autumn international rugby

Had SA on the rack and then let them off

I dunno, fair play to SA that was some brilliant defending. I think that was what won the match for them. Lots of times Wales threw the kitchen sink at them pretty flippin well and it held solid.

As a Welsh fan I’m disappointed not to have won when we could (or should) have but I’m still pretty chuffed with the performance, and that they gave us such an exciting game. They looked like they really knew what they were doing for a change. Win or lose, quality rugby is what we all want to see up here, instead of the shambles of recent 6Ns.

Disappointed with Wales. Had SA on the rack and then let them off.

Too many stupid decisions and mainly from Shanklin. Wales could have scored on a few occasions in the last quarter but each time he took the wrong decision.

I wonder whether he was concussed? The collison he took was big enough to open up a large gash immediately – it can’t have done much for his marbles..

Jonathan Davies on Scrum V actually criticised a referee, Steve Walsh! Two SA tries coming from very poor decisions by the ref. 🙄

And speaking of refs, England need to keep that same ref for every game – he was letting them do things at the breakdown that haven’t been allowed since 1992.

Australia weren’t in the game because the ref basically ignored the new law interpretations and allowed England to endlessly hang on to the ball at every tackle or pile onto the Oz side and kill/steal the ball, as they did with the Ashton try. Slow ball, illegally killed, but the ref allowed it so fair play to the English, they used it. Would they have won that game with a different ref, I wonder? (Not that it matters – they WON and with some style..)

Scotland were disgraceful, but I’m a little worried that the same will happen to Wales. Unless I’ve missed something recently, Scotland aren’t known for their flaky defence?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9190833.stm

Scotland were disgraceful, but I’m a little worried that the same will happen to Wales. Unless I’ve missed something recently, Scotland aren’t known for their flaky defence?

I think two things happened. NZ just clicked and were unstoppable and Scotland lost their shape and organisation in defence. The first meant a beating and I think NZ would have pasted anyone the way they played that day and the second meant it was an utter pasting.

Lack of captaincy from Scotland

I beg to differ TJ from my watching Scotland lost because they lost the collisions from 1-15 and from the start and were bullied at the breakdown. Says a lot that the only player who seemed to be competing physically was that big 12 who in most other respects is uselss. Doubt the same will happen to wales they stood up to SA well and Asutralia in that repect. Thats not to say wales wont get marmalised in other area’s and loose by just as much. Without Shane they lack a bit of flair going forward too.

AA – Scotland actually took a fair few turnovers off NZ. ( infact 9) You are right that scotland did not do well at the breakdown either but the loss of defensive shape was a core reason IMO

One interesting stat is Scotland made 21 offloads from the tackle but no linebreaks. NZ made 7 breaks and scored 7 tries. NOrmally you would expect cover tackling to stop some of them

http://www.espnscrum.com/new-zealand-tour-2010/rugby/match/113591.html

Were the whole team on the sauce then? Both players were on the field in the (very close) match against Wales……

could explain the second half performance!!! 😉

welsh team to play Fiji
Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); George North (Scarlets), James Hook, Andrew Bishop (both Ospreys), Aled Brew (Dragons); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Richie Rees (Blues); Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Ian Gough (all Ospreys), Deiniol Jones (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys – capt), Dan Lydiate (Dragons)/Martyn Williams (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys).
Replacements Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), John Yapp, Bradley Davies (both Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues).

England team to play Samoa

England: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton (both Northampton), Matt Banahan, Shontayne Hape (both Bath), Mark Cueto (Sale); Toby Flood, Ben Youngs (both Leicester); Andrew Sheridan (Sale), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), David Wilson (Bath), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Tom Palmer, James Haskell (both Stade Francais), Hendre Fourie (Leeds), Nick Easter (Harlequins – capt).

Replacements: Steve Thompson (Leeds), Dan Cole (Leicester), Dave Attwood (Gloucester), Tom Croft (Leicester), Danny Care (Harlequins), Charlie Hodgson (Sale), Delon Armitage (London Irish).

Plenty enough SH poaches in the England team and if Banahan is the answer at 13 then the question is wrong

Anyone want to rip the Wales games to a video file of some kind and make it available to me? I’ll be in the USA for the Fiji match and the NZ one.

We’re going to get so battered on Saturday 🙁

molgrips, I would have no idea how to do that sorry, check myp2p for links to the game.

Anyone want to rip the Wales games to a video file of some kind and make it available to me? I’ll be in the USA for the Fiji match and the NZ one.

Yeah you could watch on:

everythingontv

atdhe.net

Fromsport.com[/url]

Unless it’s in the middle of the night?

Guess I could record it on my Topfield box but not too au fait with uploading it?

Here we go!

Takeaway curry, a few beers and the rugby. Combine that with a day on which I received some astoundingly good news and I think I may get verrr, verrr, verr drunk watching the rugby tonight!

😉

Fiji are playing sevens! Ace!

Wales are a bit in the poo at this minute. Even I hope they get it together, as even Guscott want them to buck up..

Combine that with a day on which I received some astoundingly good news

LORD Flashheart ? 😯

😆

😆 @ allthepies!

Adam Jones – Legend.

C’mon Fiji!!!!! 😆

draw!!!!!!!!!
Fiji deserved a win, with more discipline they would have sunk wales.

Well played Wales. Rescued a draw from that one. 😆

What a pile of faeces from the Welsh.

Saffers(oops) NZ will be laughing their socks off. 😳

This weekend has got off to a cracking start! 😆

DD too funny..

Superb from Fiji. They played their rugby and deserved that draw!

I’m off to the Cabbage Patch tomorrow on a corporate junket. Does anyone know any Samoan? 😉

toys19, I can’t risk a gloat. We’re going to get mullered tomorrow in Dublin. It’ll cap off what’s been a fantastic week for Ireland 🙄

In fairness flishflash, you fit right in Twickers. I bet you even boo the opposition kicker. 🙂

Never, Darcy, never. Boos have no place in rugby, even at the Cabbage Patch.

what shite, the team appeared to be a mix of established players who didnt want to get injured and the rest were numpties!!

anagallis_arvensis – Member

what shite, the team appeared to be a mix of established players who didnt want to get injured and the rest were numpties!!

Excuses excuses, you have to take the loss like a man. I ought to know England normally lose..

DD don’t be so negative, Ireland lookign good at the mo.

A corporate do at the Cabbage Patch?… Awesome 😐

Has Wales’ attack coach been sacked yet, because (if they have one) he’s rubbish!

I’ve seen pub teams with more idea about going forward.

Well played Fiji, they knew what game to play!

Not sure how you think thats an excuse toys?

IdleJohn, I think in order to attack you need first a forawrd platform which wales didnt have for a number of reasons:
1. No ball carriers getting over the gainline John Thomas is beyond shite at 8 and offers nothing and Ryan Jones hasnt carried well for wales for sometime now. Both second rows offered nothing and neither did the hooker.
2. Lineout was shite, the only ball wales could win were ones dollied up to the front which whilst safe others nothing in attack. Quick ball off the top to the middle or back is needed to launch attacks, with that tit Bennett throwing in nothing ever goes to plan.
3. And this should maybe be number 1, welsh players were blown away at the breakdown, they werent against Aus or SA so I can only assume it was a combination of lack of interest and some shite back up players.

That said wales attacking plans are move sideways to one side of the pitch then attack the open side by chucking it to shane in the middle and see if he can find a mismatch and make a break, without Shane this plan is going struggle.

3. And this should maybe be number 1, welsh players were blown away at the breakdown, they werent against Aus or SA so I can only assume it was a combination of lack of interest and some shite back up players.

Wales starting pack last night…

James – 15 caps
Bennet – 36 caps
Jones – 66 caps
Gough – 63 caps
Jones – 12 caps
Jones – 44 caps
Lydiate – 1st cap?
Thomas – 60 caps

Then you bring on shanklin, jonesx2, phillips with 30 minutes to go. These guys should have had solid instructions from the bench and executed them, this didn’t happen.

I don’t profess to know an awful lot about welsh rugby but to me the list above does not seem to be a pack made up of back up players. If anything Lydiate was the only true back up player in the side and he was very good from what I saw of the match. I also refuse to believe that any rugby player would have a lack of interest for an international match.

As some have said the lack of ideas in attack and a poor platform from set piece were the main reasons for the defeat as well as a lot of guts and hard rugby from the Fijians.

to me the list above does not seem to be a pack made up of back up players
James – 15 caps
Bennet – 36 caps
Jones – 66 caps
Gough – 63 caps
Jones – 12 caps
Jones – 44 caps
Lydiate – 1st cap?
Thomas – 60 caps

of those only Adam Jones is a first choice player for wales and maybe Ryan Jones although that was only he second start of the season. james is second choice loosehead, Bennett second choice hooker, both second rows are second choice or lower given that Thomas was picked at lock ahead of both last season but was filling in at 8. They should have done better true but you cannot make a case for them being first choices. Lydiate is about 2nd choice 6 and was playing 7 to rest Martyn Willimas and because Warbaton is injured.

of the subs Shanklin is now way down the list of centre’s Roberts and J Davis are ahead of him. Shanklin is not even a regular starter for Cardiff.

Dont mind people saying they played clueless shit rugby, but you can at least try to base your commnets on facts not what is your opinion.

IdleJohn, I think in order to attack you need first a forawrd platform which wales didnt have for a number of reasons:

‘Attack coaching’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘backs coaching’.

But whatever, Biggar looked poor partly because of the platform but partly because he had nobody going forward to move the ball to. As you say, the backs just moved laterally which is shameful at this level.

And anybody using the excuse of first/second team players is deluded. The whole Welsh team was experienced enough and fit enough to take Fiji apart, but they obviously had their minds on other games.

Quick ball off the top to the middle or back is needed to launch attacks, with that **** Bennett throwing in nothing ever goes to plan.

Bennett had a terrible game, much worse than normal. Was it all his fault that the lineout wasn’t functioning? He should have been subbed early on though.

If a team must use front ball at the l/o, why not recycle it until a proper attacking platform is achieved rather than aimlessly kicking the ball away to some great counter-attackers?

much worse than normal.

that is normal for him and why the ospreys pick hibbard ahead of him

Fair enough but there was still enough talent there to beat a side of Fiji’s calibre at home…

clearly there wasnt 😥