And to finish - Ireland

[Banquo]

Can someone explain why we take Ford off when we are chasing the game?

weird. I couldn't work out who Marchant had replaced, because I couldn't conceive of it being Ford.

[Raggs]

Can someone explain why we take Ford off when we are chasing the game?

weird. I couldn't work out who Marchant had replaced, because I couldn't conceive of it being Ford.

Same. A player just called up to the squad replacing our best attacking 10, moving a defensive player to 10. Insane if not injury.

[Mellsblue]

Not really, Hill has had many more moments looking like he physically belongs at this level, Ewels over quite a number of caps has been passive in the main. Hill also brings many more stupid moments, but there does seem to be more of a possible upside to Hill.

Passive v many stupid moments = bald men fighting over a comb.

Largely irrelevant Vs might belong, neither have been brilliant which isn't a surprise when stepping down through Kruis, Lawes and Launchbury to look at the next best. So despite the worrying lack of wokeness in attacking baldness yes neither has looked impressed, but it's still different in that Hill does seem to have more potential to be relevant

Getting back to Exeter and talking to Francis about just how hard it is to rise to the level of bang average at test level might prove useful to Hill, and the mental break to get away from this environment, it's not healthy even if it's not all rat poison.

I don’t think he belongs, which was my first point.

[Mellsblue]

Can someone explain why we take Ford off when we are chasing the game?

weird. I couldn't work out who Marchant had replaced, because I couldn't conceive of it being Ford.

Same. A player just called up to the squad replacing our best attacking 10, moving a defensive player to 10. Insane if not injury.

Yep, but repeated ad nauseum.

[Spiffy]

https://www.buzz.ie/rugby/england-ellis ... ons-423371

I'm not a Genge fan at all.

Me too. I know he is supposed to be a bit of a lad in the Marler mode. That looks pretty brutal. Citation plus lengthy ban?

[Banquo]

https://www.buzz.ie/rugby/england-ellis ... ons-423371

I'm not a Genge fan at all.

Me too. I know he is supposed to be a bit of a lad in the Marler mode. That looks pretty brutal. Citation plus lengthy ban?

Frankly my dear....

he'll get what he deserves.

[Scrumhead]

Yep. Very disappointing to see.

[Digby]

Passive v many stupid moments = bald men fighting over a comb.

Largely irrelevant Vs might belong, neither have been brilliant which isn't a surprise when stepping down through Kruis, Lawes and Launchbury to look at the next best. So despite the worrying lack of wokeness in attacking baldness yes neither has looked impressed, but it's still different in that Hill does seem to have more potential to be relevant

Getting back to Exeter and talking to Francis about just how hard it is to rise to the level of bang average at test level might prove useful to Hill, and the mental break to get away from this environment, it's not healthy even if it's not all rat poison.

I don’t think he belongs, which was my first point.

Possibly so, not many other options. I might wonder that Ted Hill has never seemed to awake much interest, but he's no 40 cap Scott Fardy we're not picking

[Banquo]

Largely irrelevant Vs might belong, neither have been brilliant which isn't a surprise when stepping down through Kruis, Lawes and Launchbury to look at the next best. So despite the worrying lack of wokeness in attacking baldness yes neither has looked impressed, but it's still different in that Hill does seem to have more potential to be relevant

Getting back to Exeter and talking to Francis about just how hard it is to rise to the level of bang average at test level might prove useful to Hill, and the mental break to get away from this environment, it's not healthy even if it's not all rat poison.

I don’t think he belongs, which was my first point.

Possibly so, not many other options. I might wonder that Ted Hill has never seemed to awake much interest, but he's no 40 cap Scott Fardy we're not picking

Ted has been in most squads iirc, though he must have looked at Martin on the bench and thought WTF.

[Sandydragon]

https://www.buzz.ie/rugby/england-ellis ... ons-423371

Clear red.

He was given a lot of benefit of the doubt in the autumn with his clash of heads with Tomos Francis. That’s blatant.

[FKAS]

https://www.buzz.ie/rugby/england-ellis ... ons-423371

I'm not a Genge fan at all.

Me too. I know he is supposed to be a bit of a lad in the Marler mode. That looks pretty brutal. Citation plus lengthy ban?

Why's Sexton's hand gripped around Ellis's face in the eye area before Genge loses his temper and starts swinging?

Genge loves being in and amongst the argy bargy but he's normally the one with his arms by his side's laughing to bait the opposition. He's quick to dish out the verbals bits he's normally too bright to actually swing for somebody.

[FKAS]

I don’t think he belongs, which was my first point.

Possibly so, not many other options. I might wonder that Ted Hill has never seemed to awake much interest, but he's no 40 cap Scott Fardy we're not picking

Ted has been in most squads iirc, though he must have looked at Martin on the bench and thought WTF.

Big Ted has been a bit meh recently. I thought he may well have been capped when he was bang in form last season.

Martin looked tidy when he came on. One nice carry for good metres close in, made his tackles got about and crucially no stupid penalties. Be first of many caps.

If Ted Hill or George are at 6 does that mean we can have Simmonds at 8?

[Danno]

Ewels has looked a better player last 2 games. Quicker on his feet and less inclined to commit silly indiscretions.

Hill has looked up to it at times. And Ewels has to put his hand up as part of a failing scrum which set the tone for a really poor display. Essentially Ewels looked better against France, but not so much today, nobody looked good today.

Bald men fighting over a comb.

In a war of soup, armed with a fork

[Son of Mathonwy]

Not sure they would be my primary targets. Nor the second lot, my secondary ones, bar Mako who was utterly conned by his oppo.

His subbing was just odd, his bench was insane, and the penalty count ridiculous.

Dire from the players. Ireland were excellent in fairness, and how Beirne was not MOTM is a huge mystery.

Oh, and penalties, again.

Beirne has been a revelation this season. Not massive, but a great engine, can do it all and has a rugby brain. I'd have him in the Lions squad.

Me too

No surprise. He was a class act in his Scarlets days.

[Digby]

Ewels has looked a better player last 2 games. Quicker on his feet and less inclined to commit silly indiscretions.

Hill has looked up to it at times. And Ewels has to put his hand up as part of a failing scrum which set the tone for a really poor display. Essentially Ewels looked better against France, but not so much today, nobody looked good today.

The failing scrum was really a front row fail, I thought. And mostly Mako, at that.

There was a lot of movement in the setting of the scrum, and I can't read what was happening. Was Furlong being cute and doing a number on Mako, possibly, but it's not going to hurt the props if there's more power coming through and they can simplify, or at least so I'm assuming

Not a good day for Mako in the scrum, nor LCD one supposes.

[Digby]

Hill has looked up to it at times. And Ewels has to put his hand up as part of a failing scrum which set the tone for a really poor display. Essentially Ewels looked better against France, but not so much today, nobody looked good today.

Bald men fighting over a comb.

In a war of soup, armed with a fork

We are down to the 5-8th best English lock to play alongside Itoje, so it's likely going to show some talent and or developmental issues. Both might be decent yet, of the two Hill looks to have a better chance.

[Mikey Brown]

Mako is rubbish, he’s just got good hands.

[Digby]

Does seem a bit what has Mako ever done for us, apart from the hands, well yes the hands, and the work rate, well yes the work rate, and the carrying, and the tackling, and the jackal threat, and the lifting, and the..., but apart from that what has Mako ever done for us?

[p/d]

Does seem a bit what has Mako ever done for us, apart from the hands, well yes the hands, and the work rate, well yes the work rate, and the carrying, and the tackling, and the jackal threat, and the lifting, and the..., but apart from that what has Mako ever done for us?

Given fat men hope?

[Mikey Brown]

Marler is Jonny Wilkinson. Mako is Ryan Lamb.

[Puja]

Hill has looked up to it at times. And Ewels has to put his hand up as part of a failing scrum which set the tone for a really poor display. Essentially Ewels looked better against France, but not so much today, nobody looked good today.

The failing scrum was really a front row fail, I thought. And mostly Mako, at that.

There was a lot of movement in the setting of the scrum, and I can't read what was happening. Was Furlong being cute and doing a number on Mako, possibly, but it's not going to hurt the props if there's more power coming through and they can simplify, or at least so I'm assuming

Not a good day for Mako in the scrum, nor LCD one supposes.

I must be the only one who didn't see a failing scrum (Geordan Murphy was constantly talking about Iriah domination in commentary which was ridiculous). The ref took against us there and we played him very poorly, but I don't remember us looking pressured, just shit at the setup.

NB, I was stressed, watching 20 minutes behind for some of the match and armed with a fast forward button, so I could be entirely wrong.

Puja

[Banquo]

Hill has looked up to it at times. And Ewels has to put his hand up as part of a failing scrum which set the tone for a really poor display. Essentially Ewels looked better against France, but not so much today, nobody looked good today.

The failing scrum was really a front row fail, I thought. And mostly Mako, at that.

There was a lot of movement in the setting of the scrum, and I can't read what was happening. Was Furlong being cute and doing a number on Mako, possibly, but it's not going to hurt the props if there's more power coming through and they can simplify, or at least so I'm assuming

Not a good day for Mako in the scrum, nor LCD one supposes.

I think Furlong did him like a kipper, and it cost us a lot in the first half. That's Itoje's side too.

There was a lot of canny play up front, no doubt POC inspired.

[Banquo]

Possibly so, not many other options. I might wonder that Ted Hill has never seemed to awake much interest, but he's no 40 cap Scott Fardy we're not picking

Ted has been in most squads iirc, though he must have looked at Martin on the bench and thought WTF.

Big Ted has been a bit meh recently. I thought he may well have been capped when he was bang in form last season.

Martin looked tidy when he came on. One nice carry for good metres close in, made his tackles got about and crucially no stupid penalties. Be first of many caps.

If Ted Hill or George are at 6 does that mean we can have Simmonds at 8?

Fair enough on Martin, but he needs a lot more rugby under his belt imo.

[Bored Falcon]

Does seem a bit what has Mako ever done for us, apart from the hands, well yes the hands, and the work rate, well yes the work rate, and the carrying, and the tackling, and the jackal threat, and the lifting, and the..., but apart from that what has Mako ever done for us?

Have the oldest looking face I can remember seeing? Craggier than Dot Cotton's.

I think he's still a quality player. But he has been off the pace.

[Digby]

The failing scrum was really a front row fail, I thought. And mostly Mako, at that.

There was a lot of movement in the setting of the scrum, and I can't read what was happening. Was Furlong being cute and doing a number on Mako, possibly, but it's not going to hurt the props if there's more power coming through and they can simplify, or at least so I'm assuming

Not a good day for Mako in the scrum, nor LCD one supposes.

I think Furlong did him like a kipper, and it cost us a lot in the first half. That's Itoje's side too.

There was a lot of canny play up front, no doubt POC inspired.

For sure Mako and Itoje's side, but if Ewels is not supplying the power LCD has to shift across to cover that further exposing Mako. I'm not saying I know what was happening, or even I could know if I had decent footage rather than TV pictures. But nobody in the tight 5 can be pleased with that.

Mostly I'm amused there are comments Ewels has come into the side and done well in a tight five that got it's head shoved so far up its arse