[Closed] 2015-16 rugby, world cup year

The English media trying to claim the glory of England being the first host nation to be knocked out in the pool stage. Up yours, England. Wales got there first, back in 1991. 😆

I like most of the England team, but there are other great eligible players out there that Lancaster should have used. I hope he gets ditched and Farrel, then we get a nice kiwi in to show us how its done. Also the butthurt will be strong so hopeful for the 6N..
I have no objection to being well trounced by such an excellent team as the Ozzies, they could easily win the whole show. I am supporting Japn Scotland and the Oirish now, will default to green machine in the event of having to choose. Would love to see Jpn go further this tournament, they have been my team of the World cup just for their sheer ballsiness.

I have no objection to being well trounced by such an excellent team as the Ozzies

True but England have enough players and resources to compete with anyone if only there was some proper leadership going on.

Aye but hopefully this loss will be the knock on the head the rfu needs to stop being such stuffy ****s by insisting on an english manager and just employ someone who can do it instead.

having the stop-start game as it is now with the TMO and all the camera angles just shows how farcical the rules of rugby are. can't they make it simpler? or at least the players more intelligent?

They're not rules they're laws and imo the game should not be dumbed down any further to pander to half witted kiss ballers who show a passing interested in rugby to bask in England rugby's (sadly passed) glory and bait co-workers from other home nations.

In the end beaten by 2 better teams although I suspect (and fervently hope) there's a decent team waiting to ultimately emerge from the confused selection and tactical decisions.

Not sure who (if anyone) to support now - would like Wales to do well but think that's unlikely given their injury list. Could never bring myself to support the French or SH - suppose that leaves Ireland...

I have to disagree with the idea that this is fundamentally a very good England side in development. Other than Mike Brown, George Ford, and Steffan Armitage (who needs to be brought back in), I don't see any of the current England players walking into a Southern Hemisphere side.
Australia look excellent, precise, cold, quick. England are moving backwards as they still won't address the lack of creativity in the backs. It's depressing how often an England back receives the ball in a stationary position. Australia had far more fluidity, movement and creativity in the final third.
A disappointment, but I said England would struggle to get through before the champs started.
I still think Ireland could make the semis, or even the final, which could give the World Cup some much needed local support.

Flashy. You won't get me supporting Wales while Italy are still in the fight. Parisse is back tomorrow, huzzah!

I need a new telly!

I'm 1/16th French, so allez les blues.

Well, now that's over we can relax and enjoy the rugby.

I believe there are nineteen other teams competing although ITV appear to be in denial of that.

Hopefully they won't feel the need to analyze the host's exit in the build up to every subsequent match that's coming up but I'm not confident.

Perhaps they can dispense with some of the English pundits and have some from countries who are STILL IN THE WORLD CUP.

Duckman feel free to disagree but you can't because Scotland are cack, you can't play rugby at this level static it is school boy stuff. Bottom of 6 nations is a fact.

Well I for one, am gutted 🙁

Still, I've loved every game of this WC that I've seen so far, so after the disappointment has gone hopefully there'll be a month if great rugby to watch.

As for England..... By God are we crying out for a decent 7!!! I'm an unashamed robshaw fanboi, but we need something more at the breakdown.

I agree to some extent with the Wilko comments, I mean we arrived at the tournament with barely 400 caps amongst the 31 man squad. The likes of Watson, Brown, Joseph, launchbury, are only going to get better, and I really do think that this tournament was a few years too early for this team.

However, whom knows what the strongest 15 for us is?!?! Certainly not the coaches!

Time for a SH coach to come in and sort us out methinks.......I'll be amazed if Lancaster stays!

Good luck to all of the other home nations left in.....

There were occasional glimmers of hope when we were running with ball in hand but any management team that thought bringing Easter on would be a positive move need to be replaced.
Now supporting Japan for their overwhelming desire to play good rugby.

Now supporting Japan for their overwhelming desire to play good rugby.

EVERYONE is supporting Japan!

dragon - Member

Duckman feel free to disagree but you can't because Scotland are cack, you can't play rugby at this level static it is school boy stuff. Bottom of 6 nations is a fact.

Reserving smugness for if we qualify, it's going to be a long week. We are shite like but we're fine with that, English fans in general have never got the hang of getting humped. It's an important life skill.

South Africa would have put England to the sword today and thee knows it.

DanW, you sir are a dick.

Gotta laugh at the pundits use of the term "England's tight five" come scrum time they were anything but both marker and mako step out. A tight unit moving forward will split that resulting in a penalty.

Scotland could be a surprise against Samoa as they looked out on their feet against Japan but we'll probably analyze their game and play to their strengths like we did for SA.

Well played Aus, by far and away the better side

Embarrassing U11 mistakes by England. Depressing to watch despite the mitigating impact of several nice bottles of St Emillion.

Very, very poor. We deserved no better. Clueless.

Back to Japan for a moment. I think there was some very poor decisions by the Japanese not to push for the 4 try bonus point. It could mean the difference between progress to the QF or going home. 20 points up at half time and they go into their shells and kick the penalties. At least give it a go.

Inexperience most likely.

Australia looked pretty polished, with a bit more to come I'd say. England looked clueless, not helped by the selection of very inexperienced players, or ones that are past being put out to pasture. Easter may be a form player, but there's a massive gulf between club rugby and international level. In his prime he'd stick his head down and charge into contact with his arse in the air, when he should be running into space and over the gain line.

Why were the likes of Cipriani, Care, Armitage, Slade, not in the England squad?

Slade was, I thought Care was, Armitage plays in France and Cipriani missed out due to depotism.

Ultimately they weren't in the match day squad because I believe Lancaster prefers 'honest muscle' over everything else and is so obsessed with having shades of grey in his team over individual passion and excellence that might actually require some management. Actually, he's just like a school pe teacher!

England got exactly what they deserved. Poor selection, poor coaching, poor results. All crystal clear in the warm ups. They changed nothing. Cole is ****ing shit, the youngs bris similarly shit. Barrit is a fine player but hasn't played any rugby! Burgess a failed experiment. Meanwhile players like ewers, slade,cipriani, Brooke's rtc etc scrape game time. Shit. So Stuart lancaster, Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree; **** OFF
What do I care? For the remainder of the cup, I'm Irish. Now just to get over myintense dislike of that complete prick Cain Healy.

Yup it was crystal clear in the warm ups. New coaches please.

Who are Englands pocock and hooper?? Is there anyone out there eligible for England who can do what they do?

Err yeah Dragon, the 6n was six months ago,one thing that has been highlighted when commentating on the improvements in their game is the speed,ie lack of being static,at which they defend. I realise that you a) know better than anybody called Sir Iain about rugby,b) are just trying to kill time while you wait for the AA to come and fix your chariot.
Toys; Armitage and possibly the Glaws lad...but as many imports mention English academy players are more interested in pumping iron than building skills and playing touch etc. It is a mindset change needed at club level,OZ were smarter and made decisions better when playing what was in front of them. That can't be coached,it is instinct born of playing.

A few of things occur to me re England. 1. Steffan Armitage is a fat blob and wouldnt last 30 mins in a fast paced international game. 2. You missed the Kiwi gouger, a lot. 3. Ford, May, Tuilagi, Joeseph, Watson, Brown could be very good. 4. Ben Morgan was not fit and did nothing, you missed Vunipola combined with Wood and Robshaw not being great. Surely you have some other flankers.5. The tictacs that involved flinging it wide whilst playing with that backrow wre seriously flawed.

We are shite like but we're fine with that, English fans in general have never got the hang of getting humped. It's an important life skill.

This ^

Has no one noticed that against the odds England had the momentum and we're coming back into it, many by passing after committing the defender but before contact - until two daft tackles that they were lucky to get away with one yellow card from.
If Farrell and Burgess had some more discipline they might still have won that match - whether or not their general performance entitled them to.
That really could have been a big come back - and no I'm not dreaming about a fantasy England win, I'm Scots and dreaming about a bonus point win against Samoa.

South Africa would have put England to the sword today and thee knows it.

I've a feeling that England could have coped with SA's simple game plan.

Thanks for that intelligent contribution to the thread Stavaigan

Scotland have put themselves in a good position but seem to be going backwards slightly. I don't think Samoa will be an easy game but then USA vs Japan isn't a given either as the US came out hard last time around.

I don't think it has been mentioned yet but JD2 and 1/2p are reported to not be taking their final year contract options and could be leaving France at the end of the season

I really think all England are missing is a good captain. Robshaw isn't someone you would follow through the gates of hell. Johnson wouldn't have put up with the petulance of Brown and Farrell. He would of sorted that out. Warburton has the respect of all the Welsh team, can you say that about Robshaw?

Apologizing to the nation is way over the top, it is just a game of rugby, nobody died.

Have Australia peaked to soon, a really great performance.

I had to watch the game without sound and my lip reading wasn't too great... Did any of these happen? Could actually become Dai Lama drinking game in the future perhaps 🙂

Marler: Awww come on ref, don't tell me you are on Twitter too!

Commentators: Australia have no big ball carriers with lightweights like Pockock in the backrow... This is where England have an advantage
(Forgetting Australia have more intelligent runners than almost any other team)

Robshaw: We have a penalty advantage... Can someone remind me to take the three points some times

England forwards: Right the game is getting close. What I think we should do is play a bit like Scotland would

Lancaster: 50 minutes are up.... Time to let everyone have a go

Also Robshaw: Not sure he has the balls to bin both... Please let it be Burgess, Please let it be Burgess, Please let it be Burgess.... Oh damn

No need to repeat it all but Aus exposed everything that is wrong about that team, well done Australia, well played.

Burgess should go and paid-to-play stamped out immediately, no doubt the RFU whillst wearing blinkers were oversold some magic beans. May has proved he can't catch a ball under pressure without exposing his wing and letting it bounce, he needs to go.

Lancaster should resign and let someone else who can make a decision settle on the young guns for a revised back line at least for the 6N probably Care, Ford, Slade, JJ, Watson, Brown + an other wing. We need to find a genuine 7. If he can bear it Robshaw can play 6 but there needs to be a new dominant decisive captain. 2016 should be about forming a teasm plus understudies for the 2019 RWC.

Anyway moving forward, I shall cheer Wales, Ireland and Japan while they remain, and expect 2 of the the AB's Aus or Boks in the final.

England are missing good leadership from the coaches through to the captain and key players. There have been 40+ tests since the last world cup look at the number of caps there are in key positions and how unsettled the squad has been over the last 2 years. Now some of that is due to injury but even so players are being picked/dropped/moved seemingly at random and the selection policy appears to be throw the names in the air and pick 14, because Farell Jr is playing come what may. Add in a huge disciplinary issue both on and off the pitch and no one seeming to take control.

It's not a bad group of players but the best aren't great (some have potential) and there are a few average (with better options sitting at home). In itself that's not the end of the world, but it requires strong leadership, an overriding gameplan and strategy and some discipline to stick to it to work.

wrecker - Member
Barrit is a fine player

Agreed with everything you said there wrecker apart from the above statement.

Barritt is a solid duffer at club level, no doubt. At international level he is a one-paced, leaden footed, mindless waste of space who can't run, kick, pass or even tackle that well despite the "defensive leader" tag bestowed on him. His main attacking strength seems to be as a dummy runner although that's somewhat mitigated by the fact that the opposition know he probably won't get the ball and aren't worried if he does. He looked ok alongside the human-wrecking-ball Tuilagi in the win over the ABs (who wouldn't?) and he got blood on his shirt in a "heroic" performance against Australia where he didn't miss too many tackles. I can't recall too many other games when I didn't think anything other than - "He's shit."

Am I missing anything?

Listening to the radio, I'm amazed the bookies had England as second favourites to win the world cup after the All Blacks.
Hasn't it been widely understood that the southern hemisphere sides are generally light years ahead in rugby terms? That's what we saw last night.
The northern hemisphere sides which have dominated up here, Ireland and Wales, have Kiwi coaches. Even then, they have been unable to regularly compete against the Southern hemisphere sides. England beat NZ and Oz but only in friendlies.
When England did win the world cup, it was during a period of transition for Southern Hemisphere rugby. They have now rebuilt tactically and the gulf has been re-established.

No.

We need someone with actual talent inside JJ or Tualigi. .

anagallis_arvensis - Member
A few of things occur to me re England. 1. Steffan Armitage is a fat blob and wouldnt last 30 mins in a fast paced international game.

2. You missed the Kiwi gouger, a lot.

3. Ford, May, Tuilagi, Joeseph, Watson, Brown could be very good.

4. Ben Morgan was not fit and did nothing, you missed Vunipola combined with Wood and Robshaw not being great. Surely you have some other flankers.

.5. The tictacs that involved flinging it wide whilst playing with that backrow wre seriously flawed.

Agree.

Adam Jones wasnt an openside. Armitage has played international rugby. He was shit.

teamhurtmore - Member 
Watching NZ v SA last weekend made me nervous for the rest. It felt like the whole match was on FF. And the physicality seemed on a different level.

Just had to turn down QF at Twikerd due to friends birthday
POSTED 2 MONTHS AGO #

Should have added Aus 2 months ago. Simple fact, England are a good but not a great team. Could/should have beaten Wales but it doesn't matter. Other teams are better, that is clear. Not the end of the world but at least turning down the QF tickets doesn't seem so bad now!!

The only extraordinary thing was the basic nature of England's errors. U11 stuff.

I'm not sure if Scotland are moving forward or not. I think that we've got better individual players than we've had in recent years but there's something missing. Scotland have always played better than the sum of their parts. I think Al Kellock was a very underrated captain. He was never the best second row but he was a real leader and always seemed to bring the team together both for Glasgow and Scotland. That's the reason he kept his starting spot long after bigger faster stronger second rows were coming through.

I hope we can find someone to replace him soon.

If we beat Samoa and make the second round, that's moving forward.

Delighted Wales are through, but not jumping for joy at England being knocked out, I've never been in the "I support anyone playing England" crowd - staggered thier fans were marching out of the grown with 10 mins to play - I know they say "England expects" but it's disgusting, you've got to clap your team off the field especially if they lose.

What about Wales though - does Gatland send out the reserves against Australia and save the A team for the Semis or play to win and try to secure an easier game in the Semis?

I did think there was a massive difference when ford was first distributor. Farrell was seeing people off slowly way behind the gain line. Ford was at least putting the first reciever on the ball at speed.
I can't believe they picked farrell for so many games as first choice. If nothing else ford was at least getting animated and passionate about it during the game. Whereas farrell just thought he would tackle off the ball and have a sit down.

P-jay i suspect a lot of the England fans thought they would try and get their last trains home.
Stupid idea playing the games with an 8pm kick off.
But yeah am sure a load of them just thought sod this I'm off

Quite right, you don't abandon your team just because they disappoint. You can still chuckle when people take the piss out of you though

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