Italy v England

[shtove]

Har har! Just thought your post kind of gave away your sympathies.

Can't agree with you on Tait - lightweight, always has been. But No-no-Noone is noooooone the answer.

 

[Bang]

Har har! Just thought your post kind of gave away your sympathies.

Can't agree with you on Tait - lightweight, always has been. But No-no-Noone is noooooone the answer.
[/b]

Even someone like Hipkiss who looked good when he cam on in the World Cup. I'd run JSD at 13 over Noone.

 

[Prestwick]

Har har! Just thought your post kind of gave away your sympathies.

Can't agree with you on Tait - lightweight, always has been. But No-no-Noone is noooooone the answer.

[/b]

And Balshaw isn't? I love this irrational faith in the guy based on outdated evidence from a world cup long long ago. You're not Brian Ashton's Irish nephew are you? :huh:

I think short garryowens to Balshaw might be a possibility, especially considering his weakness and the stregnth of the Bergamasco brothers at always getting their man (as Ireland found out last weekend). I think Italy are going to ignore Sackey and Vainikolo and go exclusively for Balshaw. Thanks to all the pressure he's put himself under, he is a marked man.

And if by some misfortune Balshaw is still in the team after this, Dan Parks and Mike Blair are going to bombard him with more of the same at Murrayfield and in Paris Skrela and Ellisade are going absolutely pulverise him with a barrage of vicious kicks and back at Twickenham, depending on whether O'Gara isn't having a hysterical fit and throwing his toys around, he'll get more of the same from Ireland.

In short, Balshaw is going to have an incredibly difficult Six Nations from here on. If he gets selected for the trip to New Zealand after all this, I'm just going to get incredibly drunk and pretend that its Northampton's full back. Easier to lay the blame then.

 

[Bullitt]

Shuddupa your face

 

[charlievolano]

For some reasons italy seems to be rather inspired when playing england and this is probably the first time they have a serious chance to beat england. Masi in an interesting choice, true he hasn't kicked yet but it opens up the attacking game in direction italy had never explored before. Should bertolussi have a normal day at kicking i would say the game is gonna be tight.

What i found most encouraging is that against ireland the team seemed to play in a more natural way, surely berbizier did a great job but i always had the impression the team was not confortable with that style of playing and when pressure came at the world cup they became very scratchy.

England on the other hand has to resolve some issues at managing level, but they still have an impressive number of great players.

I am confident is gonna be an intense and tight game.

 

[Prestwick]

Shuddupa your face [/b]

:lol:

For some reasons italy seems to be rather inspired when playing england and this is probably the first time they have a serious chance to beat england. Masi in an interesting choice, true he hasn't kicked yet but it opens up the attacking game in direction italy had never explored before. Should bertolussi have a normal day at kicking i would say the game is gonna be tight.

What i found most encouraging is that against ireland the team seemed to play in a more natural way, surely berbizier did a great job but i always had the impression the team was not confortable with that style of playing and when pressure came at the world cup they became very scratchy.

England on the other hand has to resolve some issues at managing level, but they still have an impressive number of great players.

I am confident is gonna be an intense and tight game.[/b]

Do you agree with Bortolussi at full back? Is there a better Italian number 15 who can also kick?

 

[stormmaster1]

<div class='quotemain'>
Har har! Just thought your post kind of gave away your sympathies.

Can't agree with you on Tait - lightweight, always has been. But No-no-Noone is noooooone the answer.
[/b]

Even someone like Hipkiss who looked good when he cam on in the World Cup. I'd run JSD at 13 over Noone.
[/b][/quote]



I think Noon is there short term. Wilkinson needs some experience with him in the back line to avoid capitulation like last week, and noon is the only guy left that fits the bill. He's not terrible, just not great. Not the answer long term to Englands midfield, but a short term fix to some current problems.

 

[habib]

hello but in first half time noon play ver like like all england team like stretle i think versus england noon can do a great game

 

[Bang]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Har har! Just thought your post kind of gave away your sympathies.

Can't agree with you on Tait - lightweight, always has been. But No-no-Noone is noooooone the answer.
[/b]

Even someone like Hipkiss who looked good when he cam on in the World Cup. I'd run JSD at 13 over Noone.
[/b][/quote]



I think Noon is there short term. Wilkinson needs some experience with him in the back line to avoid capitulation like last week, and noon is the only guy left that fits the bill. He's not terrible, just not great. Not the answer long term to Englands midfield, but a short term fix to some current problems.
[/b][/quote]



I still think its funny how many players from Newcastle England have in the backline starting and on the bench. Newcastle have hardly been setting the world on fire with there backline play.

 

[Bullitt]

*coughrobandrewcough*

 

[Gavin]

<div class='quotemain'> Shuddupa your face [/b]

:lol:

For some reasons italy seems to be rather inspired when playing england and this is probably the first time they have a serious chance to beat england. Masi in an interesting choice, true he hasn't kicked yet but it opens up the attacking game in direction italy had never explored before. Should bertolussi have a normal day at kicking i would say the game is gonna be tight.

What i found most encouraging is that against ireland the team seemed to play in a more natural way, surely berbizier did a great job but i always had the impression the team was not confortable with that style of playing and when pressure came at the world cup they became very scratchy.

England on the other hand has to resolve some issues at managing level, but they still have an impressive number of great players.

I am confident is gonna be an intense and tight game.[/b]

Do you agree with Bortolussi at full back? Is there a better Italian number 15 who can also kick?
[/b][/quote]



I believe David Bortolussi is a good kicker on his day, but when he does go off the boil he really loses it.

Italy haven't had a good kicker his the years of Diego Dominguez, but perhaps Bortolussi could be the right man for the job.If not Italy can always bring in a second class overseas player possibly from the Southern Hemisphere. Don't get me wrong I love Italy with their passon, it's just they need more home grown talent, get the voice of rugby to the grassroots as they say in the UK.

Quick Question, how did Diego Dominguez play for both Argentina and Italy? He must have played for the Pumas at a very young age because I can always remember him playing for Italy for yonks.

 

[nam97]

Quick Question, how did Diego Dominguez play for both Argentina and Italy? He must have played for the Pumas at a very young age because I can always remember him playing for Italy for yonks.
[/b]

Dominguez played 2 tests for Argentina in 1989 but moved to play in Italy 'cos Porta was carving up and he didn't have a shot at playing with him there. Think his grandma was an Italian so that's why he was eligible to play for them.

 

[Gavin]

<div class='quotemain'>
Quick Question, how did Diego Dominguez play for both Argentina and Italy? He must have played for the Pumas at a very young age because I can always remember him playing for Italy for yonks.
[/b]

Dominguez played 2 tests for Argentina in 1989 but moved to play in Italy 'cos Porta was carving up and he didn't have a shot at playing with him there. Think his grandma was an Italian so that's why he was eligible to play for them.
[/b][/quote]

Is Porta the Puma Seven's Player? Is he one who has scored the most tries in Sevens Rugby? For some reason Hugo Porta is a name that springs to mind.

 

[Bang]

*coughrobandrewcough*
[/b]

It makes you start to think could we pick another England team from the players left that could beat the current England team.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotemain'>
*coughrobandrewcough*
[/b]

It makes you start to think could we pick another England team from the players left that could beat the current England team. [/b][/quote]

Funny you should say that, compare last weeks Saxons to last weeks England. The reserves had a stronger front row, better locks both in the loose and the set piece, about even in the back row, a dynamic half-back pair, good centres, fast wingers and a fullback who doesn't constantly make mistakes.

If I were to bet a tenner, those Saxons would have beeten the test side.

 

[glosbigboy]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Quick Question, how did Diego Dominguez play for both Argentina and Italy? He must have played for the Pumas at a very young age because I can always remember him playing for Italy for yonks.
[/b]

Dominguez played 2 tests for Argentina in 1989 but moved to play in Italy 'cos Porta was carving up and he didn't have a shot at playing with him there. Think his grandma was an Italian so that's why he was eligible to play for them.
[/b][/quote]

Is Porta the Puma Seven's Player? Is he one who has scored the most tries in Sevens Rugby? For some reason Hugo Porta is a name that springs to mind.
[/b][/quote]

Hugo Porta was a legendary Pumas 10 with a superb boot and was a great kicker. Played in WC 1987 and his club was Rosario.

 

[shtove]

If I were to bet a tenner, those Saxons would have beeten the test side.
[/b]

Good news for England ... next season.

 

[pallaovale]

Bortolussi is only good kicking player for Italy. He must play the match. Sgarbi is a good player but too young. I hope Marcato has little chance to play this 6 Nations

 

[Stillknox]

By the way Bortolussi is not even kicking for Montepellier... McHugh, Todeschini and Trinh-Duc are above him.

Maybe he could be better if only he practiced more often and with pressure.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Just wondering, why are England above Italy in the points table on TRF, if they have a worse points difference?

As for the game it will probably be really tight and edgy at the start with both sides thinking they can win but England will probably score a couple of tries in the latter stages and win the game. My estimate, 8 point victory to Ingurlund.