Digby's Minute-by-minute (to save the Ireland thread)

[Digby]

Minute 17

England disrupt the lineout and gather the ball, George passes the ball back to Underhill who carries strongly into the Ireland line, especially given he was having to reach behind himself for the pass. Excellent presentation from Underhill too, albeit also not far from a penalty for moving and not releasing the ball. It's a bit of a soak tackle on Underhill from VdF, not sure if anyone can talk to his left shoulder tackling in general, it's where I'd point the blame in general.

A few things have gone for England here, just nicking Ireland's lineout ball, Underhill not quite infringing enough moving after being tackled, and now May playing 9 not entirely sure who he should be passing to and thus which way he should be facing. May changes his body position to pass to Farrell, ball down the line from Farrell to Ford, to Tuilagi, to Cokanasiga. The big fells doesn't really have any space to work in, but uses his power not to get driven toward the touchline, and buys a moment to allow support to arrive, we seemingly went wide having turned over ball and not because there was space., still, its better than just kicking imo.

May acted 9 a moment or two before, and Farrell does the same and makes a pick and go decision. He does manage to go, a little, but cannot present the ball back and Ireland rip the ball back

Aki carries the ball up a couple of metres and then Ireland play the ball back to Ringrose. Ringrose is looking for a pass as the England midfield is Sinckler, George and Marler, but there aren't any obvious options for Ringrose, and whilst he's having a ponder Henderson comes on a short option which really only blocks and slim chance Ringrose had to shift the point of attack, one of those cases of Henderson trying to be helpful, but really not being.

Ringrose and Henderson cross, but it's fairly play on. Ireland get the ball back from the next breakdown but 5 seconds have passed and the English midfield is no longer just defended by the front row. Just some small difference in alignment from Ireland there could well have created a chance, the margins are fine at times.

Ireland complete the minute with another 3 or so phases, but they're not hurting England, and if anything England are putting pressure on at the breakdown.

[Digby]

That's a horrible thing to say! And I am reading, even if you are still behind me.

Puja

Behind you? I'm comfortable enough in my own sexuality to be stood behind a man, or do you mean in qualifying as a Scot?

http://www.rugbyrebels.co/board/viewtop ... f=2&t=3851

I was doing mine at 1am cause I couldn't sleep, although I only posted it this morning cause I didn't want to look like a weirdo. You know, more than I already do.

Puja

Ah, gotcha. I see we're in agreement on some matters.

I didn't btw go into rewatching this thinking Youngs had even been that bad, the ball was kept moving at a reasonable pace, certainly for us. He makes a few mistakes for sure, but he's doing plenty of good stuff too. I was surprised at just how many negative comments he drew tbh on the match thread

[Puja]

Behind you? I'm comfortable enough in my own sexuality to be stood behind a man, or do you mean in qualifying as a Scot?

http://www.rugbyrebels.co/board/viewtop ... f=2&t=3851

I was doing mine at 1am cause I couldn't sleep, although I only posted it this morning cause I didn't want to look like a weirdo. You know, more than I already do.

Puja

Ah, gotcha. I see we're in agreement on some matters.

I didn't btw go into rewatching this thinking Youngs had even been that bad, the ball was kept moving at a reasonable pace, certainly for us. He makes a few mistakes for sure, but he's doing plenty of good stuff too. I was surprised at just how many negative comments he drew tbh on the match thread

You haven't got to minute 23 yet...

Puja

[Digby]

Minute 18

Murray to Healy, and whilst Healy isn't going backwards in contact he's caught behind the gain line by Curry and put down. Tricky for Ireland when even their better carriers just aren't able to get any momentum, and Healy is a good carrier.

Ireland end up kicking the ball away into England's 22, through a bit of a weird combo of Byrne going with a wide flat kick to Kearny and the Leinster OAP dinking ahead for Daly to gather. Daly can't clear off his left, but offers to go both sides of the chasing Kearny who can't stop him beating the first man and making a few metres infield. England have to use the ball at the breakdown and ask Sinckler to carry up, Sinckler is so quickly thinking about presentation he's hitting the ground almost before he's tackled.

Youngs takes charge of the exit play with a box kick, this time Ireland put on pressure with a lock, and perhaps it's a coincidence but Youngs makes a bad clearing kick landing 10-11m infield and too far to chase. Worth noting as the England line comes up George is ahead of Underhill in the chase, the man is a machine.

Byrne running the ball back for Ireland runs into Murray, but only a bit and it doesn't really impede anyone, and he essentially stopped running at that point. Play on is perfectly okay for me, though it wouldn't need to be much less accurate to concede a penalty turnover.

Ireland run a couple of phases to end the minute, one with some nice passes from Murray and then POM allows them a little ground in contact. But the defensive line from white is set solid both sides of the pitch.

[Digby]

Minute 19

Ireland now going backwards in contact, Curry to the fore winning contact in the tackle (helped my Marler), and Larmour makes a good decision to grubber down into touch just inside the England 22

England win lineout ball at the front with Itoje

[Digby]

Minute 20

Youngs with the exit play, a new one of a box kick from the back of the maul. Ireland don't get a lock into position to put pressure on, it's VdF I think, and Youngs makes an excellent clearing kick up over halfway. That's perhaps a bit lucky and/or generous from the touchjudge, maybe the TJ is annoyed Ireland are claiming the lineout many metres further up the pitch

Ireland win the lineout with Furlong at the tail, and it's every bit the mess that suggests. Ireland never get on the front foot from that and end the minute about to pass backwards from roughly the same point as the lineout.

[Which Tyler]

I was doing mine at 1am cause I couldn't sleep, although I only posted it this morning cause I didn't want to look like a weirdo. You know, more than I already do.

Wait, you're doing a minute by minute breakdown, but DON'T want to be thought a weirdo?

How's that working out for you?

[Puja]

I was doing mine at 1am cause I couldn't sleep, although I only posted it this morning cause I didn't want to look like a weirdo. You know, more than I already do.

Wait, you're doing a minute by minute breakdown, but DON'T want to be thought a weirdo?

How's that working out for you?

Frankly, I'd claim that it's you lot that are weird and me and Digby (and Raggs, if they want to do ruck marks*) are the normal ones.

Puja

*Underhill's marks would be incredible on the basis of the first half.

[Digby]

I was doing mine at 1am cause I couldn't sleep, although I only posted it this morning cause I didn't want to look like a weirdo. You know, more than I already do.

Wait, you're doing a minute by minute breakdown, but DON'T want to be thought a weirdo?

How's that working out for you?

Frankly, I'd claim that it's you lot that are weird and me and Digby (and Raggs, if they want to do ruck marks*) are the normal ones.

Puja

*Underhill's marks would be incredible on the basis of the first half.

There's nothing odd about WT, it's perfectly normal for Bath fans to wear bright mustard coloured slacks and a range of fetching cravats. I further judge WT the sort to insist on long sleeved tattersall shirts even on a day as warm as this, though I'm inclined to think he'd forgo both the cravat and a bowtie in this heat

[Digby]

Minute 21

Ireland can't get any momentum carrying into England's line so the again grubber down into England territory, England have a lineout a short way outside their 22

POM gets up to make a mess of the lineout, the ball just about bobbles out on the England side and George gathers and carries into contact. Youngs takes the ball back into the 22 as he makes the exit box kick, England have no blockers in place for him, and the pressure on his kick comes from a lock (Henderson) and it's another kick Youngs gets wrong, again whether because it's a taller player charging down I don't know, but the utter lack of blockers is weird too. Anyway, kick goes out on the full, and Itoje wrestled POM to the ground for the fun of it, a couple of Ireland players have a ponder and decide it's too warm to make extra effort responding.

[Digby]

Minute 22

Ireland win the lineout near the front with POM who taps down to Murray, and Murray passes out to VdF, I assume it's a called move but VdF isn't running on a hard line and gets put down too easily by George, maybe the ball was supposed to go out the back and VdF was just in the way, but it's a waste of 1st phase ball. Ireland try to run a second phase and get nudged backwards, and this from winning an uncontested lineout.

Best does manage to give them a little momentum and Ireland continue to work left where they've a possible 4 on 3, albeit with the fullback covering behind, but whether the England linespeed or their own alignment puts them off I don't know, Byrne simply carries into contact as the first chain in the possible 4 on 3, and Billy gets over the ball/rucks past the ball and Ireland are pinged for not releasing.

There wasn't an obvious chance to score a try for Ireland, but there was a chance to put the ball through the hands and maybe get on the outside of Cokanasiga.

[Digby]

Minute 23

Farrell puts a good line kick into touch, and England win the ball at the front with Itoje. Itoje dummies the ball back to Youngs causing Green 8 and 5 to push through onto Youngs, once they realise they're at risk of being pinged for going offside Itoje does then release the ball to Youngs as the Irish players are retreating.

Youngs passes the ball out and in midfield England drop a short ball to Manu who's running hard at the inside shoulder of Byrne, Manu makes it well over the gain line as VdF just about goes enough to hold onto his legs so he's tackled. Daly and Marler ensure Best can't get over the ball.

Ireland stay organised in defence though, that one positive carry from Manu wasn't forcing them into a scramble and England are going sideways, but end the minute with Kruis going positively into contact as the carrier.

[Which Tyler]

Frankly, I'd claim that it's you lot that are weird and me and Digby (and Raggs, if they want to do ruck marks*) are the normal ones.

*Underhill's marks would be incredible on the basis of the first half.

Dont get me wrong, I love them, but I happily embrace my weird side.

There's nothing odd about WT, it's perfectly normal for Bath fans to wear bright mustard coloured slacks and a range of fetching cravats. I further judge WT the sort to insist on long sleeved tattersall shirts even on a day as warm as this, though I'm inclined to think he'd forgo both the cravat and a bowtie in this heat

Dang! Busted, and yes, I did ditch the cravat today, though I refuse to lose the tweed blazer (no elbow patches - I'm not a teacher!)

[Digby]

Minute 24

England working right to left have Ford make a pullback pass to Daly, and Daly half beats Ringrose on his inside shoulder. Daly gets a ball off the floor to Ford who steps inside a challenge and pops the ball to Cokanasiga. The ball ends up with May who in not a lot of space works to the inside of Kearny, Kearny a little flat footed, I presume knowing May is much faster.

Not sure what to say of Youngs pass to no one which comes next. Raggs has an excellent video with Aaron Smith talking about hand positions on the pickup and Youngs doesn't heed that advice here, but needs a moment to adjust the ball in his hands and comes under just enough pressure trying to get what's by then an awkward pass away that it rather lacks accuracy.

The loose pass is picked up by Kruis who does nothing daft but runs into contact and presents the ball back. I'd be nicer to Youngs and say perhaps Itoje at the last ruck could have set his feet with the alternate foot forward giving more space to clear the ball, but presented with a chance at redemption Youngs instead gives Manu some slip catching practice, and Tuilagi does well to gather a diving catch to his left. Brilliantly from taking the ball lying on the floor Manu does the normal thing of beating 3 players and carrying for several metres in contact, what a beast. Youngs gets the pass from Tuilagi and finds his passing options blocked by a retreating Healy. Whether Owens would have considered Manu getting scragged saw a ruck formed I don't know, I wouldn't call it a ruck, but the refs do establish offside lines at some piss poor excuses fora ruck, but in this instance Youngs has in any event run away from what might charitably have been described as a ruck and in open play passes the ball on purpose into Healy in the hope of drawing a penalty. Owens quite rightly allows play on.

Ringrose dives on the loose ball, and Ireland are able to clear with a pretty decent kick down the right touchline from Healy, one of the better kicks from a prop. May runs back and gathers, and then runs to around centre field on our 10m line, easily beating Kearny in the process.

I assume it's this minute that many are irked about when considering Youngs, and it's a difficult minute to forgive in many respects.

[Digby]

Minute 25

Farrell makes a pointless kick downfield, Ringrose I think makes a pointless kick back beyond neither wants the ball where they are. Daly runs back and beats Ringrose, but at the breakdown Henderson forces a penalty for Daly not releasing.

[Digby]

Minute 26

Byrne kicks the 3 points a mere 90 seconds (ish) after the penalty was awarded. Barnes is banging on about 9s being tricky devils who cheat whilst flat out ignoring the cheating 10s in front him, I for one am shocked.

[Digby]

Minute 27

England kick deep and left where Larmour gather and takes the ball up into contact, and then Ireland set about making a complete mess of their exit play as Stander passes to nobody and Itoje can happily clatter the 10 going back to pick up the ball. Murray actually does well with his exit kick, getting the ball out to around the 10m line from just out from his posts.

[Digby]

Minute 28

England shorten the lineout to 6 and win the ball at the front, and then have Youngs pass out into midfield. Always seems an odd way to do it to me.

Billy has the ball to rumble up through the 10 channel going easily over the gain line. Kruis sets up another breakdown, and Youngs looks to play the ball back to the openside but gets a late shout to pass down the shortside, perhaps because Ireland have just gotten a little greedy sending defenders around the the openside and England have a 5 on 3 on the blind.

I was worried about our backline communicating information back towards the halfbacks, but at least it seems the forwards can do it. Fair play to Youngs for trusting the call, he finds Sinckler who hooks a one handed pass inside to Billy, and then Itoje and Sinckler follow up the same channel and they keep getting the ball away to the supporting runner. Both sides have piled in more numbers down the shortside but England are still making ground with George who's stopped about 5m in and around 10m from the try line.

Youngs puts a ball out in front of Itoje for him to run on to, Itoje takes a tackle from Healy and Henderson and can't present the ball back cleanly so Youngs has to dig a little. Nobody's fault, it just happens that way. The minute ends with Curry putting a little momentum back into our play with a strong carry, though after he's tackled he is allowed to rotate around on the floor to find a position he's happy with before releasing the ball

[Digby]

Minute 29

England send Farrell hard up the middle, and he gets the ball away to Youngs, Youngs is really running the show at present, he looks for Manu, so unsurprisingly does the Irish defence with Larmour rushing up on Tuilagi, Manu does well to bat the ball on and Daly has some space with May outside albeit with the Irish defence covering across and that space fast closing.

May steps inside Murray and clearly catches his head as Murray is lying prone on the floor in front of the TJ, the TJ doesn't notice and advise Owens there's a head injury.

As May goes into contact with Underhill looking to support/clearout the ball rather shoots out the back. England are trying to play at speed, which so often trades having numbers ready to play with something of a messy breakdown. Cokanasiga recovers the loose ball and gives England a moment to recover, even shrugging off POM, which will probably annoy the crap out of POM. Good ball presentation from Joe too.

There are further strong carries from Itoje and Manu, Ireland are stressed, down a man, and too narrow when England head right, Curry finds Daly and it's an easy finish. Still think the game should have been stopped, though as noted elsewhere Kearny should have been in trouble for the swinging arm to Curry's neck once play was allowed to continue

[Puja]

If play goes near a prone player, then yes, it needs to be stopped, but if play is clearly heading away, then the physios can get to him just as quickly and the game doesn't need to be restarted. I would have no argument if play continues when a player is injured. Just if it's restarted with a quick tap while they're still injured.

Puja

[Digby]

Minute 30

Nothing happens


Minute 31

Took about 100 seconds for the conversion attempt, which Farrell makes.

Ireland restart out to the left, wide left where Cokanasiga takes the ball and doesn't get forced out. England get the ball to Underhill just inside their 22

[Digby]

If play goes near a prone player, then yes, it needs to be stopped, but if play is clearly heading away, then the physios can get to him just as quickly and the game doesn't need to be restarted. I would have no argument if play continues when a player is injured. Just if it's restarted with a quick tap while they're still injured.

Puja

My bad, I was inspired to think they always blew up for a head injury

[Puja]

If play goes near a prone player, then yes, it needs to be stopped, but if play is clearly heading away, then the physios can get to him just as quickly and the game doesn't need to be restarted. I would have no argument if play continues when a player is injured. Just if it's restarted with a quick tap while they're still injured.

Puja

My bad, I was inspired to think they always blew up for a head injury

Oddly, I think it's only football that does that. Rugby only does it when the play is likely to go near him.

Puja

[Digby]

I actually thought I'd get through this quickly for once, and then the cricket utterly ballsed that piece of thinking up


Minute 32

A really strong carry into contact from Underhill, with some assistance from Kruis. Turns out to be a wasted effort as Youngs boots the ball out on the full, and if you start with an idea of trying to kick down the line 5m in then he misses by around 7m which essentially means the kick is shanked. Though this is a risk when teams carry out of their 22.

Itoje rescues Youngs, interesting that England again put up two jumpers, they're clearly taking a dim view of the throwing of Best. The ball just about drops back on the England side, just as well as POM might have been pinged for going one haded at the ball with his outside arm once Itoje contested the ball. Youngs box kicks up the field.

[Which Tyler]

I actually thought I'd get through this quickly for once, and then the cricket utterly ballsed that piece of thinking up .

Well worth the delay