The Rugby Thread

[talkshowhost86]

Actually quite like the look of the England team against Chile.

Apart from Farrell obviously.

 

[UncleBuck]

Amazing to think we were watching him this time last year on pitch 3!

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Champagne rugby.

Just a training match but some lovely skills on display

 

[talkshowhost86]

Amazing to think we were watching him this time last year on pitch 3!

Obviously all Saracens players are cheats and arseholes by association...but Dan does look like a fantastic talent

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Hope Dupont makes a swift recovery! Facial fracture apparently. Hopefully minor... but will likely miss Italy and the QF.

Tournament needs the big players imo.

 

[Dunc2610]

Obviously all Saracens players are cheats and arseholes by association...but Dan does look like a fantastic talent

I keep telling my brother (a Sarries fan) that Farrell shouldn't be in the squad anymore and he's a dirty player who can't tackle, he doesn't like that!!! His only come back is that Smith is a lightweight!!

 

[longtimespur]

Obviously all Saracens players are cheats and arseholes by association...but Dan does look like a fantastic talent

Come on Sarries. Sorry but my maths teacher at grammar school played for them back in the 60’s. When they trained up near Southgate tube station. Used to go fishing up that way with my brother and saw him there. Always followed Spurs but occasionally took an interest in rugby because of that.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Not sure how much we can take from a game against Chile, but superb try from Smith.

Will be very interesting to see if they continue this experiment against Samoa.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Not sure how much we can take from a game against Chile, but superb try from Smith.

Will be very interesting to see if they continue this experiment against Samoa.

More backs play. Good to see. Smith is a no brainer.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Opening 10 minutes or so looked very like England; get the ball into the 22 and drop it.

Since then they have shown up a poor international side, for all their laudable commitment.

Smith works at full back in this match, and a nice try.

2nd half should be more of the same.

 

[PCozzie]

Can't shake the feeling that rather than this being England going through their well rehearsed plays they're playing off the cuff against a really poor Chile side. I can't remember, after 60 minutes, seeing one combination that looks like has come off the training pitch - it's more a case of just taking advantage of errors, a yellow, or poor positioning.

Not that 50+ points can ever be considered a poor return, but I'm not reassured that this style is going to get very far against any of the top tier. I suspect we'll go back to our kicking game and hope to keep things tight.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Opening 10 minutes or so looked very like England; get the ball into the 22 and drop it.

Since then they have shown up a poor international side, for all their laudable commitment.

Smith works at full back in this match, and a nice try.

2nd half should be more of the same.

Hasn't been a good second half performance really.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Mexican wave Is better than the match. Not really that impressive from England. I like the backs passing more. But the kicks over won't work against better opposition. Being critical, they should be trying what does work against better.

Despite the score, I think it's been a bit underwhelming?

That said. Pleased for Arundel and Smith. Signs of promise.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Can't shake the feeling that rather than this being England going through their well rehearsed plays they're playing off the cuff against a really poor Chile side. I can't remember, after 60 minutes, seeing one combination that looks like has come off the training pitch - it's more a case of just taking advantage of errors, a yellow, or poor positioning.

Not that 50+ points can ever be considered a poor return, but I'm not reassured that this style is going to get very far against any of the top tier. I suspect we'll go back to our kicking game and hope to keep things tight.

I agree to an extent. But I like yr idea of more spontaneous play on the field. Perhaps that is what they are trying to develop. But the kicks over will have limited impact against a top tier side

Still. If it's a sign that Borthwick will seek to come away from a kicking game in the long term then yes please. Doubt it though.

 

[PCozzie]

Mexican wave Is better than the match. Not really that impressive from England. I like the backs passing more. But the kicks over won't work against better opposition. Being critical, they should be trying what does work against better.

Despite the score, I think it's been a bit underwhelming?

That said. Pleased for Arundel and Smith. Signs of promise.

Right. I think 60-0 is pretty much what happens just by turning up against Chile. I think France or SA win this 100-0 without breaking sweat.

 

[PCozzie]

I agree to an extent. But I like yr idea of more spontaneous play on the field. Perhaps that is what they are trying to develop. But the kicks over will have limited impact against a top tier side

Still. If it's a sign that Borthwick will seek to come away from a kicking game in the long term then yes please. Doubt it though.

Spontaneous is good when it's mixed in with a structure, but this just feels a bit like throwing it around and see what happens. Chile are a side that normally fall away completely in the last quarter, but here they are with a lineout in our 22 with 5 minutes to go.

 

[UncleBuck]

I won the sweepstake score in our house with a prediction of 72-6 so mum gets to pay for dinner, result!
Basics were a lot better but when we started making changes back came the pens, big shout out to my man Dan with a well deserved brace, thought Smith looked pretty good as well and Arundell filled his boots.
Won’t get an easier game in any WC though and as others have said a top team would have put three figures past Chile.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Hasn't been a good second half performance really.

Can't really argue with that many points, but I didn't see anything to change my mind that when we meet a decent team, we go home.

We have some very good players, with different and sometimes incompatible attributes; and yes I'm thinking of our 3 no. 10s, but not only them. The whole still seems much less than the sum of its parts. Planning for the next world cup has already started, I hope, but the older players should only have a couple of England games left before we say thanks and goodbye.

 

[tototoner]

Ireland v SA tight, but no one expected anything else

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Have to admire the ability on display. Both are power house teams.

Game of the weekend for me will Australia Wales. Although I'd rather punch myself in the nuts than take a side in that one! @E17yid it'll be a great game