6 Nations 2015
Discussion
desolate said:
irocfan said:
I too miss the rucking - all these people "honest I can't move" knew they were going to be rucked out of the way they wouldn't hang around. As for appeals against foul play - it's happened for a long time and I guess in part is why we now have the TMO... who remembers this classic from Neil Back? Couldn't happen today - to be honest though I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQlJ8K7XjQc
That's a classic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQlJ8K7XjQc
Neil describes that as a 'life lesson' for Stringer. 'Put it this way, I bet it never happened again so it proves he learned something'!
Being a forward was a dark art, and whilst there is still some mystery the TMO has changed the game.
TheGreatSoprendo said:
9mm said:
Yet. But they have vast resources and they will finish closer to the title in this year's WC than Ireland, Scotland or Wales, just as they always have before.
Run that one by me again...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Rugby_World_Cup#...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_Rugby_World_Cup#...
England CAN win it, no hope of the other three doing so.
9mm said:
Sorry, should have said almost or invariably. Won't be any different this year.
England CAN win it, no hope of the other three doing so.
I'd say England, Wales and Ireland CAN all win it, but most likely none of them will. I'd agree that Scotland have virtually no chance though!England CAN win it, no hope of the other three doing so.
Latest Betfair odds:
England 10/3
Ireland 9/1
Wales 10/1
.
.
.
Scotland 125/1
Just a couple of things...
Lawes almost killing someone
http://youtu.be/S3QDOWk1qIo
And somehow France "not pulling a maul down"
http://youtu.be/vyb7Cn2CF1g
Lawes almost killing someone
http://youtu.be/S3QDOWk1qIo
And somehow France "not pulling a maul down"
http://youtu.be/vyb7Cn2CF1g
London424 said:
A Micro second or 2 late, but it sent a message.I'm f
king glad I wasn't on the end of that particular one.London424 said:
That was a real trademark Lawes hit. There's a few YT vids devoted to some of his hits like that. They all look bloody hard. DocJock said:
No, you are not alone in missing proper rucking.
I also miss penalising not-straight scrum put ins, lifting in lineouts being illegal.
I also feel players are getting away with stretching the "one movement to place the ball" after a tackle way beyond what can be considered fair. You see some players hit the ground, roll over thgeball and then push it back and even flip it up off the ground.
Referees need to be stricter in enforcing the laws.
I'm with all of those.I also miss penalising not-straight scrum put ins, lifting in lineouts being illegal.
I also feel players are getting away with stretching the "one movement to place the ball" after a tackle way beyond what can be considered fair. You see some players hit the ground, roll over thgeball and then push it back and even flip it up off the ground.
Referees need to be stricter in enforcing the laws.
I used to video the matches for a Level 4 club in England (Level 2 in Wales, not available in Scotland). At the end of the season I produced a composite video for a meal to which county and RFU (before there was an England Rugby site) officials were invited. In it I highlighted various laws of rugby and illustrated each point with an example of a flagrant breach of the laws in full view of the ref. Every other bit was the ball going in at an angle, once it reaching the #8 without assistance, although it was our put in.
My favourite was a line-out where the catcher, our #4, took it against the throw but had to lean right over the opposition line. We got done for encroachment.
I was not only banned from showing it at the meal, but I had to promise the coach that I would destroy all copies.
I'm glad that I did what I promised I would, but I've kept the recordings of the full matches and also the notes I made in the season.
It is so tempting.
Welshbeef said:
So IRB rankings out midday tomorrow - has anyone calculated the changes or does anyone predict how things will change?
Could England's win over France (only three places below them in the rankings, but England playing at home) move them back ahead of Ireland (playing away, but seven places above Scotland)?With Georgia having beaten Romania, I think that puts them above Italy in the rankings? If they put on a strong showing at the RWC and Scotland & Italy don't, could they potentially end up above two of the six nations in the Six Nations, which would prove rather embarrassing for Scotland, Italy and the Six Nations, methinks?
Whatever happens, I think we can all agree that Australia languishing in sixth place is very definitely worthy of a...
Championship? Who cares!
Quite simply the greatest day in 5 or 6N history I think. What's more I think every England fan should be caring far more about the individual match against France than the Championship because it showed what they could do when they have to. Not over thinking, not stuttering, not navel gazing worrying. Just balls out rugby.
As did Wales and Ireland. Wonderful wonderful
Quite simply the greatest day in 5 or 6N history I think. What's more I think every England fan should be caring far more about the individual match against France than the Championship because it showed what they could do when they have to. Not over thinking, not stuttering, not navel gazing worrying. Just balls out rugby.
As did Wales and Ireland. Wonderful wonderful
England- France was a brilliant game to watch and even this Scotsman was willing England on to get those extra points.
In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
DocJock said:
England- France was a brilliant game to watch and even this Scotsman was willing England on to get those extra points.
In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
Exactly my worry for the World Cup, whilst Wales had a great second half, the Italians really did look like they'd given up. A team like SA or NZ would have likely been out of sight in the first half with the way Wales were playing and then would have closed them out in the last 40. Whilst it's great that England are now playing with some creativity, they've lost a bit of the defensive steel they used to have. Ireland showed they aren't totally one-dimensional against Scotland, but again, against quality opposition in the World Cup we shall see.In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
It was a great day of attacking Rugby, but let's not get carried away.
DocJock said:
England- France was a brilliant game to watch and even this Scotsman was willing England on to get those extra points.
In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
Glad it's not just me who thinks he's a poor defender. Responsible for at least one other try in earlier games. He seems guilty of getting sucked in and not sticking to his man. Can't afford this at the top level so he has to go imp.In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
Kermit power said:
Welshbeef said:
So IRB rankings out midday tomorrow - has anyone calculated the changes or does anyone predict how things will change?
Could England's win over France (only three places below them in the rankings, but England playing at home) move them back ahead of Ireland (playing away, but seven places above Scotland)?With Georgia having beaten Romania, I think that puts them above Italy in the rankings? If they put on a strong showing at the RWC and Scotland & Italy don't, could they potentially end up above two of the six nations in the Six Nations, which would prove rather embarrassing for Scotland, Italy and the Six Nations, methinks?
Top 25 Rankings as 23 March 2015[1]
Rank Change* Team Points
1 Steady New Zealand 93.70
2 Steady South Africa 88.23
3 Steady Ireland 85.76
4 Steady England 85.40
5 Steady Wales 84.07
6 Steady Australia 82.95
7 Steady France 79.74
8 Steady Argentina 78.23
9 Steady Samoa 75.39
10 Steady Scotland 74.79
11 Steady Japan 74.70
12 Steady Fiji 74.57
13 Steady Tonga 74.12
14 Increase1 Georgia 72.16
15 Decrease1 Italy 71.85
16 Steady United States 67.61
17 Increase1 Canada 66.83
18 Decrease1 Romania 66.23
19 Steady Russia 64.65
20 Steady Uruguay 63.58
21 Steady Spain 62.59
23 Steady Namibia 58.27
23 Steady Portugal 57.40
24 Steady South Korea 57.22
25 Steady Belgium 56.14
I don't think Oz going out would be a shock at all. Yes, if England play and defend like that against the Aussies, they can and probably will put 30 points on us. England would put 50 points on them though with that kind of performance! The mental last 5 mins would have blown them asunder, for all the talk of imports degrading French front rowers in particular and the lack of the old traditional nasty French Pack, that French Pack were up for a real old school battle on Saturday. The Championship had gone, the match had gone but those last 5 mins were a microcosm, Pack on Pack and in its own weird way that no Back would *ever* understand - bragging rights were on the line.
Truly a wonderful match.
Truly a wonderful match.
DocJock said:
England- France was a brilliant game to watch and even this Scotsman was willing England on to get those extra points.
In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
I watched the second half fully last night for the first time - I missed the last 20 mins on the day. In all the euphoria though no-one has mentioned how many defensive errors England made, particularly Watson who was exposed several times by the lack of speed in the drift defence isolating him and then him making the wrong decision or missing a first up tackle.
NZ or SA would have slaughtered that weakness.
Key moment for me: 5 minutes to go, England around their own 10 m line (possibly further back) and Wigglesworth kicks upfield. Possession handed over to the French, as Brian Moore says: if you don't compete for the ball when you kick for territory, its much like a turnover.
We needed a converted try at that point, and had five minutes to go. Handing the ball over seemed a very bad idea (I know we got it back a bit later, but that's not the point). It immediately brought to mind the ABs against Ireland in the 2013 Autumn internationals: 1 minute to go, and the ABs held possession recycled relentlessly with zero errors, ran the Irish ragged and went over for the try they needed.
It may be that the Wigglesworth kick would have made no difference, but it struck me as a really poor decision.
Also unimpressive was the planning for the final line out: the forwards knew what they were doing but despite Robshaw frantically calling the backs in to add to the drive, the backs did not appear to have read the script.
Preparation, planning, practice, execution.
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