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As a Scot with the certainty we are getting pumped tomorrow,
Why so pessimistic, Wales have a team with roughly equal amounts of talent misdsng as scotland. Your front row is stronger and could get a real stranglehold on the game.
It’s all very well England moaning about injuries but surely it should be easier to find some depth in England than in Wales , Scotland or Ireland had the same problems. Given the number# of players in England and the cash floating round there should be queues of players all fighting for a position in the team. Jones should be stressing abou5 who to pick because there’s too much choice, not because there’s a few injuries and not enough test quality players who’ve actually played some rugby this season.
@burko73 Thats an age old puzzle never resolved. Its always odd how Englands perceived lack of depth is compared to the AB’s who’s entire populous is about the size of London’s.
Didn't AA say we had a membership pool as big as all the other unions in the top 10 added together?
I have been to NZ, and whilst its population is tiny, everybody lives and breathes rugby.
Re-Duckman Jones is a fud. It does not look good right now. However he did coach us to a world equalling record run of wins, that's not crap.
I got beaten by my own sweepstake.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/nov/02/chris-ashton-replaces-injured-manu-tuilagi-bench-england-south-africa-springboks-rugby-union
Jesus frigging christ
So we only have one fully fit in position full time Centre as well now?
This guarantees Ford/Farrell/Slade later on. Doubt he’ll move Daly from FB, Nowell could slot in at 13 with Gaston on the wing I suppose.
Manu busted again...even funnier after England Rubgy posted a video of Manu training and his light training not to get bike is benching 140 and squatting 170...
Part if the reason that we have no strength in deity is because we carry on with the same players not matter their form and a fear of young up and coming players.
Unbelievable, broken again, and just when he was having a great run of games for Tigers for once. Cheers Eddie. Honestly, how long before players start making a club/ country choice and the longevity of their careers over getting broken when on international duty.
Yep, regardless of game situation, it feels inevitable that Hartley will come off after 50....doubt Te'o will last much longer than that so Ford will come on at 10, Farrell to 12....which will be fun if we're getting stuffed up front.
What Jones achieved when he took over with England could have been done by any half decent coach - taking a bunch of talented players from the biggest player pool in world rugby and, with the benefit of unlimited resources, turning them into a competent international team.
Unfortunately,being an 18hr-a-day obsessive martinet has not promoted long term harmony within the England camp. His erratic and inconsistent selection policies have left most of the players clueless as to where they might stand.
According to the recent biography about him:
"Working as an assistant to Eddie, you were always having to defend your position. You would put everything on the table and have to convince him that you were right. When he put something on the table, you'd have to convince him he was wrong. Trouble was, that never happened."
I think Nowell as a Centre would be a great idea anyway. It might work in our favour.
Namastebuzz, I'm not going to defend him as the 6N was a disaster. The summer was OK in my book. However, that story just reads like a hit piece, and is based on experiences from over 10 years ago. He may well be a **** but I don't think a book written by an Aussie journo who is pissed off that we beat them too often proves anything, its just gossip.
However, that story just reads like a hit piece,
Yeah, you're right. It does.
The thing is - you look at his coaching history and he's often got good results initially but then things tend to fall apart with prolonged exposure to Eddie. Why are England's back room staff leaving en masse? Why did the same happen with Brumbies/Reds/Wallabies etc? Did Gustard really think being Quins head coach was a better bet than going to the RWC with England unless he realised the England camp was a poisonous place to be? Why did Marler quit?
Just coz all that happened 10yrs ago doesn't mean it's not happening again - now.
So are we englisher's resigned to the fact the the RWC will be no better than a semi final place, with Eddie's resignation and much media based outcry to follow?
Or is Eddie just having a really unlucky streak interjected with post Lions fatigue and injury?
Or do we wait until the end of November when we judge the actual outcome of what we think might be a
Boks 5-10pt loss
NZ - an utter thrashing
Japan - win
Aus - a close fought win/loss
On our current trajectory, semi finals at the RWC would be a massive over achievement.
I'd agree with your AI predictions
Why are England’s back room staff leaving en masse? Why did the same happen with Brumbies/Reds/Wallabies etc? Did Gustard really think being Quins head coach was a better bet than going to the RWC with England unless he realised the England camp was a poisonous place to be? Why did Marler quit?
Just coz all that happened 10yrs ago doesn’t mean it’s not happening again – now.
Remember a story back along about a nurse who got done because there seemed to be a correlation between his presence and people dying? Went to prison and then an actual statistician analysed him and lots of other nurses and decided you could come to the same conclusion about any nurse? The bloke was freed.
The point is people leave and you can focus on who leaves and who doesn't but it may or may not mean anything. We do not know the actual turnover rate of coaching staff to compare it against.
And lots of coaches go through purple patches. Maybe they decide it is time to move on whatever.
It doesn't look great, I agree, but there are lots of people with vested interests trying to shoot him down.
I'd give my left nut for Henry, Hansen or even Gatland, but in their absence, what are we going to do?
I’d give my left nut for Henry, Hansen or even Gatland,
****ing hell this place would implode if Gatland became England Coach after the World Cup....please someone think of the Hamsters!!!
Has he had a bad patch like this? I think so. English problem is that we expect to win...
Blade Thompson taken to hospital on first visit to Scotland. Hope he's OK.
Decent game between Ospreys and Glasgow at the moment.
🙂
Not so happy with the result, but a good game.
Stats say Ospreys the better side.
*splutters* 😉
I watched Edinburgh to a surprising victory. Hicky and Mata the standouts. a handy 5 pts
🤣 @Bravissimo!
Working nightshift so missed the game. I read the match report though. How does Nick Grigg at all of 5'9" manage to keep going forward with three players hanging off him? He does it all the time.
I thought Edinburgh made very hard work of beating a shit Scarlets side. The Edinburgh players in general seemed to be twice the size of their opposite numbers and utterly stuffed them in all aspects except try scoring
Eddie quoted this morning " if we lose these 4 I'm out of a job"
I guess he'd be confident of beating Japan, but have the RFU written off the RWC should a bad Autumn occur? If he goes it'd be caretaker coach - Gustard? - pending a year long search for RWC coach to 2022 surely?
I thought Edinburgh made very hard work of beating a shit Scarlets side. The Edinburgh players in general seemed to be twice the size of their opposite numbers and utterly stuffed them in all aspects except try scoring
Hahahahahahahahaha
Thats a cobbled together Edinburgh team missing an entire matchday squad! 10 on international duty and 12 broken. Edinburgh had two academy players making their debut! I thought we would be stuffed.
Unavailable due to international selection: Allan Dell; Stuart McInally; WP Nel; Ben Toolis; Jamie Ritchie; Hamish Watson; Blair Kinghorn; Simon Berghan; Grant Gilchrist; Darcy Graham.
Unavailable due to injury: Cameron Fenton; Fraser McKenzie; Lewis Carmichael; John Barclay; Magnus Bradbury; Senitiki Nayalo; Luke Crosbie; Mungo Mason; Jaco van der Walt; Matt Scott; Mark Bennett; Damien Hoyland
Eddie quoted this morning ” if we lose these 4 I’m out of a job”
I guess he’d be confident of beating Japan, but have the RFU written off the RWC should a bad Autumn occur? If he goes it’d be caretaker coach – Gustard? – pending a year long search for RWC coach to 2022 surely?
I dunno, it is too terrifying to consider. I think we have to stick with him don't we?
What concerns me is that after Lancaster there was supposed to be root and branch reform of how we bring new players along, and now we have this injury issue with so many players out, how come there is not a deeper stock of decent players.
The AB's could lose the whole of their first 15 and still field a superb quality side.
There is another problem in that they are all playing too many games, Wasps have 35 fixtures between August and end of May, for the players that does not include internationals, and cup semis, finals etc. I am sure many players are seeing 25 games a season and at this time of year some players are already on 8 games back to back. I am all for more Rugby so the total no of fixtures is great.
However do you think if we limited no of games per player then squads would expand, and more players would come through? I also think more money needs to come back from the TV etc to schools and smaller clubs to get more people playing.
Thats a cobbled together Edinburgh team missing an entire matchday squad! 10 on international duty and 12 broken.
Same could easily the said of Scarlets.
Evans
Owens
Lee
Wyn Jones
Ball
Shingler
Davies
Another Davies
Patchel
O'Brien
Parkes
Another Davies
Another Evans
1/2p
Of the top of my head missing or injured.
And Blade McThompson got broken after 10mins
My point was more that after 50mins of being completely destroyed in all areas Scarlets had a 2 point lead due to having scored tries with ease on every visit to the 22 they had. Edinburgh coach must have been pulling his hair out 😉
He has none left already!
I suspect some of these Davies you mention are imaginary 😉
Shitting myself about this afternoon now. Our record against Wales is crap and this Scotland team looks short of its usual edge. Back row is going to be an immense battle. time for some of these boys to front up. Looking forward to seeing Darcy Graham on the wing get a debut
He has none left already!
Hence the wink 😉
Shitting myself about this afternoon now.
Its just a friendly kick about! Your front row looks much stronger and our backrow has Lydiate in it who hasnt been any good for years.
Friendly kick about my arse!
2.45 ko...almost missed it!
Wales win the singing, lets leave it there and go for a pint!
May the best team win, good luck everyone.
Bet you Hastings get the hurry up 🙂
No scrums yet 😁
Arse, shouldnt have said that!!
England second best across the park so far. Te'o may as well be sat with me having a pint ffs
Can't believe we're only two points adrift.
Luckily Malcolm Marx's throwing in is keeping us in the game.
How many of Ben Youngs' box kicks have been contestable? Anyone?
This is weird. No attack from England - im hoping this is a cunning plan and we unleash the win in the 2nd half...
...but i dont think so.
Im not sure what to say. We give the ball away an absorb the attack which seems to be the strategy
Odd.
Even if they were contestable, no England shirt has won a highball yet Woeful. At least wuss are ripping tigers a new one!
Agreed Kryton....''odd".....hard to say how we've done really, I genuinely don't think that I've ever seen us have less of the ball than that in a half of rugby! I guess that given we're only 2 down you'd have to say we've defended reasonably well-but it doesn't feel like we defended that we'll!
Curry and Wilson have looked good, Nowell not too bad, Daly has been busy, but a mixed bag. Front row have been easily second best, as have Young's, Farrell, Te'o and Slade.
I've got the Wales Scotland game on in the background, so not really watching, but everytime I look up the world's best forward (Grey) seems to be ruining a Scottish attack!
Apart from being beaten at: the set piece, the gainline, the aerial battle, the kicking game, the penalty count and the possession/territory stats - we're doing ok!
We’re serving up a big steaming turd of a game and now we’re getting broken. Great.
WTF is Jones doing? I’m not sure he even knows let alone the players. The only thing we’re doing more than the Boks is giving away penalties...Itoje has been a dick. Three penalties and a yellow card.
This morning I watched NZ v England in Wellington 2003. I know it was a different era but England were a cohesive unit who would die for their team mates.
Couldn't be a greater contrast to today.
How are england in the lead?
How are england in the lead?
Every time SA get a good attacking position - Marx overthrows the lineout.
The SA tackles are monstrous.
Secomd half has been marginally better than the first. Daly has proved that he’s not an international FB today I think. Guess Brown will be back next week.
Agreed, anyone remember the last time someone threw a pass in a 15 shirt for England? 2011 I'm guessing
I can’t take much more of this!
We’re going to get absolutely smashed next by the All Blacks. Definitely time to hide behind the sofa!
Jesus, not many arms from Farrell there!
World Beaters!
**** me. With the most mediorce 1st half in history weve won.
Yeah, Daly in the Mike Brown school of full backs.
That was just an awesome game to watch regardless of the quality.
That was just an awesome game to watch regardless of the quality
Which game were you watching?
Duckman or TJ want to go back over the debate over who is currently the better 10 Anscombe or Hastings?
Farrell’s tackling is shit and he was lucky with that.
On today's showing anscombe but Hastings is still a callow.youth.
I just don't get the breakdown anymore. Sealing off, bridging and scanty regard for the offside.
On today’s showing anscombe but Hastings is still a <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">callow.youth</span>.
Hastings did well for someone so inexperienced but Anscombe did some very good stuff today.
Farrell’s tackling is shit and he was lucky with that
he was. No different to Cipriani in my book. A different decision and it’s a loss to SA and 4 weeks of Farrell out of the game.
So, analysis. The finishers did well, Nowell and May excellent, Wilson and Kruis up thier game, George very good, Daly indifferent, Te’o may as well not be there, Itoje good but crossing the pen line, Youngs predictable
i think actually England showed there is strength in depth, they can change a game, but it’s all about 1st half defenders 2nd half attack is what I’m seeing.
No different to Cipriani in my book.
Much worse stone cold yellow at best
Just logged back in to read this - predictable.
A depleted England beat a very strong SA, but we should have won it better & NZ will thrash us. You lot are Stephen Jones in disguise.
We needed a win for confidence. Well done Eddie Jones.
Helped a little by the non release of some class SA players.
Farrell and Itoje seem to be bringing England back to the days of bad sportmansport.
Farells fist pump for “getting away with it” was poor form. Better to apologise, then skulk off and find somewhere out of sight for a while. I’ve seen players celebrate less when they’ve scored.
Farrell and Itoje seem to be bringing England back to the days of bad sportmansport.
Itoje wouldnt have got away with his antics in the old days!!
Farrell fistpump was clearly for winning the game, not ‘getting away with it
no contact with head so no way a Cipriani / Whoever for Leicester. Having said that, I assumed a penalty as led with shoulder although there was a bit of belated trying to get an atm to look like it was trying to get round.
anyways, a win is a win, England are poo but we still beat the boks. Wish we did something in the first half and knew how to score a try but it’s nice to think ‘that was shite’ yet still be on the winning side.
Gutted.
Beaten by England, but hey.
Oh, and Farrell is turning into his Dad with ‘tackles’ Like that.. 🙄
Actually, looked at it again, Farrells tackle is fine. It’s aggressive and bloody hard so he / SA player both bounce but it’s not high and the arm does try to get around. That’s going to be replayed as a great tackle for years, and follows a strip in the tackle about 3 mins earlier.
so, given that England are world beaters again I predict 25+ points behind AB’s next weekend!
oh, and what the hell did Teo do all game? I don’t really rate him fully fit and on form but today he really was a waste of a shirt. There must be better 12’s in England!
Actually, looked at it again, Farrells tackle is fine.
Guffaw
What’s wrong with it? Was it too hard?
Just watched the highlights. How did SA lose that. Why did they keep kicking to the corner when the 2 couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo but they just shoved England off the ball in the scrum
To be fair Farrell tried to get his arms around the tackle, once they both got up off the floor.
in other news Scotland beat Wales 14 Gray tackles to 13 despite loosing the stat of 21 points to ten.
... and the arm does try to get around.
There are more than a few one-eyed supporters of various nations on this thread and they're all looking at you right now and going, 'Now that is some professional level self-delusion right there. I'm going to have to up my game.'
Does that mean that we can all go back to enjoying watching no-armed tackles, ruck clear-outs to the head of undefended players and fore-arm smashes from midfield players of indeterminate origin?