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The Breakdown: A statistical look at the second round of Six Nations matches
Scotland will be out to claim a record-equalling eighth consecutive home victory in the Six Nations when they face a wounded Ireland, while England and Wales are strong favourites to make it two wins out of two.
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Ireland were rocked by England in Dublin last Saturday, the defending champions and 2018 Grand Slam winners going down 32-20 at the Aviva Stadium.
Scotland started the tournament with a 33-20 victory over Italy at Murrayfield and will be looking to show they are genuine title contenders by inflicting more misery on the injury-hit holders on Saturday.
In the final match of the weekend on Sunday, England will be expected to see off a France side smarting from a second-half collapse against Wales in the opening game of the tournament in Paris last Friday.
Warren Gatland has made 10 changes to his side to face Italy, but Wales should still have too much for the Azzurri in Rome on Saturday.
With the help of Opta, we take a statistical look at the second round of matches.
Scotland v Ireland
Scotland have not reeled off eight victories in a row in the tournament since achieving the feat between 1972 and 1975.
Gregor Townsend’s men can expect a backlash from an Ireland side attempting to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since their tour of South Africa in 2016.
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Ireland have won four of their last five Six Nations matches against Scotland, the one defeat coming at Murrayfield two years ago.
Captain Greig Laidlaw needs 10 points to overtake Gavin Hastings’s tally of 667 and become Scotland’s second-highest points scorer behind Chris Paterson (809).
Italy v Wales
Wales produced a record-breaking second-half fightback to beat Les Bleus at Stade de France, rallying from 16-0 down to win 24-19 after George North was gifted a double.
Italy will have their hands full as they attempt to deny Wales an 11th consecutive victory and secure their first Six Nations win at Stadio Olimpico since 2013.
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Wales will be expected to record back-to-back away victories in the competition for the first time since 2015.
Italy’s defeat against Scotland was their 18th in a row in the tournament, setting a new unwanted record which was previously held by France.
TEAM NEWS 🏴 @JonFoxDavies will lead Wales for the first time against @Federugby this Saturday. #ITAvWAL
🔴 Capteiniaeth am y tro gyntaf i'r gŵr o'r gorllewin ar gap rhif 70 am y gêm @SixNationsRugby.#HWFN #ForTheJersey pic.twitter.com/h3aa0Qyb2A
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 7, 2019
England v France
France beat England in Paris last year, but have lost nine of the last 12 Six Nations games between the two nations.
England have been beaten only once at Twickenham in ‘Le Crunch’ in the Six Nations era, Dimitri Yachvili inspiring an 18-17 victory in 2005.
Since the start of 2018, France have lost five of the seven games that they have led at half-time in – more than any other international side in that time.
Mark Wilson and Mako Vunipola both made 27 tackles against Ireland. No other player in any of the three matches made more than 20 and no England player has ever made as many in a Six Nations game
#ENGvFRA | Eddie gives you the lowdown on team selection for #LeCrunch 🔥
➡ https://t.co/8Jlu1s9UHh#WearTheRose 🌹 @O2sports pic.twitter.com/62xQsRUETC
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 8, 2019
Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments