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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: The game that batters: the rugby thread
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Imaginary Friend
Real to you
# 186
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Posted
I thought Nigel Owens had a great game. Got most of the big calls right, didn't make any obvious errors, and kept the game flowing. There was one particularly good moment near the end. England had a scrum in the French half, and you could clearly hear on the mic that Owens said to the English front row "I am going to referee this properly. If you bore in looking for a penalty, I will penalise you. But if the French infringe then I will penalise them. Understand?" At the scrum, the English went as straight as any scrum ever does, the French went around, and England got the penalty. Well done all round.
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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Owens is one of the best referees around at the moment.
And bearing in mind what happened to him when he refereed at Twickenham in November I take my hat off to him for the way he handled yesterday's match.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jonah the Whale:
quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
Actually the French guy didn't have his foot in touch before the ball was down - there were at least 4 replays that showed that. As for control of the ball - his hand was on it when it touched the ground so the try was awarded.
I agree with this, and I am an an England supporter. I am still breathless. I watched 160 minutes of rugby and saw 170 points scored (I missed that dull, low-scoring Scotland-Ireland game).
What I want to know is why don't England, Ireland and Wales always play like they need to win by 20 points or more. Can't they just pretend they need to win by a huge margin?
Just on the come-down from watching all 240 mins... On your last point, there is a simple solution, one I've been advocating for years (as a watching layman), and one which will sort out the game once and for all....
Upweight the points for a try. It's ludicrous you get 60% of the points off a penalty as you would for crossing the line. And, while we're at it, reduce the occasions for which a penalty kick at goal can be taken.
Rugby League's big criticism of union has been that it is dull and attritional. Saturday showed there's nothing actually wrong with the rules of Union which bog down the play (another League criticism about contested scrums and ruck/mauling) - just incentivise the players to run the bl**dy ball rather than reliying on engineering a penalty infringement from the opposition!
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
For goodness sake don't increase the points for a try or decrease those for a penalty! All that will do is increase still further the number of penalties given! Unless a side is likely to conceded points when they infringe, they will infringe more often (especially at rucks and mauls).
By all means dish out more yellow cards, as that opens up space and does lead to tries, as we saw when that useless oaf Haskell spent ten minutes off the field, but we don't need infalted try scores.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
For goodness sake don't increase the points for a try or decrease those for a penalty! All that will do is increase still further the number of penalties given! Unless a side is likely to conceded points when they infringe, they will infringe more often (especially at rucks and mauls).
To be honest I'd replace most penalty options with a tap and go only, and infringements which lead to a penalty should be a straight yellow. That ought to keep both sides honest...
If I was being really radical then I'd go for points from only tries, conversions and drop goals, straight yellows for any infringement, no replacements (even for injury - you're just a man down), no kicking tees, and no lifting in the line-outs....
While we're at it bring back shirt letters...
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iamchristianhearmeroar
Shipmate
# 15483
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Posted
What an astounding day of rugby that was! I think Ben Youngs was correct in his assessment of where England lost the Six Nations: all those mistakes and wasted opportunities against Scotland...
On making the game more exciting, and trying to see more tries scored, why not introduce a bonus point for scoring four tries, as they have in the premiership and world cup?
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by iamchristianhearmeroar:
What an astounding day of rugby that was! I think Ben Youngs was correct in his assessment of where England lost the Six Nations: all those mistakes and wasted opportunities against Scotland...
On making the game more exciting, and trying to see more tries scored, why not introduce a bonus point for scoring four tries, as they have in the premiership and world cup?
I will go away and google furiously, but I'm pretty sure the last time they looked at bonus points for the 6N it was turned down on the grounds that, I think Ireland, would the previous year have achieved the grand slam and not won the tournament. England would have lost one but topped the table on bonus points....
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iamchristianhearmeroar
Shipmate
# 15483
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Posted
So, England fans, what's your match-day 23 for the RWC assuming everyone England qualified is fit and available?
Here's mine (I suspect Lancaster may differ!)
1 - Corbisiero
2 - Hartley
3 - Cole
4 - Lawes
5 - Launchbury
6 - Wood
7 - Robshaw
8 - Vunipola (B)
9 - Youngs
10 - Ford
11 - Nowell
12 - Tuilagi
13 - Joseph
14 - Watson
15 - Brown
16 - Marler/Vunipola (M)
17 - Youngs (T)
18 - Brookes/Wilson
19 - Parling
20 - Morgan
21 - Care
22 - Farrell
23 - Burgess!
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Ah, this is where the fun starts. Quite a few differences as you'll see. Again, assuming everyone is fit and available:
Here's mine (I suspect Lancaster may differ!)
1 - Corbisiero
2 - Youngs (T)
3 - Cole
4 - Parling
5 - Launchbury
6 - Wood
7 - Robshaw
8 - Morgan
9 - Youngs
10 - Ford
11 - Nowell
12 - Tuilagi
13 - Eastmond
14 - Joseph
15 - Brown
Subs:
16 - Marler
17 - Hartley
18 - Brookes
19 - Lawes
20 - Vunipola (B)
21 - Care
22 - Cipriani (and for goodness sake, play him!)
23 - Watson
Spares (squad of 35 I believe):
M Vunipola
Wilson
Webber
Kruis
Croft
S Armitage
Wigglesworth
Barritt
Slade
Strettle
Wade
Burgess
Steffon Armitage is my true wild card. With him, Robshaw and Wood in the back row I don't think the opposition would ever get the ball.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Is anyone else out there still attempting to do battle with the World Cup ticketing shambles?
I lost out in the ballot, lost out on the secondary allocation and now, having 'bought' tickets for a match when the last lot were released, have just been emailed to say that due to a 'technical error' the tickets I thought were mine aren't and there are no more available.
What a cock-up.
And has anyone at Twickenham yet explained why Debbie Jevans walked out?
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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Sandemaniac
Shipmate
# 12829
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Posted
Was going to get 4 to Scotland vs Japan at Gloucester as it was the day after Father Knotweeed's birthday, and an hour down the road, but when I didn't get them I said "arseholes" to them. I could have paid £65/ticket and still been at one end of the ground. That's not at one end up the side, that's actually at the goal end.
I'll carry on paying a fiver to see the Blues, and know I can get a pint of real ale and a soss and chips at half time and still be back in my seat for kick-off, thank you.
AG
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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869
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Jonah the Whale
Ship's pet cetacean
# 1244
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Posted
There's some weird stuff going on in the European U18 championship. The final will be between France and Georgia. Georgia won their semi on penalties after drawing 6-6 with Italy. They also won their quarter-final on penalties after 8-8 with Ireland. Yet another match went to penalties. Portugal beat Scotland after a thrilling 0-0 draw.
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
I'm still in the "ignoring the world cup phase" - priority number one is keeping everything crossed for Moseley's last three matches this season.... Nothing with Mose is ever simple or straightforward - you'd have thought i'd have worked that out by now...
Up the red and black.
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
If you registered for World Cup tickets you can't ignore it because you're inbox will be under siege from the organisers trying to flog various items of Cup related tat.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
<bump> (appropiately for this thread)
What's going on at Welford Road? Leicester Tigers are, almost unthinkably losing top class players. Moreover these are forwaards which for as long as I can remember has been the basis of the Tigers strength (since the days of lettered shirts and the Redfern brothers to my certain knowledge)
Last year Thomas Waldrom left for Exeter and at the end of this year Geoff Parling, probably England's best lock and now Julian Salvi, possibly the best flanker in the Premiership are leaving, again for Exter. No one is going to want to play Exter next year, least of all Leicester.
Any more for any more?
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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Imaginary Friend
Real to you
# 186
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Posted
They're going to be without Manu Tuilagi for a bit as well.
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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
They're going to be without Manu Tuilagi for a bit as well.
At least this season has shown that England have strength at centre. This makes the "Bath Axis" of Ford, Eastmond and Joseph more likely than ever.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
The World Cup organisers are now sending out emails offering more tickets for some matches.
For others (such as Wales-Uruguay) they're having trouble selling - hardly surprising seeing that what would normally be a mid-priced seat (c£40-60) is on sale at £125.
We're going to see Wales-Ireland in August, sitting in top-price seats - tickets for 3 of us will cost less than one ticket for Wales Uruguay!
Obviously the English RU knows something we don't and is convinced the valleys are full of closet millionaires... ![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif)
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Looks like England's less stable characters are being weeded out one way or another. Dylan Hartley will miss the first match of the World Cup. Personally I reckon he's lucky to get the minimum, four-week ban as his disciplinary record is awful. Mike Brown had better watch his step.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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Imaginary Friend
Real to you
# 186
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Posted
This. Playoffs are un-British, unfair, and unwanted.
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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Looks like England's less stable characters are being weeded out one way or another. Dylan Hartley will miss the first match of the World Cup. Personally I reckon he's lucky to get the minimum, four-week ban as his disciplinary record is awful. Mike Brown had better watch his step.
He's out of the World Cup period. No alternative IMHO and it's not as if we don't have adequate replacements. Our top four hookers are now Youngs, Webber, Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George. While none of them are as good as Richard Hibbard they are pretty useful.
Anyway, *the* big club game tomorrow then on Sunday England play the Barbarians giving a few hopefuls (Cowan-Dickie, Henry Slade and Josh Beaumont) a run out and Launchbury returns to the fray.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
This. Playoffs are un-British, unfair, and unwanted.
Well, unwanted except by the majority of the clubs in the Championship (last time they voted on it).
The wider problem is the RFU want a professional second tier, and don't want to help fund that happening. Without the play-offs we'd just have de facto ringfencing as the relegated team came down and went straight back up the next season.
Bristol are an outlier because they have consistently failed to rise to the big match occasion for 6 years, but leaving them to one side the only non-relegated-the-season-before teams to have gone up since the playoffs came in are Exeter, and London Welsh in 2012.
Bris and Wuss moan that they "need to get out of the Championship" - have they considered the relegation option if they're that desperate? I'm sure Cov and Rosslyn Park would gladly step up and take their places...
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Imaginary Friend
Real to you
# 186
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by betjemaniac:
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
This. Playoffs are un-British, unfair, and unwanted.
Well, unwanted except by the majority of the clubs in the Championship (last time they voted on it).
Of course they did! If there's one or two teams who are clearly better than everyone else in the division, then the other ten or eleven teams are always going to vote for a mechanism that still gives them a shot at promotion. That's politics, but it doesn't make it right.
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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
quote:
Originally posted by betjemaniac:
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
This. Playoffs are un-British, unfair, and unwanted.
Well, unwanted except by the majority of the clubs in the Championship (last time they voted on it).
Of course they did! If there's one or two teams who are clearly better than everyone else in the division, then the other ten or eleven teams are always going to vote for a mechanism that still gives them a shot at promotion. That's politics, but it doesn't make it right.
See my point on the wider problem. Outside the premiership it's not all roses. There's a gang of clubs at the top of the sport that want to keep all the sweets for themselves, a governing body that wants a professional second tier and free gangway to the top tier but not to pay for any of that to happen...
When they came up with the "tier 2 must be professional" line ten years ago or however long it was, the RFU slashed 4 clubs from the championship to take it down to 12, but made up for the loss of income to the remaining clubs from number of games by introducing the playoffs and the B&I Cup.
AFAIC the answer is play-offs between the championship winner and Premiership last place, home and away. Otherwise, what's the solution (apart from ringfencing - which is exactly what you described the playoffs as; un-British, unfair and unwanted - although most of the premiership clubs want it)?
Bris and Wuss have got lucky with multi-millionaires/billionaires getting their cheque books out. In Bris' case, that's taking a traditional big club back to where the supporters believe it should be. In Wuss' case, it's taken a historic junior club to the top of the tree. There's an argument, certainly, for a 14 team premiership to accommodate all the clubs with the cheque books to pay for admission, but I'm not sure that's particularly fair either if they can't do the business on the field - I'm still waiting for Leeds to finish eighth next season and be assumed into the ringfenced prem on the basis of geography and shares....
Presumably, when I win the euromillions and bankroll Moseley back to where I and their fans believe they should be, we can expand the prem to 15, because clearly here cash is the decider.
The real elephant in the room, of course, is that both Bris and Wuss would probably struggle in the prem. Too good for one tier by a country mile (allegedly, unless Bris are away at Pirates or Wuss in Jersey - and it was only 2013-14 that Bris first won away at Billesley Common...), not good enough for the one above.
The top team should go up (or at least play-off with the bottom one of the prem), no argument there. But rugby in this country has got a few more problems top to bottom than just who gets promoted from the Championship, and that in itself is but a symptom of the wider malaise.
Sorry, this is veering towards purgatorial, happy to take it there...
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Another of England's Bad Lads has blotted his copybook in the run-up to the World Cup.
Tuilagi & Hartley out, no comment yet on Cipriani, are players trying to solve Stuart Lancaster's selection dilemmas?
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
looks like it.
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Makes our problems with George North's injuries look like a mere nothing and at least Jonathan Davies' withdrawal means a chance for Scott Williams.
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Good news on the sports front for Australia (to make up for losing The Ashes).
This was for The Rugby Championship though, not the Bledisloe Cup which is a separate match next week.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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Jamat
Shipmate
# 11621
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Posted
All Blacks maybe a bit uncharacteristically disorganised this week but all credit to Australia.
What about South Africa; did they play the B team?
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Jamat ..in utmost longditude, where Heaven
with Earth and ocean meets, the setting sun slowly descended, and with right aspect
Against the eastern gate of Paradise. (Milton Paradise Lost Bk iv)
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jamat:
All Blacks maybe a bit uncharacteristically disorganised this week but all credit to Australia.
What about South Africa; did they play the B team?
Looks like the "non-B" team. Bakkies Botha has retired, so Matfield & co didn't have their minder.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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Jamat
Shipmate
# 11621
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Posted
I thought Bismark Du Plessis was their enforcer.
Be interesting to see if the Pumas can back up and do it again.
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Jamat ..in utmost longditude, where Heaven
with Earth and ocean meets, the setting sun slowly descended, and with right aspect
Against the eastern gate of Paradise. (Milton Paradise Lost Bk iv)
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jamat:
I thought Bismark Du Plessis was their enforcer.
Nah, he just *thinks* he is. Most hookers are like that and have been since three-man front rows were introduced c 1900. Look at Dylan Hartley and the up-and-coming Luke Cowan-Dickie who has the advantage of being Cornish.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Warren Gatland has lost the plot: he's just released Hibbard from the squad for the world cup - the best defensive hooker in the northern hemisphere.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
Warren Gatland has lost the plot: he's just released Hibbard from the squad for the world cup - the best defensive hooker in the northern hemisphere.
Seconded (and I'm English). Hibbard's good all round and the one Wales' opponents would least like to play against. Must be personal.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
What did people think of the weekend internationals? Scotland fought like they meant it, as they did in three games in the Five Nations, but came up short yet again. England and France appear to have swapped roles with England's backs looking deadly despite new centres while their pack couldn't hold France's. Then again it was England's second-string front row against France's best three and Calum Clark, in for Robshaw, is even less of a #7 (as well as being a hothead).
In other totally unsurprising news the ABs took the Bledisloe Cup, thrashing Australia at Fortress Eden Park.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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Imaginary Friend
Real to you
# 186
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Posted
I only saw the first half of England v France. I thought England looked okay. Inventive behind the scrum, as you say, but our defence seemed organised and that big number 12 can't half put a hit in! Having not seen much rugby for the past few years, I can't really comment much more widely than that forty minutes, but I'll be interested to see if the pack gets a bit better when the front row is at full strength.
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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
I only saw the first half of England v France. I thought England looked okay. Inventive behind the scrum, as you say, but our defence seemed organised and that big number 12 can't half put a hit in! Having not seen much rugby for the past few years, I can't really comment much more widely than that forty minutes, but I'll be interested to see if the pack gets a bit better when the front row is at full strength.
I'm sure our first-choice front row will do much better and our attack looked good with, remember, two centres on debut playing alongside a #10 they haven't played alongside before. Sam is definitely worth taking as no centre in world rugby wants to play against him and he offloads very well, which will bring the back three in (whoever they are). I don't know about starting a game with him but when the opposition are blowing a bit he could be just the job.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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iamchristianhearmeroar
Shipmate
# 15483
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Posted
Eng-Fra was a bit of a nailbiter wasn't it, but given how many of our first-string pack weren't playing I think Eng did well.
I'm sure the scrum will tighten up with some of the first team back in, but my big worry is the line-out which has never been Tom Youngs's greatest strength. Stats they were showing during the match showed Jamie George had the best percentage in the line-out in last season's premiership. Don't know him at all. Can anyone else comment on his scrummaging and general play?
Slade and Burgess could both make the final cut, meaning Burrell may be out of luck...
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Jamie George has the advantage of playing for Saracens, so most of the time he has two of Alistair Hargreaves, Jim Hamilton and George Kruis at lock. I won't say they make bad throwing look good, but they don't make many mistakes. George is a good, vigorous all-round forward but we have plenty of those at #2, including Mike Haywood, Dylan "Mad dog" Hartley's deputy at Northampton.
We'll see on Saturday if Mike Brown really has recovered from his knocks; if he hasn't I hope Lancaster has the bottle to select Anthony Watson, who has a bit of Jason Robinson about him, at FB instead of the decidedly limited Alex Goode.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
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iamchristianhearmeroar
Shipmate
# 15483
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Posted
Well, Courtney Lawes runs a pretty tight ship in the lineout, so hopefully George will have some decent, well-timed jumping to aim for.
Agree about Watson and Jason Robinson. But...Robinson was a class act on the wing as well as FB, and I think Watson can be too. Alex Goode...hmmm, I wasn't really a fan, but I thought he did pretty well in the match on Saturday. Certainly wouldn't have expected Mike Brown (or Ben Foden for that matter) to have looked for that kick-pass to Johnny May.
As one of the pundits (can't remember which) said, it's more a question for Lancaster of what style of rugby he wants England to play, and then that will dictate who he picks where. So, if he wants three distributors on the field, it's Slade somewhere in the centres and Goode at FB. If George Ford on his own is considered distributor enough (which he may be), start Browne at FB, and then take your pick at centre.
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My blog: http://alastairnewman.wordpress.com/
Posts: 642 | From: London, UK | Registered: Feb 2010
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Alex Goode has played a lot of Rugby at #10, so he's got that kind of vision, but he hasn't the dynamism and awesome courage that Mike Brown brings to FB (or Ben Foden) still less the raw pace of Watson or Jack Nowell.
I agree about the midfield and I'd like a genuine distributor alongside Jamie Joseph (who is a shoo-in). England had Luther Burrell there in the Six Nations but I'd like to start with Slade (now that Kyle Eastmond has been given the cold shoulder) with Sam Burgess on the bench to change the game later on.
With all that talent I really think the RWC is England's to lose.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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iamchristianhearmeroar
Shipmate
# 15483
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Posted
Jonathan not Jamie Joseph surely?!
So 10, 12, 13 you'd go for:
10 - Ford
12 - Slade
13 - Joseph
It would be fantastic in attack, but I wonder if it might be considered a bit porous in defence? Ford doesn't have the stopping power of a Farrell or Wilkinson. I'm not saying we shouldn't start with this 10, 12, 13 combo, but I think Lancaster and particularly Farrell senior will go for something more defensive as the starting line-up, so Barritt (fitness permitting) or Burgess to start and Slade on the bench. I fear poor Burrell may lose out here, unless Barritt is unfit.
Still on fullback, I'd certainly go for Brown over Goode, if Brown is fit, not least for strength under the high ball. Playing against SA or NZ we can expect a barage of high balls with very strong kick chases. This used to be a real strength of the English game when we last won the RWC, with Cohen going after those pinpoint bombs from Wilko. Don't seem to use that so much right now.
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My blog: http://alastairnewman.wordpress.com/
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iamchristianhearmeroar
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# 15483
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Posted
quote:
With all that talent I really think the RWC is England's to lose.
I'm not sure even I would be that optimistic! The RWC is usually New Zealand's to lose, and they have done that quite often in the past.
I'd say that looking at the amount of young talent in our squad the 2019 RWC may be ours to lose!
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My blog: http://alastairnewman.wordpress.com/
Posts: 642 | From: London, UK | Registered: Feb 2010
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by iamchristianhearmeroar:
Jonathan not Jamie Joseph surely?!
So 10, 12, 13 you'd go for:
10 - Ford
12 - Slade
13 - Joseph
It would be fantastic in attack, but I wonder if it might be considered a bit porous in defence? Ford doesn't have the stopping power of a Farrell or Wilkinson. I'm not saying we shouldn't start with this 10, 12, 13 combo, but I think Lancaster and particularly Farrell senior will go for something more defensive as the starting line-up, so Barritt (fitness permitting) or Burgess to start and Slade on the bench. I fear poor Burrell may lose out here, unless Barritt is unfit.
You were spot on about the centres. Looks like we have two solid ones and two silky ones. I reckon England will start with Barritt and Joseph against games Australia and Wales, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of Burgess and Slade start the matches against Fiji and Uruguay.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Sioni Sais
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# 5713
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Posted
I reckon Warren Gatland (Wales' coach) has lost it. After sidelining Adam Jones last season (OK, not at his best, but a very useful stand-by) he then dropped Hibbard from the World Cup squad and now, having selected George North for the World Cup squad he admits that "one or two more knocks could end his career". If North is that close to a career ending injury (at age 23) what is he doing in the World Cup squad having not played since March and making his comeback game is tomorrow's pre-World Cup warm up match against Ireland?
If concern for players' welfare really was "paramount" (an overused word IMNSHO) George North wouldn't be selected for the RWC and might perhaps already be retired.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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L'organist
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# 17338
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Posted
We read that the same, SS.
Meanwhile, if you look at the 'obvious' 8 sidelined by Stuart Lancaster, you'd have the basis of a goodish team. The decision to leave Cipriani out is astonishing.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
We read that the same, SS.
Meanwhile, if you look at the 'obvious' 8 sidelined by Stuart Lancaster, you'd have the basis of a goodish team. The decision to leave Cipriani out is astonishing.
Leaving Goode in is even more so as there are already three people who play FB and #10 better than he does. Cipriani is a genuine alternative.
[ 28. August 2015, 12:58: Message edited by: Sioni Sais ]
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Son #2 has a theory: says that Lancaster can pick teams which will reduce opposition to confused/incredulous laughter, thereby gaining England an advantage.
[I'm not saying I agree with him ![[Snigger]](graemlins/snigger.gif) ]
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Imaginary Friend
Real to you
# 186
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Posted
This tactic hasn't worked very well for the footballers so far...
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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough
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