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The Rugby Thread

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
England all over the place. If they don't sort themselves out this could get really out of hand.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,338
54,974
France deserve to be well ahead so far. Big deficit to make up already, and England not showing any signs of doing so yet!
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
About as bad it could get so far. One soft try from two simple missed tackles, one very debateable but inexcusable to just stop playing. In between we've been presented with the ball four time already in the 22 and fucked up every time. We look like we're lacking carriers and already lost Tuilagi. His centre partner looks pretty fucked too. The rookie is having a shocker. And we cant keep hold of the ball amongst other errors.

Wonderful stuff.
 

NorfolkArgus

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2020
516
2,373
Our decision making all over the pitch has been shocking from minute 1.

Please feel free to cut and paste this into the Match Thread in an hour.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
So much for Jones wanting us to "look like Liverpool". We look more like West fucking Ham so far
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
What absolute shit from the forwards there. And Youngs, as said on commentary they had two tiny backs defending one side of the ruck outnumbered, how the fuck can you not marshal the play to expose that.
 

TheHoddleWaddle

Well-Known Member
Dec 13, 2013
11,289
20,289
Well. Je suis à moitié français, but England are my first love in rugby. I'm delighted France are playing so well, but I'm confused as to why England are so poor.

see if the french can maintain this for the whole tournament, their defense is immense.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,338
54,974
Much more dynamism from the French (apart from Johnny May!) and their backs look good. Nice to see them playing well again; too good for England today.

But better in the second half, and not the trouncing the first half suggested.

Going to be an interesting tournament!

MOTM - Maro
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
France can grow into a potentially really good team but really that was more what England did wrong today. It seemed all game we were getting gifted possession in and around the 22 and just wasted it, either through errors or we didn't have enough carriers able to make an impact and get us on the front foot. Punctuated between that there were three really quite soft tries conceded and a general lack of intensity compared to the French.

Selection has to be questioned, without the Vunipola's and then Tuilagi we looked way short of carriers. The backrow looked all wrong sans an actual 8. Furbank had a bit of a 'mare, Ewels was just a shirt out there doing nothing. Surely we have to be looking past Ben Youngs at this point. Wasn't helped though by the likes of Sinckler, Itoje, Underhill etc. having their poorest games in memory, as said Youngs was just shite, and Farrell took a massive stinger it looked like and was completely out of it.

Throw all that into the mix and a very bad day. Got to wake up and get into this tournament.
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
Other problems but having a 9 who is so far off the international pace is a consistent problem that Eddie needs to start working on. Playing Youngs is just pointless at this stage.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,338
54,974
Other problems but having a 9 who is so far off the international pace is a consistent problem that Eddie needs to start working on. Playing Youngs is just pointless at this stage.

Youngs dropped to the bench for the Scotland game, but surely Heinz is not a long term replacement. Two new ones need to be identified and developed.

Any ideas?
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
Youngs dropped to the bench for the Scotland game, but surely Heinz is not a long term replacement. Two new ones need to be identified and developed.

Any ideas?

Heinz is at best a stop gap for this 6Ns but beyond that it is very tricky.

Spencer at Sarries is the only one but Eddie seems very reluctant to give him a go. Outside of that there aren't even many English scrum halves playing for their teams.
 

SugarRay

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2011
7,984
11,110
Lose to Scotland and there’s every chance it’s shootout with Italy for wooden spoon!?

Weird selections and no sign at all of a plan B being developed let alone being used. It’s quite strange really.

I do hate it when the six nations becomes a tool to experiment though.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,391
Lose to Scotland and there’s every chance it’s shootout with Italy for wooden spoon!?

Weird selections and no sign at all of a plan B being developed let alone being used. It’s quite strange really.

I do hate it when the six nations becomes a tool to experiment though.

It's a bit inevitable in a way though when for whatever reasons, everybody is on a post World Cup revamp. Can't say I'm at all impressed with EJ's squad selections though (or should I say ommissions?) and if you're going to move the old guard out why leave Youngs as your starting 9?
 
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