New Zealand vs England - Sunday 10th May

[Puja]

While the commentary has been thoroughly annoying in their consistent whining, Dickinson has been incredibly finickity and appears to have a new whistle that he wants to show off. Not helped by both sides being full of cheating barstewards, but there's been a few where he's got it wrong.

We look nervous. Basic handling errors, rubbish kicking from hand, and the worst lineout thrower in international rugby are gifting possession and territory to NZ. Being kept in by our defence and Wilko's kicking (and the defence has looked ropey off a scrum twice in a row too).

Puja

[Puja]

Right, everyone back in who's coming in? Let's start the second half.

Puja

[Puja]

Dickinson will never have the balls to give a yellow in a match this big, no matter how many warnings he gives.

Puja

[Puja]

Both yellows are absolutely legitimate. Good refereeing. The first for multiple offences and the second for killing a try-scoring opportunity.

Puja

[Puja]

I remember watching this live. It was just a question that it would be 13-9 in a moment and we'd have to try and keep the score low and hope it was no more than 20-9 by the time we were back to 15. No hope whatsoever.

Puja

[Puja]

We are not back behind the line for that tap penalty, so really that should have been a penalty try.

Martin Johnson laughing at the Kiwis when the penalty is given to us is a delight.

Puja

[Puja]

And this is where I started to believe. Look at the clever use of Robinson off this scrum to reset and get Tindall back out.

We were such an adroit side back then.

Puja

[loudnconfident]

Greenwood pointing to the posts!

[loudnconfident]

Many thanks; appreciated!

[loudnconfident]

I remember watching this live. It was just a question that it would be 13-9 in a moment and we'd have to try and keep the score low and hope it was no more than 20-9 by the time we were back to 15. No hope whatsoever.

Puja

I was on a plane to Amsterdam and had no radio from ~min 52... Great to touch down and found wed won!

[Puja]

Many thanks; appreciated!

Are you off now then?

Puja

[Danno]

I keep missing these for Sunday night family calls. It's infuriating.

[loudnconfident]

Many thanks; appreciated!

Are you off now then?

Puja

The feed stopped - 10;mins from the end?

[Puja]

Many thanks; appreciated!

Are you off now then?

Puja

The feed stopped - 10;mins from the end?

Ah, sorry. From my end, you had dropped out, so I was playing a video just to myself.

Puja

[Puja]

I keep missing these for Sunday night family calls. It's infuriating.

I can do another night if people prefer. I will note that it was a bit disheartening to only have 1 person rock up.

Puja

[Danno]

I meant that the calls are infuriating We don't have one fixed for this week so I'll be around for this one. Still think you and Diggers should take on the commentary.

[loudnconfident]

Are you off now then?

Puja

The feed stopped - 10;mins from the end?

Ah, sorry. From my end, you had dropped out, so I was playing a video just to myself.

Puja

At the risk of repeating myself; thx for sharing the games. Hope more peeps turn up. Why not try once more next week with Oz vs Eng '03? Thats a game I havnt seen in years and I could use a boost on these miserable times

[Puja]

The feed stopped - 10;mins from the end?

Ah, sorry. From my end, you had dropped out, so I was playing a video just to myself.

Puja

At the risk of repeating myself; thx for sharing the games. Hope more peeps turn up. Why not try once more next week with Oz vs Eng '03? Thats a game I havnt seen in years and I could use a boost on these miserable times

Sure thing. Rather than do the highlights beforehand, I'll run the last 10 minutes of the NZ game at 7.15pm so you can check it still ends the way you remember and then do the Aus game at 7.30pm.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Apols. Family life took over last night. I will be there this Sunday.

[Mr Mwenda]

Circumstances dictate I'll never be able to join in on these but I've been looking through the highlights of the 2003 games because of this thread.

I'd also forgotten that Hodgson appeared in the 2003 6 Nations. Sadly, that abortive attempt to fit him into the team with Wilko rather put me off him as a player. Never quite good enough for international level rackon. His appearances in the highlights from that campaign are pretty disappointing bar one great break that is spoiled by him failing to pass to Greenwood (who annoyingly runs on and on with his arms outstretched to make a point, poor from a great player at his peak).

Viewing the highlights made me realise I'd forgotten quite a lot about that campaign (along with Hodgson):
- I'd forgotten how tight the game against France was in the end. Squeaky bum time and the fact that Merceron wasn't kicking well was a big help.
- I'd basically forgotten the Scotland game, but viewing the highlights I remembered Robinson's recockulous try and Taylor's total brain fart to go down to 13 men. There's also a fair number of decent players in that Scotland side. I'm not convinced the current lot are much stronger.
- The Wales game, with hindsight does show the glimmers of their dominant side over the next few years. Didn't seem to be the paving the scoreline suggested.
- The Ireland game is bloomin' marvelous, particularly because watching again one realises that it was a jolly strong side. You can also see why Humphreys lost out to O'Gara from then on, likewise Murphey to Dempsey. England spiked any hopes of flair over solidity in the Ireland team for a generation.
- Haven't yet watched the Italy highlights yet, but if my memory serves, this is the game where Lewsey really announces his presence and Hodgson gets badly crocked

I remember the game in New Zealand well as an event. I watched it with another Englishman, alone in a pub in Bangkok one morning. The try NZ, in my memory Howlett is miles in front of the kicker and the fact that they didn't go to the video ref was a travesty. Is this memory in anyway true or is it the early morning drinking and my own bias colouring it for me?

[Mr Mwenda]

Now watched the Italy highlights as well.

Two main things strike me. 1. When did blitz defences come in? People sit back much more.
2. We talk a lot about the importance of tine together but it's striking how many players england used in that campaign - different combos at front row (shout out robbue morris, what happened to him?), back row (different every game?), 9 (3 players and healey nowhere?), centre (hodgson experiment) and back 3. So that generation was just awesome or the game was different i guess. Funny in my memory, the starting xv in the final was an everpresent for years before.

[Beasties]

Apols here too. The two weeks before I got waylaid but this one I was defo gonna watch if only for the 6 man scrums. Woke up this am and immediately thought aaaaarrgh, bloody forgot clean about it. Bollox.

[Puja]

Offside by a goddamned mile.

Puja

[loudnconfident]

working fine thx

[Puja]

To be fair, that should have been a yellow card for England killing the ball there. What was Cohen doing trying to step three people?!

Puja