[2015 RWC] Pool A: England vs. Wales (26/09/2015)

[Vieux Talonneur]

Straw clutching, at least there's a bit of forward power on the English bench. And I think I'm glad that Gats hasn't gone for Tipuric, although his appearance once our sluggers are tired isn't overly appealing either.

But the backs, starting and subs, don't make sense. If BB gets injured, is it JM to 13, MB to wing & AG to 15? Or SB to 13, OF to 12 and GF to 10? Both destroy the shape.

If this goes wrong, Lancaster is going to pelters and probably not just from us keyboard warriors.

 

[j'nuh]

Odds on Wales to win are 3-to-1 if anyone wants to make a quick £

Only silver lining to that England announcement is a couple of pretty frigging terrible Wales calls. Wales should have played Charteris and targeted our lineout, and Tipuric and targeted our breakdown. They could have destroyed us in both areas, now they'll probably only beat us there.

God, that 10-12-13 is depressing. Even worse, WHY IS LANCASTER NOT PICKING LAUNCHERS?! The guy showed in his cameo against Fiji twice as much as the starting second rowers combined.

 

[Patchey]

If you look at Saracens who both BB and Faz play for who our our top try scorers? Our wingers by a country mile, so I don't think you should be too worried about the ball getting to the back 3

Well shame it never seems to get there when they've played for England!

Sarries play a fundamentally different game from England. So just saying 'well our wingers score with Farrell and Brad playing' really isn't a convincing argument.

Also, you don't play Brad at 13. You have far more creative players to put in that shirt nines times out of ten.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

God, that 10-12-13 is depressing. Even worse, WHY IS LANCASTER NOT PICKING LAUNCHERS?! The guy showed in his cameo against Fiji twice as much as the starting second rowers combined.

That is an odd one. It's not like Lawes is a powerhouse in the scrum and maul or anything, and his carrying has been ineffective at best.

 

[ncurd]

Well at least Wales seam to be trying to shoot themselves in the foot more than we have...

Doubt it, the press have a mass chub on for Goode, Farrell and Burgess' selections. They'll probably just question why Twelvetrees wasn't there.

Until we loose the English press like nothing more than hanging an England team out to dry after a loss. As this would be Lancaster's making I can't see where else the finger pointing would go to.

Suspect Lancaster has always wanted to try this team.

Sadly I think your right. I've always been a defender if Lancaster but this decision is just the antithesis of what I want from a rugby team. No I'm not looking for us to be NZ B I just like strong dominant forwards play backed up by dynamic backs who try to slip past the gain line rather than bludgeon their way through it. and he's just done the exact opposite in the space 48 hours I've lost complete confidence in the England management.

I had a vision earlier of England game in the 6 nations where Sonya asked Mike Brown if it would of been nice if he's ever been passed the ball in the game. The look of annoyance knowing full well what had happened was clear on his face. I imagine him having the same face after this game. At least he will see the ball Wales will at least kick it to him occasionally, I have little hope for May or Watson.

The one benefit is Burgess does actually offload the ball and he's getting a lot better at it so hopefully they'll be ready to poach it off him.

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That is an odd one. It's not like Lawes is a powerhouse in the scrum and maul or anything, and his carrying has been ineffective at best.

This why I can't understand the dropping of Ford, if he's not been up to snuff what about Lawes, Marler & Cole? Youngs as well although I don't think it's been a bigger issue with him.


My only ONLY explanation for all this is he wants to tire Wales out cause them to have more injuries then bring on more dynamic players to crack a weakened team. Except then Goode and my entire idea is blown out the water.

 

[Maverick1987]

I think some English posters are panicking tbh . I'd be very surprised if we didn't have the upper hand at the scrum . Cole will only get better as time goes on imo . I was very worried before but as long as we don't get injuries so Goode stays off the pitch I'm fairly happy . I fully expect us to play an Irelandesque kick chase game which has worked well for us over the last half dozen games . We can really put Wales under pressure there especially on Norths wing . There's a good few players on Wales team that haven't played for a month or so too . Gats has had to protect some players because of all the injuries

EDIT: also Farrell and Burgess have big game heads on them . There's no way they will have poor games when the chips are down because thats the pressure situations in which they thrive

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Vunipola is our only carrying forward, just as Morgan was on his own last week. Small wonder our bench is making such an impression each week.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tom Youngs can carry.

 

[Maverick1987]

Tom Youngs can carry.

Wood has carried very well in the last 2 games aswell imo

 

[ncurd]

What's the plan then, stand around in a defensive line looking a bit stern whilst the ball gets turned over?

Sadly this looks like the plan. Seriously the more and more I think about it I'm struggling to think is our plan is to

a) Get the ball.
b) Score points once we have it.

Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the point of rugby to score more points than the opposition? I'm just struggling to think how we plan to score any.

 

[TobesHodges]

Well, a gruntish team is the best way to describe it..
Pretty sure Farrell and Barritt are where they are to organise Burgess at 12 in defence, I really really can't understand why Launchbury isn't playing though, with that kind of backline there's going to be a lot of crashball, our seconds and backrow are going to have to work there socks off in attack to get on the outside of Wales..
I can see us playing same game plan as Ireland, big Kick and chase game off Farrell.
Farrell ball in hand im not so worried anymore, he's been given a kick up the arse by Ford and takes the ball much flatter than he used to which has helped his running game, I'm more worried about getting the ball wide to our wingers through the midfield, I can see our wingers coming off there wings and just being tied up in traffic.
To be honest if Brown,Wood,Youngs all have big games we tend to do well..
Still looking forward to this game, certainly there for the taking for both sides..

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the point of rugby to score more points than the opposition? I'm just struggling to think how we plan to score any.

Owen Farrell is the best goal kicker in the world, Sky Sports told me so. Get us in their half and he'll bang them over all day from the tee and drop goals.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

EDIT: also Farrell and Burgess have big game heads on them . There's no way they will have poor games when the chips are down because thats the pressure situations in which they thrive

What about Wales 2013 at the MS?

As for Burgess, I don't worry about his head so much as his knowledge and experience. It's not that he's a bad defender - he's potentially a great one; but he's too new to this game for the defensive work to be as instinctive as it needs to be.

Also the scrum is not as reliable as you say. It struck me as hugely unpredictable in the warm-ups.

 

[Maverick1987]

Well, a gruntish team is the best way to describe it..
Pretty sure Farrell and Barritt are where they are to organise Burgess at 12 in defence, I really really can't understand why Launchbury isn't playing though, with that kind of backline there's going to be a lot of crashball, our seconds and backrow are going to have to work there socks off in attack to get on the outside of Wales..
I can see us playing same game plan as Ireland, big Kick and chase game off Farrell.
Farrell ball in hand im not so worried anymore, he's been given a kick up the arse by Ford and takes the ball much flatter than he used to which has helped his running game, I'm more worried about getting the ball wide to our wingers through the midfield, I can see our wingers coming off there wings and just being tied up in traffic.
To be honest if Brown,Wood,Youngs all have big games we tend to do well..
Still looking forward to this game, certainly there for the taking for both sides..

This ! I like your way . No panicking simply both teams need big games from their big players and it should be a great game .

 

[ncurd]

Owen Farrell is the best goal kicker in the world, Sky Sports told me so. Get us in their half and he'll bang them over all day from the tee and drop goals.

Have to win a penalty first,

By being dominant in scrum? Possible due to Welsh injury but we've been flaky.
Pulling down the maul? We've been poorly executing mauls for a while.
Dominance at the breakdown? :lol:

And we have to be in their half to begin with!



Honestly it's not this game that worries me as noted it's the following one when Lancaster has won this one, thinks he's genius for coming up with it and plays the same side against Australia who'll eat us for breakfast.

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But overall this is just such and insipid uninspiring way to play rugby. I hate it when Wales play it and despise it when we do.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Have to win a penalty first,

By being dominant in scrum? Possible due to Welsh injury but we've been flaky.
Pulling down the maul? We've been poorly executing mauls for a while.
Dominance at the breakdown? :lol:

And we have to be in their half to begin with!



Honestly it's not this game that worries me as noted it's the following one when Lancaster has won this one, thinks he's genius for coming up with it and plays the same side against Australia who'll eat us for breakfast.

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But overall this is just such and insipid uninspiring way to play rugby. I hate it when Wales play it and despise it when we do.

Mostly I've realised it's very easy to overestimate a sides 'smarts' with stuff like this. It makes sense to us that if ther scrum goes well, you try to bring about scrums, and if its going badly you avoid at all costs...

But I remember back in that game against Ireland where we mullered their front row, the irish were still using the choke tackle as often as possible... This said, it would be different no doubt now under Schmidt

 

[ZeroTwo]

Can't wait for this. Two sides who both have a lot stacked against them playing usually makes for entertaining rugby.

I have a feeling different sides will dominate certain areas. I think Wales will take the line out but surprisingly England taking the scrum. Everyone slamming the 10-12-13 axis but they are all brilliant passers. Farrell can miss pass almost to each wing, Burgess can offload and Brad passed in a Saracens game once (honestly, I swear I saw it). My prediction is that the wingers and fullback will be playing behind them running lines down the centre more than waiting around in the arctic tundra near touch.

 

[NickBD]

Not too happy with the English changes but I think no Tipuric is the biggest call off the all. England have had a clear problem at the breakdown and to not include Tipuric is very odd. Twitter seems to be angry at both teams at the moment.

 

[dunney77]

Pocock and Hooper will destroy both of you

Shocked that Tips isn't starting. Him and Warbs could really cause damage against a slow back row

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wales are obviously worried as they've already resorted to cheating
http://www.itv.com/rugbyworldcup/wales-warned-after-breaching-rugby-world-cup-rules