The Super-Super-Duper Rugby Union thread!

[nate diggity]

The problem with England is though, if just a few things had gone differently they could have been played four, lost four right now. It's not all sunshine and roses.

[Up Chuck]

Nobody was expecting it to be. It's a new coach with a ton of new players. There's been a bit of media hyperbole, sure, but when isn't there media hyperbole around England winning rugby matches?

 

I'd stick with Lancaster. He's got things going in the right direction. It's not perfect yet but it was never going to be. They've done what they had to do to win 3 times out of 4, including away at the Stade de France. That's nothing to be sniffed at, perfect performance or not. Plus, he seems to have this magic touch with team attitude and motivation. Everyone out there (except Ashton, perhaps) is acting like they're proper passionate about playing for England. It's not all sunshine and roses, I agree, but it's looking like it could be in a couple of years.

[nate diggity]

Nobody was expecting it to be. It's a new coach with a ton of new players. There's been a bit of media hyperbole, sure, but when isn't there media hyperbole around England winning rugby matches?

 

I'd stick with Lancaster. He's got things going in the right direction. It's not perfect yet but it was never going to be. They've done what they had to do to win 3 times out of 4, including away at the Stade de France. That's nothing to be sniffed at, perfect performance or not. Plus, he seems to have this magic touch with team attitude and motivation. Everyone out there (except Ashton, perhaps) is acting like they're proper passionate about playing for England. It's not all sunshine and roses, I agree, but it's looking like it could be in a couple of years.

Well, it's a new coach with a few new players. Some people have been talking like he's plucked half of the team from obscurity when he really hasn't.

 

I agree that he should get the job though, he seems like a nice straightforward bloke, and it's always seemed to me (coming from my position of having precisely zero experience, of course) that coaching England is only as hard as you make it. The talent is there, just stick them out and let them play.

[Up Chuck]

News!

 

Sean O'Brien's back in the Ireland team for England:

 

15. Rob Kearney (Leinster)

14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13. Keith Earls (Munster)

12. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster)

11. Andrew Trimble (Ulster)

10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)

9. Eoin Reddan (Leinster)

1. Cian Healy (Leinster)

2. Rory Best (Ulster)

3. Mike Ross (Leinster)

4. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster)

5. Donnacha Ryan (Munster)

6. Stephen Ferris (Ulster)

7. Sean O'Brien (Leinster)

8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin (Leinster)

17. Tom Court (Ulster)

18. Mike McCarthy (Connacht)

19. Peter O'Mahony (Munster)

20. Tomas O'Leary (Munster)

21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster)

22. Fergus McFadden (Leinster)

 

England have named a training squad. Toby Flood's been sent home again. I'm expecting an unchanged team.

 

Now, the big news of the day - the player of the tournament shortlist has been announced, apparently decided solely on man of the match awards. This is ridiculous for 2 reasons: 1) Man of the match is decided by often not-particularly-impartial host broadcasters. 2) It means Wesley Fofana, who has scored in all four games so far (which just so happen to be his first games at international level), isn't on it.

 

Here's who's on it. Wales rightfully leading the way.

 

Julien Malzieu (France)

David Denton (Scotland)

Mike Phillips (Wales)

Sergio Parisse (Italy)

Yoann Maestri (France)

Dan Lydiate (Wales)

Jonathan Sexton (Ireland)

Sam Warburton (Wales)

Ross Rennie (Scotland)

Alex Cuthbert (Wales)

Donnacha Ryan (Ireland)

Imanol Harinordoquy (France)

[PowerButchi]

Between Phillips and Lydiate for me. I don't think it'd be entirely fair if Sam Our Captain wins it on the back of 1 1/2 games.

[matbro1984]

The winner should actually be Leigh Halfpenny IMO.

 

Also, I'm worrying big time about Saturday. To the point where I've had nightmares about the match the last 3 nights in a row.

 

Last night's one saw Halfpenny and North red carded after we went 20-0 up. France went on to put 90 on us.

 

The only comfort I take from this is that I also had nightmares before England and our last 2 Irish matches, so I've got decent form.

[drew4primeminister]

The winner should actually be Leigh Halfpenny IMO.

 

Also, I'm worrying big time about Saturday. To the point where I've had nightmares about the match the last 3 nights in a row.

 

Last night's one saw Halfpenny and North red carded after we went 20-0 up. France went on to put 90 on us.

 

The only comfort I take from this is that I also had nightmares before England and our last 2 Irish matches, so I've got decent form.

Totally agree about Halfpenny, he has been pure class. Not quite understanding what's going on with Rhys Priestland. I know that the No.10 doesn't always have to be the first choice to take the kicks but am so used to seeing Stephen Jones taking nearly all the kicks - unless deemed beyond his range - it seems strange that Halfpenny is first choice after a few earlier wobbles from Priestland.

I always thought of James Hook as the natural successor to Jones and I think he's a very talented and under-used player.

[PowerButchi]

Hook's stock has fallen hugely for me in the past 18 months, and Biggar's not or never will be the man. I'm quite worried about Priestland not bouncing back that well from his poor game against England.

 

I've been saying 1/2p should have the kicking job for Wales for a while. He's done a fine job of it at the Blues.

[matbro1984]

I just won tickets for Wales v France with Swalec.

 

That must surely be my luck utterly exhausted.

[drew4primeminister]

I just won tickets for Wales v France with Swalec.

 

That must surely be my luck utterly exhausted.

Excellent news! Really pleased for you - hope all goes well for Wales, getting nervous now!

[Up Chuck]

Congrats, can't imagine anything better than free tickets to a grand slam game!

 

2 changes for England. Strettle back in for Sharples, and Mears in for Webber on the bench.

 

England

15. Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)

14. Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)

13. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)

12. Brad Barritt (Saracens)

11. David Strettle (Saracens)

10. Owen Farrell (Saracens)

9. Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)

1. Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)

2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)

3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)

4. Mouritz Botha (Saracens)

5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)

6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)

7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt)

8. Ben Morgan (Scarlets)

 

Replacements

16. Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)

17. Matt Stevens (Saracens)

18. Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)

19. Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)

20. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

21. Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)

22. Mike Brown (Harlequins)

 

Still can't understand Hodgson over Flood. Flood's getting his form back and would be fine off the bench. Still, it means Tigers have him for the LV Cup final on Sunday. We'll use him off the bench as we're rightly starting George Ford, who's really starting to come in to his own. It'll be him and Farrell fighting over the 10 shirt come 2015.

[drew4primeminister]

Congrats, can't imagine anything better than free tickets to a grand slam game!

 

2 changes for England. Strettle back in for Sharples, and Mears in for Webber on the bench.

 

England

15. Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)

14. Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)

13. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)

12. Brad Barritt (Saracens)

11. David Strettle (Saracens)

10. Owen Farrell (Saracens)

9. Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)

1. Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)

2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)

3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)

4. Mouritz Botha (Saracens)

5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)

6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)

7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt)

8. Ben Morgan (Scarlets)

 

Replacements

16. Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)

17. Matt Stevens (Saracens)

18. Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)

19. Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)

20. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

21. Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)

22. Mike Brown (Harlequins)

 

Still can't understand Hodgson over Flood. Flood's getting his form back and would be fine off the bench. Still, it means Tigers have him for the LV Cup final on Sunday. We'll use him off the bench as we're rightly starting George Ford, who's really starting to come in to his own. It'll be him and Farrell fighting over the 10 shirt come 2015.

Well Hodgson has certainly been good with the charge downs but I agree, would take Flood over Hodgson most days.

[PowerButchi]

Still can't understand Hodgson over Flood.

 

I'm amazed Hodgson is still involved in the England set up in 2012. Never really rated him and have always been amazed when him or Fat Goode have been in the mix to play Outside-Half for England.

[drew4primeminister]

I just won tickets for Wales v France with Swalec.

 

That must surely be my luck utterly exhausted.

Got a new Wales shirt for my birthday today so will be wearing it with everything crossed tomorrow> Hope you enjoy your prize

[Slapnut]

Former Wales captain Mervyn Davies has died following a battle with cancer. He was 65.

 

Known universally as 'Merv the Swerve' the number eight led Wales to the 1976 Five Nations Grand Slam.

 

He won a total of 38 caps for Wales and went on two victorious British and Irish Lions tours in 1971 and 1974.

 

Davies, who died on Thursday, had his rugby career cut short in 1976. He suffered a brain haemorrhage playing for Swansea in a Welsh Cup semi-final.

 

Davies, who was instantly recognisable on the pitch from his thick moustache and white headband, was treated at the University Hospital of Wales for several months after the haemorrhage.

Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

 

BBC Wales - The Mervyn Davies Story

 

Davies joined London Welsh in 1968 after moving to the city as a primary school teacher, later joining Swansea. He won his first Wales cap against Scotland just six games after making his debut for the Exiles in 1969, going on to play 38 consecutive times.

 

He won two Grand Slams with Wales and three Triple Crowns. He went on the Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and to South Africa in 1974, playing in eight Tests.

 

Davies was handed the captaincy of Wales in 1975 and skippered the side to the Five Nations Championship in the same year, and the Grand Slam the following season.

 

In his 46 international appearances for Wales and the Lions he only ended on the losing side nine times.

 

He was widely tipped to captain the 1977 Lions squad but his glittering career was ended at just 29 by the brain haemorrhage.

 

Davies admitted he was lucky that there was life-saving equipment, and doctors, on hand at the Arms Park.

 

"If it had happened anywhere else," he said. "I would have died.

Mervyn Davies

 

Davies with JPR Williams at his 2001 induction to the IRB Hall of Fame

 

"If I'd been playing on some obscure golf course that would have been it."

 

It took him months to recover from his operation and his retirement took its toll.

 

"From competing against New Zealand one minute to not being able to beat my one-year-old son at tiddlywinks was a hard battle to come to terms with," he said during the BBC documentary "The Mervyn Davies Story" in 2006.

 

At 6ft 3in, Davies sometimes appeared ungainly on the field, but that belied his strength in the maul.

 

He also had an uncanny sense of anticipation, allowing him to get to the breakdown first - and his height made him useful in the line-out.

 

In a poll of Welsh rugby fans in 2002, Davies was voted both greatest Welsh captain and greatest Welsh number eight.

 

In 2001 he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

 

A year later he was made chairman of the Welsh rugby ex-internationals organisation (WREX).

 

That's pretty crappy timing, but it'll be a pretty tasty feel-good moment if Wales win tomorrow.