England XV vs Barbarians (19/06/2022)

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly I blame Smith

 

[Geordie]

The new format is about attack, we don't have any new format we are working on in defence. I think Squidge is miles off the mark, England have been consistently poor in all facets of the game, not just select areas. That can't be put down to new tactics.

I agree this time....but let's see how we go in Aus...especially with Farrell back at 12.

Like him or loathe him....he's a critical part or a WC finalists team, European and Prem winning teams.

 

[Wasps92]

Honestly I blame Smith

 

[Geordie]

Jones wont go pre WC rightly or very much wrongly so what can we do? Our attack coach is a joke we look so toothless. If jones doesnt go we really need a shake up, spend some money to get someone who will turn our attack around.

I still dont understand the selection with who was available Blarmire has been the no.3 the entire time and had a great shot to be number 1 this game and in Aus with Experience on the bench in George.

May Nowell both were not great or up to speed. Big Joe showed flashes of why he could be great but looked slower than he used to be, Freeman did himself no harm tbh looked solid and strong going forward.

Dont mind Jonny Hill getting gametime because we have Itoje Lawes and Ewels(not wanted but is there)

Randall seemed the right choice but he doesnt control the game well enough.

Just not sold on the team today.

Randall just isn't a patch on some of the other 9s we have (and hes too small and weak)...and god I hope Quirke isn't an injury prone problem thay he seems to be.

Ewells...well sorry but Sean Robinson is a far superior player to Ewells...and thats just my bias...for me Tizzard should have been in the engine room...

Why is Blamire dropped? Need vital games but nope gone. Don't get it....yet he'll probably tour.

Nowell 20 games 3 tries this season...not a winger...looks past his best due to injuries .

Coka....just totally lost rhay Explosive power...we saw when he first came through.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I agree this time....but let's see how we go in Aus...especially with Farrell back at 12.

Like him or loathe him....he's a critical part or a WC finalists team, European and Prem winning teams.

Farrell the slow 10 who can't play off both hands and had no vision?

Yeah he'll be the solution to all englands problems.

 

[Geordie]

Farrell the slow 10 who can't play off both hands and had no vision?

Yeah he'll be the solution to all englands problems.

Farrell has very good hands...like it or not. He's a 12 for England....can you name a better one? And I'm most certainly not a farrell fan.

Dan Kelly would probably be there bar injuries.
Farrell is the one who keeps the game plan,intact when Smith or Ford do their things.

Too many top level coaches praise Farrell for him to be lucky.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Honestly I blame Smith

Yeah his missed kicks didn't let you back in the game

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I still dont understand the selection with who was available Blarmire has been the no.3 the entire time and had a great shot to be number 1 this game and in Aus with Experience on the bench in George.

I mean we've looked at Blamire and he's fluffed his setpiece lines every time, walker was the right choice for this game as he's a genuine chance to be a top level player
Singleton vs Blamire is battle of the poor lineouts, presumably came down to who trained better this week as Blamire has been ahead of singleton before

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Farrell has very good hands...like it or not. He's a 12 for England....can you name a better one? And I'm most certainly not a farrell fan.

Dan Kelly would probably be there bar injuries.
Farrell is the one who keeps the game plan,intact when Smith or Ford do their things.

Too many top level coaches praise Farrell for him to be lucky.

Even if Farrell was a great player (and he's not), bring back one player isn't going to solve the multitude of problems england have.

They need some decent coaching and tactics first but can't see Jones doing that.

 

[Jimbo]

Even if Farrell was a great player (and he's not), bring back one player isn't going to solve the multitude of problems england have.

They need some decent coaching and tactics first but can't see Jones doing that.

I can't disagree on the coaching side but to say anything but Farrell being great is pretty much letting your dislike for the guy and possibly Saracens cloud your judgement, England probably having better options doesn't diminish him as a great player, as has been pointed out the coaches all highly rate him as do his peers (Lions included) and his record of achievements speak for itself, but no one single guy will not fix everything but could help settle the back line with his experience, England currently don't have a better 12 proven at international, although certainly a few promising prospects, he didn't have his best game yesterday but certainly looks much better recently than he did when his form dropped off the planet.

The unfortunate reality is that Jones going is probably unaffordable, Smith is too inexperienced to be without an experienced 12, add to that fairly inexperienced (internationally 9) assuming Youngs doesn't tour and Care is the secondary, without a doubt many of these issues are of Jones own creations we just are where we are and we could do a lot worse than try and bring Farrell back as glue in some part.

 

[Becca]

Why do these players always look so much better playing for their clubs than they do in an England shirt?

Hmm I wonder

 

[Becca]

EJ says that they were trying to do some new things this week and they didnt quite come off.
Any suggestions as to what those things were?

The basics ?
Not dropping the ball over the line ?
Scrumming adequately ?
Good line out drills ?

Really radical stuff…..

 

[BPM]

Wow … not even really sure what to say about that. I've seen some poor England sides over years, but I don't think I've ever seen a performance as woefully, inexcusably terrible as what I witnessed today.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wow … not even really sure what to say about that. I've seen some poor England sides over years, but I don't think I've ever seen a performance as woefully, inexcusably terrible as what I witnessed today.

I think the worst part is it's not a poor England side - like man for man this is much better than some of the crap England sides of the past,
Just shocking coaching/gameplanning putting in terrible performances game after game

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

No no, literally everything is Jones' fault. And don't you forget it.

We won't…..

 

[j-dawg]

Unpopular opinion but I think England will do well on this tour…

*makes a hasty exit*

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

According to Wikipedia only 12 of the 23 were in the six nations squad. That excludes Underhill who when healthy has been included but it does include Bailey and Freeman. They still had the players to win the game though.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

According to Wikipedia only 12 of the 23 were in the six nations squad. That excludes Underhill who when healthy has been included but it does include Bailey and Freeman. They still had the players to win the game though.

I'm sure even fewer of the Barbarians squad were in the 6N. I understand the sentiment and against a normal established national side it would mean something, but against the Barbarians it doesn't.

Looking back at the game, pretty much all of England's attacking ability came from Smith playing something off the cuff and not as a result of us systematically manipulating a defence to create space or through prolonged pressure. Also even inexperienced players should be able to slot into a defensive system with relative ease. As long as you have a few key players calling the shots in defence, they can organise everyone else who is less sure. That was absent from our game.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Words to gladden the heat from the Times

"The Barbarians….spent the week in Monaco where they socialised heavily only undertaking a handful of rugby sessions"

Edwards said

"Fabien came out with some of the wisest words ever 'when we're training we're training, when we're not training we're not training'…..they acquitted themselves as super professionals while having a good time".

 

[will311293]

Was there yesterday and was an odd atmosphere. From the get go you could tell that all the fans and the BaBas were there for a laugh and to watch/play rugby.... no one seems to have told England.

couple of poachers tries from BaBas but to be honest, lot of England lads who didn't know the calls by the looks of it. Butchered some great opportunities but also weak defence followed by some quality French finishing. Even with 14, BaBas looked more excited to play and knew each other better.

What worried me was Eddie's decision to bring in a whole load of Quins/Saints lads last minute. Can't imagine that helped much because suddenly whole range of players who hadn't played together were suddenly forced to play together and may have only had 2/3 days together.

England got bullied in the scrum (people will single out Collier/Rodd but the whole pack look disjointed) and we were annoynomus in the backs. Randall and Smith didn't seem to flow well together (Randall had an awful game which im sure most will admit) and Atkinson/Marchant as a pairing was not good.

Think Eddie needs to rethink his selection but also maybe bring the lads in, write this game off and refocus because that will have shattered a few lads confidence. I also don't understand why he throws a load of Quins/Saints players straight in when they have just come off the back of a semi final. Do we really learn anything from Smith playing in this and then Bailey playing fullback for 15 mins? Do we learn anything from May playing or Curry or underhill etc?
What's the point picking blokes like Jefferies, Pearson, Ojomah, Odogwu, Arundell etc if you don't play them in the one game where they can express themselves.