[2015 Six Nations] England vs Scotland (Round 4)

[goodNumber10]

Wide 5...? Close 5...??!

The 5 metre channel - there is only one (well... one pair).

Try Short side/blind side 5 or open (out wide)?

 

[ratsapprentice]

What?

5 metre channel.

I'm not qualifying it any more than that, it's unecessary
Your love of jargon can be quite jarring sometimes!

 

[goodNumber10]

What?

5 metre channel.

I'm not qualifying it any more than that, it's necessary
Your love of jargon can be quite jarring sometimes!

Hahaha! Fair enough.

The point I'm making is if it's the short side it's pretty standard to find a lock there, if its the open side then he's England's Kieran Read which clearly he isn't.

 

[ratsapprentice]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHiICyeYISA

Most prominent example, but he does it all the time... regardless of whether he's on the blind or open side.
His ability to perform a draw and pass, even in tight spaces, is exceptional among English forwards.

For me, that, and his ability as the preeminent technical offensive tackler in the game are his major points of difference.

 

[goodNumber10]

Well blind and open makes a difference to the concept of rangy, a lock runnign two metres to link and running 40-50 is vastly different.

anyway, my point in all of this is that i don't think the Lawes Attwood paring looked good.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Right have only just watched the match, bloody work. So I was quite happy with how good the guys looked with ball in hand, thought the ref was below par again, though i guess that is standard with refs nowadays. Scotland where pretty poor but got a chance and took it, we must have made 7 proper opportunities and took 3. The half chances that we have to start putting away as we should have gone in at half time with 25 points let alone after 40 minutes. So anyway my match ratings.
1-Marler 5.5 only because of scrum penalties and if you're a prop that is your bread and butter.
2-Hartley 5.5 again he did nothing well and was poor with throwing.
3-Cole 7.5 was good in defence and I thought he had the upper hand at scrum time.
4-Attwood 6.5 as the Scotland maul didn't do anything and I think that is down to him. We need him to get back to his best as he brings needed steel. Kruis might look to take his place but needs to bring an area of expertise that he lacks at the moment.
5-Lawes 9 I thought Michael was back to his best. I mentioned before that we don't need a 7 before because he can put the pressure on the 10, added to all his other brilliant work.
6-Haskell 6.5 as he didn't do much wrong but made tackles and makes the carries that others don't want to.
7-Robshaw 7.5 made tackles, got turnovers and his link up play is up there with any other backrower
8-Vunipola 7 made big carries and gave us constant go forward.
9.Youngs 8 he made some good darts should've had an assist but for Brown's boot.
10.Ford 9 He was brilliant. By far his best game and he showed some real threat in attack, even with his team's set piece going to pot. I wouldn't say he carries us though.
11.Nowell 8.5 knocked on a couple of times so doesn't get 9 but again it was possibly his best game. He smashed through guys and just looked impossible to put down at times.
12.Burrell 7 he doesn't notice support enough but does get on people's shoulder, he made a good few breaks. Too me though Manu would do his role better IMO.
13.Joseph 8 got a try, stood in at first receiver a couple of times and he gives Ford a nice little option on his left shoulder close to rucks as his footwork normally gets him over the line.
14.Watson 6.5 as he makes the breaks but just doesn't even look for anyone, he still looks good at this level though.
15 Brown 7.5 he was very good with ball in hand. Has a massive boot and if it wasn't for that bloody boot would 've had a try.
16.Youngs 7 had a great cameo and that break is annoying with the pass but the ability to get there shouldn't be forgotten. Should start against France.
17 Vunipola 6 carrying was okay
18 Brookes 6 same
19 Parling 7 has he ever not performed for England ? Great sub for us today and gave momentum
20.Woods 6 didn't really notice him apart from one carry.
21.Wigglesworth 6.5 really quick passing and that's what he's in for.
22.Cipriani well 3 minutes is just a **** take. I know that Ford played well but Burrell or Brown could 've come off.
23.??? Who was it ? Did Lancaster not use everyone

 

[WaspInWales]

Hugely disappointing match from an England perspective.

Should have been out of sight by half time but our persistence to not put away good chances is very worrying at times. Scotland practically gifted us clean breaks and we still couldn't finish them. What made things more annoying is the knowledge that the championship is likely to be decided on points difference and with France up next, it really was disappointing to see points slip away. We did the same last year in Rome. We may have smashed them but we still managed to butcher chances in a championship we could have won by nailing a couple more try scoring chances.

Gotta credit Scotland. That scrum penalty on their 5m line seemed to change their game for the second quarter and they looked like the only team capable of winning the match at half time.

Unfortunately for them the second half followed and they didn't seem as interested.

In the end it was a deserved win, but a rather underwhelming one when you consider how many great opportunities we managed to screw up and the continued poor treatment of Cipriani is shocking. It's clear Lancaster doesn't want to give him too much of an opportunity to shine as it will force Farrell further down the order but he should've had a chance in the second half against Ireland as something different was sorely needed. Then against Scotland, he gets a paltry 3 minutes at full back. That said, I like Ford. He shows maturity beyond his years and seems completely composed and natural at this level. Strangely enough, all the things we're led to believe Farrell offers.