[2015 Six Nations] Wales vs England (Round 1)

[Tony Manx]

Newsflash.....Gatland has resigned saying he can do no more! He gave them plan A and thought they could work out a plan B and C on their own. The WRU are said to be considering refusing to accept the resignation as a Kiwi is unlikely to be aware that there is no Plan B or C in the Welsh game!!!!

 

[Rich Taff]

The only player who stood out for Wales in the second half:

TRF Post of the year?

 

[Tony Manx]

TRF Post of the year?

I see what you did there!!!!

 

[goodNumber10]

Sure Wales would feel unlucky after a strong first half from them but England were deserved winners after Wales were making simple errors and England were making the most off it in the second half.

so after that game hopefully Scotland might be able to get a win against Wales at Murrayfield,

best get france out the way first.

calmed down a bit now... felt England were much more dynamic than during the AI's, the forwards were travelling and i felt the runnign off Youngs worked better than off Care. The pods were getting past the contact, and thus producing quick ball.

Thought Ford was worth his place, for a first 6N star in Cardiff he didn't do much wrong and the game ran well of him and youngs.

Thought Attwood was increidble, and thought Haskell ebbed and flowed but when he got into the flow of the game was excellent he frequentley broke through the contact area.

Special mention for Biggar who i thought had a tremendous first half before the pack got choked out.

 

[bushytop]

We'll done England, thoroughly deserved.

Thought there were many areas where England bettered Wales but their ability to hold us up and force the maul was impressive.

Will be interesting to see how Wales bounce back after this as we have improved after terrible starts before but it will take a massive improvement moving forward.

Didn't see this coming.

 

[Tadginator]

@Groundhog get stuffed. I rule, you drool. I'm the jack nowell to your luke Cowan dickie

 

[McTallshort]

Well chuffed....that's it for now

 

[wayevs]

Firstly Well done England.
secondly very poor 2nd half from us no forward ball, slow and sluggish , north and Cuthbert ineffectual, Roberts neutralised, very much down to a good organised English defense, England much more dynamic in the second half , b youngs imo mom.
from our stand point cuthbeert was very poor and liam should be replacing him on the wing very soon, north had flashes but was neutralised by a great English defense it has to be said the defensive performance of England was brilliant, lee was ok, biggar was so so and halfpenny hardly put a foot wrong apart from one pen. again today there was no creativity going forward very static , slow ball ,horrible rugby. and old mikey Philips has surely run his last game for Wales.

 

[Jbobo]

Tell you what, if England win tonight it will bear a huge showing on their credentials as a top three favourite for the World Cup for me.

Yep. They're potentially a top three team.

Newsflash.....Gatland has resigned saying he can do no more! He gave them plan A and thought they could work out a plan B and C on their own. The WRU are said to be considering refusing to accept the resignation as a Kiwi is unlikely to be aware that there is no Plan B or C in the Welsh game!!!!

I kind of wish this was true.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Agree about the choke. Rugby has been doing some soul searching with regards to the flow of the game, and, inexplicably, the choke tackle has escaped the limelight.
And its not a logical rule in the slightest.

+1 it's horrible.

It would be fine if it was harder to pull off, but it happens waaay too often.

 

[titans12]

now my heart rate has calmed enough for me to type. Does any one think of the English players missing who will get back in , as on paper this was not Englands strongest squad . Missing Tuilagi Launchbury lawes Wood Barritt Farrell Morgan Parling Wilson, Who has most reason to fear for his place? England getting some strength in depth tho

 

[j'nuh]

now my heart rate has calmed enough for me to type. Does any one think of the English players missing who will get back in , as on paper this was not Englands strongest squad . Missing Tuilagi Launchbury lawes Wood Barritt Farrell Morgan Parling Wilson, Who has most reason to fear for his place? England getting some strength in depth tho

Morgan, Launchbury and Wilson should get their places back fairly comfortably imo. Tuilagi at 12 hopefully, but if the choice is Tuilagi or Joseph, I would probably keep with Joseph for now. And Lawes for the bench. The rest, nah.

 

[Rich Taff]

now my heart rate has calmed enough for me to type. Does any one think of the English players missing who will get back in , as on paper this was not Englands strongest squad . Missing Tuilagi Launchbury lawes Wood Barritt Farrell Morgan Parling Wilson, Who has most reason to fear for his place? England getting some strength in depth tho

Second row is ridiculous, have a choice of about 7 players now. Personally think Tuilagi would be a step back for England. Have never rated him, is extremely one dimensional (as some claim Roberts is), but has awful defence.

I like Farrell, he's more of a Robert Jones flyhalf than Cips(who I rate very highly) or the fella who played today (forget his name for a minute).

Oh, and regards the 'choke tackle', I don't mind it as long as it isn't a true 'choke' tackle, where the player is grabbed around the throat. Choking them by keeping them off the floor and arms bound so 'choking' the offload is fine, but grabbing them around the neck should be a penalty like a high tackle.

 

[wayevs]

Who do you drop after a performance like that? them selection headaches cold be Englands undoing.

 

[yaboyjj]

now my heart rate has calmed enough for me to type. Does any one think of the English players missing who will get back in , as on paper this was not Englands strongest squad . Missing Tuilagi Launchbury lawes Wood Barritt Farrell Morgan Parling Wilson, Who has most reason to fear for his place? England getting some strength in depth tho

Looking ahead purely to next week, Lancaster would be wise not to change a winning side imo, Parling and Wood will probably make the bench if fit (much as I think Wood shouldn't), Burrell was not great, but for the sake of continuity should keep his spot- Wilson may even be left out of the side as I think Brookes makes a better impact sub (Cole keeps his place). There's a temptation to experiment with Italy- there may be a case for one or two changes (blood Slade maybe), but I hope not too much.
I agree about Tuilagi- much as he is effective, he should have to win the shirt back off Joseph (he would make a pretty handy impact sub though!)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

now my heart rate has calmed enough for me to type. Does any one think of the English players missing who will get back in , as on paper this was not Englands strongest squad . Missing Tuilagi Launchbury lawes Wood Barritt Farrell Morgan Parling Wilson, Who has most reason to fear for his place? England getting some strength in depth tho

Who I think deserves to get back in, and who Lancs will put back in, are two very different things

I'd put Lawes and Launch back in the 23, probably start Launch with Lawes on the bench (Kruis kept in the wider squad, and unlucky to miss out - Parling first reserve). Morgan back in at 8, Binny on the bench. Wilson back into the 23. Potentially Barritt in for Burrell, not sure. Tuilagi in the wider squad fo sho, but Joseph to keep the shirt. Wouldn't take Wood back in the 23 atm, Haskell played well just needs to tackle lower. Wood's club form has been excellent recently, though, so worth keeping the EPS (with Ewers coming in for Croft).
Would have Farrell in the squad, potentially even on the bench even though I love Cipriani (who would stay in the EPS, with Myler dropping out).

 

[LiRFCMatt]

Who I think deserves to get back in, and who Lancs will put back in, are two very different things

I'd put Lawes and Launch back in the 23, probably start Launch with Lawes on the bench (Kruis kept in the wider squad, and unlucky to miss out - Parling first reserve). Morgan back in at 8, Binny on the bench. Wilson back into the 23. Potentially Barritt in for Burrell, not sure. Tuilagi in the wider squad fo sho, but Joseph to keep the shirt. Wouldn't take Wood back in the 23 atm, Haskell played well just needs to tackle lower. Wood's club form has been excellent recently, though, so worth keeping the EPS (with Ewers coming in for Croft).
Would have Farrell in the squad, potentially even on the bench even though I love Cipriani (who would stay in the EPS, with Myler dropping out).

I'd say Lawes and Launchbury definitely in the 23, Kruis over Parling. Morgan over Vunipola I agree with, despite Vunipola's good second half today. Wilson starts ahead of Cole even though Cole made crucial turnovers the penalty count against him was too high, especially agsint a kicker like Halfpenny. Burrell made one or two runs in the game, nothing impressive, would like to see Eastmond in the side and Burrell and Tuilagi fight it out. Farrell out for the moment, could regain his place in the future, but not for now.

 

[Tony Manx]

Who I think deserves to get back in, and who Lancs will put back in, are two very different things

I'd put Lawes and Launch back in the 23, probably start Launch with Lawes on the bench (Kruis kept in the wider squad, and unlucky to miss out - Parling first reserve). Morgan back in at 8, Binny on the bench. Wilson back into the 23. Potentially Barritt in for Burrell, not sure. Tuilagi in the wider squad fo sho, but Joseph to keep the shirt. Wouldn't take Wood back in the 23 atm, Haskell played well just needs to tackle lower. Wood's club form has been excellent recently, though, so worth keeping the EPS (with Ewers coming in for Croft).
Would have Farrell in the squad, potentially even on the bench even though I love Cipriani (who would stay in the EPS, with Myler dropping out).

Cannot argue with that except I would expect Tuilagi to play, at the very least, three full games for Leicester before he gets anywhere near this squad. He has been out for nearly a year, is not game fit and, in any case, too one dimensional to be more than the super sub until he proves that he has learnt something more than the "Kiwi sidestep"!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

 

[Bigbee]

Dear all.
We that was a close game. Good and bands from both sides. I hate all the rubbish and gamesmanship at the beginning of a game. It's particularly disgraceful and masks wales to so pityful when they loose.

There was on aspect of the game I thought was absolutely disgusting to watch. I am a licensed RFU coach we are heavily instructed and taught the consequences of concussion on the field and repeated knocks to the head. Look up shontay harpe!

George North great player he is took a couple of very severe knocks to the head. The third knocked him out cold . The whole rugby club cried out he's out cold virtually as he hit the ground!
The welsh officials must of seen this . If not they were grossly incompetent. They chose to keep him on because Cuthbert was in the sin bin and they didn't want to loose North.......that's an absolute disgrace to do that to a player for the sake of a win. A disgrace on rugby. Hold your head low in shame!
How will Wales feel if the unthinkable happens tomorrow and he collapses. For the sake of a win. Will wales sink to any depth.
Note the rules are very clear and specific in the event of concussion or Suspected concussion. The welsh officials should be cited!

- - - Updated - - -

Dear all.
We that was a close game. Good and bands from both sides. I hate all the rubbish and gamesmanship at the beginning of a game. It's particularly disgraceful and masks wales to so pityful when they loose.

There was on aspect of the game I thought was absolutely disgusting to watch. I am a licensed RFU coach we are heavily instructed and taught the consequences of concussion on the field and repeated knocks to the head. Look up shontay harpe!

George North great player he is took a couple of very severe knocks to the head. The third knocked him out cold . The whole rugby club cried out he's out cold virtually as he hit the ground!
The welsh officials must of seen this . If not they were grossly incompetent. They chose to keep him on because Cuthbert was in the sin bin and they didn't want to loose North.......that's an absolute disgrace to do that to a player for the sake of a win. A disgrace on rugby. Hold your head low in shame!
How will Wales feel if the unthinkable happens tomorrow and he collapses. For the sake of a win. Will wales sink to any depth.
Note the rules are very clear and specific in the event of concussion or Suspected concussion. The welsh officials should be cited!