England vs South Africa

[Danno]

Te'o is going to get a yellow for shoulder charging in the tackle if someone spots him. That's about the third I've seen.

And we concede. Can't say it's against the run of play. Farrell missing another tackle in midfield.

Puja

For all the chatter about sending traffic down Ford's channel, most teams seem to get far more points via Farrell's. He'll either dog leg the line, go high and bounce or go low and mistake blade of grass #637, 428 for the ankle thus missing the tackle entirely

[Scrumhead]

6-8 at half time flatters us massively. We haven’t been in this game at all.

Desperately looking for a glimmer of hope from the second half.

[Puja]

So, is this rescuable? I'd have Te'o off for Ford, Shields off for Mercer, and Hartley off for George, even if that meant Fazlet as captain. If we come out for the second half with this XV, South Africa will score a try in the first 10 minutes and will beat us by 20 points.

Puja

[Renniks]

So, is this rescuable? I'd have Te'o off for Ford, Shields off for Mercer, and Hartley off for George, even if that meant Fazlet as captain. If we come out for the second half with this XV, South Africa will score a try in the first 10 minutes and will beat us by 20 points.

Puja

If I knew Te'o would last 80, I'd take Farrell off for Ford, but I don't so who knows!

[Puja]

Te'o is going to get a yellow for shoulder charging in the tackle if someone spots him. That's about the third I've seen.

And we concede. Can't say it's against the run of play. Farrell missing another tackle in midfield.

Puja

For all the chatter about sending traffic down Ford's channel, most teams seem to get far more points via Farrell's. He'll either dog leg the line, go high and bounce or go low and mistake blade of grass #637, 428 for the ankle thus missing the tackle entirely

Indeed. Ford looks worse because he gets dragged and loses ground, but it's rare that he actually misses someone entirely.

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

Te'o is looking knackered. Very slow chasing.

Took 30 minutes to get my stream working. Commentators talking about the boks smashing through the midfield. Is it poor performances from the midfield or some tactical issue?

[Mellsblue]

Hartley has been guff, most of the rest have been average at best. Wilson has been a shining light. Curry has also been good but is a bit lightweight in the tackle.
Farrell firing our passes a few yards behind the gain line just ain’t going to work.

[Puja]

So, is this rescuable? I'd have Te'o off for Ford, Shields off for Mercer, and Hartley off for George, even if that meant Fazlet as captain. If we come out for the second half with this XV, South Africa will score a try in the first 10 minutes and will beat us by 20 points.

Puja

If I knew Te'o would last 80, I'd take Farrell off for Ford, but I don't so who knows!

Te'o has been worse than Farrell. He's been slow and looks so rusty - half of De Allende's metres have come in the gap between him and Slade where he's clearly Te'o man, but Slade's had to come back inside to save him. Worse than Burrell when he got the shepherd's crook.

Puja

[Renniks]

So, is this rescuable? I'd have Te'o off for Ford, Shields off for Mercer, and Hartley off for George, even if that meant Fazlet as captain. If we come out for the second half with this XV, South Africa will score a try in the first 10 minutes and will beat us by 20 points.

Puja

If I knew Te'o would last 80, I'd take Farrell off for Ford, but I don't so who knows!

Te'o has been worse than Farrell. He's been slow and looks so rusty - half of De Allende's metres have come in the gap between him and Slade where he's clearly Te'o man, but Slade's had to come back inside to save him. Worse than Burrell when he got the shepherd's crook.

Puja

Oh, I don't disagree - I just can't bring myself to hope for Ford - Farrell - Slade!

I also think Ford could unlock things with a running centre outside him

[Timbo]

Getting hosed up front, as predicted. As also predicted, SA don’t really know what to do with all the ball their getting without Faf and WLR.

Sinckler and Wilson have done well on the back foot. Not really sure how we get on the front foot here.

Don’t think shuffling the backs with Te’o and Ford will do anything, we need to get over the gainline. Would be useful if we could start winning the kicking/aerial battle.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Can anyone explain what Shields has brought, other than free yards for SA that is? Did nobody ever teach that guy to tackle legs?

[Spiffy]

England look a very poor team here. Lucky for them the equally sloppy Boks have been unable to ram home their territory- and possession advantage. They go in only two points adrift. Would not be surprised if England brings on Ford for the second half and nicks the game against the run of play. Farrell again totally unimpressive, though he's keeping them in it with kicks. Teo a complete waste of space.

[Oakboy]

It took the SA try for us to move the ball. For the first 35 we've just kicked it away. It is depressing to be pleased that we are not 16 points down as we should be if SA had taken chances.

Criticising individuals is a bit pointless when we are this much under the cosh. Maybe, we can grab something early .

[Mr Mwenda]

Hope the boks tire?

[Epaminondas Pules]

Te'o is looking knackered. Very slow chasing.

Took 30 minutes to get my stream working. Commentators talking about the boks smashing through the midfield. Is it poor performances from the midfield or some tactical issue?

Tackling too high. Line too passive. Just gifting yards away. Teo looks rustier than anything, whilst Shields is just utter guff.

[Renniks]

Hope the boks tire?

I'm not sure they've got into a gear where they'd tire!

I'm not even sure this is a coaching issue - players just aren't doing what you'd expect of them - and they're not reading the game either

[Timbo]

Hartley has been guff, most of the rest have been average at best. Wilson has been a shining light. Curry has also been good but is a bit lightweight in the tackle.
Farrell firing our passes a few yards behind the gain line just ain’t going to work.

I like Curry a lot, but he’s got to be getting their runners on the floor. Whatever we say about Robshaw/Haskell, even Tom Wood, they’re not dropping off those tackles. I’ve seen TCurry get run over 2/3 times off strike moves. That can’t happen.

[Scrumhead]

Te’o was never going to be fit after less than half an hour of rugby and Farrell has again shown that he’s not as capable as Ford in directing our ‘attack’.

I put attack in inverted commas considering we’ve barely been in their half or done anything to suggest we can actually put together any semblance of a try scoring opportunity. Slade’s kick through for May was in about the 3rd minute and there’s been literally nothing since.

[Epaminondas Pules]

England look a very poor team here. Lucky for them the equally sloppy Boks have been unable to ram home their territory- and possession advantage. They go in only two points adrift. Would not be surprised if England brings on Ford for the second half and nicks the game against the run of play. Farrell again totally unimpressive, though he's keeping them in it with kicks. Teo a complete waste of space.

I'm not sure what Farrell is supposed to do to be honest. We've hardly had any ball, mostly kicked what we have had away and been generally ponderous in clearing our own ball.

Teo is a utter waste of a shirt. I'd rather play with 14 men.

[Scrumhead]

Can anyone explain what Shields has brought, other than free yards for SA that is? Did nobody ever teach that guy to tackle legs?

100% agree. I’d switch Wilson to 6 and put Mercer at 8. He will almost certainly be an instant upgrade on what Shields has offered.

[Puja]

England look a very poor team here. Lucky for them the equally sloppy Boks have been unable to ram home their territory- and possession advantage. They go in only two points adrift. Would not be surprised if England brings on Ford for the second half and nicks the game against the run of play. Farrell again totally unimpressive, though he's keeping them in it with kicks. Teo a complete waste of space.

I'm not sure what Farrell is supposed to do to be honest. We've hardly had any ball, mostly kicked what we have had away and been generally ponderous in clearing our own ball.

Teo is a utter waste of a shirt. I'd rather play with 14 men.

Not pass to people standing still 5m behind the line, like he just did to Itoje.

Puja

[Renniks]

Fuckkkkkk sake. Curry injured.
Which means Shields is on for 80
And our backrow is even weaker next game

[Mr Mwenda]

Brainless te'o penalty kills a short period of pressure. Frustrating.

[Renniks]

Brainless te'o penalty kills a short period of pressure. Frustrating.

Shields driving early… Nothing like the players we're whinging about compounding issues

[Beasties]

How tf are we winning this?