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Robshaw crocked as is Underhill and Ben Curry. Should be OK for the next game.
Great to see England attacking.
Excellent start to Solomona's international career 😯
Excellent start to Solomona's international career
Started a while ago...
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I was born in Auckland but growing up with my grandparents, all they talk about is Samoa, and I am playing on behalf of my family representing this country and myself as well.....
It’s always a privilege to play for your country and especially here in front of the whole country, so nothing better than that
Some great kicking from Ford tonight. He's been flakey every time I've seen him this season.
Nightmare few minutes for England. Argentinian backs look very very good and they're happy to attack from anywhere. Pack is starting to blow a bit too.
Solomona having a mare, but as far as I'm concerned he shouldn't be there. Ford seems to have packed his place kit caking boots though. Line out had been very suspect.
#scrumporn
Flashy there are as yet undiscovered tribes in the Peruvian jungle that knew you were going to make that joke 😉
In other news, Tom Curry is my new man crush!
What an incredible game for the neutral, loving the Pumas quick ball.
Well, that's why England want Solomona!!!
[b]WELL PLAYED SAMOA![/b]
🙂
Solomona having a mare,
Yep
but as far as I'm concerned he shouldn't be there
God save the queen!!
Cracking performance by England
He must be proud to be playing for his country, that's all.
Despite not being able to tackle, Solomona saving our bacon? Always rated him 😉
What....a.....game!!!!!
Flashy - get over it. Every team has them.
God save the queen!!
He really shouldn't though given his shady switch to union etc.
Hopefully Solomona will use his appearance fee to buy some boots with proper studs.
Not isually a fan of these "B" team tours but will watch the highlights of that one, sounds like quite a game.
Lions funny old world really. Farrell at 10 and T'eo a potential starter. I guess being politically correct you can say Gatland is his own man
Grand game.
Pisstaking the mercenary turncoat aside, Argentina lost that game by taking the drop goal. Take the scrum from the penalty, while away three or four minutes and then take the penalty try. Win. Otherwise, a very enjoyable game for a neutral! Played well, reffed well, and exciting to the end.
Every team has them.
Really? Every team has someone who is so proud to play for their country, only to decide they change their country for the cash. Every team? I suppose Wales HAD Shane Howarth, who had no place playing in a red shirt, but that was a while ago, thankfully. Still, you say that every team has them.....
Whatever happened to Lesley Vainokolo and Shontayne Hape, by the way?
LOOOOOL.
Argentina lost that game by doing loads of brilliant fancy stuff but not doing the basics well. Their infringement around the BD gave too many pens. Their naivety at the scrum in the first half stuffed them. Too many unforced errors.
Whatever happened to Lesley Vainokolo and Shontayne Hape, by the way?
Fair points, Riki Flutey and a good few others too. Best we don't get into birth places though CFH? 😉
Even with that lot, we were crap then, and wales were pretty good. It's not like that now.
I wasn't born in Wales, but I qualify to play for Wales. That ship may have sailed, mind you! 😀
I wasn't born in Wales, but I qualify to play for Wales.
You and a bloody good few others mate! I would have qualified for England, Ireland, Malta and Germany if I was any good.
I forgot to mention Henry Slade. What a rugby player.
Maybe one day we'll see Ford-Farrell-Slade....
I qualify for England - if I'd been any good - or Scotland - if I'd been rubbish.
What a great win for England mainly 2nd/3rd string against Argentina 1st.
Mike Brown was pish though. He NEVER passes the ball. Does my head in.
So to clarify DanW.....your first pick 10-13 is a number 9?
lolz 😆 Excuse my mis-type as the disbelief of the possibility of Te'o as a Test starter 😆
On the plus side the England game was a good watch
Sorry - I forgot Christiaan Johan Stander is a fine upstanding Munsterman. Scotland never imported any Kiwis & NZ/Aus never steal any Pacific Islanders.
Only English imports are singled out for the STW wrath.
I shan't respond in this matter anymore, because it's urltterly pointless. You qualify, you can play - move on.
Good to see Slade playing well again. The wider channels seem to be suiting him.
CJ Stander never played a full international* for South Africa.
*Code or age group isn't the issue. Martin Johnson played a game for the NZ u20s from memory. The issue is that England keep bringing in code-switching/flag-switching mercenaries.
(And yes, Dan, I know this ruins my chance of an upgrade! 😉 )
NZ/Aus never steal any Pacific Islanders.
They do. And I have voiced my hatred of this many times on here. It's a disgrace.
No it doesn't, but I might nick your cheese & biscuits!!
That's acceptable. Touch my port, however, and we may have an incident.
I'll make sure it's in the chiller!! 😉
England players make more money thats why Solomona, Teo, Hughes and the Welsh Vunipola play for them. At least Moriarty realised before he was totally comsumed by the dark side!
Team: Payne; Nowell, Seymour; Joseph, Henshaw, Biggar; Webb; Marker, Best, Sinckler; Lawes, Henderson; Haskell, Warburton (captain), Stander
Replacements: Owens, McGrath, Cole, Jones, Tipuric, Laidlaw, Farrell, Daly.
Dirt tracker tastic
Mike Brown was pish though. He NEVER passes the ball. Does my head in.
He did actually pass it....once in the first half! I early fell off my chair when he did!
Will Jones look at Watson at 15 soon. Him at 15 with Nowel, May and Solomona as Wings??
Bring back Banahanahanahan I say!!!
I go for Daly over any of the other options.
Oh yeah forgot about him!!!
Damn you Englush and your strength in depth!!
Still we've got calamity cuthbert the ball dropping, tackle missing wonder winger!
Id agree with Wrecker - Watson at 15, Nowell and Daly. With two of Farrell, Teo and JJ in the centres its a pretty tasty set of backs for the RWC with plenty of caps when theyve got there. Something England havent had for a while.
Strong Lions bench for Tuesday!
Looking at the team for tuesday and thinking about the Maori team as the test dress reharsal I reckon current thinking is
Hogg
Watson
Davies
Faz/Teo
Faz/Sexton
North
Murray
Faletau
Warburton/SOB
POM/Warburton
Itoje
Kruis
Cole/Furlong
George
McGrath
I would prefer Joseph at 13 as we will need pace in defence and I wouldnt be suprised to see 1/2p start either as I doubt we are going to run their legs off.
Bring back Banahanahanahan I say!!!
😆 I agree, he was poor for England back in the day but the last few seasons for Bath he's matured into a very good player. Offloading, deft chips/grubbers and finishing well from 13 or wing.
Watson should have been tested at 15 by England well before now and Brown dispensed with long ago. He or Hogg should be in the test side and JJ should be at 13.
We will not beat the ABs without scoring tries.
Watson didnt look like a test 15 the other day. Looked like a good winger covering.
he's matured into a very good player. Offloading, deft chips/grubbers and finishing well from 13 or wing.
Sounds awesome I suggest you drop Joseph and play him at 13!!
Sorry but we need JJ to torment Scotland again!!
That was a high tackle!
Yeah the Banahan v Williams thing was described as:
"A sheep is trying to get through a fence. There's a gate 5 yards to its left but it ignores that and repeatedly bangs its head on the same bit of fence in the belief that it can get through."
But seriously, any Bath fan will tell you he has been consistently very good the past few seasons. Great kick chaser or defending the high ball too - being 6ft 7" is useful if you use it right.
That was a high tackle!
😆
That was a high tackle!
... and the nasty boy dumped him head first in to the turf! Where was the citing commissioner??!! 😆
That was a high tackle!
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Just watched the england argies game - cracking game
If England are playing that style of rugby at the next WC it will be very interesting!!
Just finished second half of England game. Good players coming through.
The games I've seen recently seem to have a lot of players hitting the ruck off their feet. Or the three man flying wedge with the support players swinging round infront of the ball carrier when contact was made. Everyone does it, genge very good at it, but can't see how either is legal.
Nice article on The42. Lest we forget the whole point of rugby.
[url= http://www.the42.ie/letter-from-new-zealand-dunedin-rugby-3439111-Jun2017/ ]Letter From New Zealand[/url]
Hogg out for rest of tour,
Thats shit for him and Lions. I wonder who Gatland can call up who will annoy Mike Brown the most?
Apparently no need to call anyone. Enough players there to cover it.
1/2p is going to be lucky to get through it without an injury. There's going to be big fast chaps chasing him.down.
I wonder who Gatland can call up who will annoy Mike Brown the most?
Opened the thread to make a similar comment!
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Whilst they "can" cover it, surely with 2 games a week it means more work for the rest of the back 3 options - why not call up a spare, even just as midweek bench cover?
Is that Lawes Lions tour over?
The pace seems to be doing the Lions so far. Their breakdown work isn't good enough either.
Exciting game. Highlanders trying to avoid the set piece and keep it moving.
Lawes head knock looked bad - pity because he's been good.
Seymour and Stander playing their way out of test contention. Nowell doing his best to do the same.
Silky line break from Sinckler (spl?)
Biggar setting up the try was delicious.
Tight game!
Shame about Nowell - he finished the AP in such good form.
Not that many are putting their hands up for the test team so far.
Another tense finish....
And not a good one.
Not sure how many of these players will make the test team; they seemed a bit rudderless and like headless chickens. They didn't get to grips with the pace at which the game was being played or impose their own game plan.
Hmmmmmmm.
It's going to be a loooong tour for the dirt trackers.
Only seen the result, was it really close or something other?
Only seen the result, was it really close or something other
It didn't feel all that close really - their backs caused us real issues plus the scrum was munched towards the end of the game.
Haskell and Stander were poor. Warburton was OK at best. Hmmmmmm. JJ had his moments, Nowell was rubbish and will be nowhere near the test team. Payne was a bit suspect at full back.
Just listening to the aftermath - coughed up the ball 22 times. Too many missed tackles.
Stander really disappointing all tour. If Faletau gets injured we need Hughes. Whole back row got owned tonight.
I thought Biggar looked much better today, but Farrell was a step up when he came on - apart from missing another simple kick.
My team so far:
Mako V
George
furlongh
Kruis
Lawes
SOB
Faletau
Tipuric
Murray
Farrell
North
Teo
Joseph
Watson
Williams.
Bench:
Sinkler
McGrath
Owens
Warburton
Itoje
Daley
Webb
Sexton
Any news on Lawes Dan? Hopefully he'll be OK to carry on with the tour.
Pundits have been pretty critical of the players today especially as the pack were not able to bring about the control of Saturday.
Not seen today dan but Cole is in with a shout and I'd have sexton 10 Faz 12. Benching Itoje is a big shout and Gats will pick Warburton at 7 or SOB at 7 not sure who is 6 at moment not SOB. Gats will also pick 1/2p over Liam.
Not seen today dan but Cole is in with a shout
He was on the wrong end of a few decisions today both at scrum time and at the breakdown. Not sure he offers enough else around the park either compared to some of the other chaps.
AA - I agree he will, but I wouldn't!!
MM - they said he wanted to carry on but was taken off for a precaution. Nothing official heard yet.
Good stuff.
I've listened to to it rather than watched it. The commentary mentioned that a stretcher had been called for before he walked off. Hopefully he's not concussed.
Saturday is now a huge game - a marker needs to be put down by the Lions.
Who is the ref for 1st test?
Edit: just found its Jaco Peyper, then Garces, and Poite. Not too bad.
I'm hoping we are holding back our Driving Maul tactics until the tests, because if what we have so far is it, 😯
Lawes was well out of it, I'd be surprised if he features any time soon.
Tough for the midweek players as the Test team is all about the best combinations and they are pretty much the leftovers that don't necessarily gel
Benching Itoje is a big shout and Gats will pick Warburton at 7 or SOB at 7 not sure who is 6 at moment not SOB.
As a wimpy 9 it is hard to judge the piggies but POM has stood out for me. Nothing super flashy but seems to be in great form and make a hell of a difference when he is on the pitch.
Not sure he offers enough else around the park either compared to some of the other chaps.
Fantastic ability to lie on the ball? 🙂
I reckon Sink has to be pushing for a test spot. Don't think I'd select Joseph over Davies. Webb is frustrating me at the moment, he has less howlers than Murray but he threatens a bit more. I wouldn't pick warbs on current form. Think I'd go for Loopy Liam over North too, I've long been a fan and he's not disappointed so far. I'd post a team but the front 5 would all be english and that would go down like a fart in a spacesuit!
Anyone see the England U20s beat SA in the semi-final of the World Championships?
Cracking game. SA totally overpowererd and outplayed England in the second half, turning a 10pt deficit into a 5pt lead only for England to snatch it at the death with Zach Mercer scoring under the posts.
England have done pretty well considering half their likely starting lineup are in Argentina. Interesting discussion with Monye and Flats after the game about Mercer. He's absolutely brilliant when he does something - combining Faletau-esque footwork with SBW-ish offloading ability. But they were condemming his lack of graft the rest of the time. Hence the possible reasons that EJ omitted him from the Argentina tour. Still, he's an interesting prospect.
Wrecker I would pick one irish prop (Furlong) and George/Owens is still 50/50 rest English. Backrow of POM, Faletau and SOB.