Calcutta Cup match thread

[Insane_Homer]

Ian Blackford with the game winning score at the death

here first!

He'd get sent off

no doubt by the dodgy ref after ignoring a blatant forward pass from the poms only seconds prior...?

[Lobby]

Wouldn't surprise me to see Daly sneak into the team onto the wing for England to stack the back line with kicking options.

Daily Mail suggesting that Daly might be picked at centre, and a back row of Curry, Ludlam and Simmonds. However, they also say the players haven't been told the selections yet, so this is pure speculation rather than the usual leaks.

[clydecloggie]

Wouldn't surprise me to see Daly sneak into the team onto the wing for England to stack the back line with kicking options.

Daily Mail suggesting that Daly might be picked at centre, and a back row of Curry, Ludlam and Simmonds. However, they also say the players haven't been told the selections yet, so this is pure speculation rather than the usual leaks.

Unusually tight. Normally the Scottish Daily Mail would have leaked the line-up for Scotland sometime yesterday afternoon but not a peep. Looks like they have lost their informer / access privilege.

[C T]

weather forecast, which means absolutely nothing in Edinburgh, looks like an OK day but windy.

Now looking like a properly shite old day..

Bugger, I feel we need decent weather to take this one.

[Slick]

weather forecast, which means absolutely nothing in Edinburgh, looks like an OK day but windy.

Now looking like a properly shite old day..

Bugger, I feel we need decent weather to take this one.

As usual with Edinburgh the forecast is changing constantly. Now looks like we will have had the worst of it by kick off

[inactionman]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

[Kawazaki]

Starting XV: F Steward (Leicester); M Malins (Saracens), E Daly (Saracens), H Slade (Exeter), J Marchant (Harlequins); M Smith (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester); E Genge (Leicester), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), K Sinckler (Bristol); M Itoje (Saracens), N Isiekwe (Saracens); L Ludlam (Northampton), T Curry (Sale, captain), S Simmonds (Exeter).

Finishers: J George (Saracens), J Marler (Harlequins), W Stuart (Bath), C Ewels (Bath), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), H Randall (Bristol), G Ford (Leicester), J Nowell (Exeter).

[Slick]

Just fuck off with your "finishers" before we move on.

[Margin__Walker]

Well I'll be. He didn't start Ewels

[sockwithaticket]

That back line's better than expected, a sensible 5 - 3 split on the bench too.

[Slick]

That back line's better than expected, a sensible 5 - 3 split on the bench too.

Are both wingers not actually wingers and Daly a 15?

[sockwithaticket]

That back line's better than expected, a sensible 5 - 3 split on the bench too.

Are both wingers not actually wingers and Daly a 15?

Malins and Marchant have both played wing plenty for their clubs.

Daly is not and has never been, despite Eddie's experiment at international level, a 15. The overwhelming majority of his club career has been spent at 13, he's a centre who can do a job on the wing,

[Happyhooker]

That back line's better than expected, a sensible 5 - 3 split on the bench too.

Are both wingers not actually wingers and Daly a 15?

Daly started off at 13, which is his best position imho before being shunted to wing where he was good and then 15 where he wasn't.

Marchant plays both 13 and wing and malins 15 and wing.

I'm not terribly upset with that team, with the exception of youngs

[Slick]

That back line's better than expected, a sensible 5 - 3 split on the bench too.

Are both wingers not actually wingers and Daly a 15?

Malins and Marchant have both played wing plenty for their clubs.

Daly is not and has never been, despite Eddie's experiment at international level, a 15. The overwhelming majority of his club career has been spent at 13, he's a centre who can do a job on the wing,

Cheers (and HH). I knew Daly used to be a decent 13 but thought he has made a permanent move.

[Happyhooker]

He's been mostly back at 13 this season I think

[sockwithaticket]

Are both wingers not actually wingers and Daly a 15?

Malins and Marchant have both played wing plenty for their clubs.

Daly is not and has never been, despite Eddie's experiment at international level, a 15. The overwhelming majority of his club career has been spent at 13, he's a centre who can do a job on the wing,

Cheers (and HH). I knew Daly used to be a decent 13 but thought he has made a permanent move.

The move to 15 was really only at international level afaik*. In his last season with Wasps we used him on the wing a bit to help him with England selection and occasionally at 15 if Le Roux wasn't available. From what I've heard Saracens have used him more as a winger than a fullback and are making increasing use of him at 13.

* Similar to Curry at 8 in that sense - Eddie knows best and will do things the clubs won't.

[Jock42]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

[Slick]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

the last Pitlochry cabal was legendary

[Jock42]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

the last Pitlochry cabal was legendary

It's a nice wee place, not sure it would have been my choice

[Choc]

He's been mostly back at 13 this season I think

Once. 4 on the wing and a 1 at fullback to Lozowski’s 9 games at 13.

Add that to the one he played last season, he’s now played two games at 13 since leaving Wasps.

Daft decision. If you’re going to play Daly then he should swap with Marchant. But really he should be on the bench at most and probably not even there. He’s played a handful of games in two years and nothing to suggest England form.

Edit: That said, the balls going to spend a shit load of time in the air tomorrow and given Daly can’t catch a cold and Marchant is pretty tidy under the high ball, then it does have some merit.

[inactionman]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

Are there any strip joints in Pitlochry??

[Happyhooker]

He's been mostly back at 13 this season I think

Once. 4 on the wing and a 1 at fullback to Lozowski’s 9 games at 13.

Add that to the one he played last season, he’s now played two games at 13 since leaving Wasps.

Daft decision. If you’re going to play Daly then he should swap with Marchant. But really he should be on the bench at most and probably not even there. He’s played a handful of games in two years and nothing to suggest England form.

Edit: That said, the balls going to spend a shit load of time in the air tomorrow and given Daly can’t catch a cold and Marchant is pretty tidy under the high ball, then it does have some merit.

Fair enough. I've not seen much of sarries this season, only a couple of games, and he was at 13 for one of them!

[Happyhooker]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

Are there any strip joints in Pitlochry??

A very hazy, very drunken, very old faint memory makes me think that the answer to this is 'yes'

[Tichtheid]

Genge v (presumably ) Fagerson - could be feisty, they're a pair of hot heads


Wouldn't it be more sensible to play Marchant in the centre and Daly on the wing?

edit, I see that's been addressed already, soz.

[Slick]

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

Are there any strip joints in Pitlochry??

A very hazy, very drunken, very old faint memory makes me think that the answer to this is 'yes'

Might you be confusing it with Pittodrie?

[Jock42]

Sorry all. I've booked a weekend away in Pitlochry so my first holiday in eons has totally jinxed the broader Scottish weather.

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

Are there any strip joints in Pitlochry??

Nah, that's why he's chose it I think.

[Jock42]

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

Are there any strip joints in Pitlochry??

A very hazy, very drunken, very old faint memory makes me think that the answer to this is 'yes'

Naked bars don't count.

[Paddington Bear]

Quite pleased with our side. Daly appears to have been given some of Youngs' compromising photos of Eddie but at least he's in the right position and no harm in having a long range kicker.

[Biffer]

I'm on a stag do there, of all places, this weekend.

Are there any strip joints in Pitlochry??

A very hazy, very drunken, very old faint memory makes me think that the answer to this is 'yes'

I grew up round there (Aberfeldy) and as far as I know the answer is no.

[Tichtheid]

[clydecloggie]

OP updated with the teams.

The Orcs ate too much beans during lockdown, are now Trolls and didn't fit into one image anymore. Or even two.

[Biffer]

Finishers sounds like a porn term. Last lassie in the chain who gets the splash.

[Tichtheid]

No major surprises in the Scotland selection, perhaps a couple of slightly raised eyebrows, just a flicker.

I know nothing about Ben White other than the fact he plays for 'Irish.

[clydecloggie]

Finishers sounds like a porn term. Last lassie in the chain who gets the splash.

Really lame term. You're a sub. Not good enough to start. A SUB. No wishy-washy touchy-feely oh you're so important at the end shite.

[Slick]

Finishers sounds like a porn term. Last lassie in the chain who gets the splash.

Will be like that when WP comes on

[pjm1]

Finishers sounds like a porn term. Last lassie in the chain who gets the splash.

No chance of Ashton being in the England team again...

[Paddington Bear]

Should be quite a back row tussle. Back our side 1-15.

[Tichtheid]

Should be quite a back row tussle. Back our side 1-15.

For my money Itoje is the only England player with daylight between himself and his opposite number, on the other hand Hogg is the same the other way round. Overall I like our wings and half back partnership over the opposition.

Much will come down to the units within the sides and how they function either side of the ball, I know that is stating the bleeding obvious, but there are few real surprises in professional sport.

You're happy with your team, I'm happy (for the most part) with ours

[Jock42]

No major surprises in the Scotland selection, perhaps a couple of slightly raised eyebrows, just a flicker.

I know nothing about Ben White other than the fact he plays for 'Irish.

Thats the only "surprise" for me. Might have switched fagerson and Bradbury around but no complaints, which doesn't feel right.

[Hal Jordan]

England seem to have picked a pack more for a run around than a grind, and there's no obvious carrier in the backs, so naturally it will piss down the whole match.

Youngs will probably have his one in ten match to justify his selection, but although you can argue about who should start in a couple of positions, there's no appreciable drop off in quality between the starters and the bench (except Ewels).

Will be interested to see how Ludlam and Isiekwe go, the former was meh incarnate during his previous caps, but I understand he's been going great guns, and the latter I really haven't seen at all at club level, so can offer no form guide.

Glad to see Curry at 7 and an 8 at 8 (I would have started Dombrandt but that's my biased nature showing).