Your combined 6N team before & after

[Stom]

So I thought this might be something cool to do.

We all pick a XV before the 6N gets underway, made up of players from the 6 teams. No selection rules except that they must be available for this 6N (so no Mako, no Tuilagi, no Ntamack, etc), just pick you think is best. Then at the end of the tournament, revisit your selections and see if you'd make any changes.

I'll get us underway and upset our celtic cousins at the same time

Genge
George
Furlong
Itoje
Ryan
Ollivon
Curry
Aldritt
Dupont
Ford
May
Fickou
Ringrose
Watson
Hogg

Obviously it's not my 1st choice full team, I'd pick Mako and Tuilagi in there for sure, but that looks like a balanced and aggressive team to me.

No Welsh players doesn't mean I don't think any are good, it's just they're all in positions of strength (Tipuric up against that backrow, Jonny Williams against Fickou, 1/2p against Hogg...).

[Puja]

I have to say, I'm pretty broadly in agreement with that XV. How very boring.

Puja

[Digby]

Genge
George
Furlong
Itoje
AWJ
Curry
Tipuric
Vunipola
Dupont
Ford
Lowe
Fickou
Ringrose
Penaud
Dulin


I basically ignored our wingers because we basically ignore our wingers, though I might have taken Lowe anyway, looking forward to seeing more of him but he could be a cut above. I took Dulin over Hogg because he hasn't had the recent history of utter shanks that Hogg has delivered, and Dulin does an awful lot of good stuff anyway. Wasn't really thrilled with the options at 1 or 13 (Ringrose like Slade looks a talent but there isn't much in the way of actual delivery, from either), and very disappointed not to get Aldritt into the side but I can't honestly say it'd occur to me to pick him over Billy. I didn't pick Ryan because he hasn't really been good enough for a while now, AWJ might be closing on 90 but he's still been putting in some thunderous work

[Epaminondas Pules]

Fagerson
George
Furlong
Itoje
Gray (J)
Curry
Tipuric
Aldritt
Dupont
Russell
May
Fickou
Slade
Watson
Hogg

[jimKRFC]

My effort:

Genge
George
Furlong
Itoje
Gray (J)
Ollivon
Curry
Aldritt
Dupont
Ford
May
Fickou
Ringrose
Penaud
Hogg

[FKAS]

So much backrow talent and only three spaces.

Genge
George
Furlong
Itoje
Ryan
Curry
Watson
Aldritt
Dupont
Jalibert
May
Fickou
J Williams (cheating slightly?)
Penaud
Hogg

Could have easily gone Wiki, Olivion or Ritchie in the backrow. I think Jalibert will catch the eye and though I think Ford is the overall better player I think he will suffer in terms of personal performance (be less eye catching far more of a team role) because of Eddie's selections.

[Digby]

We're all tending not to pick French tight five players, which is interesting when they're typically the most powerful of the various units

[Beasties]

Fagerson
George
Furlong
Itoje
Gray (J)
Curry
Tipuric
Aldritt
Dupont
Russell
May
Fickou
Slade
Watson
Hogg

Fagerson's a TH. My only claim to fame is that he slotted into the school shirt I vacated more years ago than I care to remember.

[Timbo]

Baille
George
Sinckler
Le Roux
Itoje
Aldritt
Curry
BIlly

Dupont
Ford
May
Henshaw
Slade
Penaud
Dulin

[Oakboy]

So far, George, Itoje, Curry and Dupont are ever-present with Farrell ever-absent.

I'd go:

Genge
LCD
Williams
Itoje
Hill
Ritchie
Curry
Simmonds
Dupont
Simmonds
May
Henshaw
Slade
Daly
Hogg

[FKAS]

We're all tending not to pick French tight five players, which is interesting when they're typically the most powerful of the various units

The French tight five has not really been that consistent in recent years, particularly the front row. You could make an argument for one of their hookers but Jamie George is an outstanding player.

Second row will include Taofifenua who is a liability and le Roux and Willemse who haven't stamped their authority on international rugby yet.

[Stom]

So far, George, Itoje, Curry and Dupont are ever-present with Farrell ever-absent.

I'd go:

Genge
LCD
Williams
Itoje
Hill
Ritchie
Curry
Simmonds
Dupont
Simmonds
May
Henshaw
Slade
Daly
Hogg

Someone didn't read the one and only rule...

[Mikey Brown]

Have none of you seen Sutherland play in the last year or so?

[Mikey Brown]

Will probably get his head shoved up his arse by Stuart now I’ve said that. But Genge has never had an England game close to being as good.

[JellyHead]

Will probably get his head shoved up his arse by Stuart now I’ve said that.

I'm pretty sure that's a penalty.

[Oakboy]

So far, George, Itoje, Curry and Dupont are ever-present with Farrell ever-absent.

I'd go:

Genge
LCD
Williams
Itoje
Hill
Ritchie
Curry
Simmonds
Dupont
Simmonds
May
Henshaw
Slade
Daly
Hogg

Someone didn't read the one and only rule...

Sorry, I thought you said, "No selection rules except that they must be available for this 6N." You did not say, "Have to be in the squads," did you?

Somebody picked Sinckler earlier.

[Stom]

So far, George, Itoje, Curry and Dupont are ever-present with Farrell ever-absent.

I'd go:

Genge
LCD
Williams
Itoje
Hill
Ritchie
Curry
Simmonds
Dupont
Simmonds
May
Henshaw
Slade
Daly
Hogg

Someone didn't read the one and only rule...

Sorry, I thought you said, "No selection rules except that they must be available for this 6N." You did not say, "Have to be in the squads," did you?

Somebody picked Sinckler earlier.

Sinckler is in the eps, but I hadn’t considered him for mine as he’s unavailable at the start (mako might also be available at some point). The Simmonds brothers are not available afaik

[Oakboy]

Someone didn't read the one and only rule...

Sorry, I thought you said, "No selection rules except that they must be available for this 6N." You did not say, "Have to be in the squads," did you?

Somebody picked Sinckler earlier.

Sinckler is in the eps, but I hadn’t considered him for mine as he’s unavailable at the start (mako might also be available at some point). The Simmonds brothers are not available afaik

Fair enough. It's your thread. I won't get pedantic over 'available' and what could happen if F and F get injured.

Substitute Russell and Earl in my selection.

[switchskier]

So I thought this might be something cool to do.

We all pick a XV before the 6N gets underway, made up of players from the 6 teams. No selection rules except that they must be available for this 6N (so no Mako, no Tuilagi, no Ntamack, etc), just pick you think is best. Then at the end of the tournament, revisit your selections and see if you'd make any changes.

I'll get us underway and upset our celtic cousins at the same time

Hmm, not as much home bias as I'd like but:

Genge
Marchand
Furlong
Ijote
Ryan
Curry
Ollivon
Aldritt

Dupont
Russell
May
Fickou
Ringrose
Keenan
Hogg

Centres and wingers were hardest to pick due to the lack of outstanding candidates. Back-row the most competitive with Ritchie and Willis right in contention and a host of young Irish talent looking close to breaking through.

No Italians - not a surprise. No Welsh is a much bigger surprise, but honestly not many were in the mix.

[francoisfou]

So I thought this might be something cool to do.

We all pick a XV before the 6N gets underway, made up of players from the 6 teams. No selection rules except that they must be available for this 6N (so no Mako, no Tuilagi, no Ntamack, etc), just pick you think is best. Then at the end of the tournament, revisit your selections and see if you'd make any changes.

I'll get us underway and upset our celtic cousins at the same time

Hmm, not as much home bias as I'd like but:

Genge
Marchand
Furlong
Ijote
Ryan
Curry
Ollivon
Aldritt

Dupont
Russell
May
Fickou
Ringrose
Keenan
Hogg

Centres and wingers were hardest to pick due to the lack of outstanding candidates. Back-row the most competitive with Ritchie and Willis right in contention and a host of young Irish talent looking close to breaking through.

No Italians - not a surprise. No Welsh is a much bigger surprise, but honestly not many were in the mix.

Oui ! Julien Marchand is undoubtedly the No 1 hooker (and Camille Chat close behind !)

[padprop]

1)Sutherland
2)George
3)Furlong
4)Itoje
5)Le Roux
6)Curry
7)Watson
8)Aldritt

9)Dupont
10)Ford
11)May
12)Lawrence
13)Davies
14)Penaud
15)Hogg (Williams if that counts under the criteria)

Suprised Le Roux has been so unpopular. Definitely in the top couple of second rows last year. Echo Mikey Brown's thoughts, Genge's inclusion over Sutherland sacrifices the most destructive loose-head at scrum time in world rugby for a bit of off-the-cuff sideways carrying. He's also england's third choice LH.

[Puja]

1)Sutherland
2)George
3)Furlong
4)Itoje
5)Le Roux
6)Curry
7)Watson
8)Aldritt

9)Dupont
10)Ford
11)May
12)Lawrence
13)Davies
14)Penaud
15)Hogg (Williams if that counts under the criteria)

Suprised Le Roux has been so unpopular. Definitely in the top couple of second rows last year. Echo Mikey Brown's thoughts, Genge's inclusion over Sutherland sacrifices the most destructive loose-head at scrum time in world rugby for a bit of off-the-cuff sideways carrying. He's also england's third choice LH.

While I do rate Sutherland, I think you're massively underrating Genge. Come the weekend, you might agree that the most destructive loose-head at scrum time in world rugby was playing at Twickenham, but not in blue. Also, on form, he's not England's third choice.

His carrying does need sorting out though. Far too lateral.

Puja

[Timbo]

Really interested in watching more of Sutherland this 6N’s. He came back last year and was getting ridiculously overhyped after a couple of decent games. Was a bit ott imo, especially as England winning the scrum battle pretty comprehensively at Murrayfield was one of the keys to winning that game in horrendous conditions.

[francoisfou]

No sign of Mr undroppable in the above teams. Eddie must see something in him the rest of the world doesn’t!

[Digby]

Keenan

Genuinely pleased someone stuck Keenan on the wing, he's worked his nuts off out there and looked quality doing it. Not been so impressed with him at 15 yet