Comments on: Six Nations 2019: Ireland v England Rate the Match

By: Don P

Don P — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:22:11 +0000

Andy, most games of catch up you refer to are (the Oz tour apart) @ home & so you have an advantage. The Lions won 1 test by 3 v 14. NZ motored them in the 1st & butchered a couple in the last (Savea), not incl the ref’s blatant contravention of a pen which would likely have won the series, in which case we wouldn’t even be ‘discussing’ this. Suspect Lions played better than either of us expected , but they were hardly dominant. England lost in SA, 9 in all.. & after 18 wins? NZ also nilled them after 35 mins. To prove yr theory though is simple. The HN simply need drop a line line to Hansen & arrange a quick warm up series down under prior to the WC. Have a golden op then to prove yr contention don’t you think?

By: Don P

Don P — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:51:03 +0000

SG. You asked what I (anyone?) thought of it. I thought, as it’s a Negro spiritual, the clear implication is, what’s it got to do with England, or rugby, for that matter? Do you know? I don’t.

By: Don P

Don P — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:36:05 +0000

Leon, I’ve given yr ‘slam’ comment above a thumbs up, but responded to this post as I couldn’t to yr aforementioned former one. I just find the general euphoria over 1 win staggering. I really do. I understand yr comments about balance & celebration. They make sense to me. However, the general reaction seemed to be verging on hysteria of almost Diana like proportions. Also smacked of arrogance. Hence my reaction. Mind you, if you view some of the subjective, personal vitriol fired @ me, my responses are surely saint like in comparison don’t you think? It’s just isn’t cricket!

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 13:21:48 +0000

Wasn’t specifically referring to the England-Ireland game Don, but looking at the progress that several NH teams have made in the past couple of years plus several very close results, allied to the fact that the last Lions series was drawn and there were a lot of NH players involved in that, I think there are several teams who now take the field against NZ with the players believing they can win rather than expecting to get dominated. NZ were streets ahead three years ago but now they are not perceived as invincible which makes for exciting and interesting rugby. And as the old saw has it, “You are only as good as your last game”

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 09:03:15 +0000

in some ways yes, in that it doesn’t tell the whole story but it is not often you will see a team go an entire game without losing one ruck or maul against a team like Ireland who thrive on turnovers and hence target the breakdown

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 08:57:27 +0000

shh don’t mention the “B” word Alex D might have heard you

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 08:54:04 +0000

Normally I respect your counter point of view and think it is good to listen to a broader viewpoint from outside the bubble but on this you seem to have some sort of axe to grind.
Yes it is only one win but it was a good win, yes it is too early to start counting chickens but you need to celebrate success while it is happening and yes some fans get carried away but that doesn’t mean you need to slam every comment which suggest that this was a quality performance

By: Some Guy

Some Guy — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 22:19:28 +0000

I didn’t ask for the song origin. I asked if you liked it. X

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 22:17:19 +0000

Anxious if they’d lost 9 in quick succession Andy.. & if they were ranked @ No.4 is it? Oddly, for having their bubble burst (when was that BTW? 1 loss v Ire? Happened before, prior to the last 2 WC’s!), they’re only (still) ranked @.. where is it now? As for ‘noise’, have you heard the cacophony after ONE win from the Englanders here? Louder than Concorde landing on me eardrums! Ho hum.

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 22:05:46 +0000

Some Guy. I think it’s a Negro spiritual. Yr move.

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 21:58:01 +0000

McMurphy. Saracens also buy their way to success. Spot the non internationals. Ok, do they have some academies in too. Basically, they beat people up front, overpower with better, or more more expensive, players, drawing the opposition into the ruck & then play it wide when they have the numbers. Someone else here, tediously (tch,tch), stated that NZ often have less territory, possession & play from deep too. Ireland weren’t as efficient this time up. Reckon they won’t be nxt time?

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 21:43:30 +0000

No need to apologise Andy, but anyone can cherry pick the odd stat to back their view.. like you. 2 of England’s tries were fortuitous..like I keep ‘hearing’ about the disallowed 1 v NZ. These things happen. Sometimes they go for you. The English ‘D’ rushed Ireland out of their game, sure, but without the intercept (you can’t plan these) & the Stockdale cock up, it was a different ball game. Not stating that Engand didn’t deserve to win it, just that it wasn’t without a slice of luck as well.