[2019 Six Nations] England vs Italy (09/03/2019)

[TommiG88]

The game was a bit indifferent for me.

Some players did not have a good game in my opinion. Firstly, Kruis out shone Launchbury. Unusual as it is, but that was one of the worst games I've seen from him.

Teo anonymous.

Youngs is just plain average. We really lack a top quality 9. Shields also falls into the average category, he may scored 2 tries but I don't think he's any good.

Right, the positives.

The front row were bloody brilliant and really set the tone. Genge is head and shoulders over Moon, and should be starting when Mako is injured.

Kruis had his best game for England in a long while I think.

Tuilagi and Coka were brilliant in attack, although they were a tad shown up in defence. Maybe it wasn't help with the combo with Teo, but we were caught narrow a lot.

Robson really increased our tempo once he came on, and he should have started.

 

[ncurd]

The Shields (two English parents)

I think the problem with Shields come with when you realise his parents are as English and Coka is Fijian. The reality is Shields gets in on a technicality of birth but hes a kiwi.

 

[bushytop]

Well looks like the Scots aren't going to do us any favours. Even though the Welsh have practically invited them to win for most of the second half. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I reckon it's a Celtic conspiracy. Ireland would rather lose next week than allow England to take the ***le.

Doubt it... the Welsh - Irish rivalry has eclipsed the enmity either country have with England over the last decade .

 

[spartan32]

As for the "foreign" players discussion. I think what matters is where a player calls home. Big Joe, the Vunipolas, as an example, have been here for all their lives. They Schooled here, have friends and Family here, are raising their families here, learnt to play the game here. Where they were born is irrelevant because this is where their heart clearly lays.

I understand the issue with Shields, even though his parents are English he was raised in NZ, all his ties are there, and I'd imagine he always dreamt of playing for the All Blacks. When that was never going to happen he took the only chance he was going to get to play international rugby. Arguably more "English" than some, but also arguably less emotionally invested. Much like Burgess. Full blooded Englishman, who's heart now belongs to Australia, and he probably would have played better for them than he ever did us.

For me it doesn't matter where you're from, what matters is whether or not the country you play for is the place that you really call home, in the truest sense of the word. Are you truly invested in that place and all it stands for. When the anthem plays does it stir your heart, like a weeping Argentinian? Because that's the sort of person I want representing my colours, and beyond that little else matters.

 

[spartan32]

Doubt it... the Welsh - Irish rivalry has eclipsed the enmity either country have with England over the last decade .

Well I hope so. The Irish are certainly better than the Welsh, but with nothin to play for and a RWC firmly on their minds, I wonder if they'll take their foot of the glass a little, and focus on protecting their prime assets such as Sexton. Whereas the Welsh will be gagging to nail the Grand Slam, and will throw bodies and the kitchen sink at it. Margins between teams are so tight these days that psychological advantage can play a big part, and I think Wales have it here. In any event I will probably be watching that game with heart in mouth hoping the Irish can spoil the Welsh party and their mediocre early performances get punished due to lack of BPs. But my heart says Wales take this one this year.

 

[bushytop]

Well I hope so. The Irish are certainly better than the Welsh, but with nothin to play for and a RWC firmly on their minds, I wonder if they'll take their foot of the glass a little, and focus on protecting their prime assets such as Sexton. Whereas the Welsh will be gagging to nail the Grand Slam, and will throw bodies and the kitchen sink at it. Margins between teams are so tight these days that psychological advantage can play a big part, and I think Wales have it here. In any event I will probably be watching that game with heart in mouth hoping the Irish can spoil the Welsh party and their mediocre early performances get punished due to lack of BPs. But my heart says Wales take this one this year.

Wow what a conflicted individual you are... "The Irish are certainly better than the Welsh...", while a couple of sentences later "Margins between the teams are so tight these days...". Then "... with heart in mouth hoping the Irish can spoil the Welsh party..." and in the next sentence "... my heart says Wales take this one...". Did you forget your multiple personality meds this morning .

 

[Jashay]

Something else I noticed on a quick rewatch; I think Youngs and Farrell may have been under orders not to run at the defence. If they weren't under such orders then they certainly did it off their own backs.

A prime example is in the buildup to Shields' first try:

Ball goes to Faz, and Parisse and Allan rush out. Faz dithers, passes to Daly well out the back, and Manu pulls off a bit of brilliance. But look at the size of that dogleg between Ferrari and Parisse before the first pass! And he had Genge and Shields as support if he went. Why aren't they attacking the gaps?

That was far from the only example, but it's the only one in that highlights vid.

 

[spartan32]

Wow what a conflicted individual you are... "The Irish are certainly better than the Welsh...", while a couple of sentences later "Margins between the teams are so tight these days...". Then "... with heart in mouth hoping the Irish can spoil the Welsh party..." and in the next sentence "... my heart says Wales take this one...". Did you forget your multiple personality meds this morning .

The current state of NH rugby has made me this way. Nothing ever seems to go to script, teams who should win lose, players who are supposed to have shockers shine, Laws change and are interpreted in various differing ways by varying differing refs, backs are the size of forwards, forwards run faster than some
Backs, Jamie George throwing 20 meter spin passes to the wing, and that's all before the voices.....

 

[bushytop]

The current state of NH rugby has made me this way. Nothing ever seems to go to script, teams who should win lose, players who are supposed to have shockers shine, Laws change and are interpreted in various differing ways by varying differing refs, backs are the size of forwards, forwards run faster than some
Backs, Jamie George throwing 20 meter spin passes to the wing, and that's all before the voices.....

Well said that man! (... but which man? )

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

The current state of NH rugby has made me this way. Nothing ever seems to go to script, teams who should win lose, players who are supposed to have shockers shine, Laws change and are interpreted in various differing ways by varying differing refs, backs are the size of forwards, forwards run faster than some
Backs, Jamie George throwing 20 meter spin passes to the wing, and that's all before the voices.....

Are any of those voices going numbers, it's on, squeek

 

[Jimbo]

Do we even have a second choice SH? It feels like Eddie's hierarchy goes:

1. Youngs
2. Nobody - the rest of the XV will just take turns filling in
3. Robson

I suspect Care is not out of the picture & Eddie is playing games with him to sharpen him up.

 

[Scotty]

Englands defence vs italy doesnt bother me, we backed off on intensity from previous games, maybe because it was italy or maybe because they need to save some energy for scotland.

Teo needs to go.

Id actually like robson to start vs scotland, up the tempo,

Robson
Faz
May
Manu
Slade
Big joe(give him a real chance and a chance to show defence with a centre parnership with a defence that isnt so narrow.)
Daly

Youngs
Ford
Nowell.

Safe bench incase we are getting caught out with the inexperience but i believe this is the best option to learn the most and still have enough to beat scotland.

Scotland seemed to struggle with wales's physicality, so if we run genge sinks billy manu and joe at them they will be in trouble of they dont front up.

As suspected teo hughes and shields didny do alot to prove they are worthy of first choice.

And as suspected robson and big joe stepped up and did well and deserve another shot but it wont happen.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Italy had their usual implosion after some relatively respectable results.