Team of Round 4

My team at least - feel free to post yours if you disagree!

15 - Stuart Hogg

Fullback is by far the strongest position in the home nations IMO, with excellent displays from 1/2P and Brown, but Hogg takes it for me for his heroic defensive display keeping Scotland in the game, and his usual alertness in attack.

14 - Jack Nowell

He made a staggering number of breaks and yardage, made all the more easier by Scotland's woeful defending, but it was a stand out performance

13 - Jonathan Joseph

Mark Bennett is taking to international rugby very well, but Joseph once again gets it for me.

12 - Jonathan Davies

No real stand outs in this position so I've moved Davies to 12 to get him in the team - looks to be getting back to his best.

11 - Noa Makaitaci

Had never heard of the guy until this weekend - certainly know he he is now! Tommy Bowe also had a decent game for Ireland

10 - George Ford

Stand out performance from this young chap.  Owen who?

9 - Ben Youngs

Again no real standouts in this position, but Youngs shades it for a lively display.

8 - Billy Vunipola

A ball carrying beast - Scotland struggled to contain him

7 - Sam Warbuton

Massive defence effort - 23 tackles made

6 - Thiery Dusautoir

Again no real stand outs, but the French captain gets it for leading a much improved French performance

5 - Luke Charteris

31 Tackles made, none missed.

4 - Alun-Wyn Jones

Huge performance, and 21 tackles made, none missed

3 - Nicola Mas

Destroyed the Italian Scrum

2 - Scott Baldwin

21 Tackles made

1 - Joe Marler

No real standouts again, but gave Murray some problems in the scrums.

Possibly Lydiate at 6? Think Warburton or Charteris were the the stand out players of the whole weekend.

I thought about that but he was only the 6th highest tackler in the Wales team - would have expected more from him given the game was perfect for his strengths.

He still got through 15 tackles though!

31 tackles made is a rediculous number of tackles to get through!

I'd pat the man on the head if I could reach that high!

Might possibly argue with Marler's inclusion this week - thought Murray might have shaded him in the scrums. Otherwise, very good and plausible team.

RDW_Scotland wrote:I thought about that but he was only the 6th highest tackler in the Wales team - would have expected more from him given the game was perfect for his strengths.

He still got through 15 tackles though!

Fair enough.

captain carrantuohil wrote:Might possibly argue with Marler's inclusion this week - thought Murray might have shaded him in the scrums. Otherwise, very good and plausible team.

Problem is there weren't really any standouts I don't think.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

captain carrantuohil wrote:Might possibly argue with Marler's inclusion this week - thought Murray might have shaded him in the scrums. Otherwise, very good and plausible team.

Problem is there weren't really any standouts I don't think.

As demonstrated last year with Gethin Jenkins, Poite first looks at the scrum for the LH to stay straight. Murray used his experience well to make it look as if Marler was driving in.

Jack McGrath I thought went really well.

English backs and Welsh forwards.

How times have changed

Cyril wrote:English backs and Welsh forwards.

How times have changed

Yeah you're not wrong there Cyril

Ridiculous OP selection, no Roberts or Jenkins.

Interesting use of the term 'ridiculous' given your issue is with 2 out of 15 players...

My personal opinion was that there were no stand outs at 1 or 12 - I wouldn't lose much sleep about putting Jenkins in at 1, but I moved Davies into 12 because I thought him and Joseph had excellent games so put them together. Again though Roberts put in a good shift - I just think those two had better standout performances.

So I think you need to reset your outrage barometer!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Interesting use of the term 'ridiculous' given your issue is with 2 out of 15 players...

My personal opinion was that there were no stand outs at 1 or 12 - I wouldn't lose much sleep about putting Jenkins in at 1, but I moved Davies into 12 because I thought him and Joseph had excellent games so put them together. Again though Roberts put in a good shift - I just think those two had better standout performances.

So I think you need to reset your outrage barometer!

Not really if you had actually watched the welsh game, you would have been unable to miss the impact these two had on the game, to have done so is ridiculous, QED. To write a thread with a player out of position and entitle it Team of the Week also seems ridiculous…maybe Geth could have been included at 9?

Gwlad wrote:

if you had actually watched the welsh game

I did.

Gwlad wrote:

maybe Geth could have been included at 9?

Now that would be a more fitting use of the word 'ridiculous'.

I really would lose no sleep over putting Roberts at 12, but just wanted to congratulate Davies on a very good performance.

I'll put the Welsh XV from 1-15 if you would prefer?

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

if you had actually watched the welsh game

I did.

Gwlad wrote:

maybe Geth could have been included at 9?

Now that would be a more fitting use of the word 'ridiculous'.

I really would lose no sleep over putting Roberts at 12, but just wanted to congratulate Davies on a very good performance.

I'll put the Welsh XV from 1-15 if you would prefer?

I'd find it ridiculous that you didn't think the Welsh bench was worthy of being in a Team of the Week ..

I'd have been tempted to put Le Roux in at 6 in place of Dusatoir. But that would be my only change I think. 

On any other weekend, Spedding would have been in there for his wonderful run leading to Maestri's try, but every NH FB played like freaks this weekend, so he misses out. 

Baldwin really impressed me- a cracking performance. Not as a good a carrier as Hibbard, but his all round game is excellent.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

if you had actually watched the welsh game

I did.

Gwlad wrote:

maybe Geth could have been included at 9?

Now that would be a more fitting use of the word 'ridiculous'.

I really would lose no sleep over putting Roberts at 12, but just wanted to congratulate Davies on a very good performance.

I'll put the Welsh XV from 1-15 if you would prefer?

Still wouldn't be enough Welshmen in there.

Surely Sexton at 10????!!!!!!