The Rugby Union Thread

kjdowd

Sort of surreal that there is an Eng v Wales test today, but they've both picked decent sides. Might even watch it!

eSully

kjdowd said:

Sort of surreal that there is an Eng v Wales test today, but they've both picked decent sides. Might even watch it!

Two very good teams out, better than I expected when the fixture was announced although Wales can count themselves lucky they had no teams in the Pro12 final. Englands strength in depth is unreal, what a great team they have out and that's without any Sarries or Exeter players.

Hoping to watch it if the stars align in my favour but no guarantee having used up a lot of brownie points on yesterdays games

kjdowd

eSully;1089432" said:

kjdowd said:

Sort of surreal that there is an Eng v Wales test today, but they've both picked decent sides. Might even watch it!





Two very good teams out, better than I expected when the fixture was announced although Wales can count themselves lucky they had no teams in the Pro12 final. Englands strength in depth is unreal, what a great team they have out and that's without any Sarries or Exeter players.

Hoping to watch it if the stars align in my favour but no guarantee having used up a lot of brownie points on yesterdays games

Agree about England's strength in depth. Who'd have thought a year ago that launchbury and lawes would be starting a test 'cos the first choice locks weren't available!

Excited to see Harrison and Clifford, and it's great to see Burrell in an England shirt again. If ever a player were more poorly treated by his country, I haven't seen it.

koneguitarist

Typical England moneymaker though, as its only on Sky. So can't watch it myself. Should be a good game, England have always had the strength in depth no doubt, just they have never picked all their best players and been coached badly at times.

Jalapeno

Evilmags said:

Anyone see the Twickenham 7s. Scotland knocked out England and beat SA in the final.

kjdowd

koneguitarist;1089607" said:

Typical England moneymaker though, as its only on Sky. So can't watch it myself. Should be a good game, England have always had the strength in depth no doubt, just they have never picked all their best players and been coached badly at times.

Highlights on bbc2 at 7 I think.

eSully

@koneguitarist - You would be raging. The TMO just awarded a try to England despite a clear knock on by Cole 

kjdowd

We'd be home and dry if Ford could kick. For me he's totally played himself out of contention over the past year or so. Cipriani much the better choice, or even Slade.

kjdowd

According to the bbc text commentary Marlon Yarde's dad is called Scotland. Scotland Yarde. And I thought Neville Neville couldn't be beaten as a sporting Dad name.

scrumhalf

Ford had a stinker, but Launch was quite brilliant.

What hacked me off about today's game, and yesterday's as well, is that it seems that now that the crooked feed at a scrum is no longer being penalised, we're moving on to lineouts not having to be straight.

kjdowd

Same old story. English try scoring flair vs dour Welsh kicking. It's killing the game, I tell you.

Gulliver

eSully said:

@koneguitarist - You would be raging. The TMO just awarded a try to England despite a clear knock on by Cole 

The ball went backwards from his hand, and backwards off the bounce - that's not a knock-on.

kjdowd

Gulliver;1090135" said:

eSully said:

@koneguitarist - You would be raging. The TMO just awarded a try to England despite a clear knock on by Cole 





The ball went backwards from his hand, and backwards off the bounce - that's not a knock-on.

Exactly. Just watched the highlights. Clearly went backwards. V poor dissent from the Welsh lads afterwards as well, especially Biggar.

eSully

kjdowd said:

Gulliver;1090135" said:

eSully said:

@koneguitarist - You would be raging. The TMO just awarded a try to England despite a clear knock on by Cole 





The ball went backwards from his hand, and backwards off the bounce - that's not a knock-on.

Exactly. Just watched the highlights. Clearly went backwards. V poor dissent from the Welsh lads afterwards as well, especially Biggar.

Yea, I'll back down, it did look like a knock on when I was watching live (on my iPhone to be fair, looked like Coles had knocked it into the Welsh player but I'm wrong) but it went backwards. Not that it made much of a difference to the end result 

kjdowd

eSully;1090161" said:

kjdowd said:

Gulliver;1090135" said:eSully said:



@koneguitarist - You would be raging. The TMO just awarded a try to England despite a clear knock on by Cole 











The ball went backwards from his hand, and backwards off the bounce - that's not a knock-on.

Exactly. Just watched the highlights. Clearly went backwards. V poor dissent from the Welsh lads afterwards as well, especially Biggar.





Yea, I'll back down, it did look like a knock on when I was watching live (on my iPhone to be fair, looked like Coles had knocked it into the Welsh player but I'm wrong) but it went backwards. Not that it made much of a difference to the end result 

Funny old game. Pleased with the result as an England fan, but did you think there was a lack of intensity to the whole affair?

eSully

I was dipping in and out of the game so missed big chunks but all considered, for a pre-tour 'friendly'. I thought the intensity wasn't too bad. I enjoyed what I watched. Comfortable win for England in the end and impressively so. Not to jinx them but I genuinely think they'll have a good tour to Australia, maybe 3 out of 3  :-O

koneguitarist

Ain't seen any of it, but I am genuinely worried for Wales going south. Although I think England would have won the game I am disappointed for us to have conceded 5 tries to one with a fairly strong side.
Garland has left it too late for changes now, even though he has to call up replacement for Lydiate already.
Eddie Jones is a good coach, but it says more about previous coaches to have failed so badly in past with the riches at England's disposal.

exocet

Wales have been on the slide for a while now. Managed to "over perform" during WC - bit of "backs to the wall" attitude because of the injuries. However the underlying fundamentals are not good - regional rugby!

Gassage

Big shout out for Matt Mullan y'day.

He's the best scrummaging LHP we have. Technically superb.

V V impressed with both locks and also thought Harrison looked a proper 7 (if at 6 though)

Gassage

scrumhalf said:

Ford had a stinker, but Launch was quite brilliant.

What hacked me off about today's game, and yesterday's as well, is that it seems that now that the crooked feed at a scrum is no longer being penalised, we're moving on to lineouts not having to be straight.

Ford ran the backline very well. He had a poor day with the boot.