6 Nations 2016 - Team of the Week - Round 2

In what was a relatively underwhelming week in terms of the quality of rugby that was played, we have endeavored to pick our best team. The Southern Hemisphere boys may well be shaking their heads in disgust at what they saw at the weekend, and rightly so, but we've selected a group of players that didn't destroy all hope for Nothern Hemisphere rugby, although the first two players we will mention played in one of the worst games to have graced television...

5 Things England Learned From Their First Game Under Eddie Jones

1) Owen Farrell should start at 10

Look how smug this guy looks in his picture. Maybe deservedly so, as George Ford brought his club form to the international stage and the midfield just wasn't there for England against Scotland. Some have attricuted this to Farrell just taking the ball up and being too physical, but he only got 3 carries and Joseph only got 4. Ford just isn't playing well enough to warrant wearing the 10 shirt, and Farrell  is.The dream right now is Farrell at 10 with Slade at 12, but with Slade's injury, it seems to me that Devoto is the next best thing. We suggested this partnership before the match but understood it would be a bit of a gamble for Jones. It wouldn't be as much of a gamble next week, not only because it appears to be the better partnership, as Devoto mirrors Slade, but with Italy as the opponents Jones will feel he can push the boat out a bit more. We'll have our fingers crossed here at Four Balls HQ.

6 Nations 2016 - Key Men and Predictions

England:

With a change in head coach, how can England bounce back from a horribly disappointing World Cup campaign? Well, it starts with the right team selection, something Stuart Lancaster got so drastically wrong against Wales in the RWC. The future of English rugby is knocking on Eddie Jones’s door and he’d be foolish to ignore it. This isn’t suggesting that every youngster should start, but Beaumont will certainly be ready to play his part, and the likes of Itoje, Daly, Kvesic should all start given their form and the solutions they provide to England’s weaknesses in the World Cup. Our suggested starting lineup for the Scotland match suggests the direction Jones should go in, and if it wasn’t for Hartley being named captain we would very likely have seen Jamie George in that hooker spot. However, because the infamous New Zealand born Dylan Hartley is England’s captain, he will need to rise to the occasion and will be a key man for the men in white throughout this campaign. Any stupid penalties or any cards and the world gets to laugh at him and the England management. Good discipline will be so vital throughout this tournament.

Four Balls's England Team To Face Scotland

The Six Nations starts in just 4 days time, so to start off our coverage we've taken a look at the starting XV that Eddie Jones should pick for England's opener against Scotland. This would be one of the youngest and most inexperienced England sides of all time, but also one of the most exciting in recent history.

Jags' Fans Draw The Yellow Card

Former Glasgow art student turned world-renowned artist, Jonathan Monk, is blowing the whistle on the boundaries between art and football by creating his own unique giveaway for Partick Thistle fans.

The third in a line-up of artist collaborations with the club, Jonathan has created a yellow card fans can take away and use during the match, giving a nod to both the sporting and artistic worlds. 

Four Balls Reviews - The Complete Rugby Union Compendium

When they say complete, boy do they mean it.

This book details every Test match ever played by the top 10 international sides, alongside the histories and statistics of the second and third tier nations. There is no better source of information out there about the game we know and love.

Partnerships with Kitman Labs to Help Reduce the Risk of Injury

English Rugby Union clubs Bath and Gloucester Rugby have announced a new partnership with leading sports science and technology company Kitman Labs.

The Silicon Valley-based company has recently signed three-year deals, which will see their Athlete Optimization SystemTM used at the two South West rugby powerhouses.