[Closed] Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

Croft at 7?

North isn't playing well imo - looking for contact instead of space.

And I'd be tempted to play Euan Murray. Should have been MOM for Scotland on Saturday.

I was really struggling at Loose head tbh! I'm hoping that Lydiate can be mended, although hasn't he broken a leg? I was also pretty stuck at No.8.....what has happened to them all? Perhaps Mongo will get the call 🙂 Sexton is the standout 10 for me, although I'm a big Flood fan.

Croft is broken and would be utterly destroyed by that aussie 7 from saturday much less Pocock.

North isn't playing well imo - looking for contact instead of space.

They only seem to use him to run inside lines into traffic.
IMO, it's the players around him and the gameplan that's the problem. Even when he's in space, they can't seem to spot the pass to him. there was a classic example in the Samoa game where 1/2p had North outside him and just needed to draw a player and make a simple pass but kicked long to chase instead. Actually, can't understand this love for 1/2p with him in every team. He does some deffensive bits of the FB's job almost adequately, but offers no creativity in attack with running lines and misses overlap passes like a prop.
Wales would be better off with Lee Byrne at the mo to create a bit of space to use their big runners. then you'd see North shining again.

Ioum, i agree but i picked 1/2p on the basis that he's better than Zebo Hogg and Goode. Foden would be my fav but I presume he's broken too. Hook might be an option for wales trying to do want Barnes does for Aus and be a second distributer out wide. That would require some sort of an attacking plan beyond giving it to North and Roberts and hope they run over someone. Makes a change from chuck it Shane and hope I suppose.

Can't see Healey. Kelly Brown meh can't see him either.

I'd like to see BOD go, but I've a sneaky feeling that he won't be going 🙁

That would require some sort of an attacking plan beyond giving it to North and Roberts and hope they run over someone.

If there was ever a team not to try that against, it's Samoa. You just don't run through Samoans. I heard one of them missed a tackle once, but don't really believe it.
Actually think Wales will be better suited against the Ozzies, and'll win that one. I'd like to see Hook given another chance too, he tries to play. But I think a lot of the probs are stemming from Priestland's form. They need someone to make some passes and he's not either. Roberts, North, Cuthbert, and JDavies are all great runners, but with them in the side, the other positions need to supply some variety. Even Phillips is a little bit samey (as far as scrum halve go). Hook at 10, Byrne at 15 to get the rest of the unit working.

Although fair enough with your 1/2p shout in comparrison to those others, it's clear you'd gone with players playing not out injured.

edit:
Good news for God's prop 🙂

Sat 1 Barbarians v British and Irish Lions, So Kon Po Stadium, Hong Kong

Wed 5 Force v British and Irish Lions, Perth Oval

Sat 8 Reds v British and Irish Lions, Lang Park, Brisbane

Tue 11 Combined NSW-Queensland Country v British and Irish Lions, Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle

Sat 15 Waratahs v British and Irish Lions, Sydney Football Stadium

Tue 18 Brumbies v British and Irish Lions, Canberra Stadium

Sat 22 Australia v British and Irish Lions, Lang Park, Brisbane

Tue 25 Melbourne Rebels v British and Irish Lions, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Sat 29 Australia v British and Irish Lions, Docklands Stadium, Melbourne

July 2013

Sat 6 Australia v British and Irish Lions, Stadium Australia, Sydney

[img] [/img]

contact with eyes or the eye area of an opponent

Nasty.

Oh, and re those tour dates above, am currently planning some vital, strategic business meetings in HK and Aus for next year. Ahem. 🙂

That one was a bit naughty wasn't it! Thinking back to that game, how good is Strauss! Take away his two tries and I'd still have him as man of the match.

[img] [/img]

still shocked no Samoan has been cited.

A-A; Samoa should have finished with at best 14 men. That ruck hit was inexcusable.Only watched it once,but looked like an order had been put in for a couple of Welsh heads as an interesting pair of book ends.

no Samoan has been cited.

Doesn't bode we'll for the lions front row at all when you consider what cole did to Healy. Croft is no 7, gotta be tipuric so far. Wouldn't have faletau in the test team either, mid week at best. Be tempted to keep an eye on Denton for 8 although o Brian is a fine choice. Sexton instead of flood but gat may go for experience. Not sure that Roberts merits a spot on current form although I'm stuck to say who is playing well at 12 right now.
Almost the same thing happened to me as the Frenchman on Saturday. Got stitches above my eye at the mo.

nly watched it once

have a look at the gif links I posted on the last page, the tackle on Hibbard was bad too. Maybe none deserved a straight red but as a whole someone should have gone.

I dont think Roberts is doing much wrong but like North its the players around him. For example Roberts has been mainly used taking the ball up direct from Phillips but they didnt run that move at all last week as they had no quick ball on the front foot. He also needs quick lineout ball off the top from the middle or back to be launched and they just chucked it to the front with slow caught ball all night.

Warburton has to think that they can beat them otherwise why turn up.

He knows it is unlikely, but there is still a chance so must believe. It is a must for a sportsman.

Lions front row will be fine.
OK, cole got found out this week but he'll learn from that, he's still relatively young for a prop. there's more experienced props for that position who won't get roasted in Adam and Murray.
Healy did a good job last time when he beat the ozzies. And he's a better player now too. Tight head's in safe hands. If injured, Sheridan and Gethin will be good enough.
Roberts will play better with better service. Sexton or Flood inside him and BOD outside and you'd see a different player.

edit : and one for tj on the day chunk's retired from internationals

The one team Sheridan can really play against is Australia. No idea why, but he seems to terrify them.

duckman - Member
That ruck hit was inexcusable.Only watched it once,

Roberts will play better with better service. Sexton or Flood inside him and BOD outside and you'd see a different player.

Not if Gatlands coaching him because if you watch Roberts, he's only passed the ball from 10 if somethings gone wrong and when he does get the ball he very rarely passes it. Roberts gets almost all his attacking play ball from 9.

Davis is a knob and Priestland was in the right place he was on the bench. At the very least he went of his feet. Bakkies Botha got banned for doing the same to Adam Jones.

Sorry - meant Biggar in the ruck, not Priestland!

Jiffy seems to be getting a lot of stick recently, is it justified?

AJ has not been at the top of his game for a few years now but what a great solid player he was.

Yes he's a lazy rent a gob who just shouts "numbers" all the ****ing time. He was a bloody wonderful player mind.

He was a bloody wonderful player

In both rugby and the [i]other[/i] game. Lovely, lovely player to watch.

Cole will be fine if the hooker isn't having to support his other prop in the terrible Joe Marler... I've never seen a prop so isolated before. Yet he manages to take on (and take apart) any other prop in rugby with the same hooker inside him.
Hopefully Corbisoro (sp) will be back soon to shore up the other side.

AJ has not been at the top of his game for a few years now but what a great solid player he was.

you talking about Adam Jones? If so what the bloody hell do you base this on?

Transapp you might be right about Cole, but I'm not sure the hooker he looked weak to. Did you see the Ospreys v Leicester game as Bevington had him under pressure and then Duncan Jones came on and gave him a pasting. Vunipola looked good though.

FIXTHISEFFING****INGGLITCHFFS!

Yeah I thought that Marler was suspect.....he wasn't even binding in a number of the scrums. What is Sheridan upto these days? Is he playing for his French club or is he injured?

What is Sheridan upto these days? Is he playing for his French club or is he injured?

At Toulon, enjoying his rugby. As mentioned earlier, Australia are one team that for some reason is scared of him. Everyone else has worked him out, they haven't for some reason. For that alone, he's on the boat for me!

Fix the effing glitch!

I thought Sheridan must be playing well as he was keeping Gethin out. Then I saw Gethin waddle onto the pitch!!!

Gethin's being rumoured to be moving back to CAP.

SOB expected to return for Leinster this w/e at Glasgow

Bye Bye Chunk; almost the last of the proper props.

So predictions for this week? 😀

So predictions for this week?

England v South Africa - Saffers by ten

France v Samoa - France at a canter

Ireland v Argentina - Argentina sneak a win

Italy v Australia - Australia by fifteen to twenty

Scotland v Tonga - Scotland by a lot

Wales v New Zealand - A glorious Welsh victory with a stunning last minute tirade of tries! And then I wake up and realise it's going to be a shameful shoeing of cricket score proportions.

Wales to lose by 25

I can see ten tries for the AB's this weekend maybe ten points for wales. England SA will be close, England by 5. Argentina to beat Ireland by 5 also.

It looks like Marler is out this weekend, and Corbisiero could return.

I think SA will beat England by 10.

I think you're right

All of you!

Ireland v argies - Ireland by 3 'cos they'll need it to stay top 8
Italy v oz - Oz by 20, they're pretty good
England v SA, SA by a try or two, can't see where England will get the upper hand
Scotland v Tonga, Scots by 20 in a high scoring game with more McVisser tries
Wales v NZ, wales can't be as bad 3 games in a row, will defend well, but the ABs will be too strong in the last twenty mins and win by 2 tries
France v Samoa, France to be france - so after two good performances this'll be a fight, a couple of red cards, and a narrow Samoan win (for pot 2 seeding at the RWC)

...can't see where England will get the upper hand

By sticking Haskell at Flanker / interferance and running hard at the 9/10/12 channel, avoiding devillers, and kicking over the top and chasing hard. Run into space not players.

Jamie Joseph at 13 and Tuilagi on the wing 1st half, Sharples 2nd half.

Sounds a good plan, interested if they give it a go. But if they try to play "English style", they'll be playing into the 'boks hands.
They'll need some ball - SA lineout has looked impressive and they've started to get their maul rolling well.
England should be strong enough to take some possession, but it's worrying when Oz get the upper hand in the scrum with the Springboks up next.

Jamie Joseph at 13

if it was Jamie Joseph AB I'd bet on at least a yellow card these days

Kyran Bracken's ankle does not like this thread.

welcome to international rugby 😯

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Matthew Rees, Aaron Jarvis, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (Captain), Toby Faletau

REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins, Scott Andrews, Aaron Shingler, Justin Tipuric, Tavis Knoyle, James Hook, Scott Williams

how bad does everyone else need to be before Hook could get a start? Hopefully Priestland will break a finger nail in the warm up. seeing Scott Andrews on the bench makes me feel sick.

andylaightscat - Member
if it was Jamie Joseph AB I'd bet on at least a yellow card these days

Posted 1 hour ago # Report-Post

Did he not get a ban for the KB incident? Couldn't have happened to a nicer person from what I remember of him.....Not talking about the ban either.

England aren't going to beat the 'boks - not after what we saw last weekend

By the way if anyone wants a pair of Lower West Stand tickets just outside the 5m line drop me an email - face value and to be used by the purchaser only - I may not be able to go.

Hmmm, pies!
[img] [/img]

And yes, I am in my glass house, and I have put the stones down. 🙂

Haskell, Morgan and (Jonathan 😉 ) Joseph in, Sharples, Johnson and the Pie Eater ^^ out.

Looks like England are following my advice, sending the big mobile boys at 9/10 😀

BREAKING NEWS: Lancaster admits England number eight selections based on ordering wrong sized shirts
England coach Stuart Lancaster has revealed he has no option to select anyone but Ben Morgan
 or Thomas Waldron
 at number eight for England as the RFU ordered only XXXXL size shirts from kit maker Canterbury for the Autumn series.
“There is nobody else in the professional game who would fit into those shirts,” said Lancaster.  “Hopefully we’ll get some new shirts by the Six Nations and increase our options. Until then we’ll rotate these guys.

http://theeastterrace.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/11/breaking-news-lancaster-admits-england-number-eight-selections-based-on-ordering-wrong-sized-shirts.html

Lol

Predictions then

Ireland by 3, provided Deccie makes some changes
England by 5, based on books being poor against us
Scotland by 10
Wales will do well to keep it under 50 points

Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

looks shit Wales by 20.

Oh my;that AB side doesn't look too bad.

Not impressed with the announced England team. Basically the same except Launchbury and Morgan start with Brown on the wing.

That means the back line is the same midfield. I'm assuming (and hoping) he's using the size to defend against/wear down the saffers in the first half, then will ring changes to an attacking setup with JJ in the centres second half.

Not sure about playing Brown out of position but understand Goode as first choice - I've always felt Brown doesn't rise to international level. Two ball catchers? Surly SA won't kick much over - they'll try to go "through"?

Hmmmm mixed feelings.

Turns out JJ is my good friend's and fellow Peak District MTBer's nephew - cool !

Not impressed with the announced England team. Basically the same except Launchbury and Morgan start with Brown on the wing

Well, it'll improve the pack. JJ is an outside centre. Tuilagi is an outside centre. I'd sooner have MT than JJ on the field. I'm no fan or Barritt but we don't seem to be overloaded with good 12s ATM. Would like to see Burrell get into the saxons squad.

Hope Flood has done his tackling prac as Alberts is heading his way! England do look at bit like a poor mans SA at the moment..... Can Wales swap a centre for a tighthead, you can have Hook or Williams.

Glitchybollox

MT = Mike Tindal? We'd all prefer that!!!!

Glitchyboredombuggery

Bump

MT = Mike Tindal? We'd all prefer that!!!!

Wrecker; I suspect one of the reasons Tindall is playing so well is because he isn't involved for England anymore. Who does his centre partner play for?

Didn't Tindall drop a rather major bollock last weekend? Gifted a try I seem to remember. My glaws supporting colleage doesn't seem too happy with him.

North out with injury. Eek.

wrecker - Member
North out with injury. Eek.

Wales by 25 then.

🙂

Wales are going down big time at the weekend. I'm now less confident of England winning, it'll be close.

Ok I predict a thrashing for Wales on Saturday, the roof will be closed the ball will be dry and a tidal wave of Black shirts will envelop the Welsh defence. This will make me a bit sad but no where near as sad as the previous 2 results this autmn have. I will not comment on this fixture again.

Watching Tindal in a coaching role at the Liberty the other day he looked a lot leaner than I have seen him in a long time.

I'm now less confident of England winning, it'll be close.

Could be closer if we had Lawes and the anger monkey.

Agree here. When they first played youngs I assumed he'd be involved in running play due to his centre background and would be around and about rucks offloading and being a nuisance.

Unfortunately not, I've seen Hartley run more yards. Launchbury and Laws could be a talented world cup 2nd row. But its the flankers that worry me - we just don't seem to have a N Back replacement.

Morgan could be a good threat though as long as he's supported.

we just don't seem to have a N Back replacement.