[2014 Mid-Year Tests] New Zealand vs England (1st Test)

[Aristodemus]

I don't understand why people are so eager to get rid of Manu either, the guy is a match winner. I thought Eastmond Tuilagi was great, it's the timing of Kyle's passing and the extra space that is there with Tuilagi taking the defence's attention, I really hope we see it in all three tests.

 

[Rich Taff]

Thought it was a good game. The strength in depth in the England second row is scary.

Next week going to be even more interesting with the 'cavalry' arriving for England.

Oh, and the whiners about the ref. From a neutral point of view, he had the one, obvious bad call (which I'm pretty sure came from the touch judge). Apart from that, he was constantly informing players what was needed, and penalised both sides equally for infringing. As usual, NZ will 'try it on' at the start, and if they can get away with it, they'll continue. The difference is, if they know they're not going to get away with it, they stop.

I'd be happy if Owens could change his nationality so we can have him ref our games instead of People like Barnes and Pollock.

 

[Sam Owen]

How would you guys drop Tuilagi? He was the best back on show from either side. Burrell must be some player

Its so sad. The ones who fronted up deserve to play again. If you drop your best back in your team then youre not a good team selector

 

[Peat]

When Burrell skittles through that many All Blacks, I'll believe he can replace Tuilagi, and not until then. The Eastmond-Tuilagi partnership looked very good to me.

Lawes and Care back in are the only changes I want to in some ways tbh.

 

[Crapspray]

Take him and Robshaw out of that team and they'd be going nowhere.

Nah, Launchbury is our best player - it's just no-one notices. Robshaw is very similar to Wood, and Burrell showed he's a capable replacement for Tuilagi in the Six Nations.

Replacing Launchbury with Attwood/Parling/Slater is a far bigger loss, in my opinion. Marler getting injured would sink the ship too, now Corbisiero and Vunipola are out.

---

EDIT: I should clarify, this is in terms of loss to the side. Tuilagi is still by far the best option- so many times the All Blacks left space in the middle when drifting on to him. Burrell won't do that.

 

[McTallshort]

How would you guys drop Tuilagi? He was the best back on show from either side. Burrell must be some player

Because some people just dont like him, apprently hes one dimensional, doesnt pass, doesnt tackle blah blah blah

 

[The Jones Boy]

Some very good points on here.

Firstly though, Hansen got it wrong today for the first time in a long time.
Why was it Ben Smith was not pushed to full back when Dagg came off.
Dagg is Sooooo lucky Piatau is injured.
Barrett on at fullback?
Really?

 

[austingtir]

Some very good points on here.

Firstly though, Hansen got it wrong today for the first time in a long time.
Why was it Ben Smith was not pushed to full back when Dagg came off.
Dagg is Sooooo lucky Piatau is injured.
Barrett on at fullback?
Really?

I think because he got lucky with Barrett going so well there last year he thought he could continue to get away with it but I hope tonight woke him up to it. B Smith has to start at 15 there's no two ways about it everybody knows it.

 

[TheSaffycen]

How come Yarde has a pretty poor game yet everyone says stick with him ? If that was Ashton he would have been hung from the rafters ! Yarde was **** against Oz and here he/Owens cost us the game, maybe he thought that because New Zealand hadn't been carded earlier Owens wasn't going to give him one ?

 

[Big Ewis]

How would you guys drop Tuilagi? He was the best back on show from either side. Burrell must be some player

I don't understand or really care for the idea that Tuilagi "ruins England's shape on attack" or wtvr. A Pacific Islander style, top pace, enormous specimen, thighs the circumference of my torso each, needs 3 guys and still makes ground, makes breaks all the time, commands the most attention from opposite teams...it's just so ridiculous to think he doesn't deserve game time. Neither Twelvetrees nor Burrell influence a game like Tuilagi. Just look at ENG NZ 2012, neither those two other guys could dream of making that impact. Tuilagi is determinant on all 3 tries, and directly responsible for 2.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Because some people just dont like him, apprently hes one dimensional, doesnt pass, doesnt tackle blah blah blah

Thats funny eh I wish Nonu was more one dimensional. I don't need him throwing cut out passes to nobody and aimless kicks. I love the way Manu goes up the middle and makes yards every single time he runs it

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Regarding the ABs I thought your back row looked unbalanced. Read was a massive miss and also you missed Savea's power on the left wing.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

12/13 - Pick two of Twelvetrees, Eastmond, Burrell and Tuilagi. Would argue Tuilagi is at the bottom of the pecking order. Would be tempted to look at Eastmond-Twelvetrees.


Here's a thought though. Next week. Replace the 6 with Vunipola. Keep Morgan on. Bring Attwood on. Bring Burrell/Tuilagi on. **** **** up at 60 mins.

You will lose the balance with Morgan and vunipola both on, Wood or Haskell will be 6.

I think Twelvetrees will drop down the pecking order.

Would rather have Eastmond or burrell @ 12 than Twelvetrees and Twelvetrees isn't at all a @13.

 

[Peat]

Oh, and the whiners about the ref. From a neutral point of view, he had the one, obvious bad call (which I'm pretty sure came from the touch judge). Apart from that, he was constantly informing players what was needed, and penalised both sides equally for infringing. As usual, NZ will 'try it on' at the start, and if they can get away with it, they'll continue. The difference is, if they know they're not going to get away with it, they stop.

I'd be happy if Owens could change his nationality so we can have him ref our games instead of People like Barnes and Pollock.

Sorry, but you're wrong. Two very bad calls on what constitutes a knock-on, incredible and game changing inconsistency over what constitutes a yellow card, missed a blatant penalty when an AB picked úp a knock on while offside and then the sudden decision to start pinging crooked scrum feeds on the 70th minute was poor.

It was a bad game from him. Objectively bad.

 

[austingtir]

The thing that ****** me off the most is Ben Smith should of been starting fullback last year... to me Hansen has lost his opportunity and probably put doubt in Ben's mind about his greatness.....

 

[donmcdazzle]

We need both Savea and Piutau back big time. Jane was very quiet and Dagg was poor. Smith, Piutau, Savea would be so much more dangerous

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

How come Yarde has a pretty poor game yet everyone says stick with him ? If that was Ashton he would have been hung from the rafters ! Yarde was **** against Oz and here he/Owens cost us the game, maybe he thought that because New Zealand hadn't been carded earlier Owens wasn't going to give him one ?

Yarde had a was great at chasing kicks didn't get much ball, in defence was out of position a few times but made the tackles, Ashton when he last played for England did nothing.

Ashton has up his game but for a England NZ game Yarde played vey well.

 

[austingtir]

It was a bit imbalanced but we should of been able to cope in this match. To me the real problem was the front 5 they were useless. It all starts up there and compounds down the line when they stuff up imo.

 

[austingtir]

We need both Savea and Piutau back big time. Jane was very quiet and Dagg was poor. Smith, Piutau, Savea would be so much more dangerous

Im not a piutau fan unless he's replacing a dropped Dagg.

 

[Sam Owen]

How come Yarde has a pretty poor game yet everyone says stick with him ? If that was Ashton he would have been hung from the rafters ! Yarde was **** against Oz and here he/Owens cost us the game, maybe he thought that because New Zealand hadn't been carded earlier Owens wasn't going to give him one ?

He stands out with his dreads and all so I was looking forward to him doing something but he did nothing but get a yellow card. He needs to go looking for work.