Ntamack gone. Who is next?

[Torquemada 1420]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

[inactionman]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

[Torquemada 1420]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

Yup. France lost Jelonch a few months ago and now looks like Baille is gone after injury on Saturday too. SA have lost Pollard and Am I think.

Meantime, just seen the Irish fiddling the rules to get Sexton game time
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -the-heat/

[Lobby]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

The Boks are also missing Handre Pollard through injury, leaving them with Mannie Libbok (7 caps) as their 1st choice FH, while Eddie has chosen to drop all his recognised FHs and picked Carter Gordon (all of 4 caps) as his only FH.

[Torquemada 1420]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

The Boks are also missing Handre Pollard through injury, leaving them with Mannie Libbok (7 caps) as their 1st choice FH, while Eddie has chosen to drop all his recognised FHs and picked Carter Gordon (all of 4 caps) as his only FH.

Losing Am is a disaster for Boks too.

NZ and Ire now must be favourites with no injuries to key players I can think of.

[sockwithaticket]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

Yup. France lost Jelonch a few months ago and now looks like Baille is gone after injury on Saturday too. SA have lost Pollard and Am I think.

Meantime, just seen the Irish fiddling the rules to get Sexton game time
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -the-heat/

Yep they're both out injured. de Jager is also out of the Saffa squad, illness apparently. Hope it's nothing too serious, but it must be fairly severe if it'll keep him out of a tournament that's still a few weeks away.

[handyman]

Chance for the draftees to make a name for themselves.

[boere wors]

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

Yup. France lost Jelonch a few months ago and now looks like Baille is gone after injury on Saturday too. SA have lost Pollard and Am I think.

Meantime, just seen the Irish fiddling the rules to get Sexton game time
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -the-heat/

Yep they're both out injured. de Jager is also out of the Saffa squad, illness apparently. Hope it's nothing too serious, but it must be fairly severe if it'll keep him out of a tournament that's still a few weeks away.

Lood the jager has an inflammation of the heart muscle as a result of an ordinary viral infection. Needs 4 weeks rest.

[Joost]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

JvP now confirmed as gone for the tournament, Alex Mitchell in (prefer the latter as a player tbh - guess his box kicking isn’t as good and doesn’t play for Leicester, which is why he didn’t originally make the cut!)

[clydecloggie]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

JvP now confirmed as gone for the tournament, Alex Mitchell in (prefer the latter as a player tbh - guess his box kicking isn’t as good and doesn’t play for Leicester, which is why he didn’t originally make the cut!)

Does that mean Youngs as starting SH? It's a good thing the English are motoring along nicely or having to rely on the world's slowest SH would present a bit of an issue <cough>. Or will this complete the Danny Care redemption story?

[Tichtheid]

Duhan van der Merwe looked very uncomfortable as he left the field after scoring on Saturday, fingers crossed for him.

[Simian]

Duhan van der Merwe looked very uncomfortable as he left the field after scoring on Saturday, fingers crossed for him.

Yeah. He didn't look like he was moving very freely immediately before that play either, which seems a bit ominous.

[Tichtheid]

Duhan van der Merwe looked very uncomfortable as he left the field after scoring on Saturday, fingers crossed for him.

Yeah. He didn't look like he was moving very freely immediately before that play either, which seems a bit ominous.

It's three weeks and six days until the SA game, I hope we put out a shadow side against Georgia

[inactionman]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2023/08/14/cou ... 395255.php

The risks inherent in these warm up games.

It's FH chaos out there with Sexton and Farrell trying to rule themselves out through their own actions.

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

JvP now confirmed as gone for the tournament, Alex Mitchell in (prefer the latter as a player tbh - guess his box kicking isn’t as good and doesn’t play for Leicester, which is why he didn’t originally make the cut!)

Mitchell can be a bit wobbly defensively, so in that respect you'd think he'd slot nicely into this current England team. He does add pace off the base of rucks, which will be utterly wasted in this current England team.

Ben Spencer still can't get a look-in.

[Torquemada 1420]

Duhan van der Merwe looked very uncomfortable as he left the field after scoring on Saturday, fingers crossed for him.

I hadn't thought that one was serious. Hope not.

[sockwithaticket]

Yup. France lost Jelonch a few months ago and now looks like Baille is gone after injury on Saturday too. SA have lost Pollard and Am I think.

Meantime, just seen the Irish fiddling the rules to get Sexton game time
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -the-heat/

Yep they're both out injured. de Jager is also out of the Saffa squad, illness apparently. Hope it's nothing too serious, but it must be fairly severe if it'll keep him out of a tournament that's still a few weeks away.

Lood the jager has an inflammation of the heart muscle as a result of an ordinary viral infection. Needs 4 weeks rest.

Oof that's a real kick in the nads. Something eminently recoverable, but just at the wrong time.

[Slick]

Duhan van der Merwe looked very uncomfortable as he left the field after scoring on Saturday, fingers crossed for him.

Yeah. He didn't look like he was moving very freely immediately before that play either, which seems a bit ominous.

It's three weeks and six days until the SA game, I hope we put out a shadow side against Georgia

Has there been any update on Sutherland? He looked in pain.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Not 10s, but sadly a couple of the Welsh lads looked in quite a bit of discomfort on saturday, and it doesn't look good for van Poortvliet.

JvP now confirmed as gone for the tournament, Alex Mitchell in (prefer the latter as a player tbh - guess his box kicking isn’t as good and doesn’t play for Leicester, which is why he didn’t originally make the cut!)

Mitchell can be a bit wobbly defensively, so in that respect you'd think he'd slot nicely into this current England team. He does add pace off the base of rucks, which will be utterly wasted in this current England team.

Ben Spencer still can't get a look-in.

England are going to start Ben Youngs, aren't we

[Big D]

Real shame for him, France and the world cup.

[handyman]

Duhan van der Merwe looked very uncomfortable as he left the field after scoring on Saturday, fingers crossed for him.

Yeah. He didn't look like he was moving very freely immediately before that play either, which seems a bit ominous.

It's three weeks and six days until the SA game, I hope we put out a shadow side against Georgia

Massive game for both sides. The loser will have to beat Ireland.

[SaintK]

Yeah. He didn't look like he was moving very freely immediately before that play either, which seems a bit ominous.

It's three weeks and six days until the SA game, I hope we put out a shadow side against Georgia

Has there been any update on Sutherland? He looked in pain.

Didn't he stay on? Commentators thought he was winded.

[clydecloggie]

Cyril Baille 'out or majority of pool stage'

[Paddington Bear]

There's a big question mark for me as to what we're gaining from these games beyond TV money and some gate receipts, I suppose I've just answered my own question. No one really seems to be trying anything new beyond combinations and people are just getting injured/banned.

[clydecloggie]

There's a big question mark for me as to what we're gaining from these games beyond TV money and some gate receipts, I suppose I've just answered my own question. No one really seems to be trying anything new beyond combinations and people are just getting injured/banned.

I think the two France games have been very valuable to the Scotland first XV - they'll be better against SA than if they had gone into that game cold after not playing at all for a few months (and not together as the national team since early March).

But there is a real sense that they weren't showing all the things they plan on showing in September - the 10/12/13 axis was humming along nicely but wasn't hitting top gear just yet, and I think that was deliberate. And surely all sorts of set piece patterns were not being used just yet.

The games also serve as a fitness check and they seem to have got their conditioning right this time (after getting it horribly wrong 4 years ago).

If it's at the expense of McMerwe, Sutherland and White (unlikely worst-case scenario), though - it would be a big price to pay.

[TheFrog]

Cyril Baille 'out or majority of pool stage'

That is a massive blow. Arguably the best LHP in the world.

[handyman]

Cyril Baille 'out or majority of pool stage'

That is a massive blow. Arguably the best LHP in the world.

I think Kitshoff would have something to say about that.

[Joost]

There's a big question mark for me as to what we're gaining from these games beyond TV money and some gate receipts, I suppose I've just answered my own question. No one really seems to be trying anything new beyond combinations and people are just getting injured/banned.

Might work in our favour if Ford ends up as our starting 10 - I’m not one to get down on Farrell as a matter of course, he has his good points and seems to be a good team man, but given the lack of creativity elsewhere in the backline and how they both played at the weekend I think Ford looks like the better bet at 10.

[Torquemada 1420]

Cyril Baille 'out or majority of pool stage'

That's a better prognosis than we had earlier today. Still uncertain if he will recover and it means Fra would have to risk a squad slot on him.

Meantime Bamba (who started in 1st Sco game at tighthead) is now also out of the comp. forcing the call up of a relative unknown from Racing: Thomas Laclayat.

[Biffer]

Cyril Baille 'out or majority of pool stage'

That is a massive blow. Arguably the best LHP in the world.

I think Kitshoff would have something to say about that.

Hence 'arguably'. Reading comprehension old bean.

[Marylandolorian]

Doesn’t look like much, fatigue?

[Torquemada 1420]

Cyril Baille 'out or majority of pool stage'

That is a massive blow. Arguably the best LHP in the world.

I think Kitshoff would have something to say about that.

Mehh. Kitshoff was well respected during his time at UBB and he might well be a slightly better scrummager than Baille but
a) Kitschoff isn't even a starter for SA so not even the best LHP in his own country?
b) He's not even in the same room in regards ball handling abilities and open field play.

[Torquemada 1420]

Doesn’t look like much, fatigue?

No. Unfortunate as it was, like I hinted at earlier, it was poor tackling technique that got him into that position.

[Simian]

Doesn’t look like much, fatigue?

No. Unfortunate as it was, like I hinted at earlier, it was poor tackling technique that got him into that position.

High to start with no change in carrier height, no other tackler… head on head,, right? I thought it was a bit puzzling it wasn’t looked at more, tbh.

thought Finn did a good job flagging that to Berry without pissing Berry off tho :)

[Simian]

Doesn’t look like much, fatigue?

No. Unfortunate as it was, like I hinted at earlier, it was poor tackling technique that got him into that position.

Wait… do you think poor technique is a defence? Cos that is ridiculous if so :)

[Cartman]

JvP now confirmed as gone for the tournament, Alex Mitchell in (prefer the latter as a player tbh - guess his box kicking isn’t as good and doesn’t play for Leicester, which is why he didn’t originally make the cut!)

Mitchell can be a bit wobbly defensively, so in that respect you'd think he'd slot nicely into this current England team. He does add pace off the base of rucks, which will be utterly wasted in this current England team.

Ben Spencer still can't get a look-in.

England are going to start Ben Youngs, aren't we

He showed a lot of promise in his first 100 caps
Watch him kick on in his second 100

[Torquemada 1420]

Doesn’t look like much, fatigue?

No. Unfortunate as it was, like I hinted at earlier, it was poor tackling technique that got him into that position.

Wait… do you think poor technique is a defence? Cos that is ridiculous if so :)

A defence for what? I was saying that he contributed to his own injury by the bad technique. Sure, it's unlucky. Freakish even. But if he got low, it never happens. Sadly Ntamack had been doing a lot of this upright, not properly committed "tackles" in the last year or so.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Once the throw isn't straight one of the few French forwards who will run, Ollivon, is standing at the lineout seagulling his displease the Scottish jumper could only just reach it on the Scottish side. Then it takes 3 French forwards who don't get their press right to deal with VdM, and that means almost no French forwards are available to be wrapping around. Which leaves Ntamack and Danny quite a lot of ground to cover vs a running 10 with the ball in both hands looking for a defender to bite.

Point being I can see why Ntamack wants to stay his feet, not get planted and bet he's read the play else he's creating a 5 on 3 overlap for the attack. It's very easy to say just go low, it would perhaps fix the problems that did occur, it might simply see others transpire. At which point some learned folk would blame Ntamack for going off his feet and not remaining alive to a developing attack, or so one might suppose given some of the unhinged criticism he gets

[TheFrog]

Once the throw isn't straight one of the few French forwards who will run, Ollivon, is standing at the lineout seagulling his displease the Scottish jumper could only just reach it on the Scottish side. Then it takes 3 French forwards who don't get their press right to deal with VdM, and that means almost no French forwards are available to be wrapping around. Which leaves Ntamack and Danny quite a lot of ground to cover vs a running 10 with the ball in both hands looking for a defender to bite.

Point being I can see why Ntamack wants to stay his feet, not get planted and bet he's read the play else he's creating a 5 on 3 overlap for the attack. It's very easy to say just go low, it would perhaps fix the problems that did occur, it might simply see others transpire. At which point some learned folk would blame Ntamack for going off his feet and not remaining alive to a developing attack, or so one might suppose given some of the unhinged criticism he gets

Torque had a special love for Ntamack.

[Yr Alban]

Once the throw isn't straight one of the few French forwards who will run, Ollivon, is standing at the lineout seagulling his displease the Scottish jumper could only just reach it on the Scottish side. Then it takes 3 French forwards who don't get their press right to deal with VdM, and that means almost no French forwards are available to be wrapping around. Which leaves Ntamack and Danny quite a lot of ground to cover vs a running 10 with the ball in both hands looking for a defender to bite.

Point being I can see why Ntamack wants to stay his feet, not get planted and bet he's read the play else he's creating a 5 on 3 overlap for the attack. It's very easy to say just go low, it would perhaps fix the problems that did occur, it might simply see others transpire. At which point some learned folk would blame Ntamack for going off his feet and not remaining alive to a developing attack, or so one might suppose given some of the unhinged criticism he gets

Torque had a special love for Ntamack.

Equalled only by his love for Finn Russell. Though he has gone oddly quiet on that front recently.

[JM2K6]

Once the throw isn't straight one of the few French forwards who will run, Ollivon, is standing at the lineout seagulling his displease the Scottish jumper could only just reach it on the Scottish side. Then it takes 3 French forwards who don't get their press right to deal with VdM, and that means almost no French forwards are available to be wrapping around. Which leaves Ntamack and Danny quite a lot of ground to cover vs a running 10 with the ball in both hands looking for a defender to bite.

Point being I can see why Ntamack wants to stay his feet, not get planted and bet he's read the play else he's creating a 5 on 3 overlap for the attack. It's very easy to say just go low, it would perhaps fix the problems that did occur, it might simply see others transpire. At which point some learned folk would blame Ntamack for going off his feet and not remaining alive to a developing attack, or so one might suppose given some of the unhinged criticism he gets

Spot on. The best he can do for the team there is not commit until there is no other choice. Upright tackles are bad but he's attempting a grab at best because he's doing his utmost to stay in the fight for space and be able to cover across. His job there is to slow down Russell and without the knee clash maybe he succeeds.