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buckley

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Sep 15, 2012
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Talk about jump to conclusions after England got their 31 points I was going to say what is the point this is one sided and should not be allowed as I say jumping to conclusions. Well played Scotland showed a lot of heart and ability.
England dare I say took it as read that the Scots would have no way back and I hope they have learned a lesson that its not over till the final whistle.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Talk about jump to conclusions after England got their 31 points I was going to say what is the point this is one sided and should not be allowed as I say jumping to conclusions. Well played Scotland showed a lot of heart and ability.
England dare I say took it as read that the Scots would have no way back and I hope they have learned a lesson that its not over till the final whistle.

It’s inexcusable they let them back in. No one in the world had Scotland coming back into that. Even Gregor Townsend said after the game that at HT their goal was to just win the 2nd half as they had given up.

I can only assume that England never really recovered from the defeat in Cardiff and knowing we won the GS it hurt them.

That’s why I found it funny Farrell did his HT team talk on the pitch. Would’ve loved to hear what was being said there.

In other news Gatland has said he wouldn’t be allowed back across the bridge if he managed England so England can forget about him
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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If I could only invent a 'Welsh filter' app I'd be a rich man.

Seriously though, well done to Wales. They took their chances and got a few breaks but ultimately held it together.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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If I could only invent a 'Welsh filter' app I'd be a rich man.

Seriously though, well done to Wales. They took their chances and got a few breaks but ultimately held it together.

As has been said a million times there’s nothing really between Ireland, England and Wales (though Ireland’s drop off in form, to put it mildly, is a concern)

Momentum is huge and if England can put in some good performances and wins in the WC warm up games and play some good rugby on route to a WC QTR final they will be hard to beat. You just worry about your mentality but you certainly have players to potentially win it.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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As has been said a million times there’s nothing really between Ireland, England and Wales (though Ireland’s drop off in form, to put it mildly, is a concern)

Momentum is huge and if England can put in some good performances and wins in the WC warm up games and play some good rugby on route to a WC QTR final they will be hard to beat. You just worry about your mentality but you certainly have players to potentially win it.

Ireland's drop off is very much like England last year. Riding the crest of a wave one minute and then can't buy a result the next. As you say, England's mentality looks fragile and one possible cause is the absence of Robshaw and Hartley. Farrell made 2 horrible errors v Scotland and the confidence just vanished and we made a pretty ordinary Scottish team look like real contenders. All the raw ingredients are there for a good WC and to be honest, I'd rather go into it with a lot to prove rather than nothing.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Ireland's drop off is very much like England last year. Riding the crest of a wave one minute and then can't buy a result the next. As you say, England's mentality looks fragile and one possible cause is the absence of Robshaw and Hartley. Farrell made 2 horrible errors v Scotland and the confidence just vanished and we made a pretty ordinary Scottish team look like real contenders. All the raw ingredients are there for a good WC and to be honest, I'd rather go into it with a lot to prove rather than nothing.

So would I as we’re a lot better when we’re written off. Like AWJ said in his post match interview we’ve just put a big target on our back now.

Gatland naturally wants to go under the radar for the WC which is impossible now we’re the best of the rest (at this moment in time) and it’ll be interesting to see how we deal with that. This is the 3rd team Gats has built, though, and there’s a lot more to come so I don’t think we’ve peaked to early.

Gats saying, prior to the France game, that if we beat France we’ll win the slam is brilliant especially being 16-0 down at HT as it built such a belief in the team. Naturally he’s more cautious re the WC because people are now talking us up so he naturally wants to play it down but he’s a master of that siege mentality when we’re being written off.

If we top the group we potentially avoid the SH teams but I would absolutely hate to play you in a QTR final (which is possible I think, which is why Gatland made those comments about you bottling big games as he’s planting some seeds in case we play you in the WC)

I’d take you in a semi final but there’s something about playing England in a QTR final that worries me. Probably coz we lost against you in the QTar final in 03 the year you won. IIRC
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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So would I as we’re a lot better when we’re written off. Like AWJ said in his post match interview we’ve just put a big target on our back now.

Gatland naturally wants to go under the radar for the WC which is impossible now we’re the best of the rest (at this moment in time) and it’ll be interesting to see how we deal with that. This is the 3rd team Gats has built, though, and there’s a lot more to come so I don’t think we’ve peaked to early.

Gats saying, prior to the France game, that if we beat France we’ll win the slam is brilliant especially being 16-0 down at HT as it built such a belief in the team. Naturally he’s more cautious re the WC because people are now talking us up so he naturally wants to play it down but he’s a master of that siege mentality when we’re being written off.

If we top the group we potentially avoid the SH teams but I would absolutely hate to play you in a QTR final (which is possible I think, which is why Gatland made those comments about you bottling big games as he’s planting some seeds in case we play you in the WC)

I’d take you in a semi final but there’s something about playing England in a QTR final that worries me. Probably coz we lost against you in the QTar final in 03 the year you won. IIRC

I wouldn't write Ireland off at the moment either. I think the dust is still settling after losing BOD and Paul O'Connell but they have a load of very experienced players and some real talent coming through. You could throw a blanket over them, us and your lot at the moment and on our day we can all beat anyone, NZ included.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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I wouldn't write Ireland off at the moment either. I think the dust is still settling after losing BOD and Paul O'Connell but they have a load of very experienced players and some real talent coming through. You could throw a blanket over them, us and your lot at the moment and on our day we can all beat anyone, NZ included.

Agreed. Definitely not writing Ireland off.

I don’t think they got over that opening game against you in Dublin. That hurt.

Doesn’t help when Sexton and Murray aren’t at it either. They were both terrible yesterday. Sexton especially.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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Great Cup win for Northampton. About time Saracens didn't win something and extra sweet for Northampton. Boyd has done a fantastic job turning things around for us and I hope England stay away. We've now got a tremendous mix of experience and highly talented young players like Huthinson, Grayson, Moon, Ludlum, Furbank with the likes of Mallinder already established. Exciting times after a dreary couple of seasons.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Great Cup win for Northampton. About time Saracens didn't win something and extra sweet for Northampton. Boyd has done a fantastic job turning things around for us and I hope England stay away. We've now got a tremendous mix of experience and highly talented young players like Huthinson, Grayson, Moon, Ludlum, Furbank with the likes of Mallinder already established. Exciting times after a dreary couple of seasons.

And Biggar. I was listening to a podcast with James Haskell and he said Biggar is very popular with the lads. I know he would say that but still.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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And Biggar. I was listening to a podcast with James Haskell and he said Biggar is very popular with the lads. I know he would say that but still.

He's been a much better signing than I expected. James Grayson is coming on very nicely and I expect he's learning a lot from Dan Biggar.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Talking of English club rugby I saw that your club @talkshowhost86 has signed (on loan) Hidalgo-Clyne from the Scarlets. Whenever I’ve seen him he’s played pretty well. A bit of a younger Scottish Rhys Webb. Lively around the fringes. Don’t know how much he’ll play for you?
 
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talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
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Talking of English club rugby I saw that your club @talkshowhost86 has signed (on loan) Hidalgo-Clyne from the Scarlets. Whenever I’ve seen him he’s played pretty well. A bit of a younger Scottish Rhys Webb. Lovely around the fringes. Don’t know how much he’ll play for you?

Is he the scrum half? We've been screwed by injuries recently and I've been in Australia so am actually a bit behind the Quins news.

I just know all our scrum halves are currently injured
 

UncleBuck

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2003
9,188
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Was down there yesterday with my lad and his team to watch the roses game (free entry after the men’s game). This year though the RFU decided that to get in the fan park it was seat ticket only, complete ball ache as we ended up having to find an alternate venue to watch the main game. Step forward Richmond RFC who were fantastic in accommodating 16 kids and adults, thanks guys, greatly appreciated!
Can’t understand why you weren’t allowed into the fan park though if you were there specifically for the roses game, just seemed a bit wrong.
 
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