[Closed] 2013/14 Rugby Thread

Its easy I just question peoples opinions and then they show no substance behind them.
The english whinging like, well, whinging poms is also quite funny.

Eastmond played quite well he certainly adds something to a back line. Tuilagi was fantastic too. Some big choices for Lancaster next week. Burns, Eastmond, Morgan, Parling all played well and dont deserve to be dropped. The Hask was excellent too.
May looks like a disaster waiting to happen though.

Oh and ekul I am pretty sure the touch judge called the holding back and the ref didnt see it so he would have to go on his call. Should have been a yellow though as I said at the time on this thread. Hate the All Blacks for their cynical cheating ways.

Lancaster was pretty sensible on the ref, he says he'll be speaking to the chief ref but as Engkad didn't control territory when they ha pd the chance with Yarde off they need to look at themselves first before complaining about the ref. Yes a win at Eden Park wild have been historic but it's only a tour match and it's great for the squad building to heave been competitive and lead the match for decent periods of time,

So more bitching about the ref without any analysis of what he did wrong. You poms!!!

I genuinely thought AA was Welsh!

I genuinely thought AA was Welsh!

On the weekends he is what ever you want him to be 😉

Some interesting thoughts here on the performance in Auckland

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=80

They have to pay for that Pigface!!@

Coe on AA, this has mostly been a great thread, enough of the blatant wind ups, they're not even clever enough to be amusing.

So its a blatant wind up to ask people to explain why they think the ref was poor or question the judgement of someone who doesnt even know who the player involved in an incident was.... right.

You english are always so hard done by. Walsh robbed us, Owens robbed us, Cueto's foot wasnt in touch. Blah blah blah...dont let facts stand in the way of a good whine!!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=80
/p>

So to summarise they think NZ played shit?
They were right about Tuilagi though he owned their mid field.

[i]What did the ref do wrong? Sky spurts were outraged by the yellow for Yarde but it was a stone cold yellow.[/i]

If you heard the Sky Spurts (Oh my SIDES!!!) commentator complaining about the Yarde yellow, then surely you heard why he was complaining? Not because he didn't think [i]that[/i] was a yellow, but because of the inconsistency of not giving Nonu a yellow for a previous incident on the NZ try-line.

Personally, I think England were damn lucky the All Blacks put out a load of old boys instead of the hungry young players that have been showing form in the Super Rugby. We would never have looked so good otherwise.

You english are always so hard done by. Walsh robbed us, Owens robbed us, Cueto's foot wasnt in touch. Blah blah blah...dont let facts stand in the way of a good whine!!

Jesus a-a, have you any idea how that sounds when read back?

Anyway, no one is stealing the green machine's spot on the throne of being hard done by. 😀

(Though I do love Steve Walsh...he gave us the 6N.)

You english are always so hard done by. Walsh robbed us, Owens robbed us, Cueto's foot wasnt in touch. Blah blah blah...dont let facts stand in the way of a good whine!!

Jesus a-a, have you any idea how that sounds when read back?

+1, come on man, grow up.

1st sentence I said was that we didn't lose because of the ref! Tbh never at any point in the game did I actually think we were going to win it. I was merely expressing my surprise at the apparent inconsistencies of Owen' refereeing given that he is usually completely flawless! No need to get at het up about it.

Sorry I didn't get the names right either AA, I had forgotten who exactly was responsible in between the game finishing and actually posting. I was out playing rugby.

Woah you saes boys, see you dont like it you do you 😆

AA cant help it us Welshies are genetically programmed to give it out to the english at any opportunity, its not personal its just how we are 😉

We are going to be humped by South Africa so we need to take our pleasure where we find it 😆

From what I have read (havent seen the game) england did very well, NZ were a bit slow and looking old but did just enough to sneak the win. Has Burns ever played better?

Big question about that result is not about england at all but what will Steve Hansen do, will he have the guts to drop some of the fading stars or try and squeeze on last World Cup out of them, either way the press in NZ are going to hammer him.

I see the saes are still banging the Nonu drum.... do all these polynesians look the same to you lot.
If you bothered to compare the Fekitoa pen to the Yarde pen you would see they were very different incidence one was a cast iron yellow the other wasnt.

oh and I dont care how you think it sounds. I dont think it is as bad as being critical of a ref without bothering to say why.

I saw on the beeb that lancaster was touting Tuilagi onto the wing...surely Tuilagi and Burrell with 12tress to bench is the obvious choice. Would seem a bit erm welsh to play your best player out of position.

see the saes are still banging the Nonu drum.... do all these polynesians look the same to you lot.
If you bothered to compare the Fekitoa pen to the Yarde pen you would see they were very different incidence one was a cast iron yellow the other wasnt.

oh and I dont care how you think it sounds. I dont think it is as bad as being critical of a ref without bothering to say why.

Give it a rest taffy. There's no ongoing attack of the ref or drum banging about Nonu. Bloody welshies, they're all the same.

Getting back to the rugby,

Manu on the wing? That'll be lack of good wingers then. Almost an admission that May isn't up to it. Manu has played wing for Leicester and can do a job Although he won't be scoring over 70 yards, he's great when allowed to come in and hit the ball at pace. I haven't watched Burrell much, I'm assuming he's not a good kicker and Lancaster does seem to want that in his 12 slot, hence 12T.
Players in the wrong position is not unusual to Lacanster, remember the Brown on the wing with I seem to recall a winger at fullback?). I think the reasoning was that you have to have your best players on the pitch, so you find them positions. If that were the case, England ought to play 13 forwards!

I saw on the beeb that lancaster was touting Tuilagi onto the wing...surely Tuilagi and Burrell with 12tress to bench is the obvious choice. Would seem a bit erm welsh to play your best player out of position.

Fingers crossed Farrell stays on the bench. We need some genuine competition for the 10 jersey ahead of the RWC and game time for the candidates.

We didn't lose because of the ref, it was because Cipriani was brought on. It raised the spirits of all NZers.

Just watched the last 15 mins, we lacked a little composure 12-9 up and handling error which lead to 3 points and the yellow card. Even then we had chances to kick for position when under pressure which we passed up and which lead to the AB's having a pen and field position to score. A few errors in a tight match but from what I saw many positives although it is hard to imagine we'll not face a materially improved AB side next weekend.

Give it a rest taffy. There's no ongoing attack of the ref or drum banging about Nonu. Bloody welshies, they're all the same.

thats more like it 😈

EPK 12 Wales B midget allstars 34. Listened on radio whilst marking sounded dull. Anyone see it?

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.

Gulp.
You look at the backs and you think, yeah Wales can handle them, then you look at the forwards and think **** and finally you look at the bench and think I really must plan to be busy when this games on and then lose my singletrack log in for a week!!!

 

😯 oh my sweet good God, humped by those forwards 😥 no lube and no reacharound

Mongo's back! Signed for Newport Gwent Dragons. Interesting given that it was the arrival of Faletau that spelled the end of his Welsh career. Be interesting to see how much game time he gets. At least Toby will be in the Wales camp if fit! Has Gavlaa signed for them too? Think of the lovely evenings out they'll have 😀

Gav is staying at Bath which is a bit of a shame. But I suppose thats just a short golf cart ride up the M4!!!
Pigface Beast Brits and Oosthuizen on the bench along with Burger and Pienar... shiiiìt

Didn't realise Gav was staying put...a rare wise move on his part!

No Etzbeth for saffas?

No they'll have to "make do" with Matfield and Botha!!!!

England: Mike Brown, Manu Tuialgi, Luther Burrell, Billy Twelvetrees, Marland Yarde, Owen Farrell, Danny Care; Ben Morgan, Chris Robshaw, Tom Wood, Geoff Parling, Joe Launchbury, David Wilson, Rob Webber, Joe Marler.

Replacements: Dylan Hartley, Matt Mullan, Kieran Brookes, Courtney Lawes, Billy Vunipola, Ben Youngs, Freddie Burns, Chris Ashton.

New Zealand: Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Victor Vito, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Malakai Fekitoa.

I wouldnt have shifted Tuilagi to accommodate 12trees. Tough on Burns too.

**** me when did Ashton get recalled! It speaks volumes that we'd rather play Tuilagi on the wing than him. That bench luck ridiculously strong. Can't say that I like the idea of Many on the wing.

I've never rated Haskell but I thought he had a good game Sat so it's a bit harsh on him not even making the bench. All Blacks will be targeting Manu on the wing for sure.

Hmmm. The kick over / above Manu might expose him over and he'll perhaps get drawn to the centre expose the wing to Savea - Brown needs to be on his toes for sure.

That's a hell of a bench. I'm pretty sure a different team will come on for the second half to give Lawes etc some game time in prep for the third test - but also what an impact sub for him and Vunipola to come on and carry. That tells me Lancaster expects to take it to the AB's in the 2nd half at least - good on him.

I'm glad Burrels back in though, he's a better ball handler than Manu with most of the physical attributes, more rounded. But agree - we need to put a stand out winger on the team and rotate Manu / Burrell depending on the adversary. If it wasn't the AB's/ Jonny Mays limitations I don't think they'd both be starting.

I've got to say this England team is shaping up to be quite formidable assuming no big injuries or dramatic loss of form, we should win the 2015 6N and do well in RWC15 -certainly thrashing a creaking Welsh team on the way if we have to is my prediction principally for AA's benefit.

certainly thrashing a creaking Welsh team on the way

I fear this as well 🙁

If that england side dont turn over NZ I will be surprised, weak link for me is Farrell he froze badly in the Heineken Cup final.

The bodies are strong enough are their heads as tuned in?

Only just spotted that Haskel is out. Apart from Tuilagi I thought he was one of Englands best players last week....big calls from Lancaster, strange he hasnt picked on reputation before preferring to go with an incumbent who is playing well than bring in a star...do you trust him?
Bench does look strong but who goes to 15 if Brown breaks?

Kryton, I dont see why Burrell and Tuilagi wouldnt work in midfield.

I think they would AA - it'd be a nightmare facing both of those, perhaps a bit limited not having a 12 that can kick but I'd out burell ere and Manu at 13. But we lack a good / in form wing outside them on one side.

I wouldnt discount Wales yet. The backs are better than Englands. If we can replace Phillips, Gethin and Lee keeps up his progress we have the basis of a team that can push you if all/most are fit.

I suppose giving Tuilagi a go on the wing is worth it, hopefully we can get the ball out to him enough. His passing is pretty limited so perhaps its worth a try. I'm not glad to see Farrell back, I want more game time for the others so we have real competition for the place at the RWC. I also think his form this year has been poor, he cannot drive a side or control a game as @pigface said at the H-Cup he was, once again, lost. At least Cipriani isn't in the squad. Ashton, less said the better.

I'm not too surprised and Mau on the wing, I just don't think that Lancaster rates any wingers, certainly not to actually score tries so is using the position purely to get another hard carrying centre on the pitch.
Manu was devastating in the last match up I saw him against Burrell, to say that he has nearly the same physical attributes is simply untrue. I'm not sure there are many players in the world that have, and certainly not in the England team! I also think that his handling is underated. If he had a good poacher on the outside of him instead of bunny in the headlights May, I think we'd see more. (OK, I'm a Tuilagi fan, I've got a bit of man love for all the brothers)
However, if Burrell is a good handling 12, I see no reason why not to play Manu alongside. Oh well, maybe in the Autumn internationals!
I'm simply not rating Farrell at the moment, however he's still a better bet than Burns who has been pretty rubbish this year - last weeks games aside. I do think he'll come good at Tigers though, he's got the talent for sure. Maybe he thrives on a pack that doesn't allow him to be smashed every time he gets the ball!
AA - I think England's backs are catching up fast. 12 months ago I would have agreed without hesitation, but If we can get a decent winger, I think we'll be more than a match...

The backs are better than Englands.

I don't agree, with the exception of 1/2p.

@Kryton - I think we have to say George North is one of the best two wingers in the world full stop.

Manu's handling is good in that he can take a pass 🙂

jambalaya - Member
@Kryton - I think we have to say George North is one of the best two wingers in the world full stop.

Oh c'mon...

1/2p v Brown even
Cuthbert v any english winger even at worst
Davies v Tuilagi/Burrel even
Roberts v whoever Adv Wales
North v Whoever adv wales
Biggar v Farrel even
phillips v care adv england

Seems fair to me

The fact you can't be specific and lack and factual reasoning AA speaks volumes about you merely supporting welsh players with no sound evidence.

What evidence do you want. Its all just opinion however the wales backline is packed full of hugely experienced test lions the english one isnt. The welsh backline is a settled unit the english one isnt.

We can also say that the Welsh back line is often broken 😕 Kryton AA's head to head is spot on, 18 months ago I would of put spikey above care but on current form that has been reversed.

Brown will dip at some point everyone does and he has been flying very high, 1/2p coming back from injury is a worry.