2014 Six Nations: France vs England (Round 1)

[Big Ewis]

Yes i dominate most of the Tighthead's at the level i play due to getting low on them. Hoping to play a lot higher level rugby next season.

oh, you naughty naughty boy...
Well, maybe we'll see you scrummaging against your beloved Dan Cole in the Prem soon then.

 

[McTallshort]

oh, you naughty naughty boy...
Well, maybe we'll see you scrummaging against your beloved Dan Cole in the Prem soon then.

By the tone of his posts you would have thought his missus already had...

 

[Big Ewis]

By the tone of his posts you would have thought his missus already had...

ehhh I'm sorry for the cheapest possible humor there, but he set me up, I was just burning up inside, had to do it !!

 

[Big Ewis]

(not a double post)

All scrums:

 

[ratsapprentice]

Nyanga should be French captain - I've thought this for a long time (he's very well spoken and thoughtful/knowledgeable/passionate when speaking English) but his performance yesterday give some precedent for it.
Fickou should be the starting IC.

 

[nickdnz]

Nyanga should be French captain - I've thought this for a long time (he's very well spoken and thoughtful/knowledgeable/passionate when speaking English) but his performance yesterday give some precedent for it.
Fickou should be the starting IC.

I love Nyanga - has been my favourite French player since around 2006 or so (along with Marc Andreau and Cedric Heymans before he retired). Sadly though he has had the worst luck when it comes to consistant selection - he should have had three times as many caps for France in my opinion. Even over the last two years he hasn't been consistantly selected - which means I can not see him becoming first choice captain.

 

[LooseHeadProp87]

By the tone of his posts you would have thought his missus already had...[/QUOTE

haha cole dosen't add alot to the game thats all i am saying. as for the prem no way maybe some national league next season though

 

[trev]

Lancaster YET AGAIN !!!!

Yet again Lancaster tinkers and costs England the match.
Why on Gods earth did he substitute Danny Care,
it appears that he promises the bench game time regardless of how the team is performing. He did exactly the same against NZ in the autumn with the same result !!.
I think Lancaster has long enough to prove himself and he hasn't done it, he lacks the tactical nous that's
required at this level.
I honestly don't see us winning anything as long as he is in charge !!!

Trev

 

[mstar]

great game some points of note i made (i watched the game live and rewatched it just now)


1. Lawes was awesome as some people mentioned probably his best game, make some serious hard yards with some really powerfull carrying. He got around the park to support wingers well. Also had a great steal in the lineout was the best lock on the park.


2. Wood/Robshaw these guys are Rowntree said not many teams can keep up with the sheer work these 2 guys do on the park. They dominated the breakdown battle. The french no.7 got taken off as he was just out hussled and out faught in the tight/contact areas. I also love Woods aggression he just gives it all doesn't he? Robshaw made some great hard yards really showed how all round game is great.


3. Billy 12Trees - oh dear must be frustrating for Lancaster he given him so much time but he still lacks something. His kick down the field when he had 2/3 people in space was criminal for international centre.


4. Luthur B, kept the french centres quiet, and looks like a good person. I am tempted to swap him with billy and try a new combination luthur and eastmond? or barrit?


5. Billy Vunipola had a great game, huge carrying and good hands and creativitity. Him and morgan have a big battle for number 8 shirt.


6. Nowell looked good, i know he made some fumbles but grew into the game. With more games i think he can keep his spot.


7. May was unfortunate he came off as i think his acceleration and pace would of been a factor in the game. Lets hope he can come back for next game?


8. Farrell look better he really had good passing and kicking. i am a little picky when i say he delays passing a little to much not decisive as some experienced 10's.


9. Brown another solid game, great finishing and always beats his first man.


10. Care made a great difference he has something youngs/dickson do not have the tenacity to run and pace which can frighten opposition. He is pushing for the WC and on this performance lancaster will start to think mayeb care is our man as when we go behind he can make things happen himself.


11. Hartley/youngs debate - i am sorry but youngs just isn't gonna be our number 1 hooker. Hartley just seems better his throwing is better and he has wood/lawes his buddys in the lineout and that cannot be ignored.


Scrum watch: is a real worry for me. We just don't seem solid enough. Corbs missing we lose something in the scrum not sure why but when he is there we seem 50% better. Our cole/hartley/corbs partnership was formidable i just don't think without corbs the other 2 function well with marler/vunipola.


Lancaster watch: Tactics were good, the forward pack whenever they had the ball went beyonf th

 

[Big Ewis]

Nyanga should be French captain - I've thought this for a long time (he's very well spoken and thoughtful/knowledgeable/passionate when speaking English) but his performance yesterday give some precedent for it.
Fickou should be the starting IC.

don't you you insult me like that. Fickou, too !
And yes Nyanga. Here's one of my favorite tries in recent memory, since he's being mentioned so much on this thread:

 

[samxara]

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Under Lancaster we have come 2nd in 2 6 nations only losing to Wales both times. We have had a year where the only teams that beat us were Wales and NZ, we have beaten NZ and currently have a win % of 66.7%, the highest since Clive Woodward with 71.1%. He has brought in lots of new, young talent and is working on the basis of long term planning.

He still does some things I disagree with but overall his record is pretty good.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Ignore the guys that sign up post-game just to vent or gloat.

 

[brumtom]

Under Lancaster we have come 2nd in 2 6 nations only losing to Wales both times. We have had a year where the only teams that beat us were Wales and NZ, we have beaten NZ and currently have a win % of 66.7%, the highest since Clive Woodward with 71.1%. He has brought in lots of new, young talent and is working on the basis of long term planning.

He still does some things I disagree with but overall his record is pretty good.

Agreed. Can't be bothered to entertain a response.

 

[The Jones Boy]

I'm still a bit flummoxed at how England managed to lose that game.
After the poor start, then the big comeback, then the lead, and it should have been game over.
The French fans went very quiet there for a while.
The last ten minutes saw Englands management equally flummoxed.
They may well have had a plan before the match as to injuries etc but Owen Farrell should have been tugged as soon as he was injured and get a fresh player out there.
It didn't seem like there was a cohesive design from the coaching staff to deal with the end-game as it unfolded.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

THE England squad returned to Pennyhill Park this evening to prepare for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) suffered a fracture to his nose against France and will see a specialist on Monday for further assessment.

A decision on his availability for selection against Scotland will be made following that examination.

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) suffered a bruised cheekbone but no structural damage and will be available for selection.

Under the Elite Player Squad agreement England will have 33 players in camp with Freddie Burns returning to the senior squad following his two appearances for England Saxons, while Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby) and Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens) remain with their Aviva Premiership clubs.

Source: RFU Media

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Can't see Burns adding anything to England after 2 very poor games with the Saxons...

 

[The Jones Boy]

Ignore the guys that sign up post-game just to vent or gloat.

Sorry but I don't agree with that clique promoting attitude rats apprentice.

The guy was passionate enough about the loss to come on here and voice an opinion, we should take him at face value and discuss his point with him.
As it happens, I don't agree with his perception at all but then I'm not nearly as passionate about the subject as he is because he's an Englishman.
However, I do feel that Lancaster is making progress and he needs time to get his plans together.
Great teams take time to build and under Lancaster, England are amassing a wealth of fine specimens, some of whom are already showing sparkling promise.
Short memories are likely to forget that Woodward had a pretty bleak stretch when he came in and look how he transformed the national team over time.
Lancaster is doing fine.
Give him time.
Playing France in Paris is a bloody big ask, being 16-3 down at one point is a very big ask and the frenetic flurry of injuries in the last ten minutes will be managed better the next time it occurs.
England will learn more from that game than France.
I know there is an undercurrent in England among some fans that the Poms 'own' France in the 6 Nations, and results have been favourable to them over the years in a way that makes the AB fans equally a little jealous and a little dumbfounded.
But having said that, no rugby loving English fan should ever feel overly confident about taking on France at their home.
The Frogs are world beaters on their day.
This time they were more fizzle than Bang but England started sleepily and finished the game looking a tad bewildered.
Lancaster must stay in the role at the very least until the end of the next RWC.

 

[Big Ewis]

I'm still a bit flummoxed at how England managed to lose that game.
After the poor start, then the big comeback, then the lead, and it should have been game over.
The French fans went very quiet there for a while.
The last ten minutes saw Englands management equally flummoxed.
They may well have had a plan before the match as to injuries etc but Owen Farrell should have been tugged as soon as he was injured and get a fresh player out there.
It didn't seem like there was a cohesive design from the coaching staff to deal with the end-game as it unfolded.

Pace, and stamina. England didn't blow it, France won it. Nothing chauvinistic here, just an observation. France imposed an infernal rate and pace to start. England came to play too, and doubled in pace. Got the lead even. France couldn't follow, conceded that Billy V to Burrell try. And if you look at the English defenders on the Szar-to-Fickou try, they're spent, burnt out. Neither team would give up, and when one raised the level of intensity, the other followed. England had the greater intensity for the whole middle part, and would've won if Rugby Union were a 70min marathon. But it isn't, and France delivered the last knock-out punch to seal it. The bench made the difference, and as Bastareaud said after the game "to beat England, we needed 23 players".

It's still a huge performance from England, and on the road. Very defiant of them, and they came that close...I really would've been a lot more relieved with at least a 5-8 point win. These guys were about to make it 4 in a row (within the 6N), and in Paris !

 

[trev]

ratsapprentice & brumtom, by all means keep your heads burried well in the sand and talk from the bit that sticks out !!!
Lancaster is a tinkerer, we were well on the way to victory against France until he made totally un-necessary substitutions.
I have coached and played rugby at a relatively high level and the golden rule is, dont upset the apple cart,
when a team is playing well leave well alone.
The Jones Boy, good reply but as you must recall, we had NZ sorted but the substitutions took away the rhythem and continuity
that had built up during the game, just like the French encounter.

Trev