Comments on: Best of the Weekend: Edinburgh secure home quarterfinal

By: Don P

Don P — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 16:53:52 +0000

VJ, you’ve been @ ESPN again haven’t you? The stats you offer up don’t mention the strength of opposition, whether the tries were scored by the fwds or through the backs & which competitions they were within. Teams’ stats can look more positive, depending on some of my aforementioned factors, but, in the Cup, certainly in the game under discussion & @ that stage of the comp, when it nearly fatally mattered, Munster didn’t score too many ‘tries for fun’!

By: Don P

Don P — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 16:44:08 +0000

JB, sure you’re commenting on the NH?

By: Don P

Don P — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 16:38:53 +0000

If you’re addressing me SJ, I was following yr & before that, VJ’s comments.

By: Jacob Bassford

Jacob Bassford — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 06:51:44 +0000

Baxter has said he wouldn’t do it, and I perhaps would like him the England coaching setup but not as head coach.

By: VJ

VJ — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 23:32:11 +0000

The point I’m trying to make is that, regardless of experience levels, everyone is continually learning – and also that learning from one’s mistakes is so often overlooked as a source of positive growth. Players, coaches, teams, all need experience to learn from and develop – and sometimes this can mean that they appear to underwhelm in the unforgiving public eye. As long as they do learn from their mistakes and demonstrate that progression in future, they are stronger for the experience. And arguably that applies to both Ford and his drop-goal (or absence of) and the Chiefs and their European campaign this year. Having a decade of experience makes that no less valid than if you are fresh to the game. So Baxter has every right to say he (and the Chiefs) are still learning – and there is no shame on Ford either.

By: VJ

VJ — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 23:19:33 +0000

Funnily enough, no. Partly because I’d selfishly like him to stay where he’s doing such a great job, but mainly because he’d need time to bed in, given the patient methodology he uses. And I don’t see the RFU (or the fans) being particularly keen on the idea that England would be in transition for a few years, even if they came back far stronger for it. I’m confident he would be good enough, but whether he would be ‘good’ enough quickly enough to avoid the axe is something I’m not so confident on – coaching is getting progressively more trigger-happy these days, after all.

By: Jacob Bassford

Jacob Bassford — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 21:08:16 +0000

Really? Are you taking the mick, the last time Ford lined up alongside Harrison was the home defeat to Saints last season! 🙁

By: Jacob Bassford

Jacob Bassford — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 21:06:08 +0000

A lot was going through his mind at that moment in time… trying to eye opportunities, thinking about the time, the score and the Six Nations was probably in the back of his mind too, unfortunately the drop-goal is deemed as such an old-fashioned and also often poorly executed manoeuvre that people don’t tend to think about it until it’s all too late.

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 21:03:29 +0000

JB, likewise!

By: Jacob Bassford

Jacob Bassford — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 21:03:07 +0000

no don’t worry I read it as a fair criticism and point

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 21:00:54 +0000

VJ. BTW, also reckon that Ford is experienced enough to know his best options by now.

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 20:57:52 +0000

VJ. So when Jones (probably) leaves the England job after the WC, would you be happy to see Baxter take over then?