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I'm willing to place a tenner plus yearly inflation until the RWC and a beer on England winning the world cup under Lancaster's reign. Any takers?
Kryton, I reckon that's a good shout.
Wales v England final, perhaps? 😉
Seriously, though, I think England need a lot of rebuilding. The Care saga has damaged the "brand" of English rugby, I believe. As has Hartley and to a lesser degree Clark. English rugby needs to go through the hardship that was Welsh rugby for much of the 90s. Rebuild, remodel, renew. I think that Lancaster is very much the man for the job and I wish him well!
I'll take that bet, all proceeds to charity?
Really not sure about Lancaster.
Yes, England have improved both on and off the pitch from a really low point, but can he really develop England much further, new team or not? The next 9 months will be brutal.
Scamper, he's a new broom. In no way associated with either the blazers at the cabbage patch, or the wannabe slebs that have sometimes graced the pitch.
I reckon he's a good pick.
What brand, we pick 8 lumps up front, and 7 lumps behind them, if we are not in the opposition 25, we kick it, if we are, we have a rolling maul or pick and drive until a penalty is conceded then we kick it. Jesus, we better not over complicate things, look where that got us in 1991.
dp
bump
He is associated with the blazers though - very much a RFU man. I can guess who Andrew wanted.
Clark 32 weeks is just disgusting, he deliberatly breaks an opponents arm and gets 32 weeks through the summer. Well done rugby you have just shat in your own bed. He should of been given at least 12 months. Leaves me very disalusioned with the whole thing. I hope Saints ship him out, they wont but they should.
I am not convinced by Lancaster either.
What has Lancaster done in coaching? I had never heard of him till this year? As far as that bet re the world cup goes I dont think England have the players even if Lancaster is god.
I don't think ny NH team has a_a. England beat all with the exception of Wales and that was too close to call.
Whatever, Lancaster did well in the 6N and deserves his opportunity. Time will tell if he is a good appointment.
What Wrecker said. England destroyed themselves at the WC. Lancaster swept out a lot of the dross, took a punt on debutantes and seemed to foster a *real* team spirit in the camp.
Clark back for Europe,really banned for what? 12 GAMES? What a crock of shecht.
*‘The disciplinary panel found that Calum Clark had not intended to injure Rob Hawkins in the course of moving his arm.* Accordingly the unfortunate injury suffered by Rob Hawkins was unintentional.
‘In the light of that finding of the disciplinary panel, Northampton Saints is bound to express concern and disappointment at the imposition of such a long suspension, even after significant mitigation in recognition in what was accepted to be Calum Clark’s genuine remorse.
‘Accordingly the club is bound to consider the merits of an appeal. No further comment will be made at this time.’
http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/8329.php
?!?
How was that "no intention"?
Genuinely, WTF?
Lancaster is a good choice for England. He has brought a team spirit and ethos back tot eh team and clearly has the dressing room behind him
Robinson is an utter disaster for Scotland. I don't believe the dressing room is behind him at all and what more does he have to do to show he has failed?
2 wins in 3 seasons of six nations, down to 12th in the world, failure ant the WC. Thats the end of Scotland as a tier one nation.
Have you been on the naughty step TJ? Good that your back you pedantic sod 😀
*‘The disciplinary panel found that Calum Clark had not intended to injure Rob Hawkins in the course of moving his arm.* WHAT A PILE OF STEAMING EXCREMENT
TJ what I find strange is they played worse when they picked more of the players you said they should?
As for England having given him the job for a bit and making such a success of it they didn't have much option. Didn't he come from lower down the England setup anyway Saxons and talent spotting? England have enough ability if he can mould them and find a bit of creativity particularly in midfield then they could be a good side.
Bear - because the morale of the side is ruined.
They all knew they had a great chance this season but needed to get off to a good start. England were there for the taking but Robinsons poor selections lead to the missed chance.
By the second half against Ireland its a beaten team "oh no not again" as the heads drop. Robinson also made duff substitutions and selections in every match and made it clear that he did not think the young players were good enough.
He continued to play the wrong combinations especially in the centre and the wrong tactics for the selected players. Whats the point in playing a quickfire halfback combo and a bunch of flyers in the back three and play a crashball inside centre?
Tehr results speak for themselves. 2 wins in 3 six natins campaigns and gone from 6 to 12th in the world - with better players now than when he took over.
Scotland will continue to slide with him in charge.
Robinson has to carry the can for the duff selection and a team playing below its capabilities. When a teams morale collapses like that then its teh manager who carries the can.
I don't know if Lancaster is a good call or not.
Amidst all the self congratulation at the RFU everybody seems to have forgotten that England have merely achieved the same as last season - 4 wins out of 5 in the 6N.
Fair enough, the spirit and cohesion in the squad has improved. The rugby has not. England created virtually nothing. Luckily, the first 2 games were against the worst 2 sides and England scraped fortunate wins. Had those fixtures been against, say, France & Ireland then they would probably have been 0-2 and Lancaster would be gone by now.
On the plus side, Lancaster is a good selector which seems to be where the biggest gains or losses can be made. Andy Robinson has always been a great forwards coach but a terrible selector. With England, he was a kid in a candy store with their huge pool of talent. With Scotland, I thought he'd do better with their more limited choices - but he hasn't.
The RFU had no choice but to choose Lancaster. I don't think that he is a bad coach, we will never know if Mallet would have been a better choice. However at least Lancaster is a coach and has had success with bringing new talent through the Saxons, so in that respect it is a step up from Johnson.
I also hope that having appointed him, the RFU actually support him. Rowntree and Farrell will be part of the team, I would like to see Wayne Smith as the attack coach as well.
Most importantly the players like Lancaster and believe in him. Players who have been through the Saxons rate him very highly. Since the players need to perform on the pitch, this part is critical. Remember it took SCW 7 years to win a RWC and at one point it looked like the RFU was going to axe him. Lancaster will need time, but knowing the English Media he will get none!
Lancster's a good choice for now. England have achieved more than most expected this season, and its with a core of young players with talent and potential.
The team are improving, so's the discipline (mostly). There'll never be a better time to chose him, and if the progress grinds to a halt or starts to reverse, then there's still time for another change before the WC. They can save that big name appointment up their sleave for an impact closer to the tournament, IF its needed.
It's a bit of a gamble, but not an expensive one (I imagine-compared to the "Big Names").
And its not Andy Robinson 😉
Bloody hell, why oh why does someone so talent have to be such a ****:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17575844
Telegraph Sport understands the 30 year-old had been drinking on the return flight before he was seen throwing ice cubes around the aeroplane's cabin.
Can't be that talented, he can't get a game for Cardiff. I am afraid that time has run out for him A-A, he will be remembered for a tackle and a marriage, and not his, frankly brief, rugby career.
Played on friday night, played last week. I expect there are quite a lot of professional centres in the UK who would struggle to get in a team in front of Roberts and Laulala or fullback ahead of Halfpenny but to say he cant get a game is just wrong I'm afraid. He may never get back to where he was but to have almost two years out and having got back to where he is shows a huge comitment to training and no lack of talent. Shame he is a trouble magnet.
Having said all that two grand slams and a Lions test player is better than most.
Blues signed him as a utility back able to play either centre, 10 or 15. He doesn't start in any of those positions,and came on the wing with 16mins left;so he can't get a game IMO. He is an waster who's behaviour impacts on anybody around him when he is drinking, which lets face it is not unknown.I now genuinely dislike him as he has defrauded the paying public for years, yet seems to trade on the idea that rugby owes him a bloody good living.I have NEVER seen him address any of the problems with his galactico mentality or his loutishness when he is drunk. He is 30, no more potential, just what could have been. And as you say, two grand slams and a lions test; you are the fanboy,is that fulfilling the potential he had?
He's started quite a few games at 15. Started a crucial Heinekin cup at 12. Started againsr Edinburgh i think at 12. Has missed out due to being in the Wales squad and not training withBlues so they are reluctant to start him. I think its just plain wrong to say he cant get a game. The rest is fair enouigh although i feel that like maybe Zac Guilford, danny care etc there may be very real mental problems that we dont know about.
You say he came on at wing? Did you see the game or are you thetypical anti Henson type who just reads the headlines?
AA - he's certainly not as good as you think he is.
And read Bounce by Matthew Syed for an explanation about the myth of talent. He has ability yes but ability has many levels of which he is lacking a few, like others as you rightly point out.
He certainly was as good as i think he was and he still has bags of talent despite what some bloke wrote in a book.
I make no effort to hide the fact i love watching him play and its disappointing that i havent been able to do that much. As for the reasons why, none of us know, he doesnt strike me as a happy bloke though.
Bear he had the potential to be one of the best ever, sadly he has a head full of toys.
Hope he plays next week 😉
Given how shit they were friday night, it could be a cricket score. Henson couldnt make then any worse. Most problems were up front but Roberts and Laulala looked like they had necer met and the choice at ten between Parks or Sweeney isnt what you would call inspiring. At least Sweeney can ta kle.
AA - have you read the book? Before you start ignoring some very compelling research I suggest you broaden your mind.
I don't agree with it entirely as I believe people have an aptitude for certain things, which can be caused by an exposure to them at a young age, others not so easily explained. But I don't believe in talent.
Well bear i think your patently wrong does Lance Armstrong not have talent either?
Nope, he doesn't. He has ability which has been honed by quality training. Read the book, in my opinion one of the most fascinating insights into peak performance, especially the 10,000 hour rule.
This is applied not just to sport but business, computing, music etc.
So whats the difference between talent and ability?
For me talent is something that people think just happens regardless of how much training, work, effort etc are put in to a particular skill.
Now this is where I differ slightly from the book idea in that some people do have more ability than others for certain things but often it is more of a physical attribute for my thinking.
Lance being a good example in that he has an abnormally large lung capacity I believe which gives him a head start. Seem to remember a bit from his book saying that the motivation he gained when out training in the wind, rain and freezing temperatures. Thinking that all his rivals would look outside and head for the turbo or not train. That has nothing to do with talent but an ability to motivate himself, push himself and use others to push him forward.
Read the book, there are some great sections about it, explains it far better than I can. Uses studies across different disciplines and quotes a few studies.
Its patently bollocks though i could train harder than lance and still fail to be as good as the lowliest pro.
Lance Armstrong does't have talent?????
Syed makes some good points about training and repetition but IMO some people just have that extra 1% or what ever it is. Henson has it but is just a f+ckwit.
Bump
****wit, stupid, mentally ill or a ****. Still at least all he did was throw a few ice cubes, he didnt bite anyone or try to rip someones arm off. Seems odd that the blues have suspended him yet Tom James and Sweeney were playing friday despite their antics as highlighted by Zokes.