Wales and England vs Ireland and Scotland

In 1970 there was the last of a six match series combining the four home nations. March 3rd 1970 marked a game at twickenham, to celebrate the Centenary of the RFU.

Here is a link

http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/timeline1970s.htm

What would your England and Wales team or Ireland and Scotland team, should a similar game be played today...?

It would be much appreciated if posters replying gave their ideas on who should be in the team before they criticise other posts or the thread itself.

Appreciated even further should the moderators would help encourage this please...!

The original teams were:

England and Wales—
J. P. R. Williams (London Welsh, Wales); T. G. R. Davies (Cambridge University, Wales), J. S. Spencer (Headingley, England), D.J. Duckham (Coventry, England), K. J. Fielding (Moseley, England); B, John (Cardiff, Wales), G. 0. Edwards (Cardiff, Wales); D. B, Llewelyn (Llanelli, Wales), J. V. Pullin (Bristol, England), K. E. Fairbrother (Coventry, England), A. M. Davis (Harlequins, England), W. D. Thomas (Llanelli, Wales), W. D. Morris (Neath, Wales), T. M. Davies (London Welsh, Wales), R. B. Taylor (Northampton, England, Captain). Scorers—Tries by Fielding, Morris (converted by Williams), Llewelyn and Spencer.

Scotland and Ireland -
T. J. Kiernan (Cork Constitution, Ireland, Captain); A. T. A. Duggan (Lansdowne, Ireland), C. M. H. Gibson (N.I.F.C., Ireland), J. N. M. Frame (Gala, Scotland), A. G. Biggar (London Scottish, Scotland); B. J. McGann (Cork Constitution, Ireland), D, S. Paterson (Gala, Scotland); N. Suddon (Hawick, Scotland), F. A. L. Laidlaw (Melrose, Scotland), P. J. O'Callaghan (Dolphin, Ireland), W. J. McBride (Ballymena, Ireland), P. C. Brown (Gala, Scotland), R. J. Arneil (Leicester, Scotland), T. A. Moore (Highfield, Ireland). T. G. Elliot (Langholm, Scotland). Scorers - Tries by Arneil, Brown (converted by Kiernan), Duggan; Kiernan, penalty goal. M. G. Molloy (London Irish, Ireland) and J. J. Moloney (St Mary's College, Ireland) were second-half replacements for injured Moore and Biggar. Referee - C. Durand (France).

there was as similar match in 81 fr the WRU centenary.

Yes there was...!

England and Wales

15. Foden
14. North
13. Tuilagi
12. Roberts
11. Ashton
10. Priestland
9. Phillips
8. Faletau
7. Warburton
6. Robshaw
5. Charteris
4. Lawes
3. Jones
2. Rees
1. Jenkins

Scotland and Ireland

15. Kearney
14. Visser
13. O'driscoll
12. D'Arcey
11. Bowe
10. Sexton
9. Cusiter
8. Heaslip
7. Barclay
6. O'Brien
5. O'Connell
4. Gray
3. Murray
2. Ford
1. Jacobsen

1.

Swap D'Arcey for Matt Scott actually.

Maes,

Sorry but there was one in the 80/81 season playes in the old CAP and Beaumont skippered 'our' side I think.

As for the team then I would go for something like this:

15. Foden or Brown
14. North
13. Tuilagi
12. Roberts
11. Ashton

10. Priestland
9. Phillips

8. Faletau
7. Warburton
6. Lydiate
5. Charteris
4. Lawes
3. Jones
2. Rees
1. Jenkins

Lawes why ffs, AWJ over him every day and twice on sunday, welsh pack, Tuilagi foden and Ashton

This topic is posted about once every few months and might as well be on the "Wales v [insert team] Bickering Thread" along with "Lions Welsh XV" and "Why Man for Man Wales Are The Best Team in The World (and not 8th)"

Surely Morgan at 8 for Wangland?

SafeAsMilk wrote:This topic is posted about once every few months and might as well be on the "Wales v [insert team] Bickering Thread" along with "Lions Welsh XV" and "Why Man for Man Wales Are The Best Team in The World (and not 8th)"

and each time you crop up like a dose of something that smells bad and you can't discuss with your mam

A current Ireland/Scotland XV would look like this in my view:

1.Healy 2.Ford 3.Ross 4.Gray 5.POC 6.Ferris 7.SOB 8.Heaslip 9.Cusiter 10.Sexton 11.Trimble 12.S Lamont 13.BOD 14.Bowe 15.Kearney

Tough choices were Ross (vs Murray), Ford (vs Best) and Trimble (vs Earls or Evans).

England/Wales is tricky, as on the back of the World Cup one might naturally skew the selection to Wales, but as this is about individual ability it's important to disregard the benefits players may have performing in a form team rather than an off form team.

1.Jenkins 2.Rees 3.A Jones 4.Charteris 5.Lawes 6.Croft 7.Warburton 8.Faletau 9.Youngs 10.Priestland 11.Ashton 12.J Roberts 13.Tuilagi 14.North 15.Foden

Tough choices were Rees (vs Hartley), Lawes (vs Jones or Davies) and Croft (vs Lydiate).

Would all the best players get selected though or would you have to go for say 8 of one country and 7 of the other to give some fairness and balance. Or 11 of each in the 22.

Personally I don't see why you would ever pick a side without going for the best available players. It's why the GB football team at the Olympics will be a complete farce.

Lawes has never impressed me , don't know why people keep picking him.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Personally I don't see why you would ever pick a side without going for the best available players. It's why the GB football team at the Olympics will be a complete farce.

Im sure you wont complain when theres no token Scot in the Lions then?

Gray might be there but hell have am English accent by then

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Personally I don't see why you would ever pick a side without going for the best available players. It's why the GB football team at the Olympics will be a complete farce.

Im sure you wont complain when theres no token Scot in the Lions then?

I would NEVER want a "token" Scot in the Lions, and in recent times (1997 and onwards) I've never had the impression that there has been a token Scot (the very few Scots to have been selected demonstrates this). If no Scot deserves to be there then no Scot should go.

Hopefully next time we will have a couple of contenders. Richie Gray is the obvious one, but I think there will also be strong claims from Ross Ford, Jim Hamilton and Kelly Brown. Possibly Tim Visser as well, assuming he takes to international rugby in the same vein as he's been playing this season for Edinburgh.

These tend to be celebratory games and so would be a fairly even split between the two countries - not necessarily the best 15 players at the time.

I was at the 81 game in Cardiff - don't remember much about it ( ) other than Andy Irvine making some great line breaks.

I'd like to see this sort of match repeated - perhaps more difficult in the pro era and with todays crowded rugby schedule.

My Scotland-Ireland combo would be:

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. O'Driscoll
12. D'Arcy
11. Trimble
10. Sexton
9. Laidlaw
8. Heaslip
7. Barclay
6. Brown
5. Kellock
4. Gray
3. Low
2. Ford
1. Jacobsen

When you look at the combined teams there is an abundance of class back rowers in the NH at the moment.

Eng/Wales

Foden
Ashton
Davies
Roberts
North
Priestland
Care
Faletau
Warburton
Wood
AW Jones
Charteris
A Jones
Thompson
Jenkins


Ire/Scot

Kearney
Bowe
O'Driscoll
D'Arcy
Lamont
O'Gara
Cusiter
Heaslip
Ferris
SOB
Gray
O'Connell
Murray
Cronin
Healy

For England and Wales, accepting everyone was fit:

1. A Sheridan
2. K Ownes
3. A Jones
4. C Lawes
5. G Parling
6. T Wood
7. S Warburton
8. T Faletau
9. B Youngs
10. R Preistland
11. C Sharples
12. J Roberts
13. M Tuilagi
14. C Ashton
15. B Foden

16. M Rees 17. D Cole 18. AW Jones 19. T Croft 20. D Care 21. J Hook 22. D Strettle

On the few occasions i've seen Ken Owens play he has always seriously impressed me. When will he start getting some international exposure?

maesteg, Steve Thompson has retired from rugby.

Reminder to all trolls...!

What would your England and Wales team or Ireland and Scotland team, should a similar game be played today...?

It would be much appreciated if posters replying gave their ideas on who should be in the team before they criticise other posts or the thread itself.

Appreciated even further should the moderators would help encourage this please...!

England/Wales

Foden
Ashton
Tuilagi
Roberts
North
Flood
Youngs
Faletau
Warburton
Wood
Charteris
Lawes
Jones
Hartley
Jenkins

SafeAsMilk wrote:England/Wales

Foden
Ashton
Tuilagi
Roberts
North
Flood
Youngs
Faletau
Warburton
Wood
Charteris
Lawes
Jones
Hartley
Jenkins

Can't really argue with that team.

Risca Rev wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:England/Wales

Foden
Ashton
Tuilagi
Roberts
North
Flood
Youngs
Faletau
Warburton
Wood
Charteris
Lawes
Jones
Hartley
Jenkins

Can't really argue with that team.

Lawes vs AW Jones is a tough call. As are Phillips vs Youngs or Care, Flood or Priestland.

Wonder why the poster refused to post a Scotland/Ireland team?

Whats yours Risca?

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. O'Driscoll
12. Lamont maybe, but I don't really know about this.
11. Trimble
10. Sexton
9. Laidlaw
8. Heaslip
7. Barclay
6. Ferris
5. POC
4. Gray
3. Ross
2. Ford
1. Healy

Not really sure to be honest. Not got the best of internet so that's off the top of my head.

maestegmafia wrote:
Wonder why the poster refused to post a Scotland/Ireland team?

I didn't refuse, I just wasn't in the mood at the time

Still got Thompson in your side I see mate. Which currently-playing hooker would you put in instead?