Comments on: RFU names panel to conduct official review

By: Jimi

Jimi — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 21:26:17 +0000

I don’t think Lancaster is a bad coach. I just think he’s out if his depth. We saw two years ago how far he could take this team. After all the false dawns such as the win over NZ and so on, it became pretty obvious that Lancaster and Co would only be able to take this team to a good average level at best.
Many aspects of his tenure have been flawed. Look at selection and using ridiculous excuses like, ‘size’, to not pick game breakers like wade or eastmond. But he did breed a positive culture which seems to be well in bedded into the players. However, on the back of this, I do feel that some England players are beginning to look at the national setup in a closed shop kind of way, as after the initial upheaval after his first six nations, we didn’t see too big a change in personnel during the last four years.
My biggest problem with England at the moment, is they seem too nice. Where is the nasty, gnarled leaders, the veterans of big games that never take a backward step? There’s none, bar maybe Mr angry.
If the RFU persevere with Lancaster they will look weak and delusional. After years of picking coaches with no experience, can we please adhere to logic and evidence. Just look at what Eddie Jones has done with Japan, they’ve punched well above their weight in ever game they’ve played. Rowntree has to go he’s been there too long and the pack were pussy during the whole tournament. Farrell should never have been in the coaching setup in the first place. The man’s son is in the team, I don’t care how many personal guarantees a man gives, you can’t be impartial about the person that’s genetically half of yourself that you brought into this world and nurtured everyday to where he is now. Plus, why was someone who specialises in defence having such influence over the team, the back line and attack? In my honest opinion, I’ve always thought Lancaster was a poor man’s versions of Rob Baxter at Exeter.
I fully expect the next coach (if this panel sees sense and logic as valuable commodities with which to base a decision on) to give a lot more players a chance to stake a claim. I look on in envy at the players Wales, Scotland, Ireland and just about everyone else has because they gave them a chance and a run of games.
After a new coaching team is selected, the next priority has got to be to give Kvesic more caps and identify another open side that doesn’t carry an injury jinx. England were blown out the water by playing with two sixes against teams with genuine scavengers. I don’t accept this whole six and a half rubbish either. Every player helps at the breakdown, but flanker are supposed to be in there more than any other player. Hence, you could say, every blind side is a six and a half. I’d say we need to find someone who’s big, nasty, abrasive and powerful to play blindside too. Tom wood is a grafter, but he just doesn’t cut it in the carrying department.
I find it ironic how Lancaster would gloss over the deficiencies of players he liked to start. And he did have favourites, no argument there.
Lastly, does anyone know what style of play we were trying to develop these last four years? It seemed to change every test window.

By: harlequin

harlequin — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 18:02:15 +0000

Benjit
If they keep the same coaching team I think it is possible we could lose all 5 6N games because (a)Morale and confidence both players and coaches will still be low when we reassemble and(b) the other will know that and smell blood.(c)3 games are away

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 15:59:09 +0000

IMG: Could you use this as an opportunity to get rid of Rob Andrew?
IR: Forget it, he dodges bullets better than Neo.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 15:52:59 +0000

Masterful Machiavellian stuff from Geech, he knows the best chance of the Calcutta cup changing hands is with the current bunch of muppets in charge …..

By: Benjit

Benjit — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 15:40:45 +0000

Harlequin, I honestly can’t see them getting away with it in the long term. They may well fudge the review, but can you honestly see England winning the 6n? If they don’t for the 5th year, then the siren call for change will be deafening. Ritchie has backed himself into a corner, thankfully prominent voices are already complaining of a whitewash, so there is still hope that the right outcomes will be achieved.

By: harlequin

harlequin — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 14:47:20 +0000

Benjit
The risk is he will get away with it and cover up will duly be delivered.These people are in denial and badly deluded that English rugby is in the biggest crisis in its entire history.I find the level of managerial incompetence and lack of integrity is almost on a par with fifa

By: Geat

Geat — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 13:48:57 +0000

Plus as an Englishman I believe I have every right to poke fun at an Englishman who chose to play for Wales. ;-)

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 13:15:34 +0000

I think, among many, many other things; the lack of control over players is hurting the RFU.

They tried to copy the NZ blue print in some ways, but due to the fact that they do not centrally contract players it is completely flawed.

I know Wales has only recently begun doing so, but it’s common knowledge that Warburton barely does much in a Cardiff shirt. Cardiff is essentially used to keep him fit and in form. His season is test match rugby. Same goes for much of the Wales squad (based in the regions). Same can be said in NZ and Aus where their players are protected centrally for the interest of the country’s national team. Same in Ireland too.

Two huge nations in France and England, have suffered probably over the last decade due to the control the club game has.

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 12:27:27 +0000

Cheers Benjit. In terms of rugby quality of Wales I agree with you, England being better won’t make us worse, should make us better. If we could move ahead competing with a rejuvenated England that would be great.

My points were more that there is some schadenfreude in England’s current plight, and fear of what could happen if they magically get it together, because of our memories of how their administration acted back when they were excellent. All of the points I made were about how England wanted to ditch the 6Ns, the equitable TV deals, the fixture rotations and eventually join SANZAR because the 6Ns wasn’t giving them the competition they needed. A couple of seasons of dominance and all of a sudden they’re writing off Ire/Sco/Wal. (It’s ironic that right now it’s arguable that Ire/Sco/Wal are the dominant forces in NH rugby).

In reality though England are not that far off operating at a level more in line with the abilities that their money and player base could generate. I don’t really think there is the potential there for them to improve to a position miles ahead of Ire/Sco/Wal any more. We’ve sorted ourselves out and I guess that is what you mean by our admin being poor back then.

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 12:18:55 +0000

Eh? 1 – Cuthbert isn’t married with kids. 2 – What Geat wrote was so obviously satire that nobody could find it offensive.

There are many things in the world that are offensive and should be taken issue with, this isn’t one of them. Perhaps Enoch making some jokes out of the horror of the Inquisition would be a better target for your senstivities?

(for the record I have no issue with jokes about the Inquisition, just think it’s rich that in this whole thread the only thing anyone has found offensive is a joke about Cuthbert).

By: Andy Lawrenson

Andy Lawrenson — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 12:01:46 +0000

Possibly, but if your wife and kids had to read cr-p like this written about you because of the way you do your job, would you be happy about it?

By: Leon

Leon — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 08:54:12 +0000

Should make for a short meeting:

IR: Right i’ll start by saying I have a conflict of interests, SL is really my secret lovechild
IMG: Well I have a conflict of interests too, I have been having a sordid secret affair with SL for the last 5 years.
IR: Really?
IMG: Yes, if we get married can I call you dad
IR: Yes son you can. Any other conflicts of interest?
BK: I’m the chairman of the SL fanclub
IM: Vice chairman
IW: Secretary
IR: Right now that we’ve got that out of the way how are we going to spin this whole mess to make it sound like SL is an all conquering hero who was the victim of incredible bad luck
IM: Blame the pool draw
IW: Blame it on a SANZAR conspiracy
BK: Blame it on the coaching team
IMG: Blame it on Robshaw
IR: All good suggestions why don’t we do all of them, now how do we fool the fans into believing that everything will be ok now.
IW: Its a young team they will get better with experience
IMG: Tuillagi and Hartley will be back from injury
IM: We could make Wood captain and say he is more savvy than Robshaw
BK: We could tell SL to pick Slade in the midfield
IW: …
IM: …
IMG: …
IR: But what about Barritt and Burgess?
BK: 12 and 23 of course with Farrell on the bench just in case
IR: Excellent well that’s decided then