2014 Six Nations: England vs Ireland (Round 3)

[dullonien]

Dont see any reason why Nowell and May should be dropped for anyone at the minute does make you wonder why we stuck with Ashton for so long.....

Nowell and May have promise, but they are far from the finished articles imo. Nowell is an exciting runner, but makes a lot of mistakes. He will improve with game time, and those errors will reduce as he settles in.

I'm still unsure bout May. Good runner, but isn't backing himself atm. I certainly thought there was an opportunity for him to pin his ears back and go for the corner. Maybe the cover defence would have knocked him into touch, but maybe he could have forced his way over. He's a big bloke, but against Ireland he cut back inside every single time. I feel that sometimes a winger needs to back himself, not just take the safe option all the time. Again though, with game time, his confidence will probably grow and he'll start taking on a few defenders.

Both certainly look promising, but so do Wade and Yarde. All good that Ashton has finally been given the boot though, about time!

 

[j'nuh]

If you don't blood new talent you'll be left with a horrible hole in your midfield.
BoD is passed it.
Give someone fresh with a sprint in their legs a chance.
The irish midfield has no pace at centre, sure Sexton looking lost doesn't help.
Keep BoD on to help the new midfield blend in a mentor capacity but as far as playing goes he's getting by on reputation only.
Gatland highlighted that in the middle of last year when a mediocre Lions back line struggled in two tests against a mediocre Australian line up.
He dropped BoD and the rest is history.

Nonsense. Lions winning had nothing to do with dropping BO'D. The team is bigger than one change.

As for what Ireland should do - whether they elect to drop BO'D now, or later, the task of developing an alternative is still there. It's not as if bringing someone new in now will help them settle in. In fact, replacing BO'D before retirement guarantees the replacement being in the midst of a national **** storm. Just like what happened with Jonathan Davies.

I say wait, hope BO'D takes Ireland to 2015 (he's still a very good 13...) and see who puts their name forward in that time...

 

[munstermuffin]

Bod will do well to make it to 2015 when he only has 2 more games as Irish player before he retires

 

[mstar]

Both forward packs pretty much cancelled each other out yesterday.
I can't help but feel that Englands lack of a genuine sniffer is still hurting them at the breakdown. Robshaw is not a no.7, he's a fine player but no number 7.

\i know people keeping saying this but the evidence just doesn't show that up. The breakdown was competitive and not many TO to be won even if you was a classic 7. What Robshaw offers England is too much to drop him for a classic 7. We do not look out played in the breakdown since wales last year. We find out when he goes up against Tipuric/Warburton.

 

[Aristodemus]

Launchbury won at least three turnovers on his own, you don't need a jackal when you have multiple players capable of that. I like this "mobile pack" ideology, the three workhorses of Lauchbury, Wood and Robshaw with everyone else chipping in and a wrecking ball eight works wonders. I'm not saying that having a SOB or Pocock wouldn't be an asset but we don't need one to succeed. This current pack is amongst the best in the world imo although I would be much happier when we have Corbs and Cole in the front row.

 

[big ginger 8]

For the people saying BO'D offered nothing in attack this game is a weird one to say it after. In other matches I'd agree he wasn't looking great in attack but of the four centres playing yesterday BO'D came out on top in most attacking stats. I know stats aren't everything but I also thought he looked pretty dangerous most times he got the ball. If he'd had someone on his shoulder looking for the offload we would have doubled our linebreaks because he was getting the half break on Burrell most of the time.

 

[goodNumber10]

For the people saying BO'D offered nothing in attack this game is a weird one to say it after. In other matches I'd agree he wasn't looking great in attack but of the four centres playing yesterday BO'D came out on top in most attacking stats. I know stats aren't everything but I also thought he looked pretty dangerous most times he got the ball. If he'd had someone on his shoulder looking for the offload we would have doubled our linebreaks because he was getting the half break on Burrell most of the time.

I agree, he bust the gain line frequently and was creating space for the guys outside, It's still hard to pick anyone over him imho.

In defence, Ireland like to show the wide, they want you to go there as they back their 12/13 to get on the ball at the breakdown... and then their defence on 2nd phase.

 

[Big Ewis]

noooooooooo...just finished making the [ALL SCRUMS] video for this...should've checked first before closing the program....it fkd up, not viewable. AAAAAAARGGGGGGGHHHH COMPUTERRRRRRS !!!!!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

noooooooooo...just finished making the [ALL SCRUMS] video for this...should've checked first before closing the program....it fkd up, not viewable. AAAAAAARGGGGGGGHHHH COMPUTERRRRRRS !!!!!

Cool story bro

 

[shtove]

Agree. The game was there for the taking. 13-3 up you needed to turn the screw.

All through the game I felt Ireland were looking for another gear to move into but it never came.

Ireland were dismantling England at about 50m - I think 5 pens in 5 mins, but no yellow.

But England were stronger overall.

 

[McTallshort]

\i know people keeping saying this but the evidence just doesn't show that up. The breakdown was competitive and not many TO to be won even if you was a classic 7. What Robshaw offers England is too much to drop him for a classic 7. We do not look out played in the breakdown since wales last year. We find out when he goes up against Tipuric/Warburton.

If the sign of a good openside is linking between the forwards and backs then it was Robshaws pass that put Brown through for Cares try...just pointing that out to the specailst 7 taliban out there

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

If the sign of a good openside is linking between the forwards and backs then it was Robshaws pass that put Brown through for Cares try...just pointing that out to the specailst 7 taliban out there

To be fair though, Robshaw rarely makes turnovers. I think Launchbury is our main man in that regard.

 

[goodNumber10]

Not sure of that. I'm pretty certain he gets in on ball. He plays as a fetcher for quins so it's a progression that's natural for him.

I rate him. I'd pick him over anyone in England right now.

Oddly though he reminds me a lot of Dallaglio (yes I know he wasn't a seven)

 

[Big Ewis]

Cool story bro

well actually, reviewing the strain England were under the whole way I'd say it is in deed pretty cool for you this thing isn't online !

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He plays as a fetcher for quins

No, Luke Wallace does.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

well actually, reviewing the strain England were under the whole way I'd say it is in deed pretty cool for you this thing online !

Not really. We are missing our 2 starting props with one of the replacements having barely any game time since injury. We have injuries throughout our scrum. If we had done anything except get beaten there, it would have been exceptional. There isn't much for England to take from that apart from a scrum with key players missing is severely weakened and we need to be able to hook the ball out of a weakened scrum to ensure it won't count against us when it is our ball.

 

[Big Ewis]

Not really. We are missing our 2 starting props with one of the replacements having barely any game time since injury. We have injuries throughout our scrum. If we had done anything except get beaten there, it would have been exceptional. There isn't much for England to take from that apart from a scrum with key players missing is severely weakened and we need to be able to hook the ball out of a weakened scrum to ensure it won't count against us when it is our ball.

Cool story bro.

 

[goodNumber10]

No, Luke Wallace does.

Not sure i agree with that, wallace may play with 7 on his back but it doesn't change the way Robshaw plays.

Semantics though, the crux of it is that a 7 can only play as a fetcher if his team allow him to do so... it being an openside that plays that way is a bit over stated imho.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Wallace doesn't play with 7 on his back... Robshaw does.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bant


Speaking of link play, lets all have a look at how good Dave Seymour is at 1:18
http://www.premiershiprugby.tv/Home...terPost&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter