STW 2014/15 Rugby Thread

Wood has been excellent in my opinion. I can remember one penalty that he gave away against the AB’s that was vaguely kickable….you’ve got to be on the edge of the law to beat them though. Robshaw has given away a couple of gifts in front of the posts!

Quade Cooper when on form is bloody brilliant….he seems like a complete bell end mind.

but the only other option is Ford and he aint proven

This I agree with which is why he should have been getting as much game time as possible. I am starting to believe in the conspiracy theory which says if we don’t pick Ford now we cannot pick him for the RWC and that suits us (England mgmt).

Quade Cooper when on form is bloody brilliant….he seems like a complete bell end mind.

which is why he was joined in midfield by Henson for my world 15

Ok so Lancaster’s a bit braver than we thought, still not ideal…

15. Mike Brown
14. Anthony Watson
13. Brad Barritt
12. Owen Farrell
11. Jonny May
10. George Ford
9. Ben Youngs

1. Joe Marler
2. Rob Webber
3. David Wilson
4. Dave Attwood
5. Courtney Lawes
6. James Haskell
7. Chris Robshaw
8. Ben Morgan

Hopefully Ford will play there against Australia too

Owen Farrel at 12 seems like a daft move to me. Like Wilkinson at 12 for the Lions. Cant see you becoming a top team with him at 12. Eastmond has shown some nice touches and seems to have been dropped again. Barritt at 12 or Burrel would be better surely?

@aa I don’t think the management have the courage to drop him completely. He’ll do his defensive work and he’ll shovel the ball on (like his Dad did). Corect we will not be a top team if Farrell is at 12 or indeed at 10. Fly halfs playing at centre can work look at Giteau at Toulon but Farrell is no Giteau.

Farrell is a 12. That’s where he plays for sarries (and they seem to do ok). He has all the tools for the job and even at his worst he’s miles better than twelvetrees. Burrell released so prob not fit enough.
It’s only his dad who seems to think he’s a 10.
Youngs is the weak link in that team.

@wrecker – really he is a 12 ? I’ve only ever seen him play for Sarries at 10, admittedly that’s only 2 games (HC 2013 semi and 2014 final) and Sir Johnny humiliated him both times.

@aa new Guiness ad you’d love, its all about JW. Welsh one with Shane Williams.

Sarries list him as a FH, but he’s played 12 more than 10 I think. Hodgson gets the 10 shirt when fit most of the time. The RFU list him as FH/centre. He played his age group rugby at centre (with ford at 10).
His skills, his style marks him out as a good centre or an average FH to me.

Remains to be seen but he lacks gas or hands or vision or bulk to be an international 10 imo.
Some one needs to make the first one that says thanks Gav at the end!!!
Shane one made me cry!

SA try by Hoogard best for me. The Roberts one was good but against 14 men. No idea how the May one got in. If you want a fast do key scoring a try the Cuthbert one v SA was better.

Remains to be seen but he lacks gas or hands or vision or bulk to be an international 10 imo.

I agree and I also think he’s a “coached” 10, too mechanical. It all looks a bit forced. No reason whatsoever that he can’t become a world class 12, and his goal kicking would be welcome (esp if Ford is at 10)

What we need is a world based season with time for domestic competitions and time for international competitions and have them separated in the way they do in NZ and SA etc.

Completely agree with this too. It will make the relationship between union and club less fractious.
As an individual try, the May one was the best of the lot!

As an individual try the ladies one was better 😉

Actually I take that back, you are correct. She can bloody run can’t she?

New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Charles Piutau, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Liam Messam, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Colin Slade, 23 Ryan Crotty

Looks shit, Wales by 15.

Ha ha!

Wales might catch the ABs on a bad day but, then again, they haven’t really hit top form yet on this tour so they might do on Saturday.

On a different note, having spent the last 2 weeks slagging off SL and asking why OF hasn’t been dropped, The Telegraph suddenly publishes one article on how it’s all the players fault and another on how it’s a slur to suggest any nepotism is involved.

Unbelievable.

The Telegraph suddenly publishes one article on how it’s all the players fault and another on how it’s a slur to suggest any nepotism is involved.

I saw that.

Unbelievable.

My thoughts exactly. They should just employ Brian Moore full time and sack the rest of their rugby “journalists”.

That’s becuase of the SL interview yesterday afternoon where he strongly voiced the same re nepotism.

I can’t see it being the players fault if the management pick the wrong team. Even yesterday he’s talking about starting Morgan over Vunipola becuase he’s more on form, which begs the question of fielding Farrell even more. IMO, they need a consistent backup 10 PdQ and if Ford is to be that man they also need a consistent place kicker at 15 or in the centres. Do we know anyone? Goode is second fiddle to Brown and is the obvious step up there, but you can see why Lancaster would put Farrell in the centres on that basis. Who knows, maybe without worrying about tactical kicking he’ll have a better game on Saturday. Or maybe not with a huge Samoan running at him all afternoon. Should have fielded Burrel and Barrit and have a run at the IMO. The back line is defensive at best, and not in a strong way.

Anyone hear Matt Dawson on 5 Live talking about rugby initiation on tour with the Ba Ba’s last night. He went up in my estimation a bit after that, he was starting form zero so still isn’t riding high 😆

I dont get why retired greats sing the praise of Farrell, I havent seen him do anything that raises him above a good club player. His petulance is the most eye cathching part of his game 😉

@aa agreed on the best try, was against the ABs too. May’s try was a great finish but shocking defending from the ABs who where clearly asleep (they can be forgiven for assuming May was not going o run towards the try line, we weren’t expecting it either)

Looking forward to ABs/Wales, if the Welsh get their heads right they can win that game.

Looking forward to ABs/Wales, if the Welsh get their heads right they can win that game.

Yeah right!!
If Wales ever beat NZ in my lifetime I will be happy

@aa not sure you’ll get a better chance, they weren’t that good against England (just too good for us).

Australia team to face Ireland:
Israel Folau; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani1, Matt Toomua11, Henry Speight; Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps; James Slipper, Saia Fainga’a, Sekope Kepu; Sam Carter, Rob Simmons; Luke Jones, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman.

Replacements (three to be omitted):
James Hanson, Tetera Faulkner, Benn Robinson, Ben Alexander, James Horwill, Will Skelton, Jake Schatz, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Rob Horne, Kurtley Beale.

Cooper being kept for the weaker England team 😉

Looks a good side with some big , fast backs. Can understand the debate over Cooper, but seems mad that Genia isn’t starting anymore. Phipps must be some player?
Last year’s was very one-sided, worst Ireland performance under Schmidt IMO, so should be a good test of progress. Big test for whoever plays 7.

Ireland team:

Ireland: R Kearney; T Bowe, R Henshaw, G D’Arcy, S Zebo, J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best, M Ross, D Toner, P O’Connell (capt); P O’Mahony, R Ruddock, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, D Kilcoyne, R Ah You, D Foley, T O’Donnell, E Reddan, I Madigan, F Jones.

No real surprises but I agree Ruddock will have his work cut out with Hooper, I would expect O’donnell to see a lot of game time.

Just read the Austin Healey telegraph piece slating Lancaster for selecting a playmaking flyhalf and not giving him a singe back who will actually take the ball flat. Opinion seems to be he’s doomed to fail, and next week will see Farrell back in the 10 spot.
Couldn’t agree more.

Wonder if we will ever see Pocock back in a Wallabies strip,how similar Hooper is just reminds me of how much of a genius Pocock was.

I fear we’ll never see Pocock again. Didn’t he rupture his damaged knee ligament in his first game back? Damn shame.

Not often I agree with Austin Healey but I do this time. What’s Ford gonna do when he makes a break? If only there was an in-form centre pairing available who are familiar with his game…..

Yup did his ACL first game back,the Ford dilemma makes me all misty eyed for the days when stand-offs were rugby players rather than number crunchers. If England were after a 10 to get back moving then there would be no contest.

If only there was an in-form centre pairing available who are familiar with his game…..

…who wouldn’t get smushed by the large samoans…….

Rhys O’Ruddock at 7 is and odd pick. Good 6 but might struggle at 7 if Aus go wide a lot.

Mcaw’s 100 test as captain this weekend. His first was our chance, ruined by a stadium clock mix up.

A quick question,
I’m off to Twickenham on Saturday for the match. I have been informed that getting a drink at the stadium is bloomin expensive.. T’s and c’s state no alcohol, can you get away with a hip flask or are they a bit hot on that sort of thing?

Many thanks

Things have changed from the days I walked through the gates with a 24 slab of beer 😆

Never been to Twickenham for an international but for prem finals etc you’d have easily got away with hip flask.

Will today be the day I remember for the rest of my life??

Scotland with the dangerous tackling v tonga!!! How times have changed.

Can we get rid of the marketing muppets who are spoiling rugby. The SRU are the worst culprits but by no means the only ones. Stupid piped music is so unnecessary as is the silly countdown and “C’mon sweaties!”….

This and Andy Nicoll, time for Italy SA instead?

Glad I’m watching this if only to remind myself what a penis andy nicol is.