SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MIND GAMES REACH CALCUTTA CUP

The press conference for the Scotland  England game a week on Saturday saw an Australian sparring against a Kiwi, like days of old. Eddie "Miracle Worker" Jones claimed that Scotland were clear favourites to win the game, and must cope with that "unusual" pressure. Vern "Grumpy" Cotter let the bullet bounce off his forehead and then responded by saying that Eddie must be feeling more pressure than anticipated, if he is trying to deflect it onto Scotland. He also said that Scotland will strive to make England feel as uncomfortable as possible in Edinburgh. The hospitality can't get much worse than Lawrence Dallaglio shoulder barging one of the pipers a few years back. The long range forecast for Scotland in 10 days time is wet and windy, which it was the last time Scotland won the match in 2008!

Son, what exactly do you mean by pressure?

Scotland has injury concerns over Alex Dunbar and Peter Horne in the centres, with Mark Bennett also a doubt. Options include Matt Scott, Duncan Taylor, the Saracens centre, and Sean Lamont, the latter two both physical specimens, but neither has great distribution, so Scott should get the nod, although Finn Russell could also move to 12, with Duncan Weir coming in at 10. The back three will probably be Hogg, Seymour and Visser or Maitland. Ironically, England look more settled, with Ford at 10, Farrell at 12, Joseph at 13 and Nowell/Watson on wings with Brown at 15. The challenge for Eddie is to get those England stars shining again, as Jospeh and Watson have not been in great form for their club.

MEET THE NEW TEAM, SAME AS THE OLD TEAM

Eddie "Miracle Worker" Jones trimmed his initial Six Nations squad down to the 23 to face Scotland a week on Saturday, and released 10 players back to their clubs. He has had to declare his hand early, due to the agreement with the (all powerful) Premiership clubs.

M Brown (Harlequins), A Goode (Saracens), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), A Watson (Bath), J Joseph (Bath), O Devoto (Bath), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton, captain), J Marler (Harlequins), M Vunipola (Saracens), D Cole (Leicester), P Hill (Northampton), G Kruis (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), J Clifford (Harlequins), B Vunipola (Saracens).

Players released J Beaumont (Sale Sharks), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), M Itoje (Saracens), M Kvesic (Gloucester), M Mullan (Wasps), H Thomas (Bath), E Daly (Wasps), S Hill (Exeter Chiefs), S Rokoduguni (Bath), M Yarde (Harlequins).

There are some shocks, with Devoto preferred to Daly (who cannot play any better for his club), probably as he can cover 10, 12 and 13 (although he does not play regularly for Bath), Jack Clifford preferred in the back row to Matt Kvesic and Paul Hill getting the nod in the front row over Henry Thomas. Apart from that, Eddie was very much singing from the Who songbook, with his version of "Won't Get Fooled Again" containing the immortal lyrics, "Meet the New Team, Same As The Old Team". Of the England RWC 23 man squad that was battered 33-13 by Australia, there are 9/15 of the likely starting line up retained, with 3 more on the bench. Only injuries to May and Brookes prevented it from being higher. 

England v Australia RWC 2015: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Barritt, May; Farrell, B Youngs; Marler, T Youngs, Cole, Launchbury, Parling, Wood, Robshaw, Morgan.

Replacements: Burgess for Barritt (65), Ford for May (41), Wigglesworth for B Youngs (50), Vunipola for Marler (50), Webber for T Youngs (61), Brookes for Cole (55), Kruis for Launchbury (70), Easter for Morgan (58).

So, despite some fresh young blood, less revolution more evolution in selection, which means Eddie is going to have to use his six training sessions over the next 10 days to work miracles and extract substantially better performances from these players than Stuart Lancaster did.

A warm Scottish welcome awaits England in 10 days time...

CAPTAIN MARMITE

Dylan Hartley has "unsurprisingly" been made England captain, a decision by new Coach Jones, that has provoked much comment and debate. In essence, Dylan is the "Marmite" of English Rugby, some love him for bringing a necessary "physical edge" to England's pack and some hate him, either because they do not see him as a good role model for children, or that he is from New Zealand.

His disciplinary record of 54 "missed" weeks of rugby does not make great reading:

As anyone who has been gouged, bitten or headbutted, by him or anyone else, will remind you that the rugby pitch (or the pub) is no place for such behaviour. But it raises the old age question, about professional sports people - do we want them to be role models or winners (maybe at all costs?). Will Carling the ex-England captain, expressed his view on the BBC web site, by proclaiming that: "Winning at rugby or in sport is not about being safe. That is why I like it (the decision). Real leadership is about how you act, commit and show passion." He added: "When I was (England) captain, it was about how we started winning games and the mentality to win games". Some also point to the fact that hooker is a good position in the team to be captain, as you are involved in the majority of play, and it is easy to communicate with the ref. Many international captains have played in the same position, eg: Stephen Moore, John Smit, Ross Ford, Keith Wood, etc

Dylan and Jamie battle it out (literally) for that no.2 jersey 

Others, including a lot of Mini/Youth coaches, feel his appointment sends out the wrong messages to kids, and endorses "football style ill discipline" that threatens rugby's core values. They also point out that he is not even the best player in his position, with Jamie George (Saracens) and Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter) ahead of him on form. And, even though Eddie Jones wants one, he is still a hooker that can't hook.

And finally, some sit on the fence, and express concern that as "Mr Marmite" will be on his best behaviour in the Six Nations, this could nullify the very "physical edge" that has made him such a feared opponent. I am not sure what a diluted "Marmite" looks or tastes like, but in most people's eyes this would be preferable to having the English captain in the bin for ten minutes (and losing the initiative or the game). Everyone awaits his Captain's debut against Scotland on 6th February 2016 with baited breath - fans, coaches, players but, in particular, the ref.

EUROPEAN QUARTER FINALISTS

Champions Cup

Saracens v Northampton
Wasps v Exeter

Racing 92 v Toulon
Leicester v Stade Francais

An English team will make the final from the Saracens side of the draw, but my prediction is a Sarries v Wasps semi-final, and Racing 92 v Leicester semi-final, with Sarries v Racing 92 final.

Challenge Cup

Harlequins v London Irish
Grenoble v Connacht

Sale v Montpelier
Gloucester v Dragons

My prediction is a Quins v Connacht semi-final, and Sale v Gloucester semi-final, leading to a Harlequins v Sale final.

Both finals in Lyon on weekend of 13th/14th May 2016.

The new Lyon Stade des Lumières,

APPRENDRE LES REGLES DE MON FILS (LEARN THE RULES MY SON)

Clermont Auvergne would have progressed into the QF of the European Champions Cup yesterday had they know the rules of the competition. With 30 seconds remaining of their game against Bordeaux-Begles, trailing 28-37, they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, which had they kicked it would have sealed a losing bonus point and qualification. Instead, following no direction from Damian Chouly, their captain, Morgan Parra, the experienced international scrum half tapped it and went for a fourth try and a bonus point. At the same time, Thomas Waldrom, the Exeter no.8 was scoring his second try of the day, to secure the 13 point win required, which when combined with Bordeaux's victory, saw Exeter top the group, and go into the QF ahead of Clermont. Amazing finish to an amazing group, where three teams finished on 16 points, Ospreys, Bordeax-Begles and Exeter, with Clermont one behind.

Rewind....what Morgan should have done!