Mallet I could take or leave but if he’d come with Smith I’d have taken him. Smith could probably have taught some of the England backs to play rugby properly.

Things like straightening, drawing a man and giving a pass for example.

Completely agree. When you break down the England bench in particular it is a case of pre-planned 50 minute impact subs vs injury cover. The one positive for England is that these subs seem to be making a difference and not disturbing the team overall as much as they did a short while ago. One could argue that they should be able to have their best players last 80 minutes but on the other hand it works and they don’t seem to be picking up injuries.

Got to agree with Duckman (edit and Tinybits) on this. In the current squad who are the players who’ll march up the middle of any team and defend to such a level they could *hypothetically* stop a team like NZ in full flow?

The forwards playing as they did against Fiji wasn’t a tactic- if it was it was a stupid one and England were lucky to get away with it!

Genuine questions, who are the enforcers in defense and who are the muscular guaranteed gain line breakers in a tight attack for England taking current individuals’ form in to account?

From an Aus perspective this must make the fans very excited 😀 I do love watching Giteau at 12 so long as it isn’t against Wales

You’re not the first person to fluff that line…

Watched bits of it back over the weekend too. All SA did was underestimate Japan wildly but once they found themselves in a dogfight, they didn’t adapt. And it was to Japan’s credit that SA didn’t have an answer. It’s blown the group wide open now. Not sure how confident the Scots will be for the game at Kingsholm but I wish I had a ticket for it. It’ll be a cracking game.

Anyone notice how quickly the ball came out the back of the Japan scrums? 😀 Fair dues, they accepted they were probably going to be pushed back so went for getting it out quickly.

Tactically a mess – thought they could win the physical battle, so didn’t take points when they should have. All they had to offer on attack were tired old carthorses trying to bash up the middle of the field, constant handling errors and problems at the breakdown. Then on defence were getting turned inside out. Complacence and arrogance are the words that spring to mind, and they rightfully got beaten by a side that came to win.

Japan played out their skins, they had a game plan, and they hammered it out for the full 90 minutes.

Felt like 90. Felt like 190.

This – in spades!

Why is it that all teams seem to now think that they have to win a penalty at each scrum, rather then just re start, tie in the fatties and get the damn ball out. If England is having trouble at scrum time, hook the damn ball (don’t try to push over it Tom Youngs) and get it out. Ball back in play, no disadvantage. Simples.

I almost hope England get a good kicking in the next 2 games so we don’t have to go through another 4 years of Lancaster dross.

Indeed. Although in the (highly) unlikely event of us winning – all will be forgotten. 😉

So, after the opening round, who is actually looking good??? Apart from Japan.

Earls clearly enjoyed the welcome for the team in Burton on Trent, bloody Munster folk, no manners. 😀

I saw that along with the BBC website saying:

Brad Barritt seems impervious to being dropped despite being totally s**t. First, being injured a lot somehow preserved his “certain starter” status and now being completely crap at 12 somehow elevates him to getting moved across to 13.

Can anyone, with a straight face, explain to me why Barritt should have ever played for England in the first place?

PS no uses of the following phrases are allowed: “When we beat the All Blacks”, “Defensive Centre” and “he looked good alongside Manu Tuilagi”.

😀

Sonny Bill Williams

If Joseph is out, I think we may see the Burgess/Slade partnership rekindled.

I fully agree, shit would be offended to be compared to him.

He’s South African and they know how to win stuff? Oh wait 😀

He played under Farrell at Saracens with Jr? case of coaches picking who they know?

He looked good alongside Manu Tuilagi? Oh damn it! 😆

The thought of Slade (or even Cipriani!) in the centres is worrying for Wales as they are capable of making and exploiting a gap against Gatlandball pretty well. Burgess is right on for Wales normal pattern of play. Farrell must be England’s wort option. If Ford wanted to play some rugby then Farell would end up stopping things dead for England one man along the line instead of at 10 like he has been doing for a while now.

POSTED 42 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
I agree,somebody is getting dogs abuse on Sat,because it didn’t matter to me who wins…As long as we beat Japan.

One bad game doesn’t make a player shit. He’s had plenty more good games. I’d sooner have burrell in the squad, but I’d choose Barritt over KE and SB. He’s a better rugby player.

So the plan is to try and play like a traditional England side by the sound of those changes? Pressure on the pack to perform and I don’t doubt thy will

From the Welsh side, injuries to 15’s and in the centres and still no sign of Hook 😉

I think Farrell has looked pretty good the last 2 times I’ve seen him. I’d still rather have Slade at 13 than Barrett