him do! It was good though. He’s like the new Tom Croft

Launchbury made 19 tackles and had 4 carries (more tackles, more carries and more metres made than Cory Hill) and yet you didn't notice him.  I think the phrase head out of backside applies.

[Scottrf]

13 carries.

[Guest]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

That’s the only thing I noticed him do! It was good though. He’s like the new Tom Croft

Launchbury made 19 tackles and had 4 carries (more tackles, more carries and more metres made than Cory Hill) and yet you didn't notice him.  I think the phrase head out of backside applies.

So you noticed every single player playing??? Good skills!

[TightHEAD]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

That’s the only thing I noticed him do! It was good though. He’s like the new Tom Croft

Launchbury made 19 tackles and had 4 carries (more tackles, more carries and more metres made than Cory Hill) and yet you didn't notice him.  I think the phrase head out of backside applies.

So you noticed every single player playing??? Good skills!

As a coach I do.

[Guest]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

That’s the only thing I noticed him do! It was good though. He’s like the new Tom Croft

Launchbury made 19 tackles and had 4 carries (more tackles, more carries and more metres made than Cory Hill) and yet you didn't notice him.  I think the phrase head out of backside applies.

So you noticed every single player playing??? Good skills!

As a coach I do.

Who do you coach???

[RiscaGame]

He plays for Wales and Dragons, doesn't that say it all?

What more do you need then? The former may be a bit meh, but the latter is all the credentials he needs!

[RiscaGame]

.

[RiscaGame]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

Hmm interesting, but I don't remember Hills performance at all.

Launchy did well though didn't he, 'That Offload' 

That’s the only thing I noticed him do! It was good though. He’s like the new Tom Croft

Launchbury made 19 tackles and had 4 carries (more tackles, more carries and more metres made than Cory Hill) and yet you didn't notice him.  I think the phrase head out of backside applies.

So you noticed every single player playing??? Good skills!

As a coach I do.

Who do you coach???

The clue is in the location, surely

[mikey_dragon]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

That is an interesting statement. I know what the stats say so lets put those aside. Got anything to back it up?

I'm just kidding, but I have been impressed with Hill since he came in during the AI series. He's really grown into the role and before he came in our lineout was a bit garbage. Him and AWJ make a good combo, Hill isn't a big hitter but he's the work horse type like Beirne is for Scarlets. AWJ is probably helping him a lot too, the way he helped Itoje.

[BigTrevsbigmac]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

That is an interesting statement. I know what the stats say so lets put those aside. Got anything to back it up?

I'm just kidding, but I have been impressed with Hill since he came in during the AI series. He's really grown into the role and before he came in our lineout was a bit garbage. Him and AWJ make a good combo, Hill isn't a big hitter but he's the work horse type like Beirne is for Scarlets. AWJ is probably helping him a lot too, the way he helped Itoje.

Has Cory got his own song to? & does AWJs sing along?

[lostinwales]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

That is an interesting statement. I know what the stats say so lets put those aside. Got anything to back it up?

I'm just kidding, but I have been impressed with Hill since he came in during the AI series. He's really grown into the role and before he came in our lineout was a bit garbage. Him and AWJ make a good combo, Hill isn't a big hitter but he's the work horse type like Beirne is for Scarlets. AWJ is probably helping him a lot too, the way he helped Itoje.

Its good when new players come through and make a difference.

I was wondering what was wrong with Itoje this championship..

[Rugby Fan]

I was wondering what was wrong with Itoje this championship..

Stale, no pre-season, thrown off by the broken jaw, and yet to find his feet with the new rules at the breakdown.

[RiscaGame]

Should have been Launchbury.

Cory Hill outplayed him.

That is an interesting statement. I know what the stats say so lets put those aside. Got anything to back it up?

I'm just kidding, but I have been impressed with Hill since he came in during the AI series. He's really grown into the role and before he came in our lineout was a bit garbage. Him and AWJ make a good combo, Hill isn't a big hitter but he's the work horse type like Beirne is for Scarlets. AWJ is probably helping him a lot too, the way he helped Itoje.

Has Cory got his own song to? & does AWJs sing along?

Yes.

We all dream of a team of Cory Hills (to the tune of Yellow Submarine). Number ooooone is Cory Hill, Number two is Cory Hill (and so on)

[thomh]

I was wondering what was wrong with Itoje this championship..

Stale, no pre-season, thrown off by the broken jaw, and yet to find his feet with the new rules at the breakdown.

Are you absolutely SURE it's not that he only plays well next to AWJ?

[Poorfour]

Yes.

We all dream of a team of Cory Hills (to the tune of Yellow Submarine). Number ooooone is Cory Hill, Number two is Cory Hill (and so on)

Bring it on! Lots and lots of lovely scrum penalties, one style of play and no-one to kick the points. Can we play him next time in Cardiff? We'd offer to stuff the back row full of Robshaw clones to even things up.

[BamBam]

There's a question .. if you had to field a team made up of 15 players cloned from 1 current international, who would you pick

A team of 15 Mako Vunipolas could be interesting

[Sgt_Pooly]

There's a question .. if you had to field a team made up of 15 players cloned from 1 current international, who would you pick

A team of 15 Mako Vunipolas could be interesting

Can see the line out being a write off.

[TightHEAD]

A team of Mike Browns would also be interesting if they ever made it to the field that is, most likely they would windup each other in the changing room pre game and end up having a mass brawl.

[BamBam]

Think of the maul defence though

[munkian]

A team of Mike Browns would also be interesting if they ever made it to the field that is, most likely they would windup each other in the changing room pre game and end up having a mass brawl.

Least number of passes in a test game...ever.

[TightHEAD]

FB tend not to pass much!

When they get their hands on the ball 14 of their team mates are in front of them.

[SecretFly]

FB tend not to pass much!

When they get their hands on the ball 14 of their team mates are in front of them.

Sometimes Tight.......... sometimes your bite is a delight.

[Poorfour]

A team of Mike Browns would also be interesting if they ever made it to the field that is, most likely they would windup each other in the changing room pre game and end up having a mass brawl.

Least number of passes in a test game...ever.

Nah, because he'd always have someone to pass to who could be trusted to take it into contact. The handling would be sublime. The placekicking would be beyond awful, though. He's taken a couple for Quins in the distant past and they never let him do it again.

[majesticimperialman]

I was wondering what was wrong with Itoje this championship..

Stale, no pre-season, thrown off by the broken jaw, and yet to find his feet with the new rules at the breakdown.

Are you absolutely SURE it's not that he only plays well next to AWJ?


Or could it be the other way around. I mean AWJ did not look that good last week. But Corry hill did a far better job. IMO.

[TightHEAD]

FB tend not to pass much!

When they get their hands on the ball 14 of their team mates are in front of them.

Sometimes Tight.......... sometimes your bite is a delight.

You should try Hartley's!

[Guest]

There's a question .. if you had to field a team made up of 15 players cloned from 1 current international, who would you pick

A team of 15 Mako Vunipolas could be interesting

Nemani Nadolo. Think you'd be hard pressed to beat that.

[Poorfour]

There's a question .. if you had to field a team made up of 15 players cloned from 1 current international, who would you pick

A team of 15 Mako Vunipolas could be interesting

Nemani Nadolo. Think you'd be hard pressed to beat that.

I thought about a young Sergio Parisse (who often seems to be trying to play all the positions for Italy) or Zinzan Brooke (who could kick the drop goals as well as play back row) but ultimately you have to fight fire with fire: John Eales.

[BamBam]

How would any of those do in the scrum though

[munkian]

15 Tipurics.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Gatland prefers his teams not to contain any Tipurics!

[TightHEAD]

Looks like we have run out of steam  , at last!

[Guest]

I'm hoping this thread keeps going another week or so, so we don't have an Ireland v Wales thread to contend with

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