EOYT: England vs South Africa, 24/11/2012

[Peat]

Look i know everyone is starting to dislike youngs but he is actually a good player hes just been out of form and hopefully he can find his form again because i actually rate youngs quite highly even with his poor performances lately, plus i actually noo the guy and got a pair of his boots haha.

Youngs in form is a fantastic player. Out of form however... lordy lord, switch him and Care and I'd be a lot happier.

 

[j'nuh]

The pack is nearly as good as we can put out. Armitage not being involved means one of the best players England currently has isn't involved (but it's a running theme for England coaches to overlook class). And Botha? Hopefully someone else will be involved by the time the next EPS is announced.

The backline, on the other hand... Goode is about the only person who can create something, and Tuilagi the only one who can finish something off. They don't even pick the right times when to kick (penalties or in-field). Dropping Sharples for his defensive play, and then putting a fullback on the wing? Odd.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well, SA has been limping for most of this year but I just get this feeling we are going to play some rugby for at least 40 minutes this weekend instead of the usual 10 or 20.

 

[Maverick1987]

Not sure why people keep mentioning steffon armitage :/ he's awesome but unfortunately he plays in France so he can't play for England it's a pretty straight forward rule tbh . We need to look after our own league otherwise we will find ourselves in a situation like Wales are in ........

 

[Teh Mite]

I seem to remember marler being in a pack that Bullied a leicster 8 that contained the likes of dan cole and stankovich in the scrum during a recent premiership final

ahem

 

[Peat]

Not sure why people keep mentioning steffon armitage :/ he's awesome but unfortunately he plays in France so he can't play for England it's a pretty straight forward rule tbh . We need to look after our own league otherwise we will find ourselves in a situation like Wales are in ........

Except the rules says exceptional circumstances, and Lancaster's said exceptional circumstances are up to him.

So this is entirely Lancaster's call.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Except the rules says exceptional circumstances, and Lancaster's said exceptional circumstances are up to him.

So this is entirely Lancaster's call.

In some ways it clearly makes sense. I remember an itnerview with Lanctaser befoe the first game against Fiji he wasn asked about inclusion of foreign-based players and he said for example, the first trianing camp at which they intended to hti the ground running for the series, the players based abroad would be unable to attend because of the different timetables fo their leagues. When you add that to the fact that Armitage isn't actively AHEAD of Wood, Robshaw etc, it makes a degree of sense - i.e, why complicate things for yourself.

In terms of this game I think we're due to good performance as well - Fiji was just a non-event, the SOuth Africa tour on balance was so-so... Ireland was great but really it was quite a limited game. Not really since Francehave we put together quite a complete performance, and event that was far from the 'ultimate' performance.

 

[Peat]

In some ways it clearly makes sense. I remember an itnerview with Lanctaser befoe the first game against Fiji he wasn asked about inclusion of foreign-based players and he said for example, the first trianing camp at which they intended to hti the ground running for the series, the players based abroad would be unable to attend because of the different timetables fo their leagues. When you add that to the fact that Armitage isn't actively AHEAD of Wood, Robshaw etc, it makes a degree of sense - i.e, why complicate things for yourself.

If the training camps are that important, why pick a squad where the moment you pick up a front row injury you're calling up a guy who wasn't there? Something's flawed with his thinking either way. And why not call Armitage up in the window, when he's a free pick, to give him a chance of gelling in with the squad ahead of the next 6N?

It doesn't wash. The only reasons that wash are that a) Lancaster doesn't rate him and the others or b) He is purposefully pursuing a protectionist policy (as Maverick said). In which case, Lancaster should admit that's the case.

In terms of this game I think we're due to good performance as well - Fiji was just a non-event, the SOuth Africa tour on balance was so-so... Ireland was great but really it was quite a limited game. Not really since Francehave we put together quite a complete performance, and event that was far from the 'ultimate' performance.

So because we haven't been able to produce a good performance in ages, you think we're suddenly going to do so now? I love the optimism at least...

 

[Wilko's left boot]

Pretty delighted that Lancaster has had the mettle to make these changes. I like the way our pack is edging closer and closer to what it should be in the future. Just slot Hartley and Lawes in there for T. Youngs and Parling, and I think we have ourselves a pretty tasty (not to mention youthful) pack looking ahead.
Not nearly as optimistic about the backs... Although I think that seeing Brown playing a whole game on the wing will be interesting as I don't think he's look particularly bad when he has come on there as a sub. I think B. Youngs putting in a disastrous performance is my main worry though.

Should be a good game.

 

[Sam Owen]

No, not one of the players playing currently for England is actually English. You probably haven't been reading these forums lately. Also, all the All Blacks are Fijian.

We must all look the same to you.

I think you'll find that theres been more Samoans play for the All Blacks then Fijians or any other of the Pacific Island nations. I'm not sure though but from the days of Bryan Williams till now, theres always been a Samoan pop up in the ABs.

 

[donmcdazzle]

We must all look the same to you.

I think you'll find that theres been more Samoans play for the All Blacks then Fijians or any other of the Pacific Island nations. I'm not sure though but from the days of Bryan Williams till now, theres always been a Samoan pop up in the ABs.

You mean a NZer with Samoan heritage

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

We must all look the same to you.

I think you'll find that theres been more Samoans play for the All Blacks then Fijians or any other of the Pacific Island nations. I'm not sure though but from the days of Bryan Williams till now, theres always been a Samoan pop up in the ABs.

Unless I'm mistaken the Frenchy was being humorously ironic by being deliberately ignorant.

 

[Darwin]

Quite looking forward to this match - I think it will be very close.

I haven't had a chance to watch England during the EOYT yet, so I'm interested to see how a couple of the new combinations go. Launchbury seems to have a bit of a following, so I'm interested to see how he matches up against big Etzebeth. I quite like the look of the English loose trio, though it will be interesting to see what roles Wood and Robshaw take (e.g. will they take traditional blindside/openside roles, or will they play left/right flankers?). I'm not a big fan of Morgan, but I think a big ball-runner like him is exactly what England need with Robshaw and Wood on the flanks.

The English backline doesn't exactly inspire me, and I think they will struggle to break the Boks defense. I think England's best option would be to attack close to the breakdown as the lateral defense of some of the big Bok forwards can be a bit suspect. I'm not a fan of Ben Youngs but I think he could cause the Boks a few problems with his running from halfback.

The Boks team looks pretty strong, but like England lack a bit of spark in the backline. Pat Lambie has a great chance to prove he should be playing 10 for the Boks, and I'm sure he will be keen to take it.

Man for man I think the Boks have the edge, but I get a strange feeling that England may manage to sneak this.

 

[Tony Manx]

I am afraid I cannot see England winning this one or SA losing it!

England having Brown on the wing is almost a tacit admission that they have no idea what they are doing as neither of the the two centres can create anything whilst the SA are used to stopping bullocking big players with only the one aim in life! So the forwards are going to have to create tries........as well as keep them out!!

I really hope Corbs is fit but can hardly believe that he is and he certainly cannot be match fit......Launchbury has been spectacular this year for Wasps and was very effective as an impact player last week. I shall be very interested to see how he goes as a starting player this week as, if he does well in this and subsequent games, there is a big future for him in the England team. I am looking forward to seeing Wood play again but not sure that Robshaw or Morgan (who surely has to do better than Thomas the Tank Engiine) will be good enough to overcome the force that wil come at them from the Boks! I am not even going to comment on the selection of the oik at 9!!

It will be an interesting game and if England do sneak it (after all who the hell wants the Boks to have anything like bragging rights!) they will be worthy of it and I will be the first to post my congratulations!!

 

[Sam Owen]

You mean a NZer with Samoan heritage

No, more of ethnicity. Even in NZ, if a Kiwi asks a Kiwi 'What are ya?'...they'd reply Niuan if they're Niuan and etc

Anyway, after reading my original post. I dont want to sound like Im saying that Samoans are better than the others Islanders at Rugby cos thats stupidly false. Much respect for the Island teams because theres not many of us. We're picked in your average backyard gardens not orchids, we rare like gold

 

[Standardprocedure]

Launchbury is a young, rangy lock forward that has the balls (and ability) to take the ball forward and try to gain ground. Palmer, his predecessor has rightly been dropped for being anonymous in the previous tests and doing absolutely cock-all at the breakdown against Aus. Coincidence too that they are actually engine-room mates when back at club!

 

[Outrightrugby]

Hey all. Am new to this forum but keen to get stuck in.
Whats the story with the vBookie betting stats? Do you all have a central account in this site where you bet from?
Going with the Boks game - don't think the Boks are overly stong with their last few performances being poor but England seem too weak on paper to knock them over. Should be a close one!

 

[Patchey]

People have short memories, Robshaw was one of England's stand out performers in South Africa this summer, we shouldn't be fretting about him not being able to front up. It is our back line we need to be worried about man for man compared to South Africa.

As much as I want England to win I'm thinking the 'Boks by 10.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I am afraid I cannot see England winning this one or SA losing it!

England having Brown on the wing is almost a tacit admission that they have no idea what they are doing as neither of the the two centres can create anything whilst the SA are used to stopping bullocking big players with only the one aim in life! So the forwards are going to have to create tries........as well as keep them out!!

I really hope Corbs is fit but can hardly believe that he is and he certainly cannot be match fit......Launchbury has been spectacular this year for Wasps and was very effective as an impact player last week. I shall be very interested to see how he goes as a starting player this year as, if he does well in this and subsequent games, there is a big future for him in the England team. I am looking forward to seeing Wood play again but not sure that Robshaw or Morgan (who surely has to do better than Thomas the Tank Engiine) will be good enough to overcome the force that wil come at them from the Boks! I am not even going to comment on the selection of the oik at 9!!

It will be an interesting game and if England do sneak it (after all who the hell wants the Boks to have anything like bragging rights!) they will be worthy of it and I will be the first to post my congratulations!!

Do we abuse it though? Afterall we havn't gone down to England since 2006!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Hey all. Am new to this forum but keen to get stuck in.
Whats the story with the vBookie betting stats? Do you all have a central account in this site where you bet from?
Going with the Boks game - don't think the Boks are overly stong with their last few performances being poor but England seem too weak on paper to knock them over. Should be a close one!

Welcome! I'm sure you'll find it's a great site and you'll find many Sharks supporters as well.