Investec Champions Cup 23/24 - Rd 4

[Leonormous Boozer]

Marcus or Fin. Both different players but Marcus looks imperious and Fin looks a top player in the making

Fin, don't think there's much to worry about Marcus at international level tbh.

 

[Groundhog]

Shocking performance. Embarrassed at home twice this year is unacceptable. We have a good side but squad is carrying too many passengers. A situation where you're bringing an amateur hooker off the bench cannot continue.

 

[Jimbo]

Listenong to the Saints game enroute to north London. Sounds like they were stunning.

It was in terms of grit and playing down a man it was reminiscent of Sarries in their prime, although maybe not quite as flawless in areas they still made plenty of mistakes but more often than not made up for them without it costing them on the score board.

 

[McTallshort]

Smith scares me a bit. Last type of player I want England to have.

Don't worry, England have a habit of not picking good FH

 

[Jimbo]

As long as we get a Smith at 10 I'm happy, in all seriousness I can't see how the two can't be major parts, Ford currently has no recent form (outside of Arg WC game).

 

[Geordie]

Fin, don't think there's much to worry about Marcus at international level tbh.

You see I disagree...I think Marcus will show how good he is this 6n. His game management has come on amazing...which means he has the right balance between controlling the game now and doing his own crazy attacking.

 

[Which Tyler]

You see I disagree...I think Marcus will show how good he is this 6n. His game management has come on amazing...which means he has the right balance between controlling the game now and doing his own crazy attacking.

I really hope you're right.
I've not seen enough of him this year to say for myself, but that's exactly what he needed to do (and something I felt that playing him at FB a few times would really help with - such a different view of the pitch)

 

[Geordie]

Don't worry, England have a habit of not picking good FH

Ford isn't bad...Farrell isn't bad....so not sure where that comes from...

But Marcus could be a very different proposition...

 

[Jimbo]

I really hope you're right.
I've not seen enough of him this year to say for myself, but that's exactly what he needed to do (and something I felt that playing him at FB a few times would really help with - such a different view of the pitch)

He was never really particularly loose in the way that Russell was in terms of equally as likely to create something spectacular as to score an own goal, just the perception seems to be if you have some attacking flare your by definition gamble prone.

 

[McTallshort]

Ford isn't bad...Farrell isn't bad....so not sure where that comes from...

But Marcus could be a very different proposition...

Cipriani, Hodgson even Barnes sorry going back a bit. England tend not to pick a certain type of Fly half

 

[Geordie]

I really hope you're right.
I've not seen enough of him this year to say for myself, but that's exactly what he needed to do (and something I felt that playing him at FB a few times would really help with - such a different view of the pitch)

Yeah I've seen him quote a bit and he is in charge now..not just trying to do it himself. He bosses the team...

He needs and deserves his chance now...and needs the right support team around him and he will deliver.

 

[Geordie]

Cipriani, Hodgson even Barnes sorry going back a bit. England tend not to pick a certain type of Fly half

Cipriani...nope. Decent player..but horrendous attitude. Look at Smith..similar player but has worked on his game control and management. Charlie Hodgson...Good player had some games..didn't stand out.

Barnes...maybe.. but Andrew was preferred.

 

[saulan]

Just been looking at the permutations and some Harlequins fans are going to be unhappy… looks like another DHL derby in Cape Town (assuming Bath get a single point tomorrow and Exeter win)

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

You see I disagree...I think Marcus will show how good he is this 6n. His game management has come on amazing...which means he has the right balance between controlling the game now and doing his own crazy attacking.

You might be right. I just think that England play a certain way very well that suits a certain type of 10. Fin looks like they type of 10 that England win with. Smith looks like the type whose England career passes him by.

 

[McTallshort]

Cipriani...nope. Decent player..but horrendous attitude. Look at Smith..similar player but has worked on his game control and management. Charlie Hodgson...Good player had some games..didn't stand out.

Barnes...maybe.. but Andrew was preferred.

Hodgson was probably the best distributor of the ball I have ever seen but couldn't tackle same with Barnes.

Cipriani was a problem but I think he needed to be handled a bit differently, look at Russell with Scotland. Proper pre-madonna fell out with Townsend and everything but just a change of the way he was treated changed everything. Don't forget Fly halves are proper egotistical tarts and sometimes you have to except that

 

[Geordie]

Hodgson was probably the best distributor of the ball I have ever seen but couldn't tackle same with Barnes.

Cipriani was a problem but I think he needed to be handled a bit differently, look at Russell with Scotland. Proper pre-madonna fell out with Townsend and everything but just a change of the way he was treated changed everything. Don't forget Fly halves are proper egotistical tarts and sometimes you have to except that

Oh i understand that but at international rugby you can't have a total maverick. Russell's an amazing player but even he has learnt to game manage...he's intelligent. He knows when to control the game and when to take the risk. It makes him a fantastic player.... Cipriani isn't simple as that.

I'm hoping that's what Marcus can show now...

Don't forget even rhe great Dan Carter had to change his game. He came in as an all action running 10 and became a controlling managing 10...because that's what is needed at international level.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

So looking fairly certain it'll be Leinster v Tigers and Saints v Munster in the Round of 16. That sucks.

Rather than a log of 1-16 they should really split it so that it's two logs of 1-8 with the top half of pool a and b drawn with the bottom half of pool c and d and vice versa.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Think this means we'll get Tigers in the next round again lol.

Class by Saints

Fml
Honestly would rather Sale and La Rochelle knock us out

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Some wheels on that lad,
I won't disrespect him by butchering an attempt at spelling his name

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Fair play to Daly that offload was sexy asf.

Gonzalez is some player. Didn't realise he's only 23.