[2014 EOYT] England v Australia

[goodNumber10]

England look like a team brimming with potential but the youth needs experience and the next RWC is too soon for this side.
Lancaster needs to pay more attention to Rowntree and less to Andy Farrell.

See, you can be sensible when you try.

 

[TommiG88]

I have mixed feelings, our pack truly saved us today. I thought lawes and Morgan were superb in particular.

 

[Tony Manx]

I have mixed feelings, our pack truly saved us today. I thought lawes and Morgan were superb in particular.

There is little doubt that with a fit Cole and Corns back in the equation, England have one of the better all round pack!

However I think too many go missing at crucial moments destroying a lot of their excellent work! The backs, one year out, are a complete mess and do not see how, what, eight matches eft are going to make anywhere need the necessary improvement to win.

The forwards should outplay the Aussies but find it hard to see them doing that to Wales. The good news is that in Roberts and Davies Wales have got a couple of Trailles!!! They do not when are maybe even how to pass!!!!

 

[stus768]

Well done to Barritt for a great defensive display. But I don't see how he can fit in when tuillagi back.

 

[j'nuh]

There is little doubt that with a fit Cole and Corns back in the equation, England have one of the better all round pack!

However I think too many go missing at crucial moments destroying a lot of their excellent work! The backs, one year out, are a complete mess and do not see how, what, eight matches eft are going to make anywhere need the necessary improvement to win.

The forwards should outplay the Aussies but find it hard to see them doing that to Wales. The good news is that in Roberts and Davies Wales have got a couple of Trailles!!! They do not when are maybe even how to pass!!!!

I agree in part. I don't think the backs are a complete mess. I'd be happy to pencil Ford, May, Tuilagi and Brown into the WC starting XV. I'm also happy with our options on the other wing, between Watson, Roko and Nowell. Watson deserves to keep the shirt for now, but even if he goes off form, I'm pretty sure we'll have a strong option at 14 going into the WC, provided Lancaster doesn't revert to Ashton at the first sign of trouble. At 12, between Barritt and Eastmond, we have a good option, although whoever we do pick will have their limitations.

9 is a big concern. Mainly because we have tried all of our realistic options and all have been found wanting. One concerning position isn't too bad, although I wish it was a position other than at 9.

But the pack have problems too, especially in the breakdown. I'd also like to have another strong carrier, other than our 8. I feel we need to make changes at 6.

I think it's our attacking coaching that's the mess. This applies to both backs and forwards. No amount of tinkering with the backline will fix this, but it seems to be where we fixate our attention.

 

[inteNZity]

well this will make for an interesting offering from Aussie next year, Chekia will have no choice but to pick a team to run and run, they will want to avoid set piece. Chekia has the balls to go for it and the selection power to get who he wants. personally I couldn't think of anything better than Aussie getting smashed each week, but if they run the ball they look good, so they have to run which at least will be entertaining.

 

[Big Ewis]

another classic example of how a Rugby match is won up front. Australia showed resilience, flexibility, adaptivity and intelligence, fantastic ball movement and attacking flair, but England's pack was too dominant. The mauls, the scrum, total domination, and just the eight up front's play around the park generally. This gives Angland guarantees moving forward, but nothing new really. They can dominate up front, and have found good halfback play again with Ben Youngs and George Ford, who are pretty attractive young men. Any time they tried attacking, something went almost immediately wrong, so nothing new...good guarantees and lots of confidence restored.

For Australia, that's 3 defeats despite being good tbf, 3 defeats from 4...still not a disaster, it's an away tour, and they were never blown off the park and played 3 highly competitive tests til the very end of the match. But let's not forget this exact fixture will occur again in a year in the pool stages of a certain RWC, so again, the thought of the day: England's confidence restored. Well done.

 

[chippieolamus]

I'd go for (second choice in brackets):
Corbs (Marler)
Webber (Hartley)
Cole (Wilson)
Launch (Attwood)
Lawes (Parling)
Fraser/Wood/Haskell
Robshaw (Croft?)
Morgan (Vunipola)

Care (Youngs) - Assuming Care regains his form
Ford (Farrell)
May (Yarde/Nowell)
Eastmoond (12T)
Tuilagi (Burrell)
Watson (Roko)
Brown (Foden)

Thoughts? I genuinely think that if that backbone gets the 6 nations to gel, we could be one heck of a team

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To be honest, I'd take Wilson as first choice over Cole.
Cole has looked decent but not amazing since his return - conceded his fair share of penalties (or at least the scrum as a whole did) vs Wasps today, whereas Wilson has been a part of a scrum that's been strong, if not dominant, in every game.

Obviously he's just back from a long long lay off so is just getting back into the swing of things, but Wilson's done everything that's been asked of him in the past year or so.

 

[j'nuh]

To be honest, I'd take Wilson as first choice over Cole.
Cole has looked decent but not amazing since his return - conceded his fair share of penalties (or at least the scrum as a whole did) vs Wasps today, whereas Wilson has been a part of a scrum that's been strong, if not dominant, in every game.

Obviously he's just back from a long long lay off so is just getting back into the swing of things, but Wilson's done everything that's been asked of him in the past year or so.

It seems odd to say this... but Cole's injury might actually have done him some good? I think his injury lay-off may have given him his biggest rest in years, and he was certainly in need of a rest back when he picked up the injury. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes up a gear from where he was.

Hard to predict how he'll do anyway. Wilson's shirt for now, but I wouldn't refuse Cole at his best.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It seems odd to say this... but Cole's injury might actually have done him some good? I think his injury lay-off may have given him his biggest rest in years, and he was certainly in need of a rest back when he picked up the injury. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes up a gear from where he was.

Hard to predict how he'll do anyway. Wilson's shirt for now, but I wouldn't refuse Cole at his best.

Absolutely - Cole was thrashed to within an inch of his life before. 80 minutes (or 70, at least) every week at his club, then 80mins a week with England in the AIs, 6N and Summer (and then a lot of game time with the Lions) - basically didn't have any time off/a proper pre-season from when he turned 22.

It's definitely Wilson's shirt, but that'll only spur Cole on to win it back, which is a very good thing in the long run.

 

[Maverick1987]

To be honest, I'd take Wilson as first choice over Cole.
Cole has looked decent but not amazing since his return - conceded his fair share of penalties (or at least the scrum as a whole did) vs Wasps today, whereas Wilson has been a part of a scrum that's been strong, if not dominant, in every game.

Obviously he's just back from a long long lay off so is just getting back into the swing of things, but Wilson's done everything that's been asked of him in the past year or so.

Not sure Wilson does enough around the field to take Coles shirt for good . Coles breakdown work is really good and that's one thing we certainly need right now along with Launchbury for the exact same reason .

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Depends whether Cole can get back to his early scrummaging, though.
For me, a prop should be judged on his scrummaging first and everything else second. Wilson is scrummaging far better than Cole has for a few years, now.

I am a huge Cole fan, don't get me wrong - I just want to see him earn his shirt back rather than just be gifted it. It'll be better for England, and Cole as a player.

Completely agree on Cole's breakdown work, though - him and Launchbury are the reason we can afford Robshaw in the 7 shirt.

 

[The Jones Boy]

I would like to see Cipriano get a run, there isn't a nailed on first five in the England camp and Cips has done more than enough to get a look in, it's his media image that is holding him back.

 

[Draggs]

I would like to see Cipriano get a run, there isn't a nailed on first five in the England camp and Cips has done more than enough to get a look in, it's his media image that is holding him back.

Since his return from Aus he has kept it low profile from what I've seen. Maybe Diamond is blackmailing all the tabloids, but he has really turned it around. Always had the talent, just lacked the maturity.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Plays in the North, though, doesn't he?

Lancaster only likes Northerners who play for southern clubs*, not the actual north.
Probably because Yorkshire hates him for being from Lancashire, and Lancashire hates him for being a turncoat b*****d and going over to Yorkshire!





*Brookes plays for Newcastle but broke into the England side in 2011 after he signed for Leicester.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Whatever the reason Lancaster is doing the rest of the world a favour because he certainly looks the goods

 

[goodNumber10]

there isn't a nailed on first five in the England camp

you're right, there are TWO.

 

[nickdnz]

Can't help but feel AAC blew a load of chances for Australia by never passing near the try line..

 

[Maverick1987]

Depends whether Cole can get back to his early scrummaging, though.
For me, a prop should be judged on his scrummaging first and everything else second. Wilson is scrummaging far better than Cole has for a few years, now.

I am a huge Cole fan, don't get me wrong - I just want to see him earn his shirt back rather than just be gifted it. It'll be better for England, and Cole as a player.

Completely agree on Cole's breakdown work, though - him and Launchbury are the reason we can afford Robshaw in the 7 shirt.

Yeh completely agree ! Also need to give him time to get back to full match fitness . He's only played a couple of games. Should be on the bench in the 6N . If I was Lancaster I'd use it to push Wilson to up his fitness . If only we had some kind of machine to mould Cole and Wilson together ......