England v Ireland

[candybum]

I hope that Cipriani doesn't get too carried away and that he must keep level headed. I hope the media doesnt put too much pressure on him too

 

[shtove]

Haha, I wondered why Cipriani covered his mouth durin his post match interview...we couldnt hear proper in the pub - anyone got any clips of the slip...just for the crack like [/b]

http://www.rugbyfanz.com/VideoShow.php?id=906

Ashton has said Cipri will never play for England again: "Who the f*** does he think he is? Last week he went clubbing on the eve of a match, and this week he's spewing out vile f***ing filth on national TV. He can f*** off." The England coach then stormed out of the press conference with his middle finger raised in the air: "You can all f*** off, you f***ing c***s."

 

[loratadine]

ireland are soo **** at the moment.... they really need to sort themselves out

there fallin at a rate of notts

 

[An Tarbh]

well here's hoping Eddie will heed my advice cause and once we get a proper coach, given that the FAI have actually gotten a proper coach with no resources the IRFU will have no choice but to follow suit merely to save face with the country, then we should be back challenging for championships and that elusive grand slam because there is undoubtedly talent coming through and the sooner Eddie goes the better off we'll all be as the likes of Kearney, Fitzgerald, Heaslip, Healey, Buckley and the likes won't be tarnished with the negatives of the former regime.

 

[Prestwick]

I hope that Cipriani doesn't get too carried away and that he must keep level headed. I hope the media doesnt put too much pressure on him too [/b]

I don't know, I think this is the first time we've got a player with a very Southern Hemisphere style of arrogance about him, which I think is pretty good. His confidence eased the usual fears of his team mates and England looked much much more relaxed than usual.

The media is very much like most Anglo Saxon media from London through to Wellington. Quite happy to build up teams and players when they're winning and then even more happy to stab them in the back when they fail. You're never going to change that I'm afraid, even Wilkinson spending ten years being one of the most modest and meek guys around and repeatedly chanting "I do not read the papers!" failed to stop the march of the hysterical media..

 

[Bullitt]

What I can gather from the match;

- Ireland were poor, no doubt about it, but the Tabloid media will act as though England are now once again the best in the world.

- Cipriani ****** over anything sicknote could offer, proving finally that the 2003 boys' days are up. Sadly the Sun will either destroy him publically either by digging any dirt they can or by making him get cocky.

- Balshaw did the most annoying of anoying thaing, was reasonably solid. Still doesn't deserve a shirt though.

- When Wilkinson came in for Flood, he offered nothing except to slow down the play and remove the quick linebreak that Flood could offer. There is no place for the over-paid arsehole anymore. Interetingly in an interview before the game, he states that he "Doesn't believe in things like form" despite being in a hole himself. Yet a couple of ye4ars agao he was quoted of saying "we've strung a few results together and our form is really good right now". What an arsehole.

- Tait was okay as an impact sub. For once.

- Apart from the opening 10 minutes, it was the solid England performance we've been waiting on for the past 5 years. Hopefull it won't be another 5 years before the next.

 

[Macsen]

"If we play at the level we did against Ireland and a bit better I believe we can take on the All Blacks" - Phil Vickery

Hmmm... a bit better?

I think this is the first time we've got a player with a very Southern Hemisphere style of arrogance about him, which I think is pretty good. [/b]

I think Cipriani is just like Henson, part of a new breed of overpaid rugby stars who are becoming more like football stars. But like Henson I don't think his tabloid hijinks will do his rugby any good.

 

[nick_w]

It was a solid performance in the end. Luckily it wasn't one of the gritty determined "we've got to win because of the sake of winning" sort of victories, which is good.

Despite all of this though, it does not deter from the fact that Baron and Andrews need to sit down and have a few big changes in the set up. Ashton simply hasn't produced the results capable of a team who were in the World Cup Final last year, despite the wealth of players available to him.

Cipriani was a solid performer. The flat passes worked for him, but if it was to come up against a team like France or New Zealand then I'd be incredibly anxious as they tend to be a little faster on the ball. However, I think he should be picked ahead of Wilko simply because the Newcastle man is a shadow of his former self.

Given what Tait did when he was on, i see no problem at playing him at full back. The man looks for work all over the park and should not be an understudy to people like Vainikolo or Balshaw.

Speaking of the big gloucester man, his most impressive outing in an England jersey, but then again thats the equivalent of saying John Smiths is the most impressive bitter in my local. Great, he puts the fear of god into defenders, but you shouldn't be playing as a destraction. Strettle, Simpson Daniel and Ashton bring a more useable dimension to the game.

Thought the pack were brilliant. Would love to offer more here, but I think forward play is a tad out of my depth as I would sound like a pratt trying to talk about it!!

 

[stormmaster1]

It was a solid performance in the end. Luckily it wasn't one of the gritty determined "we've got to win because of the sake of winning" sort of victories, which is good.

Despite all of this though, it does not deter from the fact that Baron and Andrews need to sit down and have a few big changes in the set up. Ashton simply hasn't produced the results capable of a team who were in the World Cup Final last year, despite the wealth of players available to him.

Cipriani was a solid performer. The flat passes worked for him, but if it was to come up against a team like France or New Zealand then I'd be incredibly anxious as they tend to be a little faster on the ball. However, I think he should be picked ahead of Wilko simply because the Newcastle man is a shadow of his former self.

Given what Tait did when he was on, i see no problem at playing him at full back. The man looks for work all over the park and should not be an understudy to people like Vainikolo or Balshaw.

Speaking of the big gloucester man, his most impressive outing in an England jersey, but then again thats the equivalent of saying John Smiths is the most impressive bitter in my local. Great, he puts the fear of god into defenders, but you shouldn't be playing as a destraction. Strettle, Simpson Daniel and Ashton bring a more useable dimension to the game.

Thought the pack were brilliant. Would love to offer more here, but I think forward play is a tad out of my depth as I would sound like a pratt trying to talk about it!! [/b]

Talking sense. Tait paid the price for a poor fullback performance against Tigers leaving us with Balshaw. He is talented, so i hope he will go on to shaw that he is a safe full back as well as a great runner.



Cipriani has talent, and probably temperament so high hopes for him.



Vanikolo is a good player, but i still don't think we are using him right. For Gloucester he is most devastating in space where he can create things in a 1 on 1 situation. Currently he is running well telegraphed moves and the defence is u to it. He needs to runnig at single defenders to break tackles and offloads. He has had some moments, but not enough. I think the coaches need to find how to use him, or bench him.

 

[wilmartin]

I think if Jonny Returns to form Cipriani hasn't a hope, sure he has pace but Jonny on form is the best.