[2016 RBS Six Nations] Round 3: England vs. Ireland (27/02/2016)

[JJFlash]

.. When he's on attacking form he's worth way more than his inadequacies in defence.
.

Ok, but how long has it been since he's had some attacking form?
Ford can't be risked against Wales, and sadly, Farrell is the only man who should play stand-off at the moment.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

No point worrying about Fords Defence as he doesn't do it.

 

[ncurd]

Ok, but how long has it been since he's had some attacking form?
Ford can't be risked against Wales, and sadly, Farrell is the only man who should play stand-off at the moment.

Which is why his attack worries me than his defence. I still think he'll start against. Whether he should is questionable but I'm not convinced we gain anything by having Farrell there instead.

 

[MrTea_32]

I'd much rather itoje stays in the row instead of at 6, I think that's his better position and having him with kruis or Launchbury is the way forward.
We've got other quality players to come back in at 6 like Ewers.
I think we need to think who is gonna be our 7 as Haskell definitely isn't and like others have said I think Brown is gonna need replacing but by who I don't know, probably Watson

 

[JJFlash]

. .... but I'm not convinced we gain anything by having Farrell there instead.

Neither am I, but Eddie ain't going to pick Cipriani, and God 'elp us if he's thinking of playing Goode!


And, Brown's "aggressive play" is becoming a liability and could well pick up a yellow or even a red card if he doesn't change his ways.
Anyway, I'd rather see Foden or Pennell at full back and leave Watson where he's best - on the wing.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Fair enough

Ford is never going to a beast in defence, plus to be honest whilst it's a problem he's not exactly causing our defence overall problem. People don't score points because of his poor defence so it doesn't bother me as much as him not firing on all cylinders. When he's on attacking form he's worth way more than his inadequacies in defence.

People have to get use to Ford's defence never looking amazing if they want a solid defender with no attacking flair @10 there's a candidate but I'd rather Ford on attacking form.

We'll have to agree to disagree I reckon. I like a firing Ford but have grave reservations about what we currently have. A significant part of defence is collective trust. At the moment I wouldn't trust George to stop my 65 year old mother let alone what Wales and France will throw at that channel. That means the back row and Farrell have to do more than their share and that will leave us exposed elsewhere. I'm not sure who is coaching Ford what but his current approach of going high and being carried is an absolute liability. You've got meathead Haskell smashing everything that moves behind the gainline and one phase from that you've got Ford giving up 10 metres.

 

[spartan32]

Sorry kids but the "Brown incident" was something of nothing. He was coming though the middle of the ruck from behind the back foot and trying to get the ball or disrupt its distribution with the foot which as I understand is well within the rules. Murry got hit and had a tiny scratch on his face. Now you could argue recklessness on the part of Brown as offer up a penalty, but anything more and this sport turns into fairy ball.

Against Wales Earls put in a cracking tackle and was then penalised for tipping, even though he put him down responsibly, no injury was caused, and he clearly never tried to spear him. I'm just worried where all this leads. Yes players need to be protected but rugby is. Tough contact sport and if you can't handle it take up needle point or baking.

And on a similar note WTF is up with TMOs chiming in every two bloody seconds. I though the TMO was supposed to be there as help for the ref, not to do his job, or that of his linesmen. In the England Ireland game they were called back to an incident that happened 5 minutes previously. If the ref missed it first time round then that should be that. All this stop, watch over and over and over again in slow mo, decide and restart is becoming tiresome and detracts from the sport.

 

[The Jones Boy]

The trouble Brown has is his previous.
His attitude is just awful, he is a player other countries find it easy to dislike.
He makes a song and a dance out of nothing and for many neutrals one of the best sights in the RWC was Brown with a face like a smacked arse after England lost to Australia.
I didn't see much in the incident but the problem for England is that it was 'him'. The Panto villain that the audience will be quick to accuse on account of breathing.
He can be a force on the field but his attitude has been awful and that stigma will continue to follow him, and correspondingly England, around.

 

[ncurd]

Honestly whilst Brown is perceived have previous (incidentally how many YC/bans does he have?). I've been watching rugby long enough to know the colour of the shirt on his back has way more to with it.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Honestly whilst Brown is perceived have previous (incidentally how many YC/bans does he have?). I've been watching rugby long enough to know the colour of the shirt on his back has way more to with it.

100% agree.
Always amazed at the amount of flak he takes, he's no worse than any number of players out there.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Honestly whilst Brown is perceived have previous (incidentally how many YC/bans does he have?). I've been watching rugby long enough to know the colour of the shirt on his back has way more to with it.

To be fair, I disliked him when he was just playing for those multicoloured cheaters in London!

I don't see him as a dirty player, just a pretend hard man who wishes he was a scrum-half. Yesterday wasn't dirty either but too stupid and dangerous to go unpunished.

 

[JJFlash]

....but too stupid and dangerous to go unpunished.

In a nutshell!

 

[The Jones Boy]

100% agree.
Always amazed at the amount of flak he takes, he's no worse than any number of players out there.

No you're not.
Everybody knows what a tantrum king Brown is, even his home fans. Unfortunately Mr Brown has got himself a bad reputation as a trouble maker, a fight starter and most of all a tantrum thrower.
I don't see him as a cheat. That hasn't been a hallmark of his rugby, and he is a talented full back, no question but he has attitude issues all of his own regardless of the colour of the shirt he wears because he wears the same tag in a Quins shirt.
Quins are my local team here in London and the fans like him as a player but his histrionics are not welcome.
He has previous for behaving like a child and frothing in front of the cameras when a cool head would better prevail.

Will he stop England from winning the 6 Nations and a potential grand slam?
No.
He might give away a penalty but he's less of a liability in the penalty count than say Haskell.

 

[Groundhog]

Brown is the type of ****ly player I might like if he was actually smart about it, but he's not. He gets angry, makes a song and dance out of things and just comes across as a bit of an eejit, and it's too easy to get under his skin. Not actually a bad guy as such I'd say, and still a good player, but .......

 

[valley commando]

Brown is the type of ****ly player I might like if he was actually smart about it, but he's not. He gets angry, makes a song and dance out of things and just comes across as a bit of an eejit, and it's too easy to get under his skin. Not actually a bad guy as such I'd say, and still a good player, but .......

http://www.therugbyforum.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=786057


Because he is so easily riled we can take advantage of it, he reminds me of an adolescent spotty school boy like Kevin and Perry and if he doesn't get the ban his footwork merits I will be happy to see the idiot play against us it may be the edge we need, he will be wound up by our guys and will end up with a yellow or a red sooner rather than later, ie V us or France. If not some one is going to teach him a lesson he richly deserves by smacking the annoying little oik on the chin.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Because he is so easily riled we can take advantage of it

Everyone always says that, but then they never do.
Same with Farrell.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Brown is the type of ****ly player I might like if he was actually smart about it, but he's not. He gets angry, makes a song and dance out of things and just comes across as a bit of an eejit, and it's too easy to get under his skin. Not actually a bad guy as such I'd say, and still a good player, but .......

I'd go along with that - he's not a horrible person as far as I can tell, just goes a bit mental when he's playing.
Big chip on his shoulder... which is fine most of the time, but he has been overstepping the mark of "reasonable competitive aggression" a lot recently.

There isn't a whole lot to take advantage of either, really... he's not shown any signs of doing anything other that squaring up to other players like a mid naughties chav.

 

[ncurd]

Everyone always says that, but then they never do.
Same with Farrell.

better off targeting Hartley of Haskell you know a player with a poor disciplinary record.

 

[spartan32]

Brown is in the squad because he's a good player and he's got experience. It may be true that he is beyond his best now, and given his age would imagine EJ will be looking for a younger lad to replace him. There are several options including Jack, Watson and Daly. And given all the other pretty good options we have at wing it might be good to see a back three of say
11. May
15. Jack the pirate
14. Watson
All pretty lethal runners, but I can't see that happening just yet ( and yes I do know May is injured) yes brown can get feisty but I think that's what EJ is looking for. Some fire in the belly. Mike has served England very well, has served no bans to my knowledge, and scored at the weekend and not much got past him. A solid base to build a team around. Maybe if the Irish had a bit more passion at the weekend they wouldn't have been so easily schooled

 

[Yoshimitsu]

No need

That's the joy of Haskell, you don't even need to target him. Eventually the stupid he stores in his muscles escapes and something dumb happens.