Six Nations: Scotland V Wales Preview

Two teams prepare to clash in Edinburgh this Sunday after both suffered an early defeat in round one of the competition, albeit under different circumstances. Scotland at least can take heart in the fact, that had fate favoured them in Paris and their penalty count in their own half been reduced, they could well have won the game. Wales on the other hand, blew an 8 point first half lead only to get utterly blown away by a resurgent England in Cardiff and will be looking for redemption when they take to the newly laid nemotoad-free Murrayfield turf.

Scotland for all their progress under Vern Cotter will finally want to shake off the tag of plucky losers, a tag they've so dutifully held onto for an age it seems. The winds of change seem to be blowing however, as the superb displays of Glasgow in the pro 12, as well as a canny return to form of Edinburgh of late, would seem to mark this down as more than simply another false dawn. A switch to flowing attacking rugby is something many thought we'd never see the like again in a Scottish shirt and it's certainly a refreshing sight to witness for both Scottish fans and neutrals alike. Perhaps in part due to the Glasgow warrior spine of the team, who have long played this brand of rugby at club level and it can only benefit the likes of Hogg, Dunbar and new boy Finn Russell to able to employ a game plan they’re familiar with.  

                                                                       North dropped 

Wales will have the bit between their teeth this weekend after likely being beasted all week in training following what can only be described as a rudderless second half display against England. Most of the pre match chatter has unsurprisingly been all about concussion protocols and as expected George North is the sacrificial lamb dropped from the team despite getting the all clear from the medics. His replacement is Liam Williams, who in all honesty on form was unlucky to miss out on the starting line up last week. Like North, equally adept at causing opposition defences problems, regardless of his contrasting style to the Saints man. Armed much more with the rapier than the club, he could well be a valuable creative asset for Wales, which they certainly lacked last weekend when England deprived their power runners of ball.

Perhaps the most interesting individual battle to unfold this Sunday will be between the number 10's. Both Finn Russell and Dan Biggar are in flying form for their respective Pro 12 outfits and whoever manages to control the game best could win it for their sides. Keeping these two dangerous backlines running backwards into their own halves and deprived of decent counter attacking ball should clinch it. The likes of Stuart Hogg and Liam Williams can cut defences to ribbons if given an inch of space to manoeuvre and so kicks need to be precise to avoid incurring some series damage in return.  

                                                    Is Russell the man to rejuvenate Scotland

Prediction:  Last year's fixture saw the Welsh run rampant after Stuart Hogg saw red and was sent into the changing rooms early. Scotland will not have forgotten that! Expect a toughly fought contest this time around as both will want to rectify poor starts in the championship and seal a first win in round two.  Scotland to sneak it at home by 2. 

The teams:

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.



Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Alasdair Strokosch, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Greig Tonks, 23 Matt Scott



Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Gethin Jenkins.



Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Paul James, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Luke Charteris, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Scott Williams.



Date: Sunday, February 15
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Referees: George Clancy, Dudley Phillips
TMO: Simon McDowell




By Alex Dodd

Six Nations: Ireland V France Preview

Who'll win the battle in the forwards?

  

The cavalry arrive for Ireland, whilst France, surprisingly, field a surprisingly similar team a consecutive week in row for what feels like the first time in Philippe Saint-André's tenure. Both sides arrive in Dublin after a poor round one performance despite grinding out wins against lesser opposition and will be looking to push on in another game which feels like a World Cup preview. 

Ireland's ranks have been bolstered considerably with the return of British and Irish lions Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Jonathan Sexton and Cian Healy, although the match fitness of the quartet has yet to be proven. O'Brien in particular comes in at the expense Tommy O'Donnell who played a blinder last weekend when the former went down during the pre game warm-up and now finds himself missing out on a seat on the bench let alone the starting XV. Such is the talent within this Irish squad.

                                                                        O'Brien match ready?

                                                       


France however, has uncharacteristically decided to stick rather than twist this week and field the exact same side that lumbered past Scotland. With the exception that is, of Eddy Ben Arous who replaces the injured Alexandre Menini. This could possibly work in France's favour, as a lack of continuity in terms of the team sheet the last few seasons, has likely been a large contributor to their lack of continuity on the field of play also. Giving the likes of Camille Lopez and Teddy Thomas time to bed in and develop at international level can only help Les Blues Reds come the World Cup later this year.




Last week both teams were able to forge wins however unattractively by choking out their opposition in the forwards and turning the battle on the floor into rather one sided affairs. As such it will be interesting to see who comes out on top, seeing as both sides would value their work at the breakdown their strongest asset and a pivotal part of their game as a whole. Meaning therefore, that whoever wins this battle will likely win the game.




In the forwards, the battle between Sean O'Brien and Thierry Dusautoir should create enormous intrigue as both can be a mighty disruptive force in the backrow when at their best. These two will play a huge part in winning the gain line battle for their respective sides and whoever is able to sabotage the opposition's momentum the most, could well take the plaudits come the final whistle.




In the backs the two men likely to provide the Champagne in Dublin are Jonny Sexton and Camille Lopez. The two playmakers couldn't be further apart in terms of international experience but both have a nigh on indistinguishable style of rugby, epitomised by a steady boot, combined with an exceptional grasp of the basics at first receiver. These two also possess an uncanny ability to produce a moment of magic that can turn any game on its head. Sexton in particular is like a direct conduit to the field from coach Joe Shmidt's vision and if any fireworks are to be lit, it will likely be through him.




Prediction: Could well be an arm wrestle in the early stages of the game as both sides like to assert their game plans on the floor and in the air before throwing the ball out wide later in the game. Home advantage could well be the key as the French are notoriously shaky travellers on the road. Ireland by 7.



The teams:



Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Jack McGrath



Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Felix Jones



France: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Teddy Thomas, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Eddy Ben Arous.



Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Uini Atonio, 18 Vincent Debaty, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Morgan Parra, 22 Rémi Talès, 23 Rémi Lamerat.





Date: Saturday, February 14
Kick-off: 17:00 local
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
AR1: Nigel Owens (Wales)
AR2: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)


By Alex Dodd

Six Nations: England V Italy Preview

An unchanged England side will face struggling Italy this Saturday at Twickenham, with English grand slam dreams unexpectedly ignited after victory in Cardiff. It may be Valentine's Day, but there will be no love lost between the sides when they take to the turf, even if one of them wears a red rose above their hearts.

England are the obvious favourites going into this game – even the most passionate and optimistic of Italian fans would admit that – but there is no guarantee that the scoreline will be one-sided. Although the last meeting between these teams ended 11-52 to England, Italy’s last visit to Twickenham was a tight affair, with only seven points between the sides. In the five meetings before that, three were won by five points or less. England should take heed from history – the Azzurri are no pushovers, and only a late flourish from Ireland last week made the scoreline more flattering than perhaps it should have been.

Mike Brown bagged two tries the last time he faced Italy

Having said that, England will be all too aware that points difference could be the deciding factor when they face off against Ireland in Dublin at the end of the tournament, and the men in white will be looking to pile on the points. However, they must not go into the game expecting to score tries from the first minute – Italy are a better side than that. England should aim to strangle the life out of the Italians before looking to ship the ball wide. By relying on another strong forward performance, dominating the set piece and building a lead through penalties, England will put pressure on Italy and force them to start chasing the game. This is when mistakes start to be made, mismatches occur, and the likes of Jonathan Joseph, Jonny May, and Anthony Watson can snap up tries.

As always, Sergio Parisee will be at the heart of this Italian side. The Italian captain has more caps than England’s entire backrow, whilst recalled flanker Mauro Bergamasco has the same amount (100). If the trio of Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, and Billy Vunipola can gain the upper hand over their Italian counterparts, and keep Captain Fantastic quiet, England will have an easier time of it.

James Haskell gave a massive performance last week

There is experience in the Italian backline as well, albeit out of position – fullback Andrea Masi moves into the centres for the injured Michele Campagnaro. This is a somewhat strange choice considering the danger posed by the 10 – 12 combination of Allan and Haimona in the final minutes against Ireland. Having measured up so well against the experienced duo of Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies in Cardiff, Luther Burrell and Jonathan Joseph should be full of confidence going into this encounter.

Whilst there have been changes aplenty amongst the Azzurri, it seems like the first time in living memory that Stuart Lancaster has selected the same 23 two weeks in a row. This can only be a good decision following the performance against Wales. If the likes of James Haskell, Jonathan Joseph, and Dave Attwood continue to deliver performances on a level with last week, the absences of sure starters Manu Tuilagi, Courtney Lawes, and Tom Wood will be barely noticeable. It’s a selection headache for Stuart Lancaster, but a delight for England fans who, only a few weeks ago, were so worried about the impact that injuries were having with a World Cup only months away. Hopefully we will get a chance to see what Danny Cipriani and Tom Croft can contribute this week, after they went unused against Wales.

Prediction: The question is not so much who will win, but by how much. Expect England to start slow, accumulating points through the boot of George Ford, before opening up in the second half. Sadly, it’s set to be heartbreak once again for Italy this Valentine’s Day. England by 20.

Match Information:

England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 James Haskell, 5 George Kruis, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Nick Easter, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Andrea Masi, 11 Giovambattista Venditti, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Francesco Minto, 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 George Fabio Biagi, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Alberto De Marchi.

Replacements: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Matias Aguero, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Samuela Vunisa, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Tommaso Allan, 23 Giulio Bisegni.

Date: Saturday, February 14

Kickoff: 14:30 GMT

Venue: Twickenham

Referee: Johnny Lacey (Ireland)

Assistant Referees: Pascal Gauzère (France), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)

TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)

Oval Planet's Six Nations Team of the Week

                                                                Standout players of round one


15. Rob Kearney


Always a danger in attack and solid as ever under the high ball, Kearney reminded everyone again why he's been the mainstay in a highly competitive Irish backline for some time now. Arguably the most highly contested position in this week's team sheet. Along with France's Scott Spedding on his Six Nations debut, Mike Brown and Leigh Halfpenny also had strong displays at the weekend. Not forgetting the other Fall Back who made it into this week's team.



14. Antony Watson


Watson really is settling in well with England. In every game, he seems to mature more and more as a player and has an absolutely lethal outside break. This saw him out gas the Welsh defence to take hold of Mike Brown's chip to score. One of many in form Bath players who seem to have rejuvenated the England attack this year.



13. Jonathan Joseph


Speaking of Bath players, onto the centres as another player from this west county club finds his way into the team. Joseph has been sensational this season and yet amazingly was probably only included in the squad, due the injury of international regulars Tuilagi and Barrett. Fortunately he's now proven his worth in a white shirt, so expect a lot more magic being created as a result of his quick hands and dancing feet. Mention must be made here too for Mark Bennett of Scotland on a strong first game.



12. Mathieu Bastareaud


The first of two players in the team playing out of position, who simply couldn't be left out as a result of sterling performances in round one. Basta was at his destructive best on Saturday bouncing off three defenders and securing two turnovers in defence also. For our money, he deserved the ‘Man of the Match’ award. Ireland's Robbie Henshaw also had a strong game in the centres which will have gone a long way into calming Irish hearts in the wake of BOD's retirement.



11. Stuart Hogg


Perhaps another who could rightly stick his hand up for player of the round last Saturday. If only Scotland had managed to overturn France in Paris, he could well have done so. Hogg was everywhere in attack and topped the ‘metres made’ stat with ball hand by some distance. If he continues in this vein of form, expect him to cross the white wash for a now increasingly dangerous-looking Scottish side very soon indeed.



10. Finn Russell


What a find Vern Cotter and Scotland has in Finn Russell! He seems to possess everything required by a Fly Half and orchestrated things expertly in attack as well as holding his own in defence for the full 80. He could be holding onto the number 10 shirt for quite a while if he puts on a few more displays like that. A mention too for George Ford who shook off a shaky first half in Cardiff to steer England to a dominant second half win against Wales.



9. Ben Youngs


England seldom lose when Youngs is in his pomp and that much stayed true last Friday night. Often a liability with his passing game, Youngs was fizzing them out accurately all night, as well remaining a constant danger around the ruck. England looked noticeably less threatening when he was removed in the second half. Conner Murray was unlucky to miss out due to a man of the match performance in Rome.



8. Taulupe Faletau


Some might argue with the legality of Wales’s score in the opening 10 minutes but none would question the skill needed to create it from Faletau. He completely outshone his cousin and opposite number on the day, despite the result on the score board.



7. Chris Robshaw


26 tackles made, 100% tackle success, 2 turnovers and yet another herculean effort from the England captain sees him named at number 7. Robshaw's place in the England team will be as steadfast from now as was his decision to remain in the tunnel before kick-off last Friday. Steffan who? Tommy O'Donnel also put in an excellent display in the wake of Sean O'Brien's last minute injury.



6. James Haskell


Haskell was a goal post away from being player of the round and perhaps the official man of the match of the night to boot. He was relentless all night long in Cardiff and has thoroughly deserved his place in the team in the wake of Tom Wood's injury. The Wasps captain is not always everyone's favourite off the field but certainly deserved a more than a few accolades on it in round one.



5. Jonny Gray


Yet another player who seems to be a product of what many are hoping could be a renaissance for Scottish rugby. A pillar in the line out alongside his brother and a work horse in the loose, what an earth did the Gray parents feed these boys as kids?



4. Dave Attwood


Attwood was exemplary against Wales and can rue his team mate Easter's lazy decoy running which denied him a well taken try in the 2nd half. Physical and always keen to impose himself on England's second row depth, his play is a true wonder to behold. Paul O'Connell was his ever present self for Ireland also.



3. Dan Cole


The now injury free Cole was a rock against the Welsh scrum in Cardiff absolutely dominating his opposite numbers until being taken off around the hour mark. Not to mention a couple trademark turnovers in the loose the Leicester man demonstrated exactly how valuable he is in the wake of Wilson's nerve problem.



2. Ross Ford


Another Scot enjoying a fine return of form at international level, solid in the set piece and happy to contribute around the park as ever. Results are sure to come to him and his team mates if he continues to give these kinds of performances.



1. Joe Marler

Certainly got the better of the much-heralded Samson Lee, his opposite number, in what was one of the most highly anticipated ‘one on one battles’ pre kick-off. Cole may have struck the blows at scrum time but it was only made possible by an equally strong display from the Quins captain.




By Alex Dodd

Six Nations: France v Scotland Preview

Both France and Scotland had strong Autumn campaigns, but question marks still remain about their ability to deliver consistent performances. With time running out before the World Cup kicks off, both sides will be desperate to build up some serious momentum and identify their first choice XVs.
 

Both sides have some of the most exciting back lines put out in recent memory, and we’re expecting plenty of tries at the Stade de France this Saturday. The likes of Tommy Seymour, Alex Dunbar, and Tim Visser are all proven try-scorers, whilst Teddy Thomas was a real stand-out for France in the Autumn.

Whilst South Africa import Rory Kockott has been grabbing the headlines, is it the battle between the two massive packs which is likely to matter more come game time. Whilst French stalwarts Nicholas Mas and Louis Picamoles miss out through selection and injury respectively, there is still plenty of power in the French pack, with the likes of Euan Murray, Jonny Gray, and Johnnie Beatie adding similar ballast to the Scottish forwards.

Scotland fans will be hoping that new coach Vern Cotter, making his Six Nations coaching debut on Saturday, will be able to put his experience from coaching Clermont to good use. If anyone has the know-how to out-muscle and out-wit a French side, it’s the New Zealander. For his French counterpart, the pressure is very much on – Saint-Andre has so far failed to lead his side to finish in the top half of the table, and with away trips to England and Ireland, a win on Saturday is essential if France are to have any hope of claiming the title.

Prediction: Scotland have only beaten France once since the Five Nations became Six, and I don’t expect that to change on Saturday. France to win by 7.

France: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Teddy Thomas, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Alexandre Menini.

Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Uini Atonio, 18 Eddy Ben Arous, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Morgan Parra, 22 Rémi Talès, 23 Rémi Lamerat.

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (c), 8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Alasdair Strokosch, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Dougie Fife.

Date: Saturday, February 7

Venue: Stade de France, Paris

Kick-off: 18:00 local (17:00 GMT)

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)

Assistant Referees: Glen Jackson (NZRU) Mike Fraser (NZRU)