[2024 Six Nations] England vs Ireland - 09/03/24

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

True i can't ever remember fans assaulting refs, blatant cheating, racism, financial cheating etc etc in rugby.

Not sure what your point is? Do you want us to do those things, because I'm pretty sure Al is suggesting we shouldn't...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Not sure what your point is? Do you want us to do those things, because I'm pretty sure Al is suggesting we shouldn't...

I would have done all those things had I been in London on Saturday.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

I would have some all those things had I been in London on Saturday.

All you'd have got is a disappointing head shake from a 22 year old with gout and orange chinos.

 

[Saintjay]

Not sure what your point is? Do you want us to do those things, because I'm pretty sure Al is suggesting we shouldn't...

Why on earth would i want us to do those things. Because i am also pretty sure i didn't suggest it. Rugby fans and players have managed to do all of those things i said without any help from the TRF crew.

 

[AlRums]

True i can't ever remember fans assaulting refs, blatant cheating, racism, financial cheating etc etc in rugby.

England complained of racism in the RWC remember and financial wrangling by Saracens!

Also don't forget Marler and his gypsy boy episode

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Why on earth would i want us to do those things. Because i am also pretty sure i didn't suggest it. Rugby fans and players have managed to do all of those things i said without any help from the TRF crew.

What on earth was your point then?

 

[Saintjay]

What on earth was your point then?

Because when terms like "It's not football" are banded about. In all reality rugby has no real moral high ground over football.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Because when terms like "It's not football" are banded about. In all reality rugby has no real moral high ground over football.

In football, diving is a pretty fundamental part of the game, in rugby it isn't (yet).

That was the point.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Because when terms like "It's not football" are banded about. In all reality rugby has no real moral high ground over football.

In terms of player behaviour, I would still say it does (just about). It is the off-the-field politics and class structure of rugby that have been really dodgy and where, by comparison, football has been a lot more truly global, democratic and responsive to public opinion.

 

[die_mole]

In football, it's called diving. In rugby, it's called cheekiness. In football, it's called money laundering. In rugby, it's called keeping the club afloat.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

In football, it's called diving. In rugby, it's called cheekiness. In football, it's called money laundering. In rugby, it's called keeping the club afloat.

Plus also the sheer hypocrisy and dirtiness of the shamateur times, when money would mysteriously appear in players' boots.

 

[AlRums]

T

In football, diving is a pretty fundamental part of the game, in rugby it isn't (yet).

That was the point.

That was exactly what I meant, in a joking fashion

 

[g6mcg]

In football, diving is a pretty fundamental part of the game, in rugby it isn't (yet).

That was the point.

Only down to incentives though. Where it is advantageous in rugby people dive - kick chases and crossing are the two obvious ones.

 

[OllyM97]

Most Irish fans and the Ireland team (and coaches) were humble in the build-up to this game. However, for the Irish media and certain ex-players, there's only thing I've got to say - Have some of that.

Yes this England team hasn't been playing well at all and Ireland have been flying, but to suggest they we could only beat them if they had 13 or 14 men was the very definition of the snobbish arrogance that people criticise the English press for. At least their fawning-fest might be on hold for a week and they might actually do some proper analysis rather than the fanboy style drivel they've come out with recently.

Anyway, regarding the actual game itself, that has to be the best England performance since the NZ semi-final in 2019. I've not seen us look so cohesive in attack in a long time. For once we actually played what was in front of us and the execution on the whole was excellent. Feyi-Waboso showed that he belongs at this level, he's just got that point of difference and always makes yards in the carry. With go-forward ball we looked so much better. The Furbank try was the best try I've seen us score in a long time.

The forwards were immense as well and finally justified the hype that always comes around our pack. Ben Earl has to be up there for player of the Championship. His break that led to POM's sin-bin was probably the turning point of the game. Chessum, Underhill and Earl looked very promising as a combination. Martin is an absolute tank and has a great engine on him, Itoje wasn't at his absolute best but certainly going in the right direction.

Barring injuries I want to see that same starting 15 rolled out again for France, don't make changes just for the sake of it. I think people saying that we've turned a corner are being slightly premature, it was one game, albeit against a top side. We've had too many false-dawns and one-off performances in the last few years to get carried away. If we play to a similar standard this week then I might start to believe in this team but if we don't then it's same old same old.

 

[Half Pint]

Well said Olly - if England press/fans/pundits were as one-eyed & obnoxious as a few Irish voices were last week, they would (rightly) get called out for being arrogant.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I was saving the arrogance for this week when it couldn't possibly backfire. Heaslip threw a few of his former teammates into a battle that wasn't necessary and Stringer obviously misses the lights too. Providing England with extra motivation in Twickenham wasn't a smart move.

Funny reading the start of this thread however, it was mostly a handful of Irish posters convincing the English ones that it wasn't a foregone conclusion.

 

[ncurd]

Funny reading the start of this thread however, it was mostly a handful of Irish posters convincing the English ones that it wasn't a foregone conclusion.

Its amusing because most England fans didn't have much to hope for. There were glimmers against Scotland but nobody thought England could actually sustain it.

Still weird for the Irish "pundits" to go out all blazing like that. Does that kind of stuff ever not backfire?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Its amusing because most England fans didn't have much to hope for. There were glimmers against Scotland but nobody thought England could actually sustain it.

Still weird for the Irish "pundits" to go out all blazing like that. Does that kind of stuff ever not backfire?

It's self-serving clowns getting caught up in the whole Ireland v England thing and having to treat it as something more than what it was.

Recent Ireland teams aren't really emotional sides either so it can only harm their chances. I could forgive anyone being a little bit dismissive by focusing on what Ireland are doing well last week, honestly I think that energy would suit us, but being outright disrespectful to the opposition before a game is so stupid.

 

[Reiser99]

It's self-serving clowns getting caught up in the whole Ireland v England thing and having to treat it as something more than what it was.

Recent Ireland teams aren't really emotional sides either so it can only harm their chances. I could forgive anyone being a little bit dismissive by focusing on what Ireland are doing well last week, honestly I think that energy would suit us, but being outright disrespectful to the opposition before a game is so stupid.

Thing is, even if consciously you keep telling yourself that England can win and to take it like any other game, I'm sure subconsciously, especially with comments like Heaslip's, some players believed it, even just a little deep down and that little bit can actually make a difference. It might only be a few %, but it was enough to knock Ireland off their stride.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Thing is, even if consciously you keep telling yourself that England can win and to take it like any other game, I'm sure subconsciously, especially with comments like Heaslip's, some players believed it, even just a little deep down and that little bit can actually make a difference. It might only be a few %, but it was enough to knock Ireland off their stride.

The first thing Doris said in his interview with RTE was along the lines of "we definitely didn't underestimate England". It was definitely on their minds and regardless of what they believed, any thoughts are bad thoughts going into a rugby match.

Heaslip is such a ******* clown that I doubt anyone would listen to him alone but more were happy to jump on it. I still think it's kind of that little brother mentality with a new spin on it. I never liked it.