EOYT: England v Fiji, 10/11/2012

[Draggs]

Twickenham, London (10-11-2012, 14:30 GMT)

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[Andy_K]

Dam sky sports, only one I cant watch this weekend ! Hopefully we put in a strong and positive performance and win by 14+

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie England - Fiji

vBookie added

 

[Big Ewis]

Srsly...who the hell's got Fiji on this one ?!
England are lucky as fk, starting out nice and slow against a tier 2/tier 3 team...

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well, I am just happy the smaller teams get a chance to take on the big guns. Getting regular fixtures against Tier 1 teams will only be good for teams like Tonga, Georgia, Samoa, Fiji and Canada. At first, it won't cause any upsets, but if they keep doing this annualy, hopefully the gap between the 2 tiers will disappear over time and we have a more competitive World Cup

 

[psychic duck]

Well, I am just happy the smaller teams get a chance to take on the big guns. Getting regular fixtures against Tier 1 teams will only be good for teams like Tonga, Georgia, Samoa, Fiji and Canada. At first, it won't cause any upsets, but if they keep doing this annualy, hopefully the gap between the 2 tiers will disappear over time and we have a more competitive World Cup

True. But the IRB needs to improve on this.

As you can say on the graphic below, matches for Tier 2 against Tier 1 in between World Cups has gone down quite a bit. In the last period between the start of the 2007 World Cup and end of the 2011 World Cup the matches halved.

Currently we have got the situation that Italy will play New Zealand and Australia (ranked 1 and 2) both several times in between World Cups, yet they have played teams ranked one place ahead of them (Samoa) or teams ranked a couple of places below them (Tonga, Canada, Georgia) much more sparingly.

Also the IRB need to make sure all Tier 2 teams get a few fixtures. For example in the period in between the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, Fiji and Samoa played 18 of the 26 matches between the Tier 2 and Tier 1 nations. Tonga, Georgia, Romania played 0, Japan played 1, and North American sides the rest. Whilst as the strongest Tier 2 nation, Samoa certainly deserve a higher proportion than others, they and Fiji shouldn't have over 70% of them. Especially since Fiji's performance at the RWC 2011 was hardly impressive. Tonga should get more and have rightly got a tour this year to play Italy and Scotland.

 

[Patchey]

England Team:

http://www.rfu.com/news/2012/november/newsarticles/081112_eng_team_v_fiji

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Tom Youngs England's starting hooker. TRF_Olyy won't be happy.

At least if he's not good enough you can't find out now in a match England will win, and he can be possibly dropped in time for the matches against the top 3 nations.

Nothing surprising here. I doubt Olyy will be too bothered bearing in mind the only alternative was Paice! The head in hands moment came and went when Hartley injured himself
I know people have problems with Youngs' temperament which is a concern if it leads to indiscipline. Otherwise, just give him a load of rugby balls in training and tell him he can't go home until 90 - 95% of them are straight and on target - once he can do that regularly. I have no problem with him having a big role in the England set-up.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd take Paice over Youngs every day of the week/year/millenium.

Think this is the exact team I predicted a few days ago (though I think I said Botha for Palmer, as I thought Palmer was injured).

 

[j'nuh]

Hope that 17. Wilson 18. Vunipola is a mistake, and that they're not seriously considering putting each of them on the opposite side of the scrum to the one they normally play...

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

If I'm trying to be fair, I'd say that Paice has never been given a chance in a properly good England side - which I think we now have, and didn't have in 2007-8. I've generally had the impression that beyond set-piece steadiness Paice doesn't have much impact as a player, but then again after the 2008 New Zealand tour there was a lack of fair and even treatment in the way that some players who didn't have great tours - for on-field or off-field reasons - were dropped and never given another chance, whereas some who had poor tours were given chance after chance and were consistently poor. I'm willing to give Paice a clean slate I suppsoed, as to be fair I rarely watch Irish play.

 

[Patchey]

Seems that Lancaster's hint about Burns playing came to nothing which is a shame. Quite excited about seeing Sharples and Monye, more so for Sharples as I think he could fit in next to Ashton nicely. Young's at the line out is, as I guess for most people, making me shake at the knees...

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Young's at the line out is, as I guess for most people, making me shake at the knees...

Yeah - to be honest Fiji don't traditionally have the set-piece operators to take advantage of a weak lineout (I hope this will be the case)
However, a poor day at the lineout against New Zealand South Africa and Australia WILL see us lose. Youngs has a week to prepare himself.

 

[Wilko's left boot]

I just hope that this doesn't mean that Botha is being "saved" for the other matches...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Goneva vs Tuilagi will be interesting, club mates and all.
Shame Morgan isn't playing vs Qera.





On another note: I'm so annoyed I'm working so won't be able to see this.

 

[Muzzy]

Interesting backline choices for Fiji, I thought they would have chosen Matavesi at 12 since he provides and extra kicking and playmaking option, but with Talebula at 10 and Koniferedi at 15, it looks like Fiji are going for all flair in this one, can't complain about that. Naqelevuki and Goneva should be solid. I'm worried about how the scrums though with Coles in Englands front row, I know these referee's are always gonna go against Fiji every time a scrum goes down

 

[Zed]

Not a strong Fiji side unfortunately. I think England really need to play positive rugby and not be too scared of failure. By that I mean, go out all guns blazing as opposed to playing 10 man rugby, trying to wear Fiji down and then opening up in the last 10 minutes when they are comfortably ahead.

 

[Teh Mite]

That'll never happen. I'll bet Farrell is routinely the choice 10 and everything.

 

[Taranus]

Hopefully youngs has been focusing on his throwing this week! I don't think Fiji have a pack that will hurt is too much but if he can build his confidence up ahead of the tougher games that would be good, otherwise I think Paice needs to be brought on ASAP so he can get some game time.

 

[Teh Mite]

Tom Youngs has a club shirt because of his brother and injurys to better players.

He has an England shirt because of his club shirt and injuries to vastly superior players.

Paice is lower down the pecking order for good reason.