The Rugby Thread

[Buzzo]

Yeah that kick chase at the end was probably 5-10 m from a winning try the chaser had the legs just couldn’t get to the ball.

Yeah quite surprised by that miss at the end wasn’t from too far out. Relatively centre.

Amazing how Argentina have improved since they have been allowed into the tournament. Absolutely heroic defence. They remind me of us in attack sometimes, particularly pre - Finn. They get into the 22 and run out of grunt and ideas.

[Zapater]

It wasn't an 'easy' or mandatory kick but would have been surprised if he did it. Seemed to just be smashing them and hoping before that. Got really lucky in the first half with the one which shaped in at the end because it looked well wide and given how hard he kicked it, I can't say it was intentional at all.

I always think Reece Hodge is Michael Rapaport and post botched plastic surgery Mickey Rourke's lovechild.

[RichC]

What a try !! May with some fantastic play there

[Cormack74]

Looking at the stats from the game, Ireland:

Carried for more metres
Had more carries
Had more clean breaks
Beat more defenders
Made more passes and offloads
Conceded less turnovers

Plus England had to make 3x as many tackles.

So by no means doom and gloom Nev.

To me they just looked like they needed a bit more efficiency and precision which may come once this group settles in together.

[Irishnev]

Looking at the stats from the game, Ireland:

Carried for more metres
Had more carries
Had more clean breaks
Beat more defenders
Made more passes and offloads
Conceded less turnovers

Plus England had to make 3x as many tackles.

So by no means doom and gloom Nev.

To me they just looked like they needed a bit more efficiency and precision which may come once this group settles in together.

High level view of that - England play a particular way....they like teams to carry the ball into contact so their rush defence and big men force you back and the jackals get ready to poach. What they don’t like is the ball played behind them to make them turn - we did it once and we scored. We did 3 man pods of one out slow runners a hundred times and we got smashed back and turned over. It was like Farrell had never seen this England side play and we had no plan.

Our line out malfunctioned and our kicking game was shocking - again the coaches carry a lot of the blame for me. We have some excellent young players coming through but can’t carry injuries to Furlong, Ringrose, Sexton (uuuurgh), Henshaw and more.

I got a big fed up of the way we played under Schmidt but once in the red zone we invariably came away with points and we won. We are a few games into the Farrell reign and I’m not seeing anything new or different. Just more of the same but executed badly.

I’m not disheartened because as I said we have done superb players coming through and if Carbury can ever get fit a genuine replacement for Sexton. What annoys me more is listening to that pig Eddie Jones bleating out some nonsense. I really don’t like that man

[Cormack74]

High level view of that - England play a particular way....they like teams to carry the ball into contact so their rush defence and big men force you back and the jackals get ready to poach. What they don’t like is the ball played behind them to make them turn - we did it once and we scored. We did 3 man pods of one out slow runners a hundred times and we got smashed back and turned over. It was like Farrell had never seen this England side play and we had no plan.

Our line out malfunctioned and our kicking game was shocking - again the coaches carry a lot of the blame for me. We have some excellent young players coming through but can’t carry injuries to Furlong, Ringrose, Sexton (uuuurgh), Henshaw and more.

I got a big fed up of the way we played under Schmidt but once in the red zone we invariably came away with points and we won. We are a few games into the Farrell reign and I’m not seeing anything new or different. Just more of the same but executed badly.

I’m not disheartened because as I said we have done superb players coming through and if Carbury can ever get fit a genuine replacement for Sexton. What annoys me more is listening to that pig Eddie Jones bleating out some nonsense. I really don’t like that man

I'm not so sure - we had less turnovers then you so I'm not entirely convinced that defined the game.

And personally I'd rather have the stats in my favour -even in defeat - because it gives something to work with. No possession and a 1000 tackles made wouldn't provide much positivity

But the stats you needed to go in your favour included the set piece and clearly that didn't happen.

One out runners - agree - I was coaching that out of 9 year olds so it's baffling why it exists at International level and if you're getting the ball at any age you need to be running on to it. Again, I'm always a bit surprised seeing top level players taking it standing still.

And there was some space as you mentioned and thats the bit where I thought Ireland were lacking - lots of possession but not much creativity. Akee doesn't help IMO (although I thought he had one of his better games), because even though he commits defenders and makes yards, the ball invariably dies with him; he doesn't have the dent and off load quality of someone like Tuilagi.

On Eddie J, no one in England liked him before he was our coach but he grows on you now that he is. It would be the same if he was coaching Ireland and by all accounts the players love him. Plus I think he's actually a lot more humble than you see him on TV where he's invariably the pantomime villain. In his book he comes across as far more humble and aware of his deficiencies.

[Buzzo]

Bit of an arm wrestle between Scotland and France so far. 12-12 at HT.

Slight Scrum dominance for the French but a relatively close match.

[Irishnev]

I'm not so sure - we had less turnovers then you so I'm not entirely convinced that defined the game.

And personally I'd rather have the stats in my favour -even in defeat - because it gives something to work with. No possession and a 1000 tackles made wouldn't provide much positivity

But the stats you needed to go in your favour included the set piece and clearly that didn't happen.

One out runners - agree - I was coaching that out of 9 year olds so it's baffling why it exists at International level and if you're getting the ball at any age you need to be running on to it. Again, I'm always a bit surprised seeing top level players taking it standing still.

And there was some space as you mentioned and thats the bit where I thought Ireland were lacking - lots of possession but not much creativity. Akee doesn't help IMO (although I thought he had one of his better games), because even though he commits defenders and makes yards, the ball invariably dies with him; he doesn't have the dent and off load quality of someone like Tuilagi.

On Eddie J, no one in England liked him before he was our coach but he grows on you now that he is. It would be the same if he was coaching Ireland and by all accounts the players love him. Plus I think he's actually a lot more humble than you see him on TV where he's invariably the pantomime villain. In his book he comes across as far more humble and aware of his deficiencies.

Jones reminds me of Mourinho

His book - no thanks

[Buzzo]

Yeah, I’ll not be reading Eddie Jones book either. Can’t stand him. He’s been a good coach for England, but he’s a prick.

France score a try and we get a pen back. 15-19.

[Cormack74]

Jones reminds me of Mourinho

His book - no thanks

Yeah, I’ll not be reading Eddie Jones book either. Can’t stand him. He’s been a good coach for England, but he’s a prick.

France score a try and we get a pen back. 15-19.

Wait until he coaches your respective teams You may not love him - I won't pretend I do and I'm doubtful many England fans do - but I can laugh at the **** he comes out with rather than being wound up by it.

[Buzzo]

Fair point.

A lot of Scottish huff and puff second half but France hold on.

We miss the guile of Russell. We look a lot more solid but we need that flair.

[Buzzo]

Hogg kicks the ball dead with an injury time pen going for a 5m line out.

Sums up a lot of our play.

France deserve the win though.

[Buzzo]

Hogg kicks the ball dead with an injury time pen going for a 5m line out.

Sums up a lot of our play.

France deserve the win though.

[Cormack74]

Hogg kicks the ball dead with an injury time pen going for a 5m line out.

Sums up a lot of our play.

France deserve the win though.

Hogg kicks the ball dead with an injury time pen going for a 5m line out.

Sums up a lot of our play.

France deserve the win though.

Two exact posts 14 minutes apart.

Have you been heading a lot of footballs in recent days

[Buzzo]

That’s weird!

Maybe I have?