RWC: England - Romania (24-09-2011, 18:00)

[callsign.springbok]

why do all commentators think Sonny Bill invented the offload?

 

[Getofmeland]

Because they are crap commentators...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It's just a way of describing the pass - A lot of commentators go on about Wilkinson when a player does a dropgoal, but he didn't invent them either

Same with David Beckham and curving free kicks etc.

 

[callsign.springbok]

we all know that Joel Stransky did

 

[cyfish]

poor do from england

when they are up against some decent teams they'll be hammered
they'll be on their way home next round

 

[callsign.springbok]

"lovely back-of-hand offload from Tom Palmer in midfield to set a rampaging Haskell away" from BBC text commentary. Think that's a much better description than smuggly muttering something about 'Sonny Bill' as if he were a mate of the NZ commentators.

tindall pounced on that like it was midget trying to crawl across the dancefloor of a grotty bar!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

when they are up against some decent teams they'll be hammered
they'll be on their way home next round

Next round isn't a knockout round though




Last night I put a fiver on a combination of England/Connacht and Munster winning, I then put the winnings from that on England winning with more than 8 tries

Hurray for free new rugby boots :lol:

 

[Tricia McMillan]

Romania could have played much better than they did, I think.

Oh well, pretty complete performance by England, hats off to them.

 

[Daylightfire]

Pretty good all round, Still concerned that we still don't know which fly half is the primary.

 

[Toko_11]

Romania could have played much better than they did,

Don't forget that they rested 11 of their best players.

 

[JW.]

Pretty happy, not much to gain playing Romania we could only lose. Happy with Wilkinson though looked more decisive than Flood IMO altough Flood did have a very nice break later on. Everyone looked pretty sharp, looking forward to the Scotland game.

 

[Tricia McMillan]

Don't forget that they rested 11 of their best players.

Also true. Some of their handling errors just made me sigh quite audibly, though.

Only the second rugby match my boyfriend has ever watched with me. I spent the last 20 minutes of the match trying to explain to him why teams like Romania were allowed to play at the World Cup.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought Flood looked the better of the two today

I'd start him vs Scotland, but be prepared to bring on Wilko at the first sign of him having a mare

 

[JW.]

I thought Flood looked the better of the two today

I'd start him vs Scotland, but be prepared to bring on Wilko at the first sign of him having a mare

I'd have to disagree on that, Wilko made some lovely passes putting the runners into space. Kicking game was good (expect for that missed penalty to touch), decision making was good and played very flat. He also seems to play better with Tindal and Tuilagi than Flood does or is that just me?

 

[Saintjay]

when they are up against some decent teams they'll be hammered
they'll be on their way home next round

Erm yes ok, first post why not make it a good one eh!!!!

 

[Phlegm & Poise]

A pretty comprehensive argument as to why we shouldn't have to play against Tier Two nations every year.

 

[superhans121]

Both played well but Flood all round probably had the edge, stood flatter, better tactical kickking and better goal kicking.

 

[gingergenius]

again, like with the Georgia match, not much to read into that. A bonus point win is good, and a few cheap tries for Cueto will do his confidence the world of good.

England don't look like world beaters, but they do look far too good for Scotland.

We're now at the point in the tournament where we have to pick our No. 1 team each week, and I reckon it should be thus:

1. Corbisiero
2. Thompson
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Wood
8. Haskell
9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Cueto
12. Tindall
13. Tuilagi
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Hartley
17. Stevens
18. Shaw
19. Easter
20. Wigglesworth
21. Wilkinson
22. Armitage

There are a few selection conundrums - but I think that is our best balanced back row, and Flood offers so much more at 10. The other issue is for 11, but Armitage offers a hell of a lot more off the bench than Cueto would.

It is, potentially, a very strong bench. The starting XV has a mobile back row, and a fair amount of adventure in the backs (if they want to). Players like Stevens, Hartley and Shaw can make a dynamic impact, while Easter is there for when we need an 8 who can actually control the ball at the back of a scrum. It's a pretty physical group of forwards on the bench. Wigglesworth and Wilkinson can both come on to tidy the game up if it's very close towards the end. And Armitage, who has a strong case for inclusion ahead of either Cueto or Foden, brings pace, footballing skills and versatility to the back line - he can cover 4 positions well.

 

[JW.]

I'd swap Corbs for Stevens, Wood for Moody (Thought he had a very good game today) and Flood for Wilko.

 

[HenryChinaski]

The Flood versus Wilkinson debate is becoming like the old days FIFA versus Pro Evo, complete retrenchment and nobody can see eye to eye.