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[2015 RWC] Warm Up Match: England vs Ireland (05/09/15)

As long as there's no injuries I'm happy enough with that, great run out for the fist team guys, there's no point in peaking 4 weeks out from our first serious match.
 
Didn't watch this as I was sleeping - worth seeing, or just highlights?
 
Obviously overall disappointing from Ireland, but I'm not all that worried for now. There was a lack of urgency from Ireland throughout the majority of the match which was the main issue, kick chase is always a great way to judge how much a teams wants it IMO and Irelands kick chase was very slack. A few nice touches from players here and there, Payne, Kearney, Heaslip I though all did well. Bowe and Muarry (despite early sub) looked very off the pace to me, Earls Fitzy and Zebo will all be gunning for that rigth wing spot as Dave looks like he may have sealed the left wing.

On a side note, and perhaps I'm paying to much attention to the media here, both Wales and England have played with far more intensity than us, is this perhaps due to the extensive fitness work they have done? Have Ireland let their standards drop in this department? I don't really know but it may explain why they've been blown away at times during pre-season.
 
On a side note, and perhaps I'm paying to much attention to the media here, both Wales and England have played with far more intensity than us, is this perhaps due to the extensive fitness work they have done? Have Ireland let their standards drop in this department? I don't really know but it may explain why they've been blown away at times during pre-season.

Possibly, but I think a look at the fixture list gives a more compelling reason.

England and Wales have to be hitting peak performances by 26th September. Ireland only have to do so by 11th October. Ireland have a far slower build-up and wouldn't be looking to play with the same intensity as England or Wales at this stage.
 
Ok, a few notes:

May MOTM, best game he's had in an England shirt. Not sure who should start vs Fiji on the wings. May and Watson are both electric and have been scoring regularly recently, but I feel like they're both a little inconsistent. Nowell on the other hand is much more consistent, hardly has a bad game for England and is better defensively, but is probably the least likely to score a try out of nothing. Thoughts?

Wood had a good game today, probably the best he's played for England since 2012.

Morgan was also quality, his control at the base of the scrum was excellent and I feel like with him at 8 the pack has more cohesion. Can't quite explain why.

Lineout was much better, think this is down to Parling's influence and the Leicester connection with Youngs. IMO parling now has to start, and I'd partner him with Launchbury, Lawes was a little ineffectual today.

Having Brown instead of Goode makes such a difference, Brown's excellent aerial ability allowed us to nullify Ireland's kicking game, which let us have some decent, clean ball.

Both 9s were good.

Ford did some good things (cross kick for Watson) but also has an annoying tendency to panic if he's isolated. Also got exposed in defence once, conceded 5m, I think to Henshaw? Farrell was poor when he came on.
 
Haven't watched game yet but why has the guardian give Tom Youngs 3/10?

Says he was 100% in lineout but that was down to jumpers, well no **** but last week the jumpers where not the fault? Seems like he can't win with some.
 
Haven't watched game yet but why has the guardian give Tom Youngs 3/10?

Says he was 100% in lineout but that was down to jumpers, well no **** but last week the jumpers where not the fault? Seems like he can't win with some.
No clue thought he played quite well England's 'worst' player was Barritt but that's mainly because he played like Barritt.
 
To be fair the lineouts today were a perfect example of stats not telling the whole story - they were pretty much all incredibly shoddy, and Wood/Parling/Morgan had to work incredibly hard to scrape the ball back to our side.
That said he was excellent in the loose - 3/10 is very harsh.
 
No clue thought he played quite well England's 'worst' player was Barritt but that's mainly because he played like Barritt.

I don't agree. His line for the first try, if you watch it again, subtly drew in the man, which left May in space. Also notice how much more solid our defence was than it has been at any point over the last 6 months? I don't think its a coincidence.

On Tom Youngs, no way was he a 3/10. 6/10 is fair, 2 or 3 wonky throws but some good ones also, and tackled/carried well. Lawes or Cole were the worst IMO, both anonymous.
 
To be fair the lineouts today were a perfect example of stats not telling the whole story - they were pretty much all incredibly shoddy, and Wood/Parling/Morgan had to work incredibly hard to scrape the ball back to our side.
That said he was excellent in the loose - 3/10 is very harsh.

Once more we are in accord!!

However, have to say the score of 3/10 from the sandal wearing liberal tossers at the Gruniad can be ignored as irrelevant........his throwing was a little above average and he was ok everywhere else!

He also suffered a heavy blow to his head in the Irish 22 which he took a while to recover from it seemed to me.

George looked a very adequate replacement if required but Youngs is the No one 9 for me at the moment!!
 
Youngs throwing was very poor - there was practically zero clean linout ball whilst he was on, and that changed immediately when George came on - he chucked himself about defence and carried well though... definitely not a 3/10.
 
Heres my take. Newbie to the site so go easy!

Cole- struggling, hope he comes good
Youngs- 2-3 iffy throws but we still won the LO, good in the loose, keeps his place
Marler- Ok, good in the loose
Lawes- ok, very mobile
Parling- probably just booked himself a starting berth, shored up the LO
Wood- best game for a long time
Robshaw- Solid after a couple a slack showing in Paris
Morgan- wow, excellent considering his lay up and the opposition back row. will start over Billy
Youngs- also had his best run for a while
Ford- much better but had an easier ride than in Paris!
Barritt- never been a fan but always dependable in defence,
Joseph- looked dangerous at times
Watson- I think this young man may be on the team sheet for many years to come.
May- really! Got to give him credit for his try but he's never on the same page as anybody else, can't deny his pace but will be found out against better oppo. Would prefer to see Nowell there.
Brown- Great as ever

George - hit his LO and did well overall, could be a surprise starter!
Burgess- don't like the route given to him for his place but that's nothing to do with him, class league player who hopefully makes it in union

That's my opinion, we were much improved from Paris and after watching Wales today feel more confident that we'll actually qualify from our group and from there who knows. We have a shout if we keep building momentum but so have Ire, Wales, France, NZ, Aus, SA!!!!
 
Without his turnover work he loses his major contribution to the side outside of the scrum, and since his scrummaging isn't going too well either (it's not terrible by any means, just not his peak), his weaknesses are amplified.
The major weakness being his carrying - which has always been pretty passive.
 
Just watched the game, most happy about our scrummies playing well and brown looking back on form.
I thought the pack played well, I think with youngs he didn't play Badley to be honest, his line out wasn't amazing, but that will be up for debate on jumpers or him.
Though George came on and the line out was perfect, so does that tell a tale? George does look like a a very well rounded player (no pun intended).

I thought Farrell came on and did a job, to those saying he played Badley.. I thought Ford was very very good! When the big guys give him front foot ball he is by far our best 10..

Barritt and Joseph did what they were out there to do, can't understand why people saying that Barritt had a nothing game, he is there to hit everything and pass and run a dummy line when necessary, he's not going to run 50+ metres or jink around side stepping, he's Barritt..

For Irish fans I wouldn't worry to much, that pack has great potential and the backline will be better..
My biggest worry will be Johnny Sexton Cramping at 60mins, players at this level shouldn't be cramping with 20mins to go, unless they have quite bad underlining problems..

But it was quite a decent watch and looking forward to seeing both teams play well at the WC.
 
I'm increasingly getting the feeling that the replacement front row offer more than the starters. Can someone explain to me why Cole's form has gone down the toilet? he was dominating scrums in the second half of last season- Marler looking a bit off colour too in this department- a pair of lightweight locks and hooker can't be helping...
looking at the front five as a unit- I'd like to see - Vunipola, George, Cole, Parling, Launch start with - Youngs, Marler, Brookes, Kruis on the bench.
Lawes has been very quite recently and is not really a bench option

Wood seems to have had a bit of a renaissance- about time- the backrow looks much better balanced with Morgan back, although I want Vunipola (M) starting if we go with Wood.

Wigglesworth showing his class with some slick passing off the base, Farrell/Burgess as a bench does not look very balanced to me though- an early injury to Joseph would be a big worry of mine. Slade would be a better fit alongside Burgess- they probably wouldn't trust him at fly half though over Farrell. Nowell would feel unlucky to miss out- but I couldn't justify dropping either wing from today.
 
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