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Sad way for the like of Best to end their international career.
That's the downside of ending your career at the World Cup - chances are your final game will be a loss.
England are going to have to be right at the top of their game to even stand a chance.
For sure but I think its possible.
For sure but I think its possible.
Indeed they have it in them.
A Kiwi friend just messaged me to say he wasn't very happy with the AB's performance!
FFS!
Mind you, that's the attitude that makes them so good.
England will put Kiwi's under pressure, something that Ireland did not manage today. Only then we will see how good they really are are. I quite fancy England to win but ABs will start as favourites.
England are going to have to be right at the top of their game to even stand a chance.
For sure but I think its possible.
Me too, England had more to offer today. They’re not great when things are going against them though - it’s going to be another great game.
However, we’ve got tomorrow to come first. The great thing for me today was watching the games without that awful feeling in my stomach, it’s back again now.
England/AB - too close to call.
England very definitely capable of beating the ABs, but it won’t be easy!
As a neutral watching, that never really looked in doubt for England. They shut down everything Australia tried to do and with a complete absence of a kicking game today just let them self destruct and pile more pressure on themselves. Defense was excellent and they made it look easy in attack, particularly in the first half. Credit where it's due England played well today.
England were very streetwise I thought which was a massive part of getting the win, especially once ahead on the scoreboard. They could afford for the tackler to be (an illegal) nuisance at the breakdown and committed very few other defenders as a result. Aus didn't seem to get an fast ball despite England generally keeping numbers out of the breakdown and if they did get pinged then so be it- it was Aus's game to chase.
Likewise, ever time Aus got in to the English 22 there was always a cynical penalty to kill any momentum dead. If they weren't pinged then they slowed ball down or got off the line (too) fast and if the were pinged then it was always 3 points despite the massive pressure which put Aus behind the curve.
Case in point too, Aus deep in the 22 looking dangerous with a scrum under the posts and half time approaching only for Sinkler to keep dropping, waste time, kill momentum and it all end in a penalty rather than 7 points. Who knew he had a brain cell?!
Itoje was constantly screaming in Genia's ears leaning over the rucks and I'd love to see if the ball actually was out when he turned the tide for England. If the ref doesn't call it then it's legal! Little things like that turned every bit of Aus pressure in to England's favour so they did more right today than just the obvious stuff.
Will the AB's be this confident against England? Probably 😀
And I thought I was hard on the Irish :
It was the stark understanding that, at one more World Cup, Ireland's place in the pecking order is that of serf, bondservant, doormat upon which the All Black aristocrats deposited the grime from their beautifully sashaying boots.
Anybody seen the Guinness advert? 😂
Did the haters forget to mention Farrell’s great kicking from the touch line today?
Did the haters forget to mention Farrell’s great kicking from the touch line today?
He played well. Kicked well.
We looked better with Ford on though.
I’d have to disagree.
I’ve just watched the match again on catchup with the result known, and I’ve seen nothing at all from George Ford yet. Some of Farrell’s passes on the gain line were great - the Sinckler try for example.
I’ve been thinking this for a while, but Billy Vunipola has been very quiet this WC too. Now, I’m sure he’s been marked/double teamed, which leaves gaps elsewhere, but he’s had no real big impact.
Oh, and good to see Sinckler maturing, ignoring attempts to wind him up.
Just watch the Ireland game - Jeez they were poor, but blimey the AB's were good. Its going to be a tough game next week. I'm not sure England can do it, but they need to impose their game on them.
By the same token - and I mean this respectfully to the Irish, I'm not sure the AB;s have faced a team as tough as England will be as yet. I expect the same teams / bench to roll out from Jones TBH.
Agree with comments re Sinckler - they set out to end him up and he held out - good for him.
I’m flying again for the semis next week 😣
I tuned in to R5 over France to catch up on the Ireland score and it was 29-0!! What on earth has happened to them? Had their game plan just been worked out and not evolved?
I’m also flying tomorrow for both games - rooting for Wales though. I imagine if they beat France, most Wales fans will be supporting England next week - nobody wants to play NZ!
I tuned in to R5 over France to catch up on the Ireland score and it was 29-0!! What on earth has happened to them? Had their game plan just been worked out and not evolved?
The dull as **** ireland game plan was irrelevant as NZ started so well and Ireland hardly had the ball in the first 20 mins and were about 20 nil down, they got blown away. The impressive thing was the way the seemingly much smaller all black forwards got over the gainline all the time. Irelan were lucky not to have conceded 50. The scrum and line out all worked and to be fair to them they never gave up but they were in damage limitation mode after 20mins.
I’d have to disagree
Oh forgot to add - we'd certainly have scored 50 if Cipriani had been playing.
😉
The Irish found success with a horribly limited gameplan but once other teams sussed them out they were just left horribly limited.
Despite England's good performance let's not forget the ABs put Australia away 36-0 in their Bledisloe rematch. There were enough chinks in England's defence to give NZ plenty of food for thought.
The ABs forwards will not be as easy to out muscle. They were punishing on the gain line. Retallick's return is timely for them too. Their backs will surely exploit Daly's ineffective defending and Tuilagi's poor reads.
Still, roll on next week.
England no-where near their best today but got job done thanks to more tactically astute field kicking , selecting where & when to play their running game , and not to be underestimated , the sheer power of our front pack. - case in point at around 70th minute , england scrum into rolling maul , we pushed the aussies off the ball like they were schoolkids.
Whoever wins the NZ vs Eng will be odds on to lift the trophy in my op.
Whoever wins the NZ vs Eng will be odds on to lift the trophy in my op
Let's not forget England's propensity to blow big leads and that Wales and SA are still in the other side of the draw.
Agreed.
But of the 4 other remaining teams only Wales are capable of beating Eng or NZ on current forms.
all blacks already beaten S.A.in first round , and Eng would beat them too looking at how they dispatched Aus today.
I imagine if they beat France, most Wales fans will be supporting England next week – nobody wants to play NZ!
There’s a long way to go before we need to worry about that. But, if Wales did beat England in the final we’d forever hear how New Zealand were still the best because Wales had not beaten them.
Justin Marshall’s comments before the game were proven to be correct. He was pretty harsh on Ireland but they were poor today. It’ll be interesting to see how they shake up under Farrell next season.
England have got a bloody mountain to climb next week.
But of the 4 other remaining teams only Wales are capable of beating Eng or NZ on current forms
Hmmmn. SA beat England 2-1 last time they met and have improved since then. They've pushed the ABs close too.
That was a crap Oz side. But for some shocking refereeing, they should have lost to Fiji and gone out in the group stage. Even Wales are beating them.
But for England fans,it's the all blacks that haven't faced a tough match yet...
But for England fans,it’s the all blacks that haven’t faced a tough match yet…
Exactly. They've only played Ireland and South Africa at the WC, plus South Africa, Australia, and Argentina in the Rugby Championship. Talk about underprepared. Lambs to the slaughter.
But of the 4 other remaining teams only Wales are capable of beating Eng or NZ on current forms
Wales havent beaten NZ since 1953 and I doubt we will start now. England and SA have the players if the stars align, Wales dont.
Wales havent beaten NZ since 1953
They did make them try really hard on at least one occasion though, surely that must count for something.
They did make them try really hard on at least one occasion though, surely that must count for something.
1970 something?
J Davies out of the wales team. Shame.
Cheika quits
No Jonathan Davies! My nerves won’t last. We would struggle to beat NZ, but we would have a chance. There’s a lot to happen before that though.
Cheika quits
Wonder if there's any truth to the rumour about Dave Rennie being the target. Wonder what his future employers will make of Glasgow's performances.
I haven't heard much about this week's French revolution. Did the players rise up and overthrow their coaching oppressors in the end?
Well Guirado is back in the starting lineup so you'd have to assume that either the players have won or a truce has been called.
J Davies out of the wales team. Shame
😥😥😥😥
This is going to be a squeaky bum close call super tense swearathon.
Luckily I have to take son to rugby now!!
Ooohhh la la France have turned up!!!
Ooh la la
Oh dear. Come on Wales, could do with sorting those tackles out!
Wales fitness should still win it if they're within 40 at half time...
Let me know when the real game starts.
Presumably not enough force to warrant a red ?
North looks like he should be on the sofa. Most of the backs look knackered. WTF is going on?