Rate the match between Wales and England in Cardiff, and leave your thoughts on the game in the comments section below. Did you enjoy the curtain raiser to the 2015 Six Nations?
Loading ... Categories
Rate the match: Wales vs England, Six Nations 2015
Rate the match between Wales and England in Cardiff, and leave your thoughts on the game
Loading ...
81 replies on “Rate the match: Wales vs England, Six Nations 2015”
Before the game I didn’t think England would win. After 10 minutes I feared 2013 was going to look like a good result. 9/10
Absolutely delighted. Didn’t give us a hope before the game. Agree with Matt, 10 minutes in and I thought that we were on for a hiding. Hold my hand up as wrong about Joseph. Didn’t think he had it in him. Delighted to be proved wrong. 6 starters out, away from home, what a win. But where oh where do Wales go from here? Everyone fit, at home and with the rub of the referee in their favour in the first half. Not looking good for them, even if they win their next four games and take the title on points difference. No plan B. Might like to watch the game again without beer goggles on, to give a more lucid report, and just might watch it several times again!
Injuries, poor red decisions and still england win. Well done lads. Worried for Wales
Great game. I agree with Staggy. I’ve not thought much of Gatland for some time. Yet again Wales couldn’t find another game plan when they needed too. England played a slightly different game today. A few times the forwards could have pushed forward and gone for the line but we put more faith in the backs. wales much hyped centres didn’t bring anything today and were effectively nullified. Gatland should have started testing younger players a long time ago. Jenkins in particular just isn’t international standard any more.
Wales scored a lucky try and stopped playing. That is a savage English pack looking forward to March 1st, I think Warren ball has well and truly been figured out
I’m confused, I thought we were there purely to make up the numbers?
Be fair, nobody in the Welsh management or team were in any doubts that this was going to be a hard game – anybody Welsh who thought England were ‘just making up the numbers’ was drunk or daft! But I do detect a little triumphalism going on, which has taught us just how very much that 30-3 defeat hurt England – there was an element of hysteria on Friday, which is leaking into the mostly well-balanced comments here. Yes 30-3, not a one score margin, just to rub it in yet again!
But be quite sure, Gatland is not daft – he’s incredibly astute, and The Meeting in September will be very different again! I just pray there won’t be the same stupid pre-match nonsense as we had on Friday. We’re there to watch rugby for God’s sake!
Apologies, but that win ranks amongst the most satisfying I’ve encountered, as we were written off by the press, bookies and a large number of fans before the match. Similar circumstances to 2009 and 2012, but whilst those results were closer than many predicted, this was a reversal.
Thought Katy Perry was playing at Millenium when I switched the telly on this morning. Great start to RWC year and preparations. Likewise some dodgy refereeing decisions as I didn’t realise an eighth man could pick up a ball that was still in the front row ! Dominance in the forwards and the half backs getting what looked like a good attacking three quarters over the gain line. Well done lads. Onwards and upwards !
I would love to meet the person who voted 1/10…. Bet you’re a right barrel of laughs. Even my caravan burning mates would acknowledge that was a good match…
Positives- good contest, lots of kicking but executed and fielded well, good phase play from both sides, some decent hits, tense right until the end.
Negatives- slow start, dodgy gimmicks at the stadium, somewhat pernickety ref, George North not subbed after the second KO.
8/10. Great start, onwards and upwards
All my dire predictions well and truly buried.This team can do very well in rwc.Thought Youngs was mom.A great 2nd half -pace,intensity,desire.Thoroughly deserved win.Scoreboard flattered Wales
Good game, thought Haskell was immense and 12T was everywhere when he came on. Gives England a real platform to go and win the tournament.
Some of us had been calling for Haskell’ s inclusion for a while, and I just hope that SL keeps him in even when Wood is fit again. His ball carrying made a big difference, and took some of the pressure off Billy V. Excellent game where we controlled the ball well when we had it, good kicking (mostly) and some great individual skill!! Well done England!!!!
Supported Wales and frustrated with the result but voted 9/10 it was a great game.
I agreed with the decision to disallow the try cos of how high he was and going backwards, he wouldn’t of touched down (maybe if he was lower to the ground it would have stood).
No issues with the other points, abit aggrieved at the Yellow card but those are the breaks, now hoping Ireland beat England and Wales can beat Ireland, I still have faith wales can pull this one back.
I also didn’t give us much hope with the amount of injuries we had. Glad to be proved wrong. Great to see Haskel’s resurgence . Didn’t panic ,went through the phases and strangled when necessary. I said before, if we have designs on winning the World Cup, we have to go undefeated all the way to November to build the physiological pressure to mount an effective campaign.
I have in mind England vs New zealand from the autumn just in reverse!
More importantly almost, George North should have been off, he was clearly unconscious and thats not safe. Poor guy is never going to make the call himself the medical team should have
As my avatar has been pointing out for years now, Gatland is a plank! The elephant in the room – there was a time when Welsh teams rose up against “this sort of thing” – But for Faletau this could have been embarrassing for Wales.
Not so worried about Ireland going to Cardiff now.
DDD
England played with a tactical nous, intent and hunger, Wales had no game plan when starved of front foot ball – set piece creaked as it did against New Zealand in the Autumn so I have to ask what they are paying Gatland and Co for – as a proud Welshman I have to say well done Lancaster and England – I had goosebumps at the cauldron created but they soon disappeared as we continue on the merry-go-round of Warrenball which fails against the top 6 sides in the world – such a shame with the best group of players of my lifetime
As an England fan living in Cardiff, I was expecting the worst, there was so much expectation here. The build up gave me goose bumps but it seems Wales need to concentrate more on a game plan than pre game theatrics.
So happy that JJ had a good game! And to be fair to 12T, he was a man possessed with tackling and the turnover when he came on late. Great to see Haskell carrying more too.
great game well done England, I must admit i was a bit concerned when SL started making changes thought the pack and front row in particular had been outstanding and that the changes were going allow Wales back in
God that was tense. What a win. I dreamed that this would happen but didn’t dare believe. Defence was immense in that second half.
So pleased for Watson and JJ. I know some are criticising the tackling for JJ’s try but his footwork was sublime. England now have a plan b to go with the power play that a fit Manu provides. Really hope this team gets a chance to back this up even when the regulars return, although would probably have Lawes back in the squad at least.
Would also like to hear from those saying SL had to go before the RWC. Wonder if you’ve changed your mind. Gpod team selection and great adjustments at half time.
Ok,I’ll put my head above the parapet. I agree that last night England were good in parts and to come away with a win was excellent.
However,I still have reservations. In the first half England continued the same inexplicable tendency of committing backs to the breakdown rather than forwards,something which SL actually alluded to post match. The question is :why?
Hartley was subdued,even his throwing went to pot,might be time to give Youngs T a run of games.
It will also be interesting to see if England move on from last night and keep improving or slowly “tighten up”as per last years 6N.(and the year before).
Credit where it’s due, somebody said the right things at half time and England looked fitter than they have for a while. They also executed a game plan which worked well. I was expecting bosh bosh kick but they mixed it up and looked reasonably fluid.
My personal criticisms of Lancaster and there have been many,all stem from a source we share: to see them back where they belong,at the pinnacle of world rugby.
Too often the critic is labelled mean spirited,lacking in appreciation or just plain stupid.
Not so my friend,not so.
I’m baffled by your suggestion that they ‘tightened up’ as the 6N progressed last year. If anything, they were a hell of a lot better at the end of the tournament.
Teecee, I think that we all agree that we would like England to win the RWC! Also I’m not sure that anyone has labelled you mean spirited, etc for wanting SL gone. I just disagreed with you and on this occasion I thought SL called it as well as he could have done. I’ve never said SL is perfect, but I do think he is our best shot for the RWC. How he does in that will define whether we want him to continue afterwards.
Hi Staggy. Just making a point about the way constructive criticism is often taken as niggardly nit picking or sourness on the part of the one who speaks out,nothing personal.
I very much agree that SL went with what he had and it and it paid off. I also agree with others who feel that England are not really progressing as a cohesive unit. Now that could well be down to injuries but I am not totally convinced.
As Stu says it is a moot point as to whether JJ would have made the cut had Barritt been around. I think we can all agree that SL is very much a safety first type of coach.He goes with what he knows and that is ok to a point.
Lets hope that ,injuries allowing he sticks with the same midfield for the whole 6N.No more square pegs in round holes (Farrell) as that is the only way to judge real progress.
On the plus side,Watson seems to be finding his feet Kruis was very effective,36 showed that he wants his place back and tactically England were ok apart from the first 15 minutes.
Cheers.
Welsh fireworks were in the stands,sadly not on the pitch.
N.B. the concussion debate. Did anyone else see the item on the BBC news this morning regarding this? Very interesting. Seems that the IRFU are not playing by their own rules.
On the SL debate, I just wonder if we would have seen Joseph if we didn’t have the midfield injuries we do? Still think he would prefer to be safe than adventurous given a choice.
Not saying SL is perfect, but he did pick JJ when I thought it was the wrong thing to do. Two thoughts. It is often the case that players get a chance when the people in front of them are injured, and also how does a coach with the player resources of England choose a team. He could chop and change all of the time, picking the form player, but this would do nothing for long term planning or continuity. I think that that is why he takes a relatively conservative attitude to picking players, but at least he seems to learn when someone does stick their hand up.
I think we should take advantage of those resources by picking a team for the opposition.
Against Italy at home, points are the order of the day, so I’d go for the Bath 10/12/13 and have Croft and Cips on the bench.
Against Ireland in Dublin, we need to play a tight, controlled game. For that reason I’d have Barritt at 12 and Wood and Farrell on the bench (as an example, I know Faz is out of the 6N)
Interesting Geat, but don’t you think SL needs to bed in his combinations as far as he can with the RWC just around the corner?
I totally agree with you there Geat. Use what we have to suit each team we play. Barritt and JJ could actually make a very good partnership. JJ proved on Friday that he is not the weak link in the defence he used to be. Put some great tackles in, and deserves to keep his spot. Would rather see him continue than push Burrell out to 13.
Wasn’t the most exciting game I have ever watched. And even though I am a proud Welshman couldn’t argue against the result. Looks like we will have to settle for the championship instead
Staggy, I agree that players often get their chance through injuries and wouldn’t want SL to chop and change all the time. My concern is that I dont believe he has an attacking philosophy that has clearly been applied to the group – I don’t see that England have really progressed in that regard for a long time. I could accept he picks players above those in form sometimes if we were showing clear improvement as a unit, as we aren’t (IMO) then it makes sense to select the players producing the goods.
My issue isn’t really to do with selection as much as the lack of obvious improvement/direction shown in recent times. He did a great job with sorting the mess from before but doesn’t seem to have moved on from that.
I must start by saying that I’m welsh, but in hiding from English work colleagues this week. I have to agree with so many of the comments on here. I too have thought that gatland should have gone a long time ago. He is stifling welsh rugby. We have no plan B. We were taught a masterclass on and off the field last year in Ireland, its happened again this year and in Cardiff, but worryingly it appears we have learnt nothing. You have to be in possession to score tries, but that also means that the other side can’t score tries while you have the ball. All we did was kick it back to England, and poorly at that. When biggar went for blood, and priestland appeared, even the tide stopped in fear of us going from bad to worse. A few years back, with a very similar team, we were running in tries from everywhere and were outstanding to watch. Our 3\4’s did little on Friday, but what can you do without the ball. As you may have noticed, there’s a rather frustrated avid rugby fan here, who knows that we are capable of so much more. We need a playmaker at ten, which we have if the coaching staff can put previous grievances behind them, whose instruction should be to go and play rugby, put the pride back into the welsh 10 jersey and remind the world what the back line players that french and English clubs are willing to pay an earth for are capable of.
I can’t help but think that Wales have lacked a plan B since Shane Williams retired. Eli Walker looked like a handy option but keeps getting injured.
dingdongdenny
Yeah. Kind of makes you kind of wonder how they beat Saffas doesn’t it?
Staggy
I don’t rate SL, altho I wasn’t 1 who suggested he should actually go (too late & to un-English anyway), however, 1 swallow @ all that. Besides wasn’t he forced to pick much of this team due to injury? Or was it his self professed ‘vision’?
Don, definitely picking a number of players from last man standing, but to do that and still have the team get a win in Cardiff was huge.
Credit to SL, good team performance from a side with a fair few new combinations.
Yes I have a minor gripe that Ford (now overtaking Farrell) has so few caps, should have been getting more experience in the last 6N and should not have been selected behind Farrell at the start of the AIs.
Similarly I have a minor gripe that JJ didn’t feature in the autumn when he was tearing it up in the premiership (and has happily continued that form)
But I’ll take the result and the performance over my minor gripes ever day of the week.
Gatland needs to be judged on the RWC, he’s got a plan for getting his athletes that play rugby (they seem to be athletes first and rugby players second) into the best condition possible for the RWC. That involved compromising their performance now (same as start of last year’s campaign). If he’s got it wrong and it’s a short campaign then I will understand calling for a change. “Where has all the Welsh creativity gone?” seems to matter a lot less when Warrenball results in a win.
Coach takes the flack when his team loses and the credit when his team wins l. if we had lost people would have wanted lancasters head despite the injuries. but we won so he deserves credit. Lancaster picked the players based with what he had left and he adjusted the game plan accoridngly, he pulled it off and credit is due to him, not good luck or ill luck of the injuries depending on which way you see it.
I dont want to be accused of getting carried away but England looked really strong in the second half, so impressed, completely shut the Welsh out the game. Several players had the games of their lives eg watson, ford, haskell, youngs etc. Still ireland will be favourites in dublin which is why we need to keep the same team next week and hopefully rack up a cricket score against the Italinas to ensure a repeat of last year doenst happen. Easier said than done il admit.
As for Wales, im not sure where they can go from here. Gatland wont bring back Adam Jones, Hook and Eli Walker is always injured. Still they have some cracking players and i wouldnt be surprised to see them go unbeaten for the rest of the tournament, must be furstraitng though they have to go so low before they get to their best form, especially considering they had ‘got the monkey off their back’ of beaitng SH opposition in november,
Interesting point about the Welsh Springbok victory followed by this loss. But remember, England had beaten ABs in November before Wales destroyed them 30-3. Rugby’s a funny old game; as they say ‘roosters one day, feather dusters the next’!
Very impressive performance by England. I wonder wether we will see the partnership of Tuilagi and Joseph in the centres when Manu is back fit. Could be a winning combo with Manu at 12. I really was impressed by Youngs and Haskell as I had doubts about them both but happy to be proven wrong. I also really want to see Corbisero given a start at loose head. Marler has played well and certainly is a top class loose head now but Corbs is the best scrummaging loose head in the NH period. I would like to see the following team play come World Cup time and presuming everyone is fit to play:
1. A. Corbisero
2. D. Hartley
3. D. Cole
4. J. Launchbury
5. C. Lawes
6. J. Haskell
7. C. Robshaw
8. B. Morgan
9. B. Youngs
10. G. Ford
11. J. May
12. M. Tuilagi
13. J. Joseph
14. A. Watson
15. M. Brown
16. J. Marler
17. D. Wilson
18. T. Youngs
19. D. Attwood
20. T. Wood (would love to have S. Armitage)
21. D. Care
22. O. Farrell
23. K. Eastmond
I said before the game that all the injuries were nonsense. Before Friday I said that the only changes I’d make to that starting XV would be both locks and to bring Manu in at 12. Still absolutely agree with that.
Only change I’d make to your 23 there would be to have Morgan on the bench and Billy V starting. Actually I’d have Nowell over Eastmond too. Don’t need a 12 option on the bench with Farrell covering there is there are injuries. Better to have back 3 cover there.
Paulo, like that team and how about this one:-
Brookes, Webber, Vunipola
Kruis, Kitchener
Easter, Kvesic, Croft
Care, Cipriani
Twelvetrees, Burgess
Wade, Rokoduguni
Pennell
My stab at our third 15, and 7 of them were in the squad on Friday. Not too shabby, and most of them will miss out on the RWC barring injuries!
Sorry should have been Eastmond/Burrell instead of Burgess. Too many centre combos recently to remember them all.
Easter cost us a try. I hope he never plays for England again. Pick Ewers at 8 instead.
How did Easter cost us a try? He ran a perfectly normal line and was pissed off – forwards run all that the time at any level of the game.
Madness comment.
If Farrell had been fit would SL have picked him for Cardiff instead of Ford?I suspect he would have.
But for injuries he would equally not have picked Haskell Attwood or JJ.
Would we have won with an injury free team?I’m not so sure.
With the World Cup so near change must be kept to a minimum.Build continuity Stuart!
What makes you think he’d have played Farrell? Ford started the last game against Austrlia which we won and we know he likes “incumbents”?
Would you have bet against Farrell nailing those missed penalties though!? Yes we won, but in another game (against Ireland?) those missed kicks could cost us the game. Ford was actually relatively quiet. I think Youngs made him look good on Friday night.
Do agree here. Was really shocked to see Ford named MOTM – Youngs, Haskell and Watson were the stand outs for me.
Still would go Ford though – think he just offers a little more than Farrell currently. Does need to work on his kicking mind you, and Farrell needs to work on his attacking game.
Very harsh on Ford there. One of the misses was off the post, it happens, I remember Farrell missing kicks 2 years ago. Plus Ford was playing to the line and just as instrumental as Youngs in setting up England’s attack and 2 (but should have been 4) tries.
Personally I found it great that for the first time in ages we had some attack minded backs to take advantage from the platform the forwards provided.
Lancaster had already said the shirt was Ford’s, before Farrell’s injury. Agree Haskell and JJ may not have been picked over a fit Wood and Barritt though, but hey – at least Bomber had them in the EPS!
Do you not think he’d have had JJ over Barritt? I was convinced he’d pick him anyway. Everything SL was saying in the media about JJ (even before Barritts injry) suggested he’d play him. Barritt would have likely played over Burrell though.
I’d like to think so, but I’m not so sure. JJ was in fine form prior to the autumn but didn’t get a look-in. Regardless, Lancaster has to stick with him now!
Do agree he was in form but SL said in the AI’s that he wants to see the consistency from him. To be fair to SL JJ had been off for ages, so he obviously wanted more than a month of good form. He then went on to show that so I’m convinced he’d have picked him anyway.
That being said – mute point now, JJ is in!
Its all a matter of opinion but at 10-0 down I was cowering but didn’t loose faith, I think the margin of victory should’ve been greater Faletau commited a penalty offence by reaching into a scrum for the ball when it hadn’t broken down and also I feel the crossing descision on Nick Easter was a bit harsh as I though he moved to receive the ball and was tackled accordingly but its a matter of opinion as I said.
As for comments about injuries Simon makes a valid point but have those chosen not stuck their hands up with gusto and should follow the momentum through against Italy.
I understand the valid observations that but for injury several of the England players wouldn’t have been picked. This criticism is something that I think we’ve all levelled at SL at one time or another when our pet players haven’t been picked.
However, I do think that you have to give credit to the coaches, as in the first test against the ABs in the summer, because the new players came in and performed, not as individuals having a great day, but as cohesive members of a team. That’s on the coaches.
The telling thing is whether any of the returning players are given their places back when the incumbents have played well.
The centres clearly deserve another run out together, though I could see Eastmond coming in on the bench. Especially against Italy Barritt would seem to be an odd choice. Lawes for Kruis is the most obvious change, but even there I could make a case for Kruis starting with Lawes on the bench.
Staggy
It was a decent win & perhaps more so as it was generally unexpected. However, if game systems, tactics are right, players ought to be able to slot into same, particularly with England’s base. As for it being a ‘huge’ win, well, IMO a week can be a long time in rugger & that is yet to be seen. As Wales recently beat SA,whereas England lost to them, I’d recommend some caution in reading too much into the size of this win – just yet. However, your reaction is understandable, as was SL’s.
Don. You’re missing the point. Psychologically it was a huge win and some of the players said as much. Always good to get a win as the underdogs, but in a stadium where you were mauled last time, against soon to be RWC opponents, it was a big win. Doesn’t mean we will win next time, but it will definitely help. Likewise, the Welsh win v SA was huge for them. Dislodged the SH monkey from their back. Still doesn’t mean they will do it next time, but they will have more belief that they can.
Alan
Bit harsh. Easter only came on for a bit part & you already want him out! These things happen. If he’d shaved his silver beard off & used a bit of Grecian 2000 on his sideboards, would that have helped? And what of Haskell’s running into a brick, well, goalpost. Butchered a try. Would you dump him too? As for Johnny May’s leaving his post & letting in that try. Yikes!
Very harsh to blame Easter. Not only was it arguably not obstruction, but given it was 3 phases back, the TMO had no right to be calling it up anyway.
As Don says, if you’re going to blame Easter, then you need some seriously harsh words for Haskell’s magnificent run directly into the post
Pleased Barritt was unavailable for this match. Burrell still has a way to come but some of his play was good, nice lines, powerful runs, dealt with Roberts. He has the potential to be very good and if JJ can jkeep up the good form, the two ofn them together could make a very good partnership.
Also, Attwood showed why he should be a first choice lock, no matter who else is fit. Lawes, Launchbury or Kruis (who showed his potential on Friday night)
As an aside, can SL please stop the automatic replacements. We were counting it down in the pub having earlier said that no matter what was happening in the game, he would take off at least 2 players at 55 mins. Lo and behold he did. Silly when Marler had the measure of Lee and was making a dent in the loose.
Ditto Youngs being taken off. Don’t think he was injured and he was having his best game for some time, if not ever, for England.
The result seems to have overshadowed what was an arm wrestle with few tries. However, winners are grinners. It was a near run thing until the last 1/4. England upped the tempo after 1/2 time & Wales didn’t compete @ breakdown in numbers (the most important bit of a game, incl l/out & scrum). England did. Also their ‘D’ was up on top of the Welsh midfield, who were relatively anon, got static ball. And the Welsh ball carriers were 1 dime. 1 v 2 tacklers. Who was going to win that 1? Lee should never have got his hair cut by Delilah. Drained him @ scrum & gave England the edge. Why Gatland didn’t have A. Jones as scrum security beat me. And why he didn’t get the message out that breakdown NUMBERS were required yesterday, also beat me. And why they continued to attack with ball in hand 1 out beggered belief. They also kicked too much in the last 10 & so confirmed defeat – unlike the ABs (who kick all the time apparently) v Ireland last yr when the attacked, attacked, attacked then kept attacking with ball in hand til they SCORED in the last minute. Worth noting? England also kicked too frequently & aimlessly at times. Need to do better v Ireland? Ford was adequate without pulling up too many trees. Danny Cip. Lancs still has him as window dressing. A lift for England & a kick in the wotsits for Wales. E now have a better run in til Ireland, whereas W have it all to do. But it ain’t all over til the clinically obese woman sings & 1 swallow etc. PS Where’s the brighty spark? AWOL? Surely not. In a corner somewhere tearing off his Cptn Marvel comic eye patch I shouldn’t wonder. Shame.
Well, Gatland doesn’t have Jones because Jones has retired. The Welsh front row is a problem. You have one 100 capper retire and another a shadow of his former self – little depth to the Welsh squad. a fact of life for Wales, unfortunately.
Aye McMurphy – Jones was badly handled. Not the “not selecting”. That’s subjective and is down to the team. I don’t buy the idea that we should have given Jones more caps just because he was a legend. What seems to have been the issue is the lack of care taken with the decision – no phone call beforehand etc.
A phone call right now, begging him to come back, would be the order of the day. I still have immense faith in Lee but he needs a backup for the ups/downs that will (and did) come. Still a young lad who Jones himself has said is fantastically talented.
Gethin is still up and down. Still amazing around the park but creaky in the scrum and it’s the latter that matters most – sometimes he does really well, sometimes not (and no, I don’t blame that on ref interpretation before some wag pipes up).
I as an English man was glad that adam Jones has gone, as he is well hell of a graffter….I love watching him play against every one except England, he would have held up the front row, making it a better contest.
I think the ref was poor, he had awarded the try to England, and then was over ruled by the tmo…..not good, if he had seen the block by Easter then he should have blown up then, but, it looks like they were listening to Gatland getting his whinging in before the ball had been kicked off……name me one team that does not block?
Best tackle of the night was the upright against Haskill !!! not a try, but I bet he wishes they didn’t have the padding as he would have not been stopped.
The Welsh tactics were poor, why didn’t they pass the ball out wide?….I think it was because the English had a 13 stone no. 10, and they changed their game to attack him, well it didn’t work, it looked to me that the Welsh went out not to loose, where as the English wanted to win.
I knew we were going to win when they took off a good scrum half, and brought Phillips on. The man has to be the slowest 9 in international rugby, he is not able to pass the ball without taking a step, this allows defences another 1/2 to 1 to 2 seconds to close up. Why hasn’t this been coached out of his game…..there you go Gatland…read and learn
George North has been playing in England now for a while the English all know him, and he is not the terrifying menace he was, he is now just a menace. It was a disgrace they put him back on after those head injuries, the doctor should be an independant, with absolute authority over the payers welfare and care, and able to asses with video evidence the exact incident to help him make a visual and physical decision over the injury. North is a very exciting player, and even though he is sadly not English i really enjoy watching him play, the second knock could well put him out of further matches….so was it worth putting him back on?….no, and no one can argue against that. I hope he recovers OK, it’s a shame maybe not in time to smash the scotts.
I hope the English do keep comments to themselves and not join in this kiwi led habit of trying to make the ref ref the way they want, let the 15 on the pitch play, the coaches coach, and the refs stop listening to radio shows/tv’s.
Please SL, keep the same team for the Italy game,injuries allowing. We need a settled midfield.
We also need to find another lock who combines the power and athleticism of Attwood. If he get’s injured we ain’t got a direct replacement. Please don’t say Lawes,good as he is he is over a stone lighter and not as dynamic.
Any suggestions anyone?
Ed Slater? Was in line for game time in the autumn before injury struck, hence Kruis coming in.
Yep – Ed Slater. I am a massive fan. Athletic enough to play at 6 (as he has done in the past) which seems to be England’s preference, but 18 1/2 stone and has that same grit which guys like Johnson brought (and Atwood is bringing at the moment) to the team. Also Leicester captain, so obviously well respected. I think in a couple of years it will be Launchbury/Lawes and Slater competing for the match day 3 lock spots.
McMurphy
Read recently in RW mag that Jones was ‘retired’ by Gatland? AJ stated that he… ‘didn’t want it to end like this’? Fr row & scrum important of course (altho not the be all & end all some make it out to be), but with better tactics, not missing that tackle etc, Wales still could have won it IMO. I mean with Haskell’s sat nav on the blink & Easter making an egg of his running line, there was a bit of luck going for Wales… altho not for the 1st English try when the bounce went England’s way.
James
Easter blocked & the TMO called it.
Similar sits, happened to the ABs v SA with, ironically, Nigel Owens 1st awarding an AB ‘try’, then ‘reffing’ it to the TMO. Likewise in the last test v the Saffas, in the last RC, Barnes awarded a SA pen @ the death only after the crowd bellowed in unison for an ‘arm barge’ by Kaino. He then ‘reffed’ it to the TMO.
What’s the diff? As T-T said; ‘Hard cheese’!
James the sanctimonious
‘I hope the English do keep comments to themselves and not join in this kiwi led habit of trying to make the ref ref the way they want…’. Like Robson had duct tape over his mouth for the whole match? Perleeese! Watch a few more games… preferably with your eyes open, otherwise you might have to ask brighty for a loan of his eye patch. More Bah, humbug!
Staggy
Bit confusing. If it was a ‘big’ win, then how so if it… ‘Doesn’t mean we will win next time…’? If England lose nxt time then the win can’t have been that big, can it? It’s only in the context of time that it can be seen as having been ‘big’ or not. Did the England win v the ABs 3 yrs ago prove to be ‘big’. Lost 6 in a row since then v the SH & Lancs has been under the pump from his own since then, esp with a record similar to that of the ‘discredited’ Johhno. Wisdom would suggest that you learn a bit of patience before you utter your 1 swallow opinion… to which you are entitled of course.
Luckily in sport no win is guaranteed next time. That is why people watch it. That is why people play it.
If beating someone once meant you were guaranteed to beat them every single time then no one would bother watching.
Doesn’t meant that you can’t have ‘big wins’.
Jacob
‘Luckily in sport no win is guaranteed next time. That is why people watch it. That is why people play it’. Well that’s your take on it anyway, although you can’t speak for others. And you must have missed my other blog on ‘guarantees’. Even though I was reffing to WC’s, the principle holds good. https://therugbyblog.com/amongst-a-smattering-of-positives-a-central-dilemma-remains-for-england
Also define ‘big’. Following the last England win v the AB’s, ‘e.g.’, did you say that was ‘big’? After England then struggled to put Italy away @ home (not meant to be contradictory), then lost to Oz & SA (I think), what did you then say? Perhaps the ‘big’ win wasn’t so ‘big’ after all when put into context of that season rather than in the initial reaction in the aftermath of 1 win? See my refs to ‘wisdom’ above. However, I am aware that England & its fans are not fed a steady diet of wins v the SH, so perhaps your reactions are understandable in being somewhat subjective @ times.
Henry
Well Attwood was castigated by more than a few here as being 4th in the pecking not that long ago. Funny how injuries can change things. No too many detractors now, that bodged pass to butcher that try, notwithstanding (lack of coaching?). Also what about (Is it) Michael? Patterson? Things have also now gone a bit silent regding his prospects too.
McMurphy
‘I understand the valid observations that but for injury several of the England players wouldn’t have been picked’. That’s the (valid) point. Did Lancs rescue England, or did injuries rescue him (for now)? Needs some of Ben Darwin’s ‘cohesion’ IMO, esp in consistent selection (as possible) & tactics.
Teecee
‘I agree that last night England were good in parts…’. You are more even handed than some here to ‘still have reservations’. It will be ‘… interesting to see if England move on from last night and keep improving or slowly “tighten up”as per last years 6N’.
As for yr ‘personal criticisms of Lancaster and there have been many…’, I concur with as his record alone thus far indicates these. However, where I demur, is in your contention that you wish ‘to see them back where they belong, at the pinnacle of world rugby’, as no team ‘belongs’ there. They earn it by playing better & smarter rugby than others.
However, I see your criticism as born out of some wisdom rather being ‘mean spirited,lacking in appreciation or just plain stupid’. Indeed, I agree, that this is… ‘Not so my friend,not so’.
More walk to be walked yet, although England are in a better position now & likely frame of mind, looking ahead in this 6N… til Dublin?