England v France

[TRF_Olyy]

What's wrong with counter-attacking anyway?

 

[mark_htfc]

I missed the first half an hour of the game but from what I saw, it was a very entertaining game. England certainly deserved the victory, they defended very well and scored that all important try when needed.

With England only having a slender lead though I did expect the French to get back into it but they made the little mistakes that cost them when going forward, this also didn't help with Englands defence also doing their jobs well. If France handled the ball a bit better and didn't give away possession deep in the England half through Pens and lack of concentration then I think they would have got through, and kept England out for the rest of the game.

England deserved the win and now only Scotland and Ireland stand in their way. I think the only team that could possibly stop England now is Ireland, but that will only happen if England don't turn up and we are on form. If England play like yesterday though in the final two games, they should get the grand slam.

As for the Referee, I actually thought he had a superb game, missed maybe one or two things all game but on the whole he was solid.

 

[no-1-rugby-fan]

Great win for England yesterday. I think they will go on and win the Six Nations now. The winner of this always would imo.

 

[TRF_RC]

What's wrong with counter-attacking anyway?

That's the only way Wales could score any points against Italy yesterday...and the best sides in the world are all at their most dangerous when they're counter-attacking.

 

[Taylo2]

Counter-Attacking is an effective weapon. Winning the ball back, or being handed it by the ref, then hitting the opposition hard as they switch from attack to defence. All the greatest teams through history have been able to make the most of counter-attacking rugby, even if it was not the primary weapon in their arsenal.

The game wasn't a classic by any means, but for me the first half flew by. Kept me on the edge of my seat all 40mins.

England's back row has been looking formidable, and thats even without 2 of our "starters" in Croft & Moody.

I think France will regroup in time for New Zealand, and I hope England can build upon the current success.

I shall be in New Zealand from England vs Scotland to the final, and i can't wait!

 

[ckell]

The French always moaning

 

[Teh Mite]

Just watched it again, this time withoout being ****** as a fart.

Very little to seperate the sides and both were very good. france certainly had the better of the 1st half but didn't take their chances while England stepped it up in the 2nd period.

Clancy had an excellent game, so all this bleating I've read on this thread is completely unjustified. Had France not buggered up their oppertunities for the points, nothing would be said at all from that side of the water.

France will win all of their remaining games, England should do the same. The best 2 sides in the world behind New Zealand and South Africa were on display today.

Also, Tindall was bloody excellent.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Also, Tindall was bloody excellent.

Thought this too,
He had one run where he beat defender after defender after defender - could've mistaken it for a Foden-run if his nose wasn't trying to run away with his ear (and he had some hair )
If we had a better 12 then our team would be top notch atm

 

[Taylo2]

Thought this too,
He had one run where he beat defender after defender after defender - could've mistaken it for a Foden-run if his nose wasn't trying to run away with his ear (and he had some hair )
If we had a better 12 then our team would be top notch atm

Fully agree with you there. We need 2 decent centres, one to replace Tindall once he is finally too old to stumble on, and one to replace Hape. Hape just isnt good enough on the world stage, but alas he is what we have got. Don't get me wrong he does just enough to do the job there, but he doesnt really invoke much confidence in the side.

 

[Prestwick]

I too was really impressed by Tindall but I have to ask did it have to take him being given the captaincy to suddenly come out of his shell?

The number of times we've talked about him being partnered with bash 'n' crash players like Noon and Hape blunting his effectiveness since his dream team partnership with Will Greenwood eons ago I've lost count but its something about having the captains armband that has really galvanised him into Super-Tinds.

Really thought Wood was worth his weight in gold too. The number of times we saw a turnover in England's favour or France pinged for something in the ruck and saw a muddied and bloodied number 6 at the bottom of the pile. Wow that guy has a BIG future.

 

[Teh Mite]

I wonder if (assuming he can get some form back at Tigers) if Tait could be the ying to Tindalls centre yang?

 

[elgringoborracho]

Thought this too,
He had one run where he beat defender after defender after defender - could've mistaken it for a Foden-run if his nose wasn't trying to run away with his ear (and he had some hair )

Yea i remember saying to myself "since when can this guy do that???" He had a great game.

Hape was probably in a pub somewhere or shagging sheep but definitely not on the pitch though.

I'm curious: what did you guys think of Trinh-Duc's performance? Anyone care to share his thoughts?

 

[nickdnz]

Yea i remember saying to myself "since when can this guy do that???" He had a great game.

Hape was probably in a pub somewhere or shagging sheep but definitely not on the pitch though.

...Ugh, really?

Especially considering there's not much Frenchman won't do to animals.

 

[elgringoborracho]

...Ugh, really?

Especially considering there's not much Frenchman won't do to animals.

In France we don't shag, we make love.

 

[Peat]

I am bemused. Apparently I was watching a different match to some people.

Tindall made some decent yards but every sodding time he passed the bloody ball he stopped the move in its tracks as it forced the player to check. Every time. Unbelievable. Good to ok ball in hand, bloody nightmare trying to do ought else with it.

Trinh-Duc has a lovely break, but I'm not sure about him as a game manager.

I also thought both sides made some horrendous, glaring errors. Great intensity, great physicality, really powerful ball carrying and tackling - but in terms of option making and handling, both sides can play a hell of a lot better.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I wonder if (assuming he can get some form back at Tigers) if Tait could be the ying to Tindalls centre yang?

I think by the time Tait is playing properly again Tindall'll be on his way to retirement (from International rugby, at least) - Taits got at least the rest of the season out with his shoulder, then will need probably best part of a season at Tigers to click

However Billy Twelvetrees could work very nicely inside Tindall

 

[Aout]

That's the only way Wales could score any points against Italy yesterday...and the best sides in the world are all at their most dangerous when they're counter-attacking.

ANY team in the world is at its most dangerous when it is counter-attacking. You grab the ball then you run more or less as fast as you can because there's almost no defence.
And this is frustrating when it's your own team which takes initiatives, who's playing rugby and then, because of a cheater, it lost the ball and gets counter attacked.

That's rugby too, true, but that's ugly rugby.

The French always moaning

Wrong. In 2009, when England annihilated France, nobody raised his hand. We all accepted that England was superior to France.

Last weekend, this was not true. And what is quite funny here is that French medias (who usually criticize our team a LOT) agree that the way the referee decisions were strange.
And Lièvremont who is, once again, the first to accept when his team didn't perform well, was quite angry about those decisions.
And on a famous French sport show last Sunday, they show the scrums again, and experts couldn't find what French did wrong. But they pointed out how the British were cheating when their scrum suffered.
And what is probably here the most irritating point is the fact that the referee was TOTALLY blind when english were cheating (yes sir, cheating) in rucks. (as soon as the video is released on internet you'll maybe understand what I'm talking about).

But of course those guys are French, and rugby rules are probably different depending on which side of the channel you live in.

I know that some people will say "as long as i'm not getting caught, i'm not considered as a cheater". Good for you. But this is bad for the rugby.

Once again I'm really ******. Before the game, everybody was expecting French to get destroyed. They were not.


But, of course, I don't expect you to understand that. You're on your way to win the Grand slam and you should be quite euphoric after this win.

But at least try to be honest with yourself, you didn't deserve to win this game. French were making the show.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Backrows "bend the rules" (cheat) - Easter was lucky not to get a card for hands in the ruck, but he didn't, there you go, move on
I guarantee the French backrow will have tried everything the English did as well, it's part of their job on the field

And this is frustrating when it's your own team which takes initiatives, who's playing rugby and then, because of a cheater, it lost the ball and gets counter attacked.

Who's this "cheater" that lost France the ball?

 

[Teh Mite]

But at least try to be honest with yourself, you didn't deserve to win this game. French were making the show.

The team which scores the most points is the team that deserves the win. Anyone who says otherwise is a communist. Or just a bad loser.

 

[gingergenius]

ANY team in the world is at its most dangerous when it is counter-attacking. You grab the ball then you run more or less as fast as you can because there's almost no defence.
And this is frustrating when it's your own team which takes initiatives, who's playing rugby and then, because of a cheater, it lost the ball and gets counter attacked.

That's rugby too, true, but that's ugly rugby.



Wrong. In 2009, when England annihilated France, nobody raised his hand. We all accepted that England was superior to France.

Last weekend, this was not true. And what is quite funny here is that French medias (who usually criticize our team a LOT) agree that the way the referee decisions were strange.
And Lièvremont who is, once again, the first to accept when his team didn't perform well, was quite angry about those decisions.
And on a famous French sport show last Sunday, they show the scrums again, and experts couldn't find what French did wrong. But they pointed out how the British were cheating when their scrum suffered.
And what is probably here the most irritating point is the fact that the referee was TOTALLY blind when english were cheating (yes sir, cheating) in rucks. (as soon as the video is released on internet you'll maybe understand what I'm talking about).

But of course those guys are French, and rugby rules are probably different depending on which side of the channel you live in.

I know that some people will say "as long as i'm not getting caught, i'm not considered as a cheater". Good for you. But this is bad for the rugby.

Once again I'm really ******. Before the game, everybody was expecting French to get destroyed. They were not.


But, of course, I don't expect you to understand that. You're on your way to win the Grand slam and you should be quite euphoric after this win.

But at least try to be honest with yourself, you didn't deserve to win this game. French were making the show.

We scored 1 try and had 2 disallowed. France ****** up just one chance. Not exctly making the show.

As it is, I think England were very lucky with ball-bounces etc. on Saturday, but they won by a clear margin because they were the better side.