[Closed] STW 2014/15 Rugby Thread

jambalaya - Member
@sputnik - those where the days when the ABs where mostly from NZ rather than the Pacific Islands

POSTED 14 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

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Starting to sound like you've been hacked by our usual resident Farage impersonator and his anti AB, bi-annual racism.

For the record, the All Blacks squad had one single "Pacific Islander" (your term) against England, Kaino, and he moved there when he was 4.
The other 22 born and bred in NZ.

What about England?

New Zealand IS a Pacific Island

being pedantic it is at least two Islands 😉

The one point second test loss in the summer concealed the fact that we were totally blown away during a 20 minute purple patch for the ABs and scored two late tries when we were 15pts adrift. We were thrashed in the third test and then, once again, a late score masked the fact that NZ were 10pts better.

This "late score", "miss kicks at goal" "if" talk is all a rubbish. Its who has the most points at 80 minutes that counts.

So England scored late, so what?

Some facts:

In the side that played Wales last weekend, 7 All Blacks had Polynesian names.

Kevin Mealamu – born Tokora, NZ
Charlie Faumina – born South Auckland, NZ
Patrick Tuipolotu – born Auckland, NZ
TJ Perenara – born Porirua, NZ
Jerome Kaino – born American Samoa
Julian Savea – born Wellington, NZ
Charles Piutau – born Auckland, NZ

So mostly Kiwis. One non-kiwi player. Anybody care to put England through the same analysis ?

(although I am not a racist, so if somebody tells me Tuilangi is from Birmingham I will stand corrected)

That 74 team was more like the All Whites .

@kryton 57 yeah I agree the score after 80 minutes is what counts as does Steve Hansen.

The point is that if you're 8 points adrift with a few seconds left you've lost the match.

NZ scored a load of points in the last 15 minutes which won them the game against Wales. England scored a load of late points which did nothing to alter the outcome as the games were already lost.

All do england version:

Mike Brown hatched from the same egg as mr angry mike phillips therefore welsh
Wingers, who cares they are crap and dont get the ball
Baritt South African
Farrel see Mike Brown Welsh
Ford up north, lots of welsh players went north 20 years ago therefore most likely welsh
Care drink problem scrumhalf M Phillips little brother
Morgan played for Llanelli therefore welsh
That Bath lock and the other fella can catch lineouts...not welsh
Wilson looks like a fat adam jones welsh
Gouging kiwi.. some pacific island
Marler thinks he's funny...irish

^brilliant 😆

Anyone else think that flashy may have taken to heart the 'cfh bingo' post? He hasn't posted on this thread since.....if we're going to scare off regular posters can we target a_a and pigface first please? 🙂

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (unattached), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), James King (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

Might just as well get Baldwin to throw straight to Matfield, that way he might miss him every once in a while.

Jarvis and R Jones on the bench is odd, they have spent ages trying to convert Jones to tighthead, hopefully he will go back to being a loosehead for good.

Dan Lydiate still playing for Hensons fav club, wonder where he goes next or what happens if he gets injured.

Well, England as per last week with Farrell benched and 36 at 12.

IMO, this is 36's opportunity otherwise we go with Barrit 12 & Burrell 13 in attack, perhaps switch them in defence. Farrell & Ford to interchange depending on injury, subs and the value of the match I reckon.

Just Hibbard and North you're missing aa?
Saints didn't fancy another fine then?
Saw Lydiate being discussed on the B*** board, along with Duane Vermulen.

Hibbard, James and Hook unavailable, North concussed. Bloody good job Gethin recovered. Not sure what has happened to Tipuric (Edit..Gatlands law again I suppose) I saw that about Lydiate, funny how they didnt think he was good enough! Baldwin is the big worry, his lineouts were rubbish v fiji and NZ. E Phillips is the better player IMO but he's not as big so Gatlands law comes in, always choose the biggest player.

RIP Jack Kyle, the greatest Irish rugby player ever.

I was lucky enough to meet Jack a few times and he was an absolute gentleman. A real loss to the rugby world.

From Ulster rugby:

Jack Kyle, widely considered as one of the greatest players to have ever represented Ulster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions, has died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 88.

He was born in Belfast on 10th January 1926 and was educated at Belfast Royal Academy and studied medicine at Queen’s University.

He played for Queen’s, North and Ulster and made his Ireland debut during the second world war in a friendly against a British Army XV.

He won 46 full caps for Ireland, scoring 24 points including seven tries.

The highlight of his career was winning the triple-crown with Ireland in the 1948 Five Nations Championship.

Following a try against France in 1953, journalist Paul Macweeney, compared him to the Scarlet Pimpernel:

They seek him here, they seek him there

Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.

That paragon of pace and guile,
That demned elusive Jackie Kyle.

He represented the Lions on their tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950. He played in 20 of 29 games including all six tests.

After retiring from club rugby in 1963, Kyle embarked on humanitarian work in Sumatra and Indonesia. Between 1966 and 2000 he worked as a surgeon in Zambia.

He returned to Northern Ireland and settled in Seaford, County Down.

He was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 1999 and in 2002 he was named the greatest ever Irish Rugby player by the IRFU.

Following a try against France in 1953, journalist Paul Macweeney, compared him to the Scarlet Pimpernel:

Did someone mention me?

RIP Jack Kyle, sounds like he was a great player and a great man.

Is anyone really going to try and play Burgess in the scrum? He should make his debut today for Bath

He'll come on at centre tonight apparently. Have there been many successful switches from league to union as a forward? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

Was Gibbsy not a prop?

Burgess warming up on the line... Bath are pretty comfortable, so good time to bring him on... should be interesting!

Not looking so comfortable in the second 20. Care looking good, but the quins back line are butchering chances with "safe" play. The best Quins running has been done by the hooker. It's like watching england.
[i]Very[/i] unconvinced about the claims of eastmond and joseph for england.

He'll come on at centre tonight apparently. Have there been many successful switches from league to union as a forward? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

Brad Thorne has done OK...... However, I agree, far easier to learn a less technical, more running role in either format.

Have there been many successful switches from league to union

Nope. 😀

Watching the Cardiff game at the moment. Am becoming a fan of artificial pitches! Looks good, seems a fair, fast, but secure surface for both teams.

Devoto has dropped 7 pts now. Gav wouldn't have dropped 7 pts 😀

Harlequins pack more hollowed out than blutones picolaxed rectum.

Entertaining to see burgess on the pitch.

Currently enjoying watching bt sport on my chromecast as directed by my phone. Tech seems to be working faultlessly.

Burgess on. looks good so far 🙂

Burgess is playing centre isn't he? Replaced the full back.. definitely not a forward anyway!

Not so far. Ford still thinks he could be!
Quins pack should be ashamed of themselves. Dreadful.

Captain that pitch at Cardiff is good. The new Mill Stad hybrid pitch still looks shit but does seem much better too.

"It's taken me about four or five days to recover from the weekend," the inside centre said of the battering he took in the 34-16 loss in Cardiff.

"It was car-crash stuff on the weekend.

"I take anti-inflammatory medication before most games now just to reduce swelling in knees and ankles and so forth.

"It numbs most things during the game, but when the affect of that wears off.

"Usually the day after a game you feel alright, it's the day after that, Monday or Tuesday, it's pretty horrific!"

Asked whether he worried about his body, the 28-year-old said: "Yes, sometimes, but I have to enjoy the present, that's what it's about, I'll worry about that when my career finishes.

"Certainly for the big games now I load up on a few drugs and that allows me to play on the weekends, so I'm pretty happy with that. Yeah, it's tough but I'll be 100 percent on Saturday."

and he's a Dr too!!

How did Burgess play?

Secret hope that you have Burgess and Tuilaga in the centre with fast wings who can come inside and a fly half who knows how to coordinate this. Could just be the missing link to get England firing for WC15.

Strong pack, solid centres and finesse in the back three - and a kicker. Simple game really!!!

Yep, a doddle. Only we'll have fazlet in the team and nobody outside of him will ever get the ball!

Has anyone read about the homophobic abuse that Nigel Owens received at Twickenham during the Eng v NZ game? I really hope that shit like this isn't migrating from football terraces to rugby. I have to say, the cameras at both Twickenham and Millenium Stadium seem to have picked up on countless people in the crowd screaming abuse a reffing decisionsover the Autumn.....for me the big appeal of rugby, apart from the fact that I love the tactics of the game, is the mutual respect of players and crowd a like. Homophobic abuse, booing kickers etc all needs to naff off imo.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/30254064

Come on Mr Baldwin, aim for Matfield get AWJ

Lacey being a bit rubbish.

Tom, it was disgraceful. Can only hope it's fairly isolated. N Owens gave the after dinner speech at my club dinner a few weeks ago. Funniest evening I've had for years and what an amazing singing voice he has. His stories about Austin Healey were hilarious.

Not one of his tales that night, but I ve heard he once admonished a hooker with the lovely put down : "I'm straighter than that line out". Legend! 😀

England look a different team. Great shot of the Aussie coach losing his rag in the changing room. If England stay awake Aus look like they will fade - must apply pressure now and not leat an easy score in.

Aargh. Like I said...

I hate that. Makes my acl ache just watching. Hope he's ok.

Oof that replay of de Villiers knee makes me squirm. Not surprised he howled like that

Didnt see the replay, had my eyes shut.

End of his career says orthopaedic wife.

The medical term used was he's fu#k3d

Always good to get one over the Aussie. Whoop!

England look a different team.

In what sense exactly?

A pack of forwards who totally dominate and a bunch of backs who couldn't score in a brothel.

True, we kicked and chased better this week but it's not the dawn of a new era.......

Crikey well done Wales. I didn't say that. The backs were far better, based on how Ford was playing but also some much better running than in past games.

Go NH!!

A pack of forwards who totally dominate and a bunch of backs who couldn't score in a brothel.

True, we kicked and chased better this week but it's not the dawn of a new era.......

Indeed, we won because of the failure of the Wallabies forwards, and our usual excellent defence. Our backs didn't get any ball to go forward with.

Splendigedig Bach 😆 nice to beat a SH team.

A pack of forwards who totally dominate and a bunch of backs who couldn't score in a brothel.

Isn't that how England have always won? 😉

 

Best thing about Wales winning is that they didnt play very well at all and were missing a lineout. Warburton was superb again today. Baldwin was out of his depth but you couldnt fault his effort.

A pack of forwards who totally dominate and a bunch of backs who couldn't score in a brothel.

Poor Jean De Villiers. As someone who's dislocated and smashed my right patella twice I know EXACTLY how much it hurt him - believe me, you scream when it happens!

Watching De Villiers leg bend in the wrong direction made my stomach turn over. Healing vibes for the lad.

Wales not subbing at the 60 minute mark shows how much the continuity gets disrupted when wholesale changes are made. Apart from his arrows Baldwin had a good game. Carried well, tackled, and cleared out. Not the Loony Toons Hibbard Show, but then Hibbard couldn't hit a banjo with a barn door a few years back.

Wales carried too close to the ruck at times, allowed the SAs to hang off the side of the ruck instead of committing players. Lambie and La Roux had a nightmare. Those knock ons will haunt him for a while I reckons.

Actually, the back 3 are more than capable of scoring as they have proved quite a few times now. We lack centres, and have done for years now.

Well they are capable of scoring but they're even better at butchering chances - which they've done brilliantly.

True, the centres are a mess. We do have centres but never the right combination. Barritt is rubbish unless you want to play the type of game we played today - in which case he's brilliant.

I'm glad we beat Australia - a team who also lost to Ireland and France - but I never thought I'd be so glum after a victory over a SH side.

They haven't had many chances to butcher.

I thought the ref was poor today. Pen against Biggar early on was very wrong said he was on his knees when he wasnt. Blew up on a lineout wales had won clean ball on in order to tell off a saffa for closing the gap and then ordered the same lineout that wales duly lost! Then the yellow for Hendriks was just plain odd when he had reviewed 2 others very similar. 1 a pen, next a play on and lastly a yellow. WTF was he doing?

Goodness, South Africa had a shocker. Some really smart play, then dropping the ball or kicking it away. Hougaart was dreadful.

Well done England today. If Australia choose to play 8 ball carrying forwards instead of bringing a proper scrum, that's their lookout.

The fact we best Aus, and still have plenty of room for improvement can only be a positive. Ref had a good game too (apart from 2 suspect knock on decisions, one each way).

They haven't had many chances to butcher.

That's true but they've had a lot more chances than they've scored tries. The thing is, a lot of English players make try scoring opportunities seem really difficult by not doing the basics right.

For example, the clip a_a posted where Brown failed to put Strettle in at the corner vs Wales highlights the problem. If that had been Dagg and Savea the try would have been scored and it would never have looked like it wasn't going to be scored.

If you go through England's recent four games you'll see a host of missed chances by the back 3. Yarde/Brown vs Samoa and Brown/May Brown/Watson vs Australia spring to mind but there are plenty more. Brown doesn't have the skill or the hands for this level.

On another note, brilliant bit of skill by Cipriani to win the game for Sale against Newcastle. Makes his non selection ever more frustrating.......

That's true but they've had a lot more chances than they've scored tries.

If that had been Dagg and Savea the try would have been scored

I've just been reading Stephen Jones Times article on the Eng v Aus game. Why do I bother? If England play pretty and lose " It's all about the winning". If we win ugly "England don't have the backs of the Southern Hemisphere"

This time it was " What if Australia had England's pack? We wouldn't have a chance". Well, they don't, and we don't have their backs either. A completely pointless argument.

@wrecker yeah I still think England make things more difficult than they are. I agree Foden should be in - he's always had real ability to score and create scores. Didn't see the Saints game but if Burrell is so good at 12 for them why has he only been tried at 13 for England?

@dantsw13 - I gave up paying attention to Stephen Jones years ago.

I think England will regress to relying on their strengths, which will get them far - but not quite far enough.

I do chuckle at these "can't score tries" comments, had Brown caught that pass we'd have been 14-0 up against NZ early in the first half. England's failings this Autumn haven't been a lack of finishing but some basic game and field position management. Ford had a good enough game, by rights he should be first choice for the 6N now, let's wait and see.

Well done to Wales, got to the finish line.

Yeah but that's the point. He didn't catch the pass. We didn't score the try and we didn't go 14-0 up.

Lack of basic skills under pressure.

Agreed poor game management has been the main problem but we'd be a bit closer if we could take our chances.

if Burrell is so good at 12 for them why has he only been tried at 13 for England?

My view is Ford at 10, Burrell at 12, Tuiglagi/Barrit at 13, job done.

Can't see why Lancaster can't see that. Or maybe he can, the 6N should be played with the final team selection without a doubt.

Pocock's been arrested for protesting against a controversial coal mining project. ARU apparently not impressed, I don't see how you can damage your knee injury recovery by being chained to a fence.

[url= http://www.theguardian.com/sport/feedarticle/11666438 ]link[/url]

@wrecker/@kryton agreed

The daft thing is, we have some really quite good centres!
Burrell and Manu obviously, but Henry Slade has been lighting games up, Eastmond and Joseph are both exciting runners but they keep picking bloody twelve trees or even worse, Farrell!?!?!
Honorable mention goes to Barritt, he was an animal on saturday.
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😆

Still 3 years off @aa

So thats Gussets nh team of the six nations. I take it not france too. Barritt and Roberts in the centres!!! Depressing. Robshaw must have been world class super dooper outstanding to get ahead of Warburton who was wales best player by some distance, he totally outplayed the aus and sa 7's. Mcaw seemed to be playing a very different type of game though so it was hard to compare. I'm not sure I'd swap him for anyone though.

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Not sure Devilliers did much other than get a horrific injury. Would destroy the nh team.

It's not outlandish. I'm no fan of warbuton. He blows hot and cold and is made of chocolate. I'd take robshaw or that scots flanker.

Fair points wrecker but this autumn he was exceptional, really step up in carrying too.
anyway if gussett is a bit daft the torygraph are proper barking, johnny may in a world 15 captained by Robshaw!!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/11264878/Our-World-XV-and-four-Englishmen-make-cut.html?frame=3123549

Fair dues, he was on form. What I saw of the SA game he played no small part in the win.
Jonny may is madness, but robshaw is perfect captain material (I'm not saying he would make the world 15 but not too far off). He's the hardest, most reliable grafter out there.
My confidence in SL is waning. Not because of the results, but because it's obvious to everyone that his selections are plain bloody stupid. If he gives the 10 shirt back to Farrell in the 6N, I might be referring to my Irish side!!!

^Now that really is bloody nuts!!! Not sure I'd have any of Guscotts front row!!! Hartley and Wilson for me, none of the looseheads stood out.

Jonny May in a world xv?!!!!!! **** me!!!

Got it @aa hadn't seen it was Guscotts team. May scored one special try but not a lot else. These things are posted up just for fun. What I do agree with is Robshaw's comment that this should be a cracking 6N.

Ireland strong favourites, with England and France next and Wales not far behind. Having said that I've not looked at who is playing where. Wales england is first up though I think. Lots of maul defence between 6 now ans six nation for wales. Eng and Ireland could maul them off the park.

Ireland strong favourites, with England and France next and Wales not far behind. Having said that I've not looked at who is playing where.

Friday, 6 February – Wales v England 8.05pm

Saturday, 7 February – Italy v Ireland 2.30pm; France v Scotland 5pm

Saturday, 14 February – England v Italy 2.30pm; Ireland v France 5pm

Sunday, 15 February – Scotland v Wales 3pm

Saturday, 28 February – Scotland v Italy 2.30pm, France v Wales 5pm

Sunday, 1 March – Ireland v England 3pm

Saturday, 14 March – Wales v Ireland 2.30pm; England v Scotland 5pm

Sunday, 15 March – Italy v France 3pm

Saturday, 21 March – Italy v Wales 12.30pm; Scotland v Ireland 2.30pm; England v France 5pm

That first game could well decide the outcome of the whole tournament. If either England or Wales can get off to a good start, the momentum will help! France and Ireland open with (what should be) the easier matches, though.

I don't think I agree with any of guscotts choices. Healy instead of kaino? Lawes instead of *insert one of numerous*, he's got a Worcester player in there!
He's completely lost it.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9588423,00.html

Rhys Webb at 9!!!

Talking of shit pundits was it Robinson on the england samoa commentary who had never seen a 15 man lineout before. Wales scored v nz doing it last season its hardly a ground breaking new tic tac.

C'pn, looks good for you boys. England and Ireland at home, just a quick trip to Paris to sort out.

England the opposite - put the choir behind them again and the men in white/purple/red will be quivering wrecks again!