Ratings

[Mellsblue]

Stephen Jones:
Brown - 8
Watson - 6
Joseph - 5
Farrell - 9
May - 8
Ford - 8
Care - 8
Vunipola - 6
Hartley - 6
Cole - 7
Launchbury - 7
Itoje - 6
Lawes - 7
Robshaw - 5
Simmonds - 5

[Raggs]

Launchbury not good enough to get a rating?

[Mellsblue]

Sorted.

[fivepointer]

The ever reliable Stephen Jones.....

For me

Brown 7.5
Watson 6
JJ 6
Farrell 7
May 6.5
Ford 6
Care 5.5
Mako 7
Hartley 5.5
Cole 6
Launchbury 7
Itoje 5.5
Lawes 6.5
Robshaw 7
Simmonds 6

[Beasties]

Stephen Jones:
Brown - 8
Watson - 6
Joseph - 5
Farrell - 9
May - 8
Ford - 8
Care - 8
Vunipola - 6
Hartley - 6
Cole - 7
Launchbury - 7
Itoje - 6
Lawes - 7
Robshaw - 5
Simmonds - 5

That's the Sunday morning chuckle sorted.

[Mellsblue]

Stephen Jones:
Brown - 8
Watson - 6
Joseph - 5
Farrell - 9
May - 8
Ford - 8
Care - 8
Vunipola - 6
Hartley - 6
Cole - 7
Launchbury - 7
Itoje - 6
Lawes - 7
Robshaw - 5
Simmonds - 5

That's the Sunday morning chuckle sorted.

Yep. He used to annoy me but I now just shake my head and giggle.

[Banquo]

what on earth does he watch? I guess the low scorers aren't big enough in Jones' book

[Digby]

Vunipola 7
Hartley 6
Cole 6
Launch 7
Itoje 6
Lawes 6
Robshaw 6
Simmonds 6
Care 6
Ford 7
May 7
Farrell 7
JJ 7
Watson 6
Brown 7

And without too much surprise coming in at above average and a little above average doesn't result in a coherent performance, but nobody stank the place out even if nobody stood out. The closest to 8s were probably Vunipola, Launch, Farrell and May

[Mikey Brown]

What on earth does Hartley get a 6 for? Occasionally surviving a very mild counter-ruck?

[Mellsblue]

A brilliant pre-match speech and wiping his own bottom.

[TheNomad]

A brilliant pre-match speech and wiping his own bottom.

Can we be sure either happened?

[Mellsblue]

The Times:
Brown - 8
Watson - 6
Joseph - 7
Farrell - 9....’tackled ferociously’
May - 7
Ford - 8
Care - 7
Mako - 7
Hartley - 6
Cole - 7
Launchbury - 9
Itoje - 6
Lawes - 7.....’playing three locks is not quite working’
Robshaw - 7
Simmonds - 7

[Digby]

A brilliant pre-match speech and wiping his own bottom.

Can we be sure either happened?

Difficult to see why he'd need to do the latter with so many commentators have their heads up in there licking it clean

[Digby]

The Times:
Brown - 8
Watson - 6
Joseph - 7
Farrell - 9....’tackled ferociously’
May - 7
Ford - 8
Care - 7
Mako - 7
Hartley - 6
Cole - 7
Launchbury - 9
Itoje - 6
Lawes - 7.....’playing three locks is not quite working’
Robshaw - 7
Simmonds - 7

I'm just not buying for one moment a largely ineffective limp over the finish line home win over Wales warrants any 8s, and it certainly doesn't warrant any 9s

[Stom]

The Times:
Brown - 8
Watson - 6
Joseph - 7
Farrell - 9....’tackled ferociously’
May - 7
Ford - 8
Care - 7
Mako - 7
Hartley - 6
Cole - 7
Launchbury - 9
Itoje - 6
Lawes - 7.....’playing three locks is not quite working’
Robshaw - 7
Simmonds - 7

I'm just not buying for one moment a largely ineffective limp over the finish line home win over Wales warrants any 8s, and it certainly doesn't warrant any 9s

Aye. Unless the team were shunt except 1 guy who dragged us through. But that definitely wasn't the case.

I thought Robshaw was good, Brown did well, Mako was excellent, Launch good, Care a step up until he tired, Farnell actually good.

Itoje, Lawes, Hartley, JJ, Ford and the wings were average.

Cole was poor.

[Mellsblue]

Not sure where to put this but it needs airing and this seemed the most appropriate place. Stephen Jones in his column today discussing E Jones’s poor selections:
‘.....how can Jones keep excluding from the main squad Cipriani, Dan Robson, Jake Cooper-Wooley, Dave Attwood, Josh Bassett, Christian Wade, Olly Woodburn, Jack Willis and all the others playing powerhouse rugby in Europe.’

[Digby]

What is powerhouse rugby? I don't remember that coming up on any rugby course

[Puja]

Dave Attwood who hasn't played a single minute of rugby this season? Oh yeah, he's bashing down the door Steve.

Puja

[Raggs]

Robson is the only one that really stands out there for me personally. Too early for Willis, JCW is good but nothing to really stand him apart compared to other options, Woodburn perhaps.