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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 13:17 - Feb 9 by robith
That's a bit of a reach isn't it? England players made up 40% of the Lions squad - they surely had no choice but to play non first choice players.
Also that England team vs Argentina had an average age of 27 and featured 5 players who played on Saturday including 3 with more than 40 caps and one with 100!
Fair enough to a point, but whilst England was touring in Arg, Ireland challenged themselves with Portugal and Georgia i think.
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 14:27 - Feb 9 by BlackCrowe
Fair enough to a point, but whilst England was touring in Arg, Ireland challenged themselves with Portugal and Georgia i think.
Sorry, I'm hoping this doesn't come across as personal, because the written word on a forum can sound intense, I just love chatting rugby and don't want to make it sound like I'm going in hard on you!
Scotland also went to Fiji and Samoa, as part of trying to give Tier 2 nations more opportunities at playing tier 1 nations at home for a pay day.
There are 4x more rugby players in England than Ireland, and 2.5x more top flight clubs. It stands to reason England could contest a higher level than Ireland without their first choice players. In fact, bar injuries the front row Ireland played in the summer would've usurped the Lions players on form and Big Prendergast has become a starter off the back of it.
Ireland also fielded a far more inexperienced squad than England - 13 uncapped players vs England's 10, and 208 total caps vs England's 560
Ireland have failed to rotate properly, and is a big black mark against Farrell imo but England's current success is mostly due to a coach actually picking on form and playing a game plan that maximises their strengths (instead of Jones' rather bizarre attempts to recreate Full Metal Jacket behind the scenes). Their youth pipeline is fruitful cos there's more players with more pathways into the elite game, and that has always been the case, they've just underachieved over the last decade relative to playing population and income
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 18:08 - Feb 9 with 1861 views
On the Wales subject; it is very similar to what Ireland are going through now. In Gatlands first tenure he consistently played a very settled experienced squad with all the names that you know AWJ, Williams etc and never blooded talent. In other words he was very short-term-ism in his outlook, similar to some football coaches that we know!!
The WRU unlike the FAW had no strategy when the sun was shinning and prefered to feed themselves while not having any depths of facility - they did away with the national development center and essentially thought everything was going to be OK. The powers that be at the top of the WRU are inept fatcats. Now that the roof is broken they are powerless to halt the slide while picking up their massive salaries.
Throw in the cap ruling that was so pompus it was unreal and as some people have mentioned the boom in the success of the national football team and you have a fullblown crisis.
Its so sad to watch and I've got a ticket to the France game!
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 20:24 - Feb 9 with 1765 views
Tl:Dr - ruck based phase play, the backbone of Irelands game since 2017, has dramatically become very ineffective with the new kick contest laws
That's a really enlightening article. Thanks for sharing. I now see why Jonny Sexton was kept on the pitch for the whole match against the All Blacks in the World Cup Quarter Final.
[Post edited 9 Feb 23:54]
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 12:31 - Feb 10 with 1552 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 15:11 - Feb 9 by robith
Sorry, I'm hoping this doesn't come across as personal, because the written word on a forum can sound intense, I just love chatting rugby and don't want to make it sound like I'm going in hard on you!
Scotland also went to Fiji and Samoa, as part of trying to give Tier 2 nations more opportunities at playing tier 1 nations at home for a pay day.
There are 4x more rugby players in England than Ireland, and 2.5x more top flight clubs. It stands to reason England could contest a higher level than Ireland without their first choice players. In fact, bar injuries the front row Ireland played in the summer would've usurped the Lions players on form and Big Prendergast has become a starter off the back of it.
Ireland also fielded a far more inexperienced squad than England - 13 uncapped players vs England's 10, and 208 total caps vs England's 560
Ireland have failed to rotate properly, and is a big black mark against Farrell imo but England's current success is mostly due to a coach actually picking on form and playing a game plan that maximises their strengths (instead of Jones' rather bizarre attempts to recreate Full Metal Jacket behind the scenes). Their youth pipeline is fruitful cos there's more players with more pathways into the elite game, and that has always been the case, they've just underachieved over the last decade relative to playing population and income
It doesn't come across as personal Robith at all. You're clearly much more gemmed on the game than i am (genuinely) and it's good to read your perspective. Just giving my viewpoint - i don't really follow club rugby much except a couple of matches a season at Esher RFC.
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 12:31 - Feb 10 by BlackCrowe
It doesn't come across as personal Robith at all. You're clearly much more gemmed on the game than i am (genuinely) and it's good to read your perspective. Just giving my viewpoint - i don't really follow club rugby much except a couple of matches a season at Esher RFC.
cool, i just know a wall of text might look like I was coming at you! I just love gassing. Appreciate you starting the debate too
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 17:12 - Feb 14 with 1282 views
I had Blackburn and Scotland double today, just because I f*ing knew it.
Stand to win a tidy sum but I'd trade it for an England come back. Cannot see it now though. Its been a sh*t show. That kicking game is doing my head in.
Finn Russell has turned up.
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 16:15 - Feb 21 with 988 views
While England players spent most of the week talking about their weekly high fade haircuts across various media platforms, the Ireland players vibrated the concrete with knuckle duster rugby union.
As an England Fan, I salute you.
"The monkey is never dead, Dealer. The monkey never dies. When you kick him off, he just hides in a corner, waiting his turn."
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 16:54 - Feb 21 with 908 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 16:56 - Feb 21 by Beejnewark
Makes you wonder just how BAD Wales are
I would not be stunned if Wales came back from the dead and beat Scotland its just the way this year is going Ireland destroyed by France ,scrape by Italy and hammer England. Scotland lose to Italy crush England and today ?
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 18:29 - Feb 21 with 801 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 18:20 - Feb 21 by CLAREMAN1995
I would not be stunned if Wales came back from the dead and beat Scotland its just the way this year is going Ireland destroyed by France ,scrape by Italy and hammer England. Scotland lose to Italy crush England and today ?
And today, Scotland come back brilliantly to win
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 18:36 - Feb 21 with 789 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 18:29 - Feb 21 by dmm
And today, Scotland come back brilliantly to win
Wow I thought they were playing tomorrow just checked out Sky and saw the result this puts Scotland right up there now but France are waiting for both England and Scotland. Everybody hoping Italy can pull off the win and yes that game is tomorrow
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 20:58 - Feb 21 with 713 views
England were terrible again. There needs to be a conversation about Steve Borthwick. One dodgy game is acceptable but to follow that up with one even worse is alarm bells time. Whats he doing during the week?
Anyone see the video of Rassie Erasmus massaging the Rugby Ball at full time as Zombie rung out, after Ireland beat them in the pool stage?
The berating he gave all his players and captain in the dressing room after was world class.
Thats what I'd want from a coach
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 10:18 - Feb 23 with 480 views
Obvs delighted to beat England, but my god England were terrible. Actually might be the worst England performance I've ever seen.
They were so lazy. Arundell stole a cap jogging around. Compare and contrast Baloucoune and McCloskey running 40m to make try saving tackles to every time Ireland broke the line being about to run almost 60m uninterrupted.
Ireland scored a try off a kick return play in Dublin last year. We ran the *exact* same play twice on Saturday and....scored twice from it. A professional team shouldn't have that happening to them.
Ireland won pretty much entirely through work rate
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 10:23 - Feb 23 with 460 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 20:58 - Feb 21 by Toast_R
England were terrible again. There needs to be a conversation about Steve Borthwick. One dodgy game is acceptable but to follow that up with one even worse is alarm bells time. Whats he doing during the week?
Anyone see the video of Rassie Erasmus massaging the Rugby Ball at full time as Zombie rung out, after Ireland beat them in the pool stage?
The berating he gave all his players and captain in the dressing room after was world class.
Thats what I'd want from a coach
I'm a long term "Borthwick is a fraud" advocate, but it looked like he'd got them motoring; big wins, 12 game winning streak.
What's concerning for England is the things that went wrong were all the things that went wrong at the start of his tenure; low work rate, bad discipline, and his defensive system seems to implode completely if it's not working.
The discipline thing in particular was jarring. I've never seen a team get on the wrong side of *two* referees before. When the new man came on they should've thought of it as a reset, instead they were all gobbing off at him from the start. To concede a 10m dissent penalty in a test match in 2026 is jaw dropping
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 11:26 - Feb 23 with 430 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 10:23 - Feb 23 by robith
I'm a long term "Borthwick is a fraud" advocate, but it looked like he'd got them motoring; big wins, 12 game winning streak.
What's concerning for England is the things that went wrong were all the things that went wrong at the start of his tenure; low work rate, bad discipline, and his defensive system seems to implode completely if it's not working.
The discipline thing in particular was jarring. I've never seen a team get on the wrong side of *two* referees before. When the new man came on they should've thought of it as a reset, instead they were all gobbing off at him from the start. To concede a 10m dissent penalty in a test match in 2026 is jaw dropping
I thought England would be a different side after half time ..but no.
They picked a small back row and paid for it at the breakdown. Really did look like a coaching mess to me. if Itoje was not captain he would surely be dropped for Italy -who are getting better by the game as they realise what weapons they have available. Thought they were excellent against France who I think are the best team in the world now.
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 12:05 - Feb 23 with 401 views
Six Nations Thread anyone? on 11:26 - Feb 23 by Phildo
I thought England would be a different side after half time ..but no.
They picked a small back row and paid for it at the breakdown. Really did look like a coaching mess to me. if Itoje was not captain he would surely be dropped for Italy -who are getting better by the game as they realise what weapons they have available. Thought they were excellent against France who I think are the best team in the world now.
Sorry, downvoted in error. I actually agree with everything you said. What I found amazing was the way Ireland repeatedly burst through the England midfield as if it wasn’t there. The defence needs some serious reorganisation.
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Six Nations Thread anyone? on 19:41 - Feb 23 with 305 views
England beat a poor wales side who had many players binned/sent off but we have had discipline issues, now rugby is very technical and many yellows are not for violent play or dangerous play , itoje came on as sub and was sent off in seconds as ref had warned those on pitch, next penalty someone goes, was itoje aware of that on sideline? we have been poor v scotland and Ireland, well done them. a talented squad not doing it, why? arrogance? thinking just turn up and we win cos we are england?
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