[2017 RBS Six Nations] Round 3: England vs Italy (26/02/2017)

[Peat]

Italian scrum can take a bow, they caused some serious trouble.


Just rewatched the first Italian try. If you pause at the right moment, you get a good view of the England set-up around the posts. There's no one stood by the right post (from England's perspective) and a good 10m or so between Launchbury and whoever was by the left. The ball lands pretty much smack in that gap and while it looks like the English guys are reacting slowly (and probably are a bit), the Italian's run right into the right place and there was simply never going to be anyone near enough. Poor set-up.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Eddie can't be that unlikeable if I like him.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I disagree, winning the world cup is pretty bloody fantastic.
Maybe, if you're lucky, one day you'll know about it first hand.

2019 isn't lucky, its a year.

 

[Disco_vinny]

Any ideas why care was taken off when England had that good spell in the first 10 of the second half? He was injecting pace, attacking the gaps in the tight to counter the 'no-ruck' tactics and generally had the team ticking over nicely. He's hauled off, on comes youngs and suddenly the pace goes out of the game for a while again. If we were chasing a big score care gives you more zip, and showed that if you get in behind the Italian defence when they're all up surrounding the 9 then there's no-one at home.

I know he has his wobbles every now and again - but his pace of delivery and eagerness to make breaks surely has care in the 9 shirt against a woefully out of form youngs!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Ignoring the no-ruck issue for a moment, I thought there were a lot of positives for Italy.

- Some good interplay with real intent and well marshalled by Tomasso Allan
- general level of ball handling was good by Italian standards
- Gega, Favarro doing well in the pack
- Realising Campagnaro might be worth a pick (who'd of thunk it?)
- The development of Padovani at fullback (he was actually alright in the last two games too in difficult circumstances, showing real promise now that he is being allowed to actually run with the ball)
- Reasonably sound defence minus the times there were mental lapses
- Playing much closer to the ability of the players and showing that the South Africa performance might not be a complete flash in the pan.


Bad news is

- Injury to Allan when he was playing well (I can't find any word on it but it looked like a collarbone, which would end his tournament obviously).
- Allan's kicking from the tee and the lack of replacement (not sure why Mclean isn't used, it'd at least explain his presence in the starting XV)

On the no-ruck issue I don't think Eddie Jones emerges with a whole lot of credit, despite being gentleman enough to say he wasn't taking anything away from Italy. Hold your hand up, a rival coach got the jump on you. I also thought the game was highly entertaining, I couldn't take my eyes off it and think it would have been the same if I was a neutral.

Finally, I'm gutted that Ventner has been poached by the SARU. I'd have liked to think the FIR could have competed financially for his services, but I guess call of duty for his struggling home side would be hard to resist.

- - - Updated - - -

Oops, also honourable mention for Poite, I thought he did fantastically in challenging circumstances.

As others have said, I think Jones' comments are designed to again draw attention to himself and away from how England couldn't work it out for themselves. Jones clearly did know how to beat it because after half time England were repeatedly busting through the middle, no doubt because Jones had told them. It wasn't a failing on his part, it was a failing by the players for not knowing the rules well enough. Really Jones should not have had to tell them, they should have known for themselves. All teams know what to do with a team that don't engage the maul after a lineout and so they should have known what to do in a tackle only situation.

Was Campagnaro injured or otherwise unavailable? He is one of the Italian players who is up to the same level of other 6N players and why he hasn't been used baffles me.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Italian scrum can take a bow, they caused some serious trouble.


Just rewatched the first Italian try. If you pause at the right moment, you get a good view of the England set-up around the posts. There's no one stood by the right post (from England's perspective) and a good 10m or so between Launchbury and whoever was by the left. The ball lands pretty much smack in that gap and while it looks like the English guys are reacting slowly (and probably are a bit), the Italian's run right into the right place and there was simply never going to be anyone near enough. Poor set-up.

From I remember Care essentially matadored the guy as well (stepped out of the way of the diving player).

Union could learn a lot from league in terms of try stopping. I remember in Charnley's debut he stopped a certain try but just throwing his body underneath the player and holding it up. Don't see half as much of that in union, Care could have definitely tried to impact it - not saying he could've stopped it but he could've tried.

 

[Jockstap]

don't start a ****post battle that you can't win.

Pfft, I've been winning all evening.

 

[McTallshort]

Why because he's England coach or because he's Australian?

Its nothing to do with being any nationality. Throwing racial stereotypes around on this forum is par for the course but people dislike Eddie Jones because he's thoroughly unlikeable. If he wasn't managing your national team you'd think he was a clown. A horrible Aussie clown to boot.

Yeah but he is so we think he's great

 

[Groundhog]

Eddie Jones' business card

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Pfft, I've been winning all evening.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Pfft, I've been winning all evening.

It's spelt "whining"

Irish can't get anything right.

 

[Car]

I didn't watch the match live. I recorded it, but fast forwarded most of it and clearly missed the best bits. Are there highlights on-line somewhere?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Eddie Jones' business card

Oh groundhog do you want me to return your business card the alpha bro gave me?

It's spelt "whining"

Irish can't get anything right.

 

[munstermuffin]

Must say fair play to Italians. That first half was great craic watching England flustered

 

[Dragonnp20]

Jones.
You missed an interesting game- I suppose you never watched Japan vs South Africa in the World Cup cos that was below your dignified status, Enjoy the highlights cos Italy showed me something I never seen done

Italy shouldn't be in this competition, they are not worthy and it cheapens the tournament having a dead set easy beat to play, better off giving a team a bye than having Italy as a fixture. It's a foregone conclusion, like any team they play at this level, I won't be bothering to watch it. They need to be in tier two battling teams much more on their level.[/QUOTE]

 

[NickBD]

Why because he's England coach or because he's Australian?

Its nothing to do with being any nationality. Throwing racial stereotypes around on this forum is par for the course but people dislike Eddie Jones because he's thoroughly unlikeable. If he wasn't managing your national team you'd think he was a clown. A horrible Aussie clown to boot.

"Throwing racial stereotypes" mate I made a joke about Eddie could do anything small and the Irish fans would get upset over it. Last few pages and you calling him a clown prove my point. You don't see any other fans of any nations else getting annoyed in this thread, all because of those Sexton comments last year which he apologised for.

 

[Groundhog]

Lions Captain elect™ Dylan Hartley waiting for Papa Haskell to ask the man with the whistle how rugby works because Hask is charismatic and has a really popular YouTube channel and you're actually more proficient with flinging **** and biting people than with the English language.

I await your response in the form of a ****post Tigs.

 

[martinspoonboy1]

Lions Captain electâ"¢ Dylan Hartley waiting for Papa Haskell to ask the man with the whistle how rugby works because Hask is charismatic and has a really popular YouTube channel and you're actually more proficient with flinging **** and biting people than with the English language.

I await your response in the form of a ****post Tigs.

Pretty sure not many are tipping Hartley for lions captain. You need to be first in your position for that and he's far from that. Still think Warburton is a decent shout .

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lions Captain elect™ Dylan Hartley waiting for Papa Haskell to ask the man with the whistle how rugby works because Hask is charismatic and has a really popular YouTube channel and you're actually more proficient with flinging **** and biting people than with the English language.

I await your response in the form of a ****post Tigs.

I mean, we can all laugh at how average and stupid Hartley is but at least he's not Rory "literally diarrhoea's himself under the slightest amount of pressure" Best.

Gatland's an ex-hooker, there's noway someone as ****house as Best is starting/captaining the Lions.

 

[TobesHodges]

This won't ever happen again, it's a tack tick very easily negated.
When the tackle is made and 'no ruck' is formed - defending side can come around within 1m of the tackle zone - because a ruck isn't formed the attacking side DONT have to play the ball, they can all stand there for 40 mins if they wish. Meaning the defending side will have to form a ruck by putting a man in and the players that have flooded round are all now offside when the ball is played which would result in a penalty without fail to the attacking team.

O'Shea has outed a sly trick the likes of Chiefs/LaRochelle have used in moderation and still lost heavily, but now it's been thought about its extremely easy to defend and probably won't be seen again.