NZ v England round 1

[Stom]

Poor from the ref, that's definitely our ball. We gained possession before he blew the whistle.

Even if you ignore possession - he definitely knocked it on when he went down…

Was a ridiculous decision

[loudnconfident]

Lovely pen for Lawrence to win with clock in the red.

[fivepointer]

Its a pulsating match. Highly enjoyable. We're doing a lot right but individual errors arent helping and we're not getting any pressure on the NZ attacking ball.

[Oakboy]

Our kicking is just poor. Box-kicking to NZ simply gifts them attacking opportunities. Kicking away attacking possession is cranky. It has happened too much for it not to be policy perhaps? Odd.

[FKAS]

Great by CCS and Lawrence there.

Good scrambling I guess, drawing at half time is good stuff.

I feel like we should be leading this, but individual mistakes have cost us. I get that the 13 needs to fly up often in this system, but he surely has to make at least one of the tackles?

I thought he'd generally done that well. The NZ attack is making errors and they are getting frustrated. We've slipped off a couple to many first up tackles but that's across the team and not just Slade.

I'm more concerned by how poor Slade has been in attack and how impatient Marcus has been. We're very much missing Ford's composure. Need to go through more phases before the grubber, we aren't pulling the NZ defence around enough before the kick.

Looking back at the Reece try our sweepers in the backfield are asleep. Furbank is behind the ruck not looking at the ball and Smith is ambling across. They've got to be sharper than that. Freeman has to go up with the line so they need to be covering the space in behind.

[FKAS]

Our kicking is just poor. Box-kicking to NZ simply gifts them attacking opportunities. Kicking away attacking possession is cranky. It has happened too much for it not to be policy perhaps? Odd.

The idea is you go up in pairs, one tackles and one jackles. The opposition get slow ball and then kick back to you from their half and the two playmakers in our backfield can counter attack.

It's not exactly a new tactic. Borthwick used it at times for Tigers and regularly for England.

[Mellsblue]

I’m not sure about Greenwood’s chinos. Different footwear and a collar, and I think he’d get away with it.

[Adam_P]

Get Fin on

[loudnconfident]

That's 6 points we've missed - against the ABs...

[FKAS]

Get Fin on

Two very kickable penalties he's missed. Shouldn't be missing those at test level. Away in New Zealand it's criminal.

[Which Tyler]

Anyone else remember the kiwis complaint that French crowds are French, and not silent during kicks for goal?

It must have been all of... 9 months ago.

[FKAS]

Smith makes up for it with some lovely patience to go through the phases and get that try.

[Mellsblue]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

[FKAS]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

Not really. Farrell used to do the kicking. It's why Farrell at 12 was a thing for most of the last decade.

[Mellsblue]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

Not really. Farrell used to do the kicking. It's why Farrell at 12 was a thing for most of the last decade.

Under Eddie, yes, but prior to that and ultimately it led to Farrell cementing, literally and metaphorically, his place in the XV.

[Which Tyler]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

Depends.
Is it the only thing anyone's talking about?
How good is the alternative?
Are we talking about 1 50% match a year, amongst a bunch of 85% matches, and an overall higher kicking percentage than the alternative?

Also, is anyone calling for Marcus to be dropped for it? Or is it a false equivalence?

[Mellsblue]

Lawrence is not a savvy rugby player.

[FKAS]

Poor from Lawrence. Smashes McKenzie and then flops off his feet to allow NZ a lineout 40m up the pitch. Itoje rescues the lineout at least.

Mitchell having a cracking game at 9.

[Mellsblue]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

Depends.
Is it the only thing anyone's talking about?
How good is the alternative?
Are we talking about 1 50% match a year, amongst a bunch of 85% matches, and an overall higher kicking percentage than the alternative?

Also, is anyone calling for Marcus to be dropped for it? Or is it a false equivalence?

Depends.

[Adam_P]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

But Fin can pass off his left

[Mellsblue]

Not sure what Earl is meant to do there other than evaporate.

[Stom]

Poor from Lawrence. Smashes McKenzie and then flops off his feet to allow NZ a lineout 40m up the pitch. Itoje rescues the lineout at least.

Mitchell having a cracking game at 9.

I worry now, though, with Spencer on…

[Mellsblue]

Remember when we ditched Ford for Farrell because of goal kicking yips…

But Fin can pass off his left

True. I’m not comparing players just the situation. Beware the consequences of dropping a young flyhalf because his kicking has the yips. M. Smith’s kicking % was 85% coming in to the match.

[Stom]

There is such a huuuge gap in quality between Mitchell and Spencer.

[FKAS]

Spencer and Smith bungle the unnecessary drop goal set up from a long way out and then Furbank loses his head and with the awful clearance. Concedes a good 60m and the ABs get a pen to take the lead.

That lack of composure is going to cost us.