The Rugby Thread

[E17yid]

You need a decent outside centre, too. I’d probably chick Daly in there alongside Farrel for the final test. Cipriani will surely start next week. In fact , Cipriani, Farrel and Daly is an interesting 10,12,13 combo.

 

[mpickard2087]

All good points, particularly about the Saracens contingent which I mentioned earlier in the thread. They seem to think they will streamroll their way without giving 100% mentally and physically like they do in the Aviva League and that simply won't happen in South Africa. Changes have to be made. Also the point about ball carriers is spot on. When I was playing the back line was set up steep when attacking and you ran onto a flat ball at speed. The obsession with 10 playing flat seems to have resulted in the whole team taking the ball at a standstill (and in an upright position). I also think the back line needs a mix of brawn and brain, particularly if you're being starved of ball. Ford is such a weak link defensively and will always be targetted by big men. I hope to God Cipriani gets a start next time out. Don't really know what we can do upfront apart from Mahler and Cowan-Dickie. We struggle to cope with their power as it is with Billy or Hughes at 8 so can't see many changes there. In DeKlerk they have an excellent player who more than anything aggravates the fuck out of the opposition - I'd certainly want to lump him if I was on the pitch.

In terms of ball carriers I was more talking in the forwards and tight carrying, and therefore playing off the 9 rather than 10. We just need more of - good carry, good clear-out, so quick ball, fast service from 9 (rather than Young's constant stutter step and double or triple pump before delivering a pass), receiver running at pace onto the ball (even better as a pod so he isn't isolated), and making another dent and gaining a few metres again. It doesn't even have to be done at pace (though that should be the aspiration), the likes of Exeter and Ireland don't play at 100 mph for instance, but do have that structure, work rate, and impact/intensity to keep carrying phase after phase. Then you put a platform in place for the backs, who I think look consistently dangerous tbf and we often put together some razor sharp moves, to do their thing.

I don't know about selection, I'm not sure Cipriani is the cure to the woes though... and he'd probably make things worse defensively. At least tbf to Ford he does always attempt to make a tackle and never just waves someone through, he is just small. Cipriani has made a career of being a complete pea-heart......

I'd probably go:

1. Marler, 2. LCD, 3. Williams, 4. Launchbury, 5. Itoje, 6. Wilson, 7. Curry, 8. Shields, 9. Robson, 10. Ford, 11. Woodward, 12. Farrell, 13. Daly, 14. May, 15. Brown

16. George, 17. Mako, 18. Sinckler, 19. Hill, 20. Simmonds, 21. Youngs, 22. Cipriani, 23. Solomona

But currently we're really scrabbling around for selections.

 

[E17yid]

I see Billy V has fractured his arm. The guy can’t catch a break. Pun intended.

 

[ehalse]

No mention of Scotland yet!?

 

[E17yid]

No mention of Scotland yet!?

I saw the result earlier and was going to mention it but I thought I’d watch it first before i mentioned it.

That, and it’s Scotland so no one really cares.

Great result for the Americans, though, and a decent watch to. A better promotion for rugby than the Wales v SA game in Washington a few weeks ago.

 

[ehalse]

Agreed - need to see some non-tier 1 nations doing something. With Georgia doing well in the U20s as well as 1st XV more teams should be giving them a game!

My take on tours:

Wales - excellent. Won all games, bedded youth and played some quality rugby.

Ireland - doing what they do best. Would not be surprised to see them grind out another win and take the series next week.

England - shite. Not sure what had happened - maybe fatigue? Basic errors against an average springbok side. Mentally seem all over the place too. Maybe too much rugby for some of them over the last 12/18 months? As a Welshman - I’m enjoying it but struggling to compute!

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Cipriani plays ... Shields ill ...

England team to face South Africa: Elliot Daly (Wasps); Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Owen Farrell (Saracens, capt), Mike Brown (Harlequins); Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Jamie George (Saracens), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Nathan Hughes (Wasps).

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Spencer (Saracens), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)

 

[DaiT]

An Irish referee running interference for the All blacks. How many other ways can they come up with to screw the French.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

An Irish referee running interference for the All blacks. How many other ways can they come up with to screw the French.

I think the AB's might be sneaking it anyway!

 

[DaiT]

I think the AB's might be sneaking it anyway!

Hardly surprising though. They have been royally f.....d over in all 3 matches.

 

[E17yid]

My boy Damian McKenzie again. What a player.

 

[E17yid]

Fucking annoying that they can have Retallik out and bring in Scott Barret who had a great series.

Scott and Jordie must’ve ate all of Beaudens food when they were kids. Monsters.

 

[werty]

Well done Ireland!!

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Great finish, absolutely the right decision too.

Well played Ireland.

 

[mpickard2087]

Really bad conditions and pitch in SA, leading to a lot of errors so far, but looks like our forward pack are more at home in these conditions tbh - competing better and acting as a unit rather than splintered individuals. Curry is having a really good game.

Stuart Barnes on commentary as hilarious as ever when calling the actions of some of his favourites.....

 

[Arnoldtoo]

A bit of magic from Cipriani. Will it be enough to persuade Eddie Jones?

Not a great game of rugby, but England have won, and broken their losing sequence, so a good one for them.

 

[mpickard2087]

Good win, at least stops the rot. Forward pack remembered how to compete and played solid wet weather rugby. Was also nice to see the other team do stupid stuff and commit comedy errors for once.

Curry and May by far the standout players of the tour for us.

 

[teok]

 

[Japhet]

My boy Damian McKenzie again. What a player.

What makes him 'your boy'. Did he once have a Stereophonics CD?

 

[E17yid]

What makes him 'your boy'. Did he once have a Stereophonics CD?

Been my favourite player to watch for the last year and a half or so.

And it was a Manic Street Preachers CD, by the way.