Looking at the lineups, there aren’t too many Scottish players that I would pick over their English counterparts. Here are the two teams, with my pick in bold.
| Gordon Reid | 1 | Mako Vunipola |
| Stuart McInally | 2 | Dylan Hartley |
| Simon Berghan | 3 | Dan Cole |
| Grant Gilchrist | 4 | Joe Launchbury |
| Jonny Gray | 5 | Maro Itoje |
| John Barclay | 6 | Courtney Lawes |
| Hamish Watson | 7 | Chris Robshaw |
| Ryan Wilson | 8 | Nathan Hughes |
| Greig Laidlaw | 9 | Danny Care |
| Finn Russell | 10 | George Ford |
| Sean Maitland | 11 | Jonny May |
| Pete Horne | 12 | Owen Farrell |
| Huw Jones | 13 | Jonathan Joseph |
| Tommy Seymour | 14 | Anthony Watson |
| Stuart Hogg | 15 | Mike Brown |
| Scott Lawson | 16 | Jamie George |
| Jamie Bhatti | 17 | Joe Marler |
| WP Nel | 18 | Harry Williams |
| Tim Swinson | 19 | George Kruis |
| David Denton | 20 | Sam Underhill |
| Ali Price | 21 | Richard Wigglesworth |
| Nick Grigg | 22 | Ben Te’o |
| Blair Kinghorn | 23 | Jack Nowell |
It’s the back row where I think Scotland have a slight edge, largely based on my concerns about the English setup. If Chris Robshaw were at 6 and Sam Underhill at 7, I might well be picking an all-English pack.
In the backs, Finn Russell gets the nod over George Ford, because I like his slightly maverick attacking style, Huw Jones is in at 13, and Stuart Hogg is the first name on the teamsheet.
The strength of the English bench shines through, with only WP Nel preferred from the Scottish dugout.
These selections would deliver the combined XV of:
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Dan Cole
4. Joe Launchbury
5. Maro Itoje
6. John Barclay
7. Hamish Watson
8. Nathan Hughes
9. Danny Care
10. Finn Russell
11. Jonny May
12. Owen Farrell
13. Huw Jones
14. Anthony Watson
15. Stuart Hogg
What do you think? Which do you disagree with?
Is Russell’s international form better than Fords ?
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Not in the slightest. So far this six nations Russell has been very poor whereas Ford has been quietly excellent. Think this is slightly generous to Scotland
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Russel is nowhere near Ford. A few flashes performances caught the eye last season, and for some reason Russell was considered higher in the pecking order for Lions than Ford.
Ford is by far the better fly-half; his passing and game management are far better. Russell is too inconsistent.
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Hogg is the only Scot I would pick ahead of their English counterpart in the starting XV.
There are some close calls, notably Jones over JJ, but England simply have the better players in almost every position.
On the bench, there is one Scot who I would pick ahead of the English player, Price over Wigglesworth..
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If only we could blend Hogg and Brown. Attacking ability of Hogg, defending and high ball ability of Brown. Brogg if you like. The perfect fullback…
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Ha! This comment wins. Brogg. I love it
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Brogg!! Sounds like a character from Game of Thrones!! Lol!
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Can we cheat and play Robshaw and Watson in the back row?
I’d certainly have Ford over Russell, otherwise I mostly agree.
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OK OK, I couldn’t fill the whole team with English players. I thought Russell / Ford was a marginal call, but apparently not!
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Nope Fords the better player
Russell has better flashes of brilliance but Fords game management is superb which is what you need from your flyhalf
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I think that Farrell at 12 is what makes Ford the better player!! If Farrell was not on the pitch I think the ability of Ford and Russell would be much closer?
Just look at Ford’s form for the Tigers this season. Nowhere near the form he brings in an England shirt!
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Not sure you are that correct anymore…I think about the quality and maturity of George Ford in Argentina this summer. H really showed his capabilities in his own right….I mean it clearly helps having the best player next to him, but if OF was injured tomorrow, I don’t think he’d be found wanting.
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I have read similar comments in a few different places, stating Ford only performs well because of Farrell inside him. I cant see how this is the case. Ford has always had a good understanding of the game and it shows in his game management. On top of that, his range of passing is brilliant and I think he surpasses Farrell in this area. Together they give each other more options and I think both players benefit from having the other lining up next to them.
Tigers have stuttered this season, but I think the performances of the pack have been the main reason for this. When the backs get good, clean, quick (Youngs Im looking at you) ball then they have looked decent and this all stems from Ford.
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Agreed.You have to look at them as a complimentary pair.Should the worst happen and injury intervenes Ford demonstrated in Argentina last June he is perfectly capable of managing a game without Farrell.Ford is Englands fly half because he has better vision and instincts and with that time ,Farrell has a tendancy to force on occaisions which invariably leads to interceptions.At this level of professional sport the differences can be measured in split seconds.Likening England to an orchestra Farrell may get to choose some of the music but Ford conducts the Band
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Interesting point on Farrell; I cant remember which game but at one point England were on the 5 metre line. The ball came to Farrell who floated a pass out wide which was intercepted. Farrell is world class (I am personally a huge fan) but there have been a couple of times where he has tried forcing a pass that maybe isnt on.
Regardless of this, I am very happy with the Ford-Farrell partnership atm.
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*one of the first two games this 6N
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That may be because he mostly plays outside Youngs at Leicester Dazza, and has been outside Care for England. Care´s pass is quicker, more accurate and he doesn´t shuffle sideways half a step or need to wind up like Youngs. Ford gets half a yard more space all the time.
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Russell/Ford is generous on current form
Although I would love to see Russell play inside of Farrell
Either Scottish winger over May
Gray/Itoje is very tight, they’re both exceptional
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I’d have any hooker over Hartley, any day to be honest. Ford has played reasonably well for Tigers, his place-kicking has been quite accurate, he hasn’t been underperforming that much under the Tigers as people believe
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I´d be tempted to have my great-aunty Elizabeth instead of Hartley, and I´d certainly have McInally before him. I´d also have Robshaw in front of Watson because he runs forever and never lets his head drop. Ford definitely in front of Russell, though on a good day I would rather watch Russell for the sheer joie de vivre he brings to the game. Controversially on current form I think I might have Grey in front of Itoje. Itoje has not been at his peak this season, and to me he looks tired. He needs a big game this weekend. Jones marginally instead of JJ.
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