RugbyRebels

morepork wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Take a bow, son. Brown did his best to mess it up by passing at Slade’s shoulder blade.

What is wrong with him? Every pass is special olympics.

It’s embarrassing. He must’ve killed or compromised five or six attacks during this match. Gash.

Nice scenes post match

Someone remind me why the tradition of the two teams having a prayer together after the match began.

Dylan Hartley looks like a fat George Orwell.

morepork wrote:Dylan Hartley looks like a fat George Orwell.

George O was more mobile around the pitch.

Mellsblue wrote:

morepork wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Take a bow, son. Brown did his best to mess it up by passing at Slade’s shoulder blade.

What is wrong with him? Every pass is special olympics.

It’s embarrassing. He must’ve killed or compromised five or six attacks during this match. Gash.

I'm hoping it will be his and Hartley's last game. This team needs a refresh.

Mellsblue wrote:Someone remind me why the tradition of the two teams having a prayer together after the match began.

It's not really a tradition. But religion is a big deal for Islanders, and if they invite England to join them they aren't going to say no

bitts wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

morepork wrote:

What is wrong with him? Every pass is special olympics.

It’s embarrassing. He must’ve killed or compromised five or six attacks during this match. Gash.

I'm hoping it will be his and Hartley's last game. This team needs a refresh.

Jones has already said that Hartley is his 6N captain. He is consistently average-to-poor as a player and I don't think I've ever actually seen the mythical leadership skills on the pitch.

Peej wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Someone remind me why the tradition of the two teams having a prayer together after the match began.

It's not really a tradition. But religion is a big deal for Islanders, and if they invite England to join them they aren't going to say no

Didn’t it first happen after one match during the Lancaster when there had been a tragedy back in Samoa. I want to say it was a tsunami but I’m not sure.

All pretty predictable I think.

The final 2 tries - very good ones it has to be said - put a gloss on things, but oh some of our play was pretty average. Pity as some of it was very good, only to be spoilt when we looked to be on to something.
Back row didnt really function for me, though Simmonds i thought had a very fine game.
Francis looked sharp when he came on.
Not dreadful by any means, just a bit sub par at too many times.

fivepointer wrote:The final 2 tries - very good ones it has to be said - put a gloss on things, but oh some of our play was pretty average. Pity as some of it was very good, only to be spoilt when we looked to be on to something.
Back row didnt really function for me, though Simmonds i thought had a very fine game.
Francis looked sharp when he came on.
Not dreadful by any means, just a bit sub par at too many times.

Yeah, the pack was too slow those second half breakdowns.

Firstly, we are always dross after a jamboree. 3/3 is good.

Secondly, that irritating little Welsh wazzock commentator has just said, "The ABs very rarely cock it up." That's the difference. We often do.

It's not about selection or individuals. It's about slickness and accuracy. Eddie needs to pick his 1st XV (23) and stick to it.

Oakboy wrote:Firstly, we are always dross after a jamboree. 3/3 is good.

Secondly, that irritating little Welsh wazzock commentator has just said, "The ABs very rarely cock it up." That's the difference. We often do.

It's not about selection or individuals. It's about slickness and accuracy. Eddie needs to pick his 1st XV (23) and stick to it.

I think he will do from here on in. He’s always said he’d experiment during this series.

After today are we nearer establishing just what is our best 23? Do we know what our best centre pairing is, what the optimum back 3 is and the composition of the back row, for instance?

Even in spite of the competitiveness of the Australia game its felt almost like 3 tough training runs this Autumn. Never had to really go to the well and see what we could do under severe pressure. Wish we’d played the AB’s aswell.

The 6 Nations is shaping up to be a great one.

fivepointer wrote:After today are we nearer establishing just what is our best 23? Do we know what our best centre pairing is, what the optimum back 3 is and the composition of the back row, for instance?

Always difficult to know what Eddie is thinking, but I feel sure he will have learned a great deal about his players over the Autumn. He appears to be very specific about the things he likes and wants. Everyone being fit I think there’s only be 1 or 2 positions Eddie would agonize over tbh.

Spiffy wrote:...Jones has already said that Hartley is his 6N captain. He is consistently average-to-poor as a player and I don't think I've ever actually seen the mythical leadership skills on the pitch.

Hartley's mythical leadership skills were most evident in the 2015 RWC where a rudderless England lost at home to Wales and Australia.

The scrum was crap too.

If I had to guess Jones’s XXIII if all are fit and in form:
Mako
Hartley
Cole
Lawes
Itoje
Robshaw
Underhill
Billy

Youngs
Ford
Daly
Farrell
Teo
Watson
Brown

George
Marler
Sinckler
Launchbury
Hughes
Care
Joseph
Nowell


I’m hoping he wants to evolve the back 3 to get rid of Brown but I’m getting less sure of that by the match.

Rich wrote:

Spiffy wrote:...Jones has already said that Hartley is his 6N captain. He is consistently average-to-poor as a player and I don't think I've ever actually seen the mythical leadership skills on the pitch.

Hartley's mythical leadership skills were most evident in the 2015 RWC where a rudderless England lost at home to Wales and Australia.

The scrum was crap too.

Not sure we can blame him for the outcome of those matches.....

Rich wrote:

Spiffy wrote:...Jones has already said that Hartley is his 6N captain. He is consistently average-to-poor as a player and I don't think I've ever actually seen the mythical leadership skills on the pitch.

Hartley's mythical leadership skills were most evident in the 2015 RWC where a rudderless England lost at home to Wales and Australia.

The scrum was crap too.

I mean its a stretch in the first place if he even played those games, but he wasn't even in the 23.

Chin up.

Mellsblue wrote:If I had to guess Jones’s XXIII if all are fit and in form:
Mako
Hartley
Cole
Lawes
Itoje
Robshaw
Underhill
Billy

Youngs
Ford
Daly
Farrell
Teo
Watson
Brown

George
Marler
Sinckler
Launchbury
Hughes
Care
Joseph
Nowell


I’m hoping he wants to evolve the back 3 to get rid of Brown but I’m getting less sure of that by the match.

Robshaw seems to be everyone's favourite at 6. He certainly is a tremendous work horse, but rarely dominates, and does lack some gas for a top backrower. Wonder if he really is nailed on.

Mellsblue wrote:

Peej wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Someone remind me why the tradition of the two teams having a prayer together after the match began.

It's not really a tradition. But religion is a big deal for Islanders, and if they invite England to join them they aren't going to say no

Didn’t it first happen after one match during the Lancaster when there had been a tragedy back in Samoa. I want to say it was a tsunami but I’m not sure.

It was after the 2014. Samoa's players had threatened to go on strike at the way the SRU was run. England joined the post match prayer to show solidarity. Not really a tragedy but God doesn't seem to have answered their prayers.

padprop wrote:

Rich wrote:

Spiffy wrote:...Jones has already said that Hartley is his 6N captain. He is consistently average-to-poor as a player and I don't think I've ever actually seen the mythical leadership skills on the pitch.

Hartley's mythical leadership skills were most evident in the 2015 RWC where a rudderless England lost at home to Wales and Australia.

The scrum was crap too.

I mean its a stretch in the first place if he even played those games, but he wasn't even in the 23.

Chin up.

I think that is exactly the point that Rich was making? That England were an absolute shambles with Youngs at hooker and without the leadership of Hartley.

Adam_P wrote:

padprop wrote:

Rich wrote:

Hartley's mythical leadership skills were most evident in the 2015 RWC where a rudderless England lost at home to Wales and Australia.

The scrum was crap too.

I mean its a stretch in the first place if he even played those games, but he wasn't even in the 23.

Chin up.

I think that is exactly the point that Rich was making? That England were an absolute shambles with Youngs at hooker and without the leadership of Hartley.

I hope so