Rugby Union

[caradoc]

Have to wonder how long Italy can remain in the Six Nations. They have had (limited) success in the past, but when did they last win a game ?

[Stubby47]

Just now, caradoc said:

Have to wonder how long Italy can remain in the Six Nations. They have had (limited) success in the past, but when did they last win a game ?

2015.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Frustrating for Scotland. They were lucky to finish with 15 after their 12 cynically pushed an Ireland player off the ball.

 

As "Mighty Mouse" is saying right now, a lot that is good about Scotland's game, but not quite there yet.

[tigerburnie]

Looking forward to tomorrows game now, todays games were both lacking, but first games out, new coaches on show for the home sides and they looked nervous at times.

[rockershovel]

4 hours ago, caradoc said:

Have to wonder how long Italy can remain in the Six Nations. They have had (limited) success in the past, but when did they last win a game ?

 

Italy are an embarrassment to the tournament. They clearly don’t have the ability, resources or the potential to compete in any foreseeable future. However there is no real alternative - does anyone seriously expect more of Georgia? - so I dare say the impasse will continue. 

 

[iak]

Hoggy! You need to smack your own bottom you bampot!

[BoD]

France are playing very well - but England are <insert your own description here>

[Dave47549]

.

Edited October 4, 2021 by Dave47549
Removed pointless guff

[Simon G]

1 hour ago, BoD said:

France are playing very well - but England are <insert your own description here>

 

My own description of England would not be allowed by RMWEB profanity filters!  They were utterly woeful and clueless.  They had enough possession to have won easily, but lacked composure.  The only positive for England was the brilliance of Jonny May.  France looked beatable especially in the scrum and lineout, and the other sides will have taken note of that.

[tigerburnie]

That was probably the worst first half from England for a long while, the replacements helped make a game of it in the second half.

[rockershovel]

Same old, same old from England. They lack the ability to think on the pitch. The first French try was a good execution of a set move England weren’t expecting. The first French penalty was a clever move, it’s very difficult to adjust to a cross-pitch kick like that and England got it quite wrong. 

 

The problem is that presented with a tactical challenge on the field, England can’t cope with it.  The Prem simply doesn’t teach players to think. 

[88D]

I think Eddie Jones’s team selection played a big part in this loss. He continues with some players way past their best, out of position, and not in form. Not that I’m grumbling from a Welsh point of view, but it does seem weird that he doesn’t choose some obvious candidates from the huge pool available to England. Obviously, I wouldn’t divulge any names until after our game with the Saes — I want to win!

[tigerburnie]

3 minutes ago, 88D said:

I think Eddie Jones’s team selection played a big part in this loss. He continues with some players way past their best, out of position, and not in form. Not that I’m grumbling from a Welsh point of view, but it does seem weird that he doesn’t choose some obvious candidates from the huge pool available to England. Obviously, I wouldn’t divulge any names until after our game with the Saes — I want to win!

I have long held the opinion that Eddie Jones was sent over here by the Australian's to get their own back on us for beating them in Sydney in 2003...……………………………………………….

[rockershovel]

5 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

I have long held the opinion that Eddie Jones was sent over here by the Australian's to get their own back on us for beating them in Sydney in 2003...……………………………………………….

 

Considering the result of the last England tour to Australia, and England’s subsequent demolition of Australia in Japan, I don’t believe that bears scrutiny...

 

No, I think the RWC squad are simply played out. Sir Clive Woodward said in 2003 that no team was capable of the sheer effort of defending a World Cup. New Zealand have achieved their dominance by subordinating the club structure to the national squad; players come into the squad playing in the “house style” and once there, are centrally contracted to control the number of games they play. New Zealand clubs do not import players in key, decision-making roles, something the Premiership does all the time. Nor do they play the kick-and-rush, bosh-it-up-the-middle style widely seen in the Premiership. 

 

This leaves Jones with the crucial problem that firstly, there is a chronic shortage of skills positions in the England pool, secondly there is a serious shortage of play-makers. These are related; you NEVER see the All Blacks indulging in the English habit of kicking away possession for no readily apparent reason, but you DO commonly see them pass the ball to an unseen supporting runner, who they simply assume to be there, and they are usually correct in the assumption. 

 

[tigerburnie]

7 hours ago, rockershovel said:

 

. New Zealand clubs do not import players in key, decision-making roles, something the Premiership does all the time. 

 

A large proportion of the All Blacks are imported South Sea Islanders and have been for decades.

[88D]

8 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

A large proportion of the All Blacks are imported South Sea Islanders and have been for decades.

True, but generally they import them at such a young age that they grow up in the NZ system.

[Dave Hunt]

At the moment my cross to bear is the double whammy of supporting the Tigers and England...….

 

Dave

[rockershovel]

1 hour ago, 88D said:

True, but generally they import them at such a young age that they grow up in the NZ system.

 

My point exactly. It’s no coincidence that England’s two most successful captains of the modern era, Martin Johnson and Dylan Hartley, spent formative periods in New Zealand. 

[88D]

40 minutes ago, rockershovel said:

 

My point exactly. It’s no coincidence that England’s two most successful captains of the modern era, Martin Johnson and Dylan Hartley, spent formative periods in New Zealand. 

Didn’t know that about M J. I thought Dylan H was a very good pundit on the Beeb over the weekend, though didn’t particularly like him as a player.

[rockershovel]

1 hour ago, 88D said:

Didn’t know that about M J. I thought Dylan H was a very good pundit on the Beeb over the weekend, though didn’t particularly like him as a player.

 

The Big Man was recruited as a club player and played as a NZ U21 

[tigerburnie]

2 hours ago, rockershovel said:

 

The Big Man was recruited as a club player and played as a NZ U21 

Johnno was playing for my old team Wigston in Leicestershire, went to NZ for a bit, came back and joined the Tigers.

from Wiki

Johnson briefly played American football for the Leicester Panthers as a tight end or defensive end.

In 1989 he was approached by former All Black Colin Meads to try out for the King Country side in New Zealand. Johnson's trial run was successful and he played two seasons for King Country. In 1990 he was even selected for the New Zealand under-21 side which went on a tour of Australia playing a side that included another of the all-time great lock forwards, John Eales.

[The Johnster]

On 03/02/2020 at 11:34, tigerburnie said:

A large proportion of the All Blacks are imported South Sea Islanders and have been for decades.

70 decades, to be accurate.

Edited February 4, 2020 by The Johnster

[rockershovel]

Some silly kicking possession away from England in the third quarter, but I quite enjoy a good old-fashioned forwards’ match in the wind and rain. 

 

The pre-game interview with Eddie Jones belonged on the cutting room floor. He was openly playing games with the interviewer by the end, who had nothing to contribute and just didn’t know when to stop...

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by rockershovel

[BoD]

I thought the Ireland Wales match would have been a closer result and but for one very close TMO decision in might have been.
 

The later match just reinforced England’s inability to think on the field.

 

No names mentioned but 
 

Ooh - He’s just kicked long and the wind has taken it straight into touch.

Ohh - He’s just done it again.

 

Ooh - I’ve just kicked it long and it went straight into touch.  I wonder why that happened.

 

Initially I thought England had done well in the first half against the wind and would pile on the pressure in the second half but no, Scotland adapted and kept pressing only running out of steam (and forward replacements) in the last quarter.  I suppose it is a squad game now.

 

And now the English commentators saying England’s six nations hope are alive and kicking. No the wonder the rest don’t like us and think us arrogant.

 

[St Enodoc]

Buqqer. Forgot to set the TV to record the games before I went to bed last night.

 

What a silly bunt.