Very GG Georgia. Ireland were very lucky to manage the win, no matter how you want to spin it.
6N teams, you better start getting your act together.
Thank you, Tri Nations.
Seriously, what’s with the SH/NH bollocks all of a sudden?
Blame Stephen Jones.
Larkham wasn’t playing dude, it was the suprisingly awesome Berrick Barnes. To what and whom are you refering?
C.
Bugger, I meant Latham, I think (Aussie fullback?). I was referring to his clothesline on Sonny Parker (also not sure. Might have been on someone else).
Weird. He’s been talking bollocks for about a decade - why weren’t you guys talking about NH vs SH during the last world cup?
Do we blame everything Chris fucking Rattue writes on you?
Who?
The backlash has been building down here ever since Jonny Wilkinson, sorry, ENGLAND, won the cup in 2003, you should hardly be surprised.
Personally, I hate the way England play the game (lets not get into the sorry state of the domestic game there, that would just be mean spirited) so watching them get smacked about is something I find particularly gleeful.
Chris Rattue is the NZ Stephen Jones. He writes constant shite. He’s the guy who came up with the “village idiots” article about Wales, for example.
If you think Wilkinson is the reason why England won it in 2003 you can’t have watched much of it. Jonny was falling apart for most of the tournament. Credit Catt (for the Wales game recovery) and Johnson.
We all hate the way England currently play the game but I’m dying to know what you think is the “sorry state” of the domestic game. I’m all ears.
I think you only need to have a quick count of the number of foreign players in the Heineken Cup to work out why England has arrived at this tournament with a team that one could refer to as “less than ideal”.
The chances of the RFU actually doing anything about it would probably be less than your chances of getting through to the semi’s.
I don’t need to make such a count. We’ve already done it. Did you know that the two English teams contesting the HEC final were almost entirely English? Are you just repeating the crap that gets spouted in the papers?
We have over 300 players available to play for England in the GP. We have more registered players than any other country bar SA. What makes you think we’d do any better with any more?
Top teams like Gloucester, Leicester, Wasps are packed with English players. My own club, Harlequins, was nearly 80% English last season and has several exciting youngsters who are likely to get caps for the national side. The only sides I’d say have gone overboard are Northampton (who got relegated as a result) and Worcester (who will get relegated this season, probably).
Again, have you formed an opinion on English domestic rugby based on your own knowledge or are you picking this all up from the papers?
Anyway, I’m not picking on you, it’s just that this sentiment gets repeated elsewhere by people who should know better. Graham Henry made some dismissive comment earlier in the season about English development of young players, stating that “only 3 flyhalves in the GP are English”. Of course, at the time it was 10 but hey, who lets facts get in the way.
So if it’s not the number of foreign players that’s the problem, maybe it’s the style of play. Again, having seen the likes of Gloucester, LI, Tigers, Wasps play their rugby there can be no doubt that they play GOOD rugby - in the case of LI and Gloucs they can be fantastic attacking sides. Gloucs in particular are simply crammed with young English talent.
Perhaps base it on success, then? Well, English clubs contested the European final, and also won the English/Welsh cup. Crowds are also booming. So no go there either.
The truth is the English national side does not mirror what’s going on in domestic rugby, and domestic rugby is not the cause of the problems with the national side. The problem I feel does lie with the RFU - they are concerned only with the profits concerning the national side and so would rather pick coaching units that will bow down to them, or follow extremely short-term plans based on moderate success. If Ashton had been given more time and the free hand he should’ve had, then you’d see some of this young talent on the big stage. As it is, I can’t fault the clubs role in providing England with the raw materials.
Fair points. I don’t make it a habit to watch England’s domestic games but what I do see doesn’t impress me, from both a rugby perspective and entertainment.
That’s not to say necessarily that what we get in the S14 or 3N is better, but from where I sit it is - seeing “our” teams get over the “boring” teams is always going to be exciting to me.
The 3N sides are better at the moment, for sure (and NZ are almost always in the Top 2 at any point, anyway). However, Aus and SA have gone through periods of embarrassing defeats when they’ve toured up here and it’s only in the last 6 months that SA have actually started beating England comfortably.
Now, if you wanted to make a comment about the French and their foreign players… :)
The funny thing about England is if you look at the young talent coming through, a huge chunkf of it is formed of genuine “flair” players. Back rows with an eye for the tryline. Second rows with winger pace. Flyhalves who score and create tries out of nothings. Young centres with brilliant steps. Even our young props like the open spaces…
We could do with a couple more young props and some more beef, but if they’re picked at the right time I can guarentee by the next World Cup you’ll enjoy watching England play, regardless of the result. These kids would struggle to do boring rugby, I think.
I actually wonder if Australia are only one or two injuries away from a complete meltdown - they’re already putting Larkham and Mortlock on ice until the quarters. One big advantage we have is that with the exception of lock (which seems to be addressing itself, fingers crossed), we’ve got a very strong and fit squad.
Good to hear - at the end of the day, people like to see tries being scored and fast, running rugby. No offence but probably the best thing that could happen is a sudden rash of retirements after the last game of the cup :)
Is it Monday yet? I can’t wait to see how we do against the Scots. I’m hoping for a cohesive display with few mistakes -at the end of the day the score is unimportant, so long as we can iron out some of the wrinkles.
No offence but probably the best thing that could happen is a sudden rash of retirements after the last game of the cup :)
None taken. The likes of Dallaglio should’ve been shot a while back.
Aussies - Barnes will taken them places against all bar NZ/SA if Larkham can’t play, Mortlock and Latham need to be wrapped in cotton wool though. They got a little lucky with the lack of citings from the Wales game - their hooker probably deserved a few matches off for the late elbow.
NZ’s problems at lock are bizarre. What do you keep doing to these guys?
Can’t see much wrong with NZ, although I don’t think you’ve hit the heights for a while you’ve not really had to. Centres remain a little strange; Conrad Smith has a lot of faith placed in him on the back of not much in terms of international performaces, while the rest of the options all have their weaknesses. Pre-tournament I’d have said that Ireland, France and Aus had comfortably better combinations but obviously they’ve not fired for Ireland and France.
Think the worst that can happen is Scotland rolling over and you guys not being tested, still. The worst for your nerves come QF/SF time anyway :D
Yeah, it’s bloody odd how we managed to end up having so many problems at lock. I’m not entirely sure I’m comfortable with any of them other than Chris Jack and I’d give (almost) anything for Jason Eaton to be there :(
Think the worst that can happen is Scotland rolling over and you guys not being tested, still. The worst for your nerves come QF/SF time anyway :D
Rumour was that Scotland were planning on resting a lot of their players, which is poor form for their fans in a home game against the AB’s (although really, did they expect to win?), but worse for us in not having a really decent hit out.
France thrash Ireland 25-3.
Ireland look like they’re playing 10 year old rugby; their fly half is mentally shot, they have no backup plan and their discipline is gone completely. They don’t seem to believe they can win and they are truly shocking.
Almost (but not quite) as bad as England, but more surprising as they were a pretty damn good team at the beginning of the year. What a slump.
Scotland looks like is gonna field a weak untested squad so they can concentrate their all against Italy. Looks like another easy rollover for the ABs.
Ireland was just really bad today; you knew they were gonna get sinbinned eventually. France was merely okay I felt; they weren’t even able to get the extra point though, given that they got sinbinned themselves near the end and just played defensively.
— Alan
France were pretty average except for their defence which was world-class (But defences are like that when they feel they’re on top). Michalak was horribly average before the little bit of genius for the opening try.
Scotland’s decision mirrors that of Wales 4 years ago, and we all know what happened then!
Good grief that SA vs. Tonga game was awful to watch as a South African. So bad in fact that I found myself cheering for the Tongans once or twice. I’d love to know what Skinstad is doing on a rugby field again. He hasn’t done anything worthwhile on the pitch since he got drunk and drove himself into a bridge all those years back.
The second string team were hopeless. Even the minnows manage to hold onto the ball in the tackle better than those palookas. The backline spent the game running themselves out of space and the first time tackles were diabolical.