[2019 Six Nations] England v Scotland (16/03/2019)

[Pom in Exile]

Slade was being just rude then.

I still think we are like the girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead. When we are good we are very very good bu5 when we are not we are horrid.

The players are obviously playing with no fear as dead rubber, and I still want to see if they are asked questions about their game plan, as Wales did, whether they can adapt.

Hey Nostradamus, can I have this weeks lottery numbers please?

 

[Al Bangor]

Wish I could have watched the match.

 

[Pom in Exile]

Wish I could have watched the match.

So do I...sort of.

 

[ncurd]

Despite the draw i think we can overread this game. It was a dead rubber in which we comprehensively won the first half. Got complacent and I imagine that kind of brain fact won't happen when some thing is really on the line.

I'm not happy with what happened in terms of Scotland getting back in the game. But I do think we can knee jerk too much about it.

 

[Dai Yorkshire]

scots were told take it easy the first half, then start to play the second half, did the same against Wales, we just managed to hold them.

 

[BobbyM]

Despite the draw i think we can overread this game. It was a dead rubber in which we comprehensively won the first half. Got complacent and I imagine that kind of brain fact won't happen when some thing is really on the line.

I'm not happy with what happened in terms of Scotland getting back in the game. But I do think we can knee jerk too much about it.

From a Scotland perspective I'm the same in terms of not over-reacting and not getting too carried away with the comeback and how heroic it was. It's all well and good coming back from the death in a dead rubber, but in that first 30 mins we looked like headless chickens, and 99.99% of the time you can't get away with that. I think in the first half barely a single line out went to hand.

England have scored early tries lots of games this championship and not turned it into a 31-0 point lead. As such, I'm more disappointed that we put ourselves in that position in the first place, by having a defensive line drawn by a blind person with a shaky hand and not maintaining any composure under pressure, than happy with the comeback.

 

[Bill]

Despite the draw i think we can overread this game. It was a dead rubber in which we comprehensively won the first half. Got complacent and I imagine that kind of brain fact won't happen when some thing is really on the line.

I'm not happy with what happened in terms of Scotland getting back in the game. But I do think we can knee jerk too much about it.

If you need any more sand, let us know.

 

[BPM]

Despite the draw i think we can overread this game. It was a dead rubber in which we comprehensively won the first half. Got complacent and I imagine that kind of brain fact won't happen when some thing is really on the line.

I'm not happy with what happened in terms of Scotland getting back in the game. But I do think we can knee jerk too much about it.

Sorry, but I disagree.

As much as we couldn't have won the Championship to capitulate as badly as we did in the second half is dreadful and deserves all the criticism it gets. It was a draw that felt as bad as a loss. Possibly even worse considering how well we had played until half time.

More importantly, this game can't be treated in isolation when we've only really had one 80 minute performance in 5 games.

Today was a complete meltdown after half time which is exactly what happened against Wales. We also fell away badly against France - they just weren't good enough to exploit it.

If you think back to the SA tour and the AIs, this has been going on for a while. We tend to start well and then as soon as momentum shifts, we're unable to get it back, we panic and any tactical sensibility goes out of the window. We almost did it against NZ, but it is a worrying theme.

We were excellent against Ireland, but given how poor they've been since, it's hard to know how much to read in to that result. On the one hand you could argue that their poor performances in the 6N have been as a result of our win in Dublin, but on the other hand you could argue we were just the first to play this off-colour version of the Irish team.

 

[Grizwald]

I was there watching it yesterday. Weirdest game I've been to folk along with the palyers were getting disinterested and expecting 60 points plus at half time. Then the way Scotland got back in to to the point it was looking like an infamous loss for England. Felt like a loss to me Scotland were embarrassing in the first half then England in the second. But ultimately for me the bigger embarrassment is England's giving up a 31 point lead....

 

[BPM]

I was there too.

I don't think Scotland were an embarrassment in the first half. Some of our tries were genuinely excellent pieces of skill.

Embarrassing is when you either gift the opposition 31 points with charge downs and interceptions compounded by dropping off tackles you'd expect schoolboys to make. Johnson's try was just awful, 4 players tried and failed to tackle a player running more or less in a straight line. Pitiful.

 

[Mike Rolls]

>>Embarrassing is when you either gift the opposition 31 points with charge downs and interceptions compounded by dropping off tackles you'd expect schoolboys to make. Johnson's try was just awful, 4 players tried and failed to tackle a player running more or less in a straight line. Pitiful.<<
Couldn't agree more - and I made it 5 misses. Reminded me of Scott Gibbs at Wembley in 1990(?). I told a friend of mine - Welsh - that I had seen that bit of play in my dreams numerous times and every time on of the 5 stopped him! Same here - how on earth did they ALL fail to stop him - there was no magic sidestep or anything - just hopeless attempts to tackle.
Mike

 

[Which Tyler]

Johnson's try was just awful, 4 players tried and failed to tackle a player running more or less in a straight line. Pitiful.

4? I thought it was 3?
Nowell straight up missed him, Daly and Spencer kinda bounced off him, whilst Ford dragged him down from behind, just too late.

As for the rest of your post - yup, we were very generous. Not sure the intercept counts as an intercept though, Young's looked up, saw a Scot right where he wanted to put the ball, and gave the perfect pass for him for nonknown reason.

 

[BPM]

Youngs? I thought Farrell threw the intercept to Russell?

 

[General Melchett]

4? I thought it was 3?
Nowell straight up missed him, Daly and Spencer kinda bounced off him, whilst Ford dragged him down from behind, just too late.

As for the rest of your post - yup, we were very generous. Not sure the intercept counts as an intercept though, Young's looked up, saw a Scot right where he wanted to put the ball, and gave the perfect pass for him for nonknown reason.

Agree the tackling was powder puff but Johnson is deceptively strong and excellent at breaking tackles / staying on his feet. I don't think many people outside Scotland knew much about him before this 6N. I think he and a fit and in form Huw Jones have the makings of a great centre pairing at the WC.

 

[Reiser99]

My issue is that while Scotland took their chances well and played some good rugby at 31-7 up it was our own mistakes, same as against Wales.

First Scottish try was a charge down that started from a poor kick attempt by Farrell that was clearly not on, but he just went through the predictable routine and then Yes May missed the tackle, but Farrell slowed up assuming May had him.

Second try was just poor defending and well worked by Scotland, though I'm still 50-50 on Price's last pass, but it's a moot point.

Third one was well started by Price, but WTF was that from Daly? He has a chance to tackle and apparently thought he was Farrell and just bumped into Price, which allowed Price to get the pass away.

Fourth was well worked by Scotland.

Fifth try was an intercept and again it was Farrell not looking up and seeing Russell has already read it and that it was a predictable pass.

Last try was started with a fantastic pass by Russell, but someone should have taken down Johnson earlier. Yes they may well have scored anyway, but it was atrocious tackling with Daly all over the place.

Basically while Scotland took their opportunities and fair play to them, for me at 3 or 4 of those tries were preventable by a team that was focused and hadn't let their concentration slip after a fast and excellent start. However England just got complacent and for me Farrell was the perfect example, playing by numbers and set plays rather than heads up rugby like Russell does.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Just to grind my axe, Scotlands excellent 2nd and 3rd tries would have had 0% chance of happening with Laidlaw on the park. Price and Horne have to be the present as well as the future for Scotland to have any chance against other top 6 ranked sides in the world.

Excellent to see the continued progress of D'Arcy and Magnus. Factor in Kinghorn and Richie and you have four home grown youths who are surely nailed on starters for many years to come. The youth development seems healthy, which doesn't surprise me as i know one of the key guys rhe SRU have working for them and he is very switched on. Depth issues may improve further when the Super 6 league kicks off in Scotland.

Agree the tackling was powder puff but Johnson is deceptively strong and excellent at breaking tackles / staying on his feet. I don't think many people outside Scotland knew much about him before this 6N. I think he and a fit and in form Huw Jones have the makings of a great centre pairing at the WC.

I have to say that was potentially a breakout game for Sam Johnson, good physicality and quite consistent in attack. He is being blamed in some Scottish press for defensive positioning in the first half, but I think that is a little harsh.. Both Rennie and Townsend appear to favour him over a recovering Dunbar, so they must see long term promise in him. I'm still in the Dunbar camp if he is fit as with Finn being so creative I think the focus at 12 should be on defensive solidity.

 

[The5thOfficial]

........ Eddie actually used the subs this week.

He's actually also pretty much thrown the entire team under the bus by suggesting or intimating there are mental health issues with the players that need to be sorted out - so he's getting in 'the right people'.....

 

[BPM]

My issue is that while Scotland took their chances well and played some good rugby at 31-7 up it was our own mistakes, same as against Wales.

First Scottish try was a charge down that started from a poor kick attempt by Farrell that was clearly not on, but he just went through the predictable routine and then Yes May missed the tackle, but Farrell slowed up assuming May had him.

Second try was just poor defending and well worked by Scotland, though I'm still 50-50 on Price's last pass, but it's a moot point.

Third one was well started by Price, but WTF was that from Daly? He has a chance to tackle and apparently thought he was Farrell and just bumped into Price, which allowed Price to get the pass away.

Fourth was well worked by Scotland.

Fifth try was an intercept and again it was Farrell not looking up and seeing Russell has already read it and that it was a predictable pass.

Last try was started with a fantastic pass by Russell, but someone should have taken down Johnson earlier. Yes they may well have scored anyway, but it was atrocious tackling with Daly all over the place.

Basically while Scotland took their opportunities and fair play to them, for me at 3 or 4 of those tries were preventable by a team that was focused and hadn't let their concentration slip after a fast and excellent start. However England just got complacent and for me Farrell was the perfect example, playing by numbers and set plays rather than heads up rugby like Russell does.

100% agree. Johnson May be underrated but we made him look like Jonah Lomu.

 

[BrokenWing]

Check out Finn Russell taking out both May and Tuilagi WITH HIS EYES at 22 seconds and creating the gap for Johnson. Absolute class.

Brilliant considering last week he was throwing passes straight into touch whilst looking.

 

[Scotty]

The term game of 2 halfs is often used but damn this one was exactly that.
1st half England 31 7 Scotland
2nd half England 7 31 scotland

1st half, Scotland struggled to cope with the intensity and speed we started at. And england didnt let off. Great try by McInally. Game won England.so we thought.

2nd half scotland came out fast and we couldnt cope with the speed and intensity that they started at. And Scotland didnt let off. Great try by george Ford.

If thats not a game of 2 halfs i dont know what is.

1st half. Great attack by england, terrible defence by Scotland

2nd half. Great attack by scotland, terrible defence by england