And he'll still likely make the lions with gatland picking.
Not sure I agree with the Cips comments. Not international class - but is Ford? Ford has to have a kicker in the team otherwise he's only 50% of a ten. Having said that, England use the FB (Webb?) many years ago as well as whats-his-face.
Cips may be all round more "average" than Farrell in Defense, but kicks better than Ford, is not always as flat as Ford can be, but has more attacking intent as runner. IMO he offers more indecisiveness to the oppo's team. He's more of a "one stop" 10 than Ford or Farrell currently, but fair play Farrell is developing into Gitaeu V2.
It all depends on whether Gats wants to play an all round 10 or place specalist kickers around the park - and with the players mentioned - Farrell, 1/2p at the very least there's plenty of those to go with the Lions.
Hmm, maybe I've talked myself away from Cips, who of course would also need some man-management attention from the coach which may be a distraction they don't want.
Johnathon Webb used to be the goal kicker in his day? As it stands I think Ford has more chance of improving his kicking than Farrell has of improving his 10 play. I do not believe Gatland will play Farrell for his goal kicking in the way England do. Gatland will find another solution.
Farrell vs Giteau is a very lop sided comparison imo
England's full back was the place kicker for many years, Simon Hodgkinson, Dusty Hare, Simon Webb, Alaistair Hignell etc.
aa I assume you are talking about the collision
Yeah, how can that try have stood. Both players were on their arse before the ball landed but in Dudley Phillips world if the player wasnt looking where he was going it doesnt matter if he takes out the full back..dire dire ref the Joke12 has plumbed new depths!!
Phillips is way past his best and even then having a rapid delivery wasnt a strength!! Stringer may be older but his game has been somewhat less attritional!!!
Farrell vs Giteau is a very lop sided comparison imo
It wasn't a comparison - I'm suggesting Jones is aiming to have a Gitaeu -a-like in the centre's and is moulding Farrell to that role. Of course, Daly can provide that more naturally.
Just an aside - anyone notice that Jamie George's stats (scores, carries, tackles) are better than Hartley's despite limited time on the pitch?
Moving on - predictions for England V Aus? I think either could shade this. Aus are improving, England are down some first choice players but still a good team, are playing at home but have a leaky defense. Hughes & Kruis need big games, and I think Englands bench may just have the final word. Farrell needs to make all his kicks and the ref could make the difference. Edge of your seat stuff?
Thats all from me as I avoid any form of social media until I return from seeing Santa with the kids and watch it 2 hours after the fact... 😐
England should mash them.
England Aus could see an upset, Aus will want to show well and have nothing to lose really. They can afford to take a lot of risks, I could see them playing a very open game.
How we are only 3 pts down at HT I'll never know.
The ref being a masdive homer is helping. England drop at least 2 scrums on their own put in which he let go and Vunipola rolling about offside led to the Joseph try.
May really has pace to burn
Aus have been raped by this ref!
Oh and Browns acting better than his rugby by far!!
Comfortable in the end and great character to come back after such a poor start. 13-0 for the year is pretty impressiv
Ford needs to work with JW on his goal kicking, horrible first effort and then dodged another two.
arsebisuits! I checked the TV schedule and it said 6pm.
So Ive been planning around sitting down and watching the match. And now my twitter feed is full of the result as apparently the match was on this afternoon!
f******** TV schedules!
😀
i was imaging you enjoying that AA!!!
😉
Brilliant performance and year
Wakey wakey and .... boom.
Unbeaten all year, stronger offf the bench, 2017 6n champs for sure. 😀
I too thought that we were a bit lucky with the ref, and certainly lucky to be within 3 at half time.
Game was won in the forwards in the second 40 though pure and simple.....can't remember Aus winning many collisions at all in the second half. Bodes well for England....How well is Ben Young's playing currently?!
2017 6n champs for sure
Got ireland away havent you? That will be a massive game.
It is. But we'll have several of the 1/2 team first team players we are missing back, id suspect we'd be the measure of them, although id predict a similar game to todays - ireland up in the first half England to dominate the second.
Hard to pick a poor England performance today. Hartley rhe worst of rhe best?
Indeed it will AA.
Australia came to win today, and started superbly. In some facets, the Aussies are amazing, but allround we have now bettered them 4/4. Not to be sniffed at. Considering 5 of the starters weren't first choice at the start of the campaign, it speaks well for our depth.
What has happened to Wales? Is it just a lack of form to key players at the same time, or is their star on the wane? Weren't they 6N favourites last year, with Eng underdogs in their first match v Scotland? What a difference a year makes.
With Eng & Ire looking very strong, and France starting to play good rugby again, it should be an interesting 6N this year, especially with the spice of a Lions tour up for grabs.
Don't peak to early 😆
What has happened to Wales?
Coach has ****ed off for a year and the team has regressed whilst others have improved.
The best thing about this England squad is they haven't played a complete game yet. At some point they are going to destroy someone. Every game I've seen has left massive areas for improvement, and inexplicable simple errors.
To get through this Autumn series, missing key players, playing a whole game with 14, starting poorly against Aus, yet remaining unbeaten, will be a huge confidence boost. Jones is certainly improving players. Yarde today played the best game I've seen for England. Youngs has come on leaps and bounds since he had his sweeties taken away. Lawes is back to his form of a few years back. The whole team looks really fit.
england were somewhat flattered by the scoreline given that two of their tries were dubious and on another day could have been ruled out.
Still - a win is a win
In other news both Glasgow and Edinburgh lost 🙁
England are probably the favorites for the 6N, but as said above Ireland away with the way they have been playing is going to be a massive game. I just hope its dry and allows for fun rugby (never thought I would say that about england - normally hope for a mudfest)
Will take that win. The first 20 were rubbish; they were out of the blocks so quickly, I started to fear the worst.
The forwards are looking good, even missing Itoje, Brand H and Billy. Lawes had a very good game and stepped up big time. Kreisler was very impressive given how long hechas been away injured. Wood did pretty well. Hughes had a good game but doesn't have the same power as Billy.
Thought the backs were a mixed bag; Brown and Yarde look a bit squiffy. JJ had a great game, T'eo made an impact. Ford needs to work on his goal kicking because it's rubbish. His passing and tactical kicks are good though. Youngs looks a lot fitter and is in cracking form.
Looking forward to the 6N. Ireland will be right up there and play such an accurate game, not conceding too many penalties etc. It's too early for predictions though because there's a lot of rugby to be played so injuries will have their say.
Ford needs to work on his goal kicking and catching because it's rubbish
FIFY
Yarde and Brown were all at see defending out wide.
See how many make the Lions squad that's a true indication of where they are ; Billy V, Mako,Maro,Hartley,Brown,JJ,Farrell -anyone else ? Haskell basically begged Gatland for a spot live on tele but he's not even the best flanker at Wasps.....
Youngs will definitely be going on the Lions tour if he keeps up this form. Ditto Lawes. Agree a_a that Yarde and Brown looked pretty ropey in defence....I must say that I'm really starting to warm to Jonny May, he's in great form and looks so much more solid defensively than anyone else in the backline.
Can't believe that the Saints management team are saying that North wasn't knocked out. He looked out of it after landing. It feels like he was kept on the pitch because they hoped he could win them the match. Their interests and not his now they're so desperate to win.
Video
https://mobile.twitter.com/DavejMurph/status/805129685558587392
Looks awful. George claims he lay still as worried about his neck.
Why did North leap so high with the ball? I'll probably get flamed here, but I think he was buying a penalty for being tackled in the air, or at the very least stopping the defender tackling him.
Removing dangerous tackles is a noble aim, but the defender (Williams?) suddenly found his target 3 feet in the air at the last minute.
Why did North leap so high with the ball?
Er he didnt leap with the ball he jumped to catch it so he could like you know play rugby!
Looked to me suspiciously like North was lying still because he was knocked out. Reminds me of the article that Topsy Ojo wrote upon retirement.
Looks knocked out to me.
Not sure what the defender could have done, North has jumped up but mostly laterally (ie along) with his knees up to protect himself (act offensively ?). If the defender had stood still with his arms behind his back North would have hit him whilst still in the air. Probably kneed him in the head.
A dangerous situation but one which North is 40% (?) responsible for
The indent in the turf shows that was a big impact with the ground, he must have been knocked out, he went limp as he landed.
A dangerous situation but one which North is 40% (?) responsible for
Which is why he got yellow carded....oh hang on you're talking shit again
A dangerous situation but one which North is 40% (?) responsible for
Eh? How did you figure that one out? Ah, yes: Victim blaming. Therefore, I assume you think players who have been spear-tackled are also partially to blame? How dare they be on a field of rugby and try and play rugby. They deserve everything they get. B******s
If the defender had stood still the outcome would have been much the same. We where all taught to jump to catch the ball and to bring your knees up to "protect" yourself / knee the other guy in the head / intimidate him. I played on the wing.
A spear tackle is where you are picked up and driven into the ground. Completely different @mikey
EDIT: Given the history it looks, sadly, very much like North has a problem. I didn't see how long he was down for but he should have some proper scans done.
We where all taught to jump to catch the ball and to bring your knees up to "protect" yourself / knee the other guy in the head / intimidate him. I played on the wing.
And I am sure you were better trained and more skillfull than George North. How old were you when you made your international debut younger than 18 I expect and I expect you scored a hatrick rathercthan just two! Did you score on your Lions test debut too?
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Reminds me of Sexton trying to yank Barretts head off. TMO spends so long trying to look for a grounding that they miss the fact its a clear pen try and maybe a yellow!
North was out cold. Irresponsible to put him back on the pitch.
North was out cold. Irresponsible to put him back on the pitch.
Are we suggesting that the Dr who assesed him was lying? He says he was worried about his neck so lay still, Dr assessed him and said he was ok..I dont know but what I do know is that they would know more than I did.
So you DONT think he was unconscious?
