[2014 EOYT] England vs South Africa

[TRF_Olyy]

Really think we're missing a trick not having Haskell at 6.
His physicallity, and jackling/"gamesmanship" would be very handy vs this Bok pack.

 

[Patchey]

Really think we're missing a trick not having Haskell at 6.
His physicallity, and jackling/"gamesmanship" would be very handy vs this Bok pack.

Aye. I predict another poor showing from Wood and a resulting lack of breakdown competition.

 

[goodNumber10]

I think it, wood, is the single biggest factor in england struggling to get quick ball.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Wood does good mule work but we already have Robshaw and our 2 locks able to do that and don't need a 4th. We need someone who doesn't have to hit every tackle but who can compete at the breakdown, which neither Wood or Rboshaw can do well.

 

[unrated]

Everyone is going on about the physicality of both teams and how it is going to determine the game. yes it is going to have an impact but lets not forget the tactical kicking battle. Whoever dominates the kicks on the day will have the best platform to attack (maybe the reason for Farrel being selected ahead of Ford. 26 caps is better than 3 against a team like the Boks) and consequently the best chance to win. I expect England to make a lot of tackles in this game. The boks are probably going to run Eastmond's channel so watch that space! i hope he doesn't.

I don't know much about Ford if you can compare his style to any other player who would it be?

 

[goodNumber10]

I don't know much about Ford if you can compare his style to any other player who would it be?

Cruden

 

[Every Time Ref]

The boks are probably going to run Eastmond's channel so watch that space! i hope he doesn't

Well he handled SBW pretty much impeccably last week, so I'm not too worried about him in the regard. As others have said, it's the defensive work at the breakdown I'm worried about, allowing constant amounts of quick ball will lead to line breaks however well organised your defensive line is, and however hard they tackle. I'd have liked to see Hask in for Wood but hey ho, maybe he'll prove us wrong. I look at the pack we have picked and I don't see where the turnovers / slowed down ball is going to come from. I'm afraid I have South Africa to win this one, for all the same reasons we lost to NZ.

 

[TommiG88]

I think we will lose and I predict Lancaster stringing out his usual positive spin after a loss.

 

[goodNumber10]

sadly, or thankfully, i'm going to miss the game as my own team has it's league pool decider at the same time (the top two teams playing for position number 1 in our pool).

So i'll be watching it having known the score for a good 24 hours - i'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

 

[Patchey]

sadly, or thankfully, i'm going to miss the game as my own team has it's league pool decider at the same time (the top two teams playing for position number 1 in our pool).

So i'll be watching it having known the score for a good 24 hours - i'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

What a strange, very French system!

I always find that enjoyment of watching a game knowing the score is entirely dependant on the result.

 

[goodNumber10]

Exactly. Unavoidable though I'm afraid.

 

[Patchey]

Don't think I've ever managed to avoid seeing an England result. No point trying is there?

 

[Mumbles119]

Don't think I've ever managed to avoid seeing an England result. No point trying is there?

I did once, in amazing style too. November 2012, THAT England V NewZealand game. Phone was turned off. I had to go to a wedding in South Kensington, London. Every person I spoke to I started with: "please don't tell me anything about the rugby"
We left at 7ish and got the tube to Waterloo, then an overland train South out of London. Moved carriages as a group of guys in England tops got on. Drove home from train station with no music or radio (phone still off).
Got home about 10pm. Turned on the recorded game and then me and the wife spent the night jumping around the room shouting and cheering.

Still haven't forgiven my wife for making me go to that wedding though.

 

[Tony Manx]

Still haven't forgiven my wife for making me go to that wedding though.

Wasn't your own was it?!!!!!

 

[Mumbles119]

Wasn't your own was it?!!!!!

Haha no, not mine.

For my wedding, I actually got married in Twickenham Stadium itself!

 

[Patchey]

I did once, in amazing style too. November 2012, THAT England V NewZealand game. Phone was turned off. I had to go to a wedding in South Kensington, London. Every person I spoke to I started with: "please don't tell me anything about the rugby"
We left at 7ish and got the tube to Waterloo, then an overland train South out of London. Moved carriages as a group of guys in England tops got on. Drove home from train station with no music or radio (phone still off).
Got home about 10pm. Turned on the recorded game and then me and the wife spent the night jumping around the room shouting and cheering.

Still haven't forgiven my wife for making me go to that wedding though.

That is probably the greatest story I have ever heard. Big thumbs up.

 

[Big Ewis]

I did once, in amazing style too. November 2012, THAT England V NewZealand game. Phone was turned off. I had to go to a wedding in South Kensington, London. Every person I spoke to I started with: "please don't tell me anything about the rugby"
We left at 7ish and got the tube to Waterloo, then an overland train South out of London. Moved carriages as a group of guys in England tops got on. Drove home from train station with no music or radio (phone still off).
Got home about 10pm. Turned on the recorded game and then me and the wife spent the night jumping around the room shouting and cheering.

Still haven't forgiven my wife for making me go to that wedding though.

aaww....so you're saying you only learned that NZ were food-poisoned the next day ? Man, that's rough...

 

[Mumbles119]

aaww....so you're saying you only learned that NZ were food-poisoned the next day ? Man, that's rough...

Ouch... yes. But still a fantastic night

 

[ianw16]

aaww....so you're saying you only learned that NZ were food-poisoned the next day ? Man, that's rough...

Nothing to do with food poisoning (that's a Saffer trick), it was norovirus. I still think England are suffering from that more than NZ. It gave them a false sense of how good they were (or thought they were). If I remember rightly, they sneaked past Italy at Twickers, despite Italy scoring the only try, and got slaughtered by Wales that season.
Good old Burt keeps coming out with the tired old line of "we're not far away", though. Might take a while before they figure him out. Longer the better.

 

[Patchey]

Please can we not replicate the Eng v NZ match thread here again? Please.