[Closed] Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

Good idea!!!

Youngs just isn't strong enough to be an international hooker....he's popped up in nearly every scrum. Get the mental kiwi on asap!

FFS one point in it....we are giving this to the scottylanders. The backs don't want to get tackled. Farrell and Morgan have been the best two with ball in hand ffs!! Get both the Youngs off!!

I am miserable 😥

I'm guessing that Hamilton isn't the first and wont be the last to call Ashton a merchant banker 😆

Christ Farrell was strangling Richie Gray infront of the ref then!!

Oh well try!!! 🙂

What the same Richie gray who was lying over the ball?

Robshaw MOTM for me so far.

Yup.....the ref is free to penalise him though.

Is the Stuart Hogg the best in the world at kicking from hand?

Hogg looks exciting like to see him put under a bit more pressure, but he looks good. Robshaw a far better player than given credit for.

I've never rated Robshaw-today is changing my opinion of him. Farrell has been excellent too.

And like him or loath him Ashton has looked for work and took an opportunity well.

Tom B - Member
Youngs just isn't strong enough to be an international hooker....he's popped up in nearly every scrum. Get the mental kiwi on asap!
POSTED 30 MINUTES AGO #

I don't like to say I told you so but.......
Did you see the aerial view of the scrum and see the gaps in the eng front row?
Youngs needs strong scrummagers either side.
Saying that, Murray has popped up loads.

I was saying the same Wrecker----Youngs and Marler can't hold on to eachother in the scrum. It's not like they're up against a top notch front row either.

Back to the game, above all else, forward passes really do wind me up. Blatant forward pass from Youngs to 36 for the try there.....

oh well...... TRY!!

Sharp little try from Ashton, thank goodness he didn't try to swan dive... 😀

That was a beauty of a pass from Farrell

Take a bow owen farrell. Often criticised his passing but that was beautiful!

Good defensive speed from England.

Blatant forward pass from Youngs to 36 for the try there.....

looked level to me.

Good for Scotland. Under the cosh there and then great break away. Much better game tha I expected/ feared.

Fair play to Scotland. They've been outplayed but their determination has really kept the score down. No signs of giving up, vastly improved.

Really good game. England tried to play at pace and mistakes will happen. The passage of play for the scots second try contained some brilliance from both sides.

Both teams played well, lots to improve on but decent play. Not often I can say that about either team!

First trophy of the year for the English lads, hopefully more to come 🙂

An un-England type of game. If they can continue in this style and back themselves to score more than the oppo then they will good to watch and hopefully challenge for the title.
What is apparent though is how both games have had good play from all sides who have threatened. Bodes well for a great six nations.

Enjoyed every minute of that . Good rugby from both sides.

aggressive and clinical by England, Scotland were always on the back foot

Two results I didn't want, pah!

Two results I didn't want, pah!

Excellent game. Get rid of Brown, Goode and the Young's brothers and we'll be looking good!

Agreed care was outstanding.

Lose Brown +1
Looked like he was on the back foot the whole game, just not up to the pace of the attacking moves.

I don't understand all this 'get rid of brown'- he makes loads of yards every game that he plays. Solid under the high ball, elusive, breaks tackles. Surely that's what you want from a wing/full back!? And Ben Youngs threatens opposition forwards everytime, drawing them in which creates space out wide

I'd want it from a full back-I'd like a winger to beat at least one defender in a game.

In terms of the 6N Ireland have the big teams at home and are away to the third tier nations so I think we will do very well. We are starting to get a good mix of youth coming through to blend with the experience and BOD is back which always gives the squad a lift. If we start with a win in Cardiff, a game we should win easily, then I think we can win the tournament overall.

Well I got the first bit right!!

 

Turnovers, penalties and inability to keep posession killed Scotland, ****in poor basics as usual.

I am not a robshaw fan at all but thought he played very well as did l'berry, beattie and hogg for scotland, zebo and bod for Ireland, 1/2p looks the pick of the Welsh.

Some poor ref'ing in both matches which takes the shine off a good day of rugby.

Think a few alledged lions need some very big games rest of 6n. Warburton and obrien were pretty poor, gray not great either.

I'm sure there was a stat that showed Brown had made twice the yards with the ball than anyone else at one stage. I thought he was excellent today. Goode looked sluggish (still feeling his injury?) though and not great under the high ball. Also with Twelvetrees in the side his creativity and distribution isn't needed as much. Brown to fullback for next week with Foden on the wing. I'd stick with Twelvetrees and bring Tuilagi in for Barritt.

I'd do much the same semuc....

Warburton is really looking poor isn't he. Has form is one thing, but he is really becoming a shrinking violet too and not giving any leadership. Gray was very poor today-he's in every maul, but doesn't really do a lot when he's there. Is he fit though?

Same team different bench. Although thought Haskell was good at 8.
Scrummaging is becoming less important as fewer scrums these days. Think there were only a handful in the Wales game

Yeah I thought Haskell was good. Whatever happened to 'brand Haskell'?

Edit, although he replaced Morgan didn't he go to blindside with Wood at 8?

Yes he did but thought he had a good game.

Team of the day

Halfpenny
Ashton
Bod
Twelvetrees
Zebo
Sexton
Care
Healy
Best
Cole
Parling
Launchbury
Wood
Tipuric
Faletau

I'd have Morgan in for Faletau and Donecha Ryan in for Wood. Other than that I'd agree.

Now dont jump on my one eyedness but 😆 I thought England looked a bit toothless in the backs. Back three especially with all that great ball from a stunning forward display they should have done more. Ashton started well looking for work but then faded out of it and isnt much good in traditional backline play anyway. Brown and Goode ran about a lot but didnt threaten much. Strettle looked better when he came on. 12 trees was the best back so why the **** they took him off god knows. Replacing Barritt with Tuilagi will help but an on form Foden, Strettle and Stroppy Armitage would improve England imo.

Spot on a_a. *goes for a lie down*

Now dont jump on my one eyednes

you're nothing if not consistent...

Morgan for Faletau... Do behave standing back and fielding kicks whilst playing behind a pack monstering the opposition is easy. Faletau was a tackling, rucking and carrying machine today. I'd put Hogg to 15 and shift 1/2p to 14 other than that not a lot to argue with. Thought Wood was very good.

I also though Beattie was the better 8 at twickers.

Launchbury and twelvetrees looked pretty good today and will probably start next game !!

lawes looks even bigger and in better shape than ever!!

Haskell always makes a difference when he comes on the pitch, brings a different dynamic to the game.

England are looking good this 6n

AA I'm glad you're not a selector.
Strettle touched the ball once, Brown made more yards than anyone and broke the gain line a fair few times.

Not sure that I'd have Morgan, always looks lumbering to me, but on that performance would have to try to squeeze Farrell and Robshaw in. And as much as I like halfpenny Hogg played very well this week.

strettle looked slow !

Surely you have to break the gainline to make yards? Brown is no threat on the wing and Goode wasnt much of a threat at 15. Foden is a much better player than both. As is Armitage when he's not cheapshotting someone ( he's banned currently isnt he?).

Debate on gwlad currently on how long Tips will be banned for.
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Grabbed fleeting opportunities to watch here and there, England backs never really seemed to get into gear, receiving good ball flat footed - couple of good runs but nothing like the ones against the Kiwis - was it like this all through?

I'm not sure how you blokes want England to play. Played in a very different style hardly any kicking and at times they didn't click but still looked like it was an improved performance. They did lots of things really well and some not so well.
Definitely a change in style and direction, they've moved forward and are continuing to develop.

Surely you have to break the gainline to make yards?

This +many. You can quote the beeb stats all you like, but Brown repeatedly getting the ball 20 yards away from a defender then running straight at him is hardly ground breaking stuff.

a_a Morgan broke the Scottish line numerous times, is excellent under a high ball and with ball in hand. He may not be the tackler that Faletau is, but 'standing behind the backs fielding kicks'?! behave 🙂

I appear to have watched a totally different game to you lot. And I watched it twice!

I agree that they kicked less Bear (are you a real Bear? :-))

Farrell had the best passing game he's ever had in an England shirt. I just thought that for all the possession and territoy we had, we didn't really look that composed at the back especially the back 3.

Maybe but that comes from a new style of play. If I had a criticism it would be our kick chase and our chase backs. Seemed a bit laboured and not enough support.
Wath the ab the back three will chase back in a line whichever side collects the ball two passes to other side and either attack or kick return into space.

Grrrrrrr yes I am a real bear!

"Receiving good ball flat footed" - exactly how I saw it , especially Brown. Did any of the yards he made result in anything exciting? No .

IMO England played well but did miss the edge they displayed when the beat the All Blacks because the did not see Scotland as a real threat and played accordingly .

Sickening arrogance!

Faletau 19 carries ( top for wales) 11 tackles (also top) with none missed.

Morgan 7 carries and three tackles.

Isn't that a reflection on how the teams play, how the opposition play?
If the move called is not your carry you will miss out. Wales v Ireland was like two different games with each team on top for a whole half, so one half he did a lot of defending, one a lot of tackling?

Some of Morgans 7 carries made good yards too.

Mind you I think Faletau is a better player.

Sickening arrogance!

😆 / 🙄

Sickening arrogance!

Sums you up nicely Herr zokes 😉

Morgan and Faletau play very dufferernt roles. Morgan fields a lot of kicks so can make eye catching runs Faletau spends more time carrying in traffic and tackling. Morgan is nowhere near his level.

Well, I'm happy if my non-arrogance makes you sick, piggy.

Just think how sickened you'd be if I tried 🙂

But does that mean he reads the game well and puts himself in the right place?
Or that England play a different system so that is his role.
It is all about doing your job within the structure that you want to play, although you can only play the type of game that the players you have at your disposal can adapt to.

Just seen a stat which said England made 19 off loads and 11 line breaks. They didn't manage that all tournament not so long ago.
Not sure you can accuse the current crop of arrogance, but they did take their foot off once or twice. No different to Ireland though and don't hear them being called arrogant.

ijs445ra - Member
...Think a few alledged lions need some very big games rest of 6n. Warburton and obrien were pretty poor, gray not great either.

Couldn't disagree more about Sean O'Brien.
Thought he had one of his better games for Ireland, and was by far the top 7 of the weekend, really put a shift in especially when they were playing with 14 men. Was everywhere, and did a real seven's job. I've checked the stats this morning just to make sure I wasn't watching it too one-eyed at the time, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement.
12 carries and 24 tackles.
That's double the tackle count of the best of any other team's players.
Probably one of the main reasons Ireland held out in that second half.

Thought Peter O'Mahoney was excellent too, till he got undeservedly pulled . But Chris Henry did a fine job when he replaced him. Was interesting to see it was him that was roaring a "captain's" speech at his forwards when they were all huddled together during breaks in play.
Think Declan Kidney's got a big decision to make with his back row for next week, that could be made slightly easier by holding his hands up and giving BOD his rightful captaincy back.

For Wales, Faletau didn't deserve to be on a losing side.

But does that mean he reads the game well and puts himself in the right place?

no it means he's a fat lazy oaf... Just kidding. He's obviously asked to play that way. Key thing is though if he was asked to do Faetau's job he couldnt whereas Faletau could do his. SOB was good but Tips cameo makes me wonder if it was a case of Shingler and Warbs being shite because Wales ball sped up quite noticably when Tips came on.

For next week I'd like to see:

Byrne ( for his angles of running)
1/2p
Williams
Davies (the good one not the shit one we saw yesterday)
North/Cuthbert (not sure which C is more of a threat but weaker in defence)
Biggar
Phillips
James
Hibbard
Adam
King Kohn
Evans
Ryan Jones
Tipuric
Faletau

Bevington
Owens
Mitchel
Coombes
Warburton
L Williams
Hook
Roberts

Not sure you can accuse the current crop of arrogance,

If they're English, they're arrogant. Shockingly so, in fact. 😆

Perhaps Wales might have been too if they'd trounced the All Blacks a few weeks ago?

Or won three grandslams in eight years.

See, pure arrogance. If Wales had given Ireland the respect they deserved, they would have won. 😉

Davies (the good one not the shit one we saw yesterday)

Couldn't pass wind yesterday.

He can play better and he's an ace support runner on the shoulder of any breaks, but IMO he's never an international inside centre. Moving him inside may just mean even fewer passes making it to the strike runners.
Although keeping him away from the touchline might help prevent him chucking it straight out 😉

Wales just need someone to pass to those outside backs, they're good players when they get the ball. Williams at inside C, or sacrifice Roberts for Hook?

Davies plays 12 for Scarlets any lump can do what Roberts is currently doing.Williams is not a 12 hes a 13 with a good step some pace and an ability to pass. But we could drop both Davies and Roberts and play Beck and Williams but I think Beck is broken. I fully expect Howler to pick an unchanged side though.

Zokes do you have any comments to make about the actual rugby?

I thought biggar looked better once Phillips went off and was getting quicker ball, but the Welsh forwards were doing better at that point as well.

Loum - obriens stats certainly look better than I thought watching live. His brainless charge into 1/2p without even looking for support was the sort of blatant butchery of try scoring opportunities that Scotland do so well, I perhaps expected more of Ireland.

Was impressed with Scotland. They'll be in with a shout for all their home games this year. Carried a genuine, dangerous try threat more than in any other recent season.
England looked good too, without their most dangerous player. IMO, the "Brown" situation depends on Tuilagi. Yesterday, without him, he looked like a below average winger.
But when Tuilagi plays 13, Manu's the main England strike runner. The ball rarely gets passed outside him, so whatever winger is there is almost redundant anyway. Even Ashton rarely receives traditional "wingers ball" from Manu, but that suits his support-runner style anyway.
In that situation with Tuilagi fit and playing , there's no negative about Brown being there outside him, cos' he'd never get a pass anyway, - and having a spare extra full back on the pitch strengthens the team in other ways that i suspect will become more apparent against the more fancied teams.