Ratings

[Stom]

Curry - 8
Ben Youngs - 0
Everyone else - 5

[Stom]

Oh, sorry, the coaching team, for making 0 backs subs - 0

[Epaminondas Pules]

Curry - 8
Ben Youngs - 0
Everyone else - 5

Fuck off! Twat!

[Stom]

Curry - 8
Ben Youngs - 0
Everyone else - 5

Fuck off! Twat!

Well, he was godawful. And neutrals and Welsh fans agreed...He was seriously bad. And Curry was good.

To be fair, there should probably be higher marks for May, Nowell, who was good, Slade, Wilson and Lawes. But it was a 5/10 performance from most.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Curry - 8
Ben Youngs - 0
Everyone else - 5

Fuck off! Twat!

Well, he was godawful. And neutrals and Welsh fans agreed...He was seriously bad. And Curry was good.

To be fair, there should probably be higher marks for May, Nowell, who was good, Slade, Wilson and Lawes. But it was a 5/10 performance from most.

Fuck off! Twat!

[Cameo]

I think the main issue for you with this one was tactical. Welsh back three dealt with your kicking and you didnt really challenge their defence otherwise. Moat of your players did their individual jobs quite well. Those jobs just werent stretching them (or Wales) enough.

[fivepointer]

Curry, Lawes and Billy very good up front. Nowell easily our best back. May gets a pass mark too.

[fivepointer]

Just looked at the stats.
Wales had a 65/35 advantage in possession.
We made 210 tackles out of 223 attempts (94%)
The starting pack made Moon 19, George 22, Sinckler 18, Lawes 15, Kruis 19, Wilson 20, Curry 24, Billy 6. Even Williams made 14 and Launchbury 8.
Thats an enormous workload for a pack of forwards.
Navidi was Wales top tackler with 12.

[Peej]

Kruis put in a big shift too

[morepork]

Your No.8 only made 6 tackles out of the 223 team total?

[Mellsblue]

Kruis put in a big shift too

He was immense. Using Sam Burgess logic, we were winning until he went off. Him, Curry, May and pre-psycho Sinckler were our best players.

[Buggaluggs]

Your No.8 only made 6 tackles out of the 223 team total?

Vunipola, well known pussy

[Buggaluggs]

that was a joke btw

[Mellsblue]

that was a joke btw

What the hell has happened to this place?!?!? A Welshman coming on the emb after a Wales victory and apologising for a wum. #snowflakes

[Buggaluggs]

that was a joke btw

What the hell has happened to this place?!?!? A Welshman coming on the emb after a Wales victory and apologising for a wum. #snowflakes

LOL is an over used expression. In this case, I literally did!

[Oakboy]

Halfbacks 2 and that's generous.

How can Youngs and Farrell face our back row in the aftermath. As for the centres, did either get a decent pass in the whole 80 minutes?

[Stom]

Halfbacks 2 and that's generous.

How can Youngs and Farrell face our back row in the aftermath. As for the centres, did either get a decent pass in the whole 80 minutes?

Tuilagi got one, and he made good yards but, and it was the big blot on his copybook, Nowell wasn't in support to take the try scoring offload.

At least that's how I remember it.

[Digby]

Nowell was busy being tackled off the ball by AWJ. Have to say I loved the performance from AWJ today, a few mistakes but he went long in this match and showed he's a proper hard bastard to play against

[WaspInWales]

that was a joke btw

What the hell has happened to this place?!?!? A Welshman coming on the emb after a Wales victory and apologising for a wum. #snowflakes

Hahahaha

[WaspInWales]

I thought a few players did ok, but tactically we were woeful.

Jones has to shoulder most of the blame for that. His refusal to ever take Farrell off no matter how many mistakes he makes, or what is happening on the pitch is shocking. We were poor with the ball in the second half. Why not bring Ford on? Why not give Robson a go? Why not change tactics?

Peyper is a homer and I thought some of his pens were questionable, but by fuck we were just clueless.

[Danno]

I'm trying to compile this all into a rational stream of thought that will conclude towards something sensible but it might take until tomorrow before it is anything other than a rant. Much like today's match.

Youngs picks up an ACL next week. Wtf do we do? Wigs and Care? Jones is starting to look like a [tinfoil hat] SH plant.

Slightly more seriously, we have a front row variably playing 80mins, 9 & 10 playing 70+ regardless and no adaptation to what's in front of us. Again. It's like 2015 again.

Playing the kicking it every ruddy time game was fine, but given how well our back row - and the rest of the pack - defends and slows up the oppo, why have we suddenly developed such a fear of phase play? Three phases and 9 or 10, with or without a signal to the other backs, will hoof it. It's worked until today because the other team has played a non FB at FB.

There must be a plan B right?

[Mellsblue]

I'm trying to compile this all into a rational stream of thought that will conclude towards something sensible but it might take until tomorrow before it is anything other than a rant. Much like today's match.

Youngs picks up an ACL next week. Wtf do we do? Wigs and Care? Jones is starting to look like a [tinfoil hat] SH plant.

Slightly more seriously, we have a front row variably playing 80mins, 9 & 10 playing 70+ regardless and no adaptation to what's in front of us. Again. It's like 2015 again.

Playing the kicking it every ruddy time game was fine, but given how well our back row - and the rest of the pack - defends and slows up the oppo, why have we suddenly developed such a fear of phase play? Three phases and 9 or 10, with or without a signal to the other backs, will hoof it. It's worked until today because the other team has played a non FB at FB.

There must be a plan B right?

Not to mention we finally have a mobile pair of flankers that can support a wider game and we move from a tactic of kicking most of the leather of the ball to a tactic of kicking all the leather of the ball, asking for another ball and then kicking the leather off that one as well.

[p/d]

I'm watching Junior and Kim Wilde........Kim really was a dish

[Timbo]

I'm trying to compile this all into a rational stream of thought that will conclude towards something sensible but it might take until tomorrow before it is anything other than a rant. Much like today's match.

Youngs picks up an ACL next week. Wtf do we do? Wigs and Care? Jones is starting to look like a [tinfoil hat] SH plant.

Slightly more seriously, we have a front row variably playing 80mins, 9 & 10 playing 70+ regardless and no adaptation to what's in front of us. Again. It's like 2015 again.

Playing the kicking it every ruddy time game was fine, but given how well our back row - and the rest of the pack - defends and slows up the oppo, why have we suddenly developed such a fear of phase play? Three phases and 9 or 10, with or without a signal to the other backs, will hoof it. It's worked until today because the other team has played a non FB at FB.

There must be a plan B right?

Not to mention we finally have a mobile pair of flankers that can support a wider game and we move from a tactic of kicking most of the leather of the ball to a tactic of kicking all the leather of the ball, asking for another ball and then kicking the leather off that one as well.

So frustrating, even now 4 hours after the final whistle. A back line with Manu, Slade, Daly, May etc, Robson, Ford and Cokanasiga getting splinters...and as you say a pack that’s mobile and athletic enough to support a wider game...we didn’t even try, even at the end as a bit of a Hail Mary.

[Mellsblue]

Good ol’ Jonesy in the Sunday Times:

ENGLAND

Elliot Daly
6/10
Wasps
Caps 28 Age 26 Ht 1.8m Wt 94kg
Not as good as Williams in the air and extremely well marked by a Welsh team which refused to be duped as France were

Jack Nowell
8/10
Exeter Chiefs
Caps 32 Age 25 Ht 1.8m Wt 98kg
His competitive instincts lasted long into the evening in Cardiff, a special type of player and wing, and a heartbeat of any team

Henry Slade
6/10
Exeter Chiefs
Caps 20 Age 25 Ht 1.88m Wt 87kg
Was never really able to show his class at the time when England were kicking everything, but now surely a fixture

Manu Tuilagi
5/10
Leicester
Caps 30 Age 27 Ht 1.85m Wt 111kg
His number of appearances in the game was low, but included a superb break in the second half. Needed to be used much more

Jonny May
7/10
Leicester
Caps 43 Age 28 Ht 1.88m Wt 90kg
Even in such an intense game, he still had his moments, including a brilliant kick and chase in the first half — but Wales were waiting

Owen Farrell
7/10
Saracens
Caps 68 Age 27 Ht 1.88m Wt 92kg
Will be criticised and he did make errors but the old truism about fly-halves still holds good — it is always difficult off the back foot

Ben Youngs
6/10
Leicester
Caps 83 Age 29 Ht 1.78m Wt 92kg
His right foot must have been aching after so many box kicks. A crying shame that Dan Robson is not being given an opportunity

Ben Moon
6/10
Exeter Chiefs
Caps 6 Age 29 Ht 1.81m Wt 110kg
A tremendous battle with his colleague at Exeter, Tomas Francis, and Moon was solid if not as conspicuous as some

Jamie George
6/10
Saracens
Caps 35 Age 28 Ht 1.83m Wt 109kg
He was lively and good in the lineout. Probably had his least memorable game up front but will come again another day

Kyle Sinckler
8/10
Harlequins
Caps 20 Age 25 Ht 1.83m Wt 113kg
Let himself down with two offences and must calm down. But he is a character and potentially a tremendous player

Courtney Lawes
7/10
Northampton Saints
Caps 71 Age 29 Ht 2m Wt 111kg
Excellent. He won the ball leading to England’s try and was remarkably good and powerful even in the second half

George Kruis
8/10
Saracens
Caps 30 Age 29 Ht 1.98m Wt 113kg
It was a surprise when he was taken off because it was largely due to his influence that England so dominated the lineout

Mark Wilson
6/10
Newcastle Falcons
Caps 11 Age 29 Ht 1.88m Wt 107kg
Busy as usual and fought a gallant battle but did not quite last the course as Wales came back in the second half

Tom Curry
8/10
Sale Sharks
Caps 8 Age 20 Ht 1.85m Wt 99kg
He did some majestic things, scored the try and won key ruck ball, a major advance and defeat should not obscure the fact

Billy Vunipola
6/10
Saracens
Caps 39 Age 26 Ht 1.88m Wt 126kg
Marked to distraction by the Welsh defence. It is very rare for him to make so few yards but he will resume forward progress

TOTAL
100/150

Replacements: Nothing doing, frankly. England were already pinned to the backboards when the rush of replacements arrived. Harry Williams was probably the most impressive of the bunch