STW 2014/15 Rugby Thread

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.

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.
Youngs was crap. Farrell put Beale in his pocket as soon as he came on. Barritt was a beast. Ford was good. Twelvetrees, once again failed to convince. I have a feeling that may be his last chance.

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.

Don’t they all? For all of Adam Ashley Coopers excellent play, he didn’t get on the board did he? Folau hasn’t had many tries and neither has North.

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

Can’t disagree there, but I reckon Foden would have put him in. Brown is Ok if he can do it all himself.
Did you see the Saints/LW game? Again, frustrating seeing what Burrell can do and what England needed. People wrongly categorise him as a bosher, he’s far better than that.

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?

thats a damn good question. They seem to think that they need a “playmaker” at 12 to make up for OF’s shortcomings, so they selected 12trees. The man who is possibly the worst decision maker we have!

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.

link

@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.

😆

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.

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!