June International Test: Australia vs. England [2nd Test] (18/06/2016)

[Zed]

Awesome game! We were poor and England's defence was immense. Well done England

I think England are good enough to beat this current ABS side.

 

[Rockradar]

Awesome game! We were poor and England's defence was immense. Well done England

I think England are good enough to beat this current ABS side.

England's good, just wanted to add that England has beaten the ABs once in the last twelve years and Australia once in the last 5 years??..I think that's accurate.

 

[austingtir]

Awesome game! We were poor and England's defence was immense. Well done England

I think England are good enough to beat this current ABS side.

England 217 tackles 25 missed.

australia had all the ball.


England will clean sweep this Australia team without to much trouble. People were saying the Robbie Deans coached side was one of the worst ever.... well I dont think its going to take much longer before this one is realised as one of the worst ever. Phipps and Foley offer nothing of note.

I hope England think they can continue to give away that much ball and defend that much when they play NZ next. It will be a blood bath if they do.

 

[Tony Manx]

It's time to ..............get Clifford, Ewers et al some experience.

Cannot disagree with that albeit there may be questions as to who as there are so many potential back rowers available or becoming available. Maybe some of the current crop might miss out altogether? Who knows.....

It is important to have good replacements available to cover injuries or loss of form and they should also have lots of experience of playing. Someone else suggested bringing them on for periods as subs and starting against weaker teams and that is right.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Awesome game! We were poor and England's defence was immense. Well done England

I think England are good enough to beat this current ABS side.

We'll find out at Twickenham in November I believe...
What we do know is that Australia are rubbish enough to be beaten in a test series in their own back yard by the best northern hemisphere side.
Crossing the ditch at this time would do little else other than to give them a yardstick they already have under their belt, that they are good enough to whip Aussie in the forwards.
Aussie were poor against England and England played very well in the forwards to highlight Australia glaring weakness.
Thank you England.
Now we all know that it should have been Scotland in the Final.

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England 217 tackles 25 missed.

australia had all the ball.

I hope England think they can continue to give away that much ball and defend that much when they play NZ next. It will be a blood bath if they do.

Thats what some of the Aussie fans are missing.
Englands defence was excellent, primarily because because Aussie handling errors and decision making were poor by their own normally high standards.
Eddie Jones has got Cheika completely rattled.
The English pack are starting to believe and it doesn't help when Aussie are making TV tour promos rubbing the Poms face in it about their unfortunate RWC outcome.
Talk about handing the opposition motivation.
The bushwhackers have been bushwhacked. That kind of disrespectful attitude comes back to haunt you when you are getting belted in your own back yard.
Congratulations England, superb result away in Oz.
I salute you and all kudos is yours.
Getting a first win was top stuff, but securing the series in the next outing is making Aussie REALLY hurt.
Now march on and keep your foot on the throat and walk away with a series clean sheet.
Eddie Jones is doing a magnificent job with an able agressively minded Kiwi captain leading a quality group of players who now have the growing belief that they are a top side... and they are.

 

[Peat]

Yeah. Two good games on the tail-end of 50 and 70 caps for Robshaw and Haskell respectively, and suddenly they are class world beaters and people are foolish for not backing them earlier?

Were they just biding their time in the other caps?

They were possibly being grossly misused.

I still hold that Haskshaw has some fairly significant limitations and the right team can and will brutally expose them. I still want a young player to come in and force them out.

But Jones has done an excellent job of putting them in a role that allows them to do what they do well and avoid what they do poorly. They've always been capable of good international performances, nay, excellent international performances. The problem was always consistency and being part of a balanced team, not overall talent level. Maybe we've got that now.

Or maybe this will all be gone like tears in the rain a year from now. Good ride for now though.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

We might have had more possession.....

On a pitch that allowed scrummages to be completed. That ground was an absolute disgrace and not fit for a test match. We also learned that by "illegal" I think Dwyer might mean "being better and stronger and pushing". Cole hasn't dominated many opponents in recent memory but Slipper was in a terrible state from the first contest.

Great game and great heart from England. I suspect 8/10 times we'd lose that game. Whilst accepting Aussie frailties and some of that caused by defensive pressure on another day a couple of those passes stick and they score.

Annoyingly I'm running out of reasons to hate Ford / Farrell combo. The former still cedes too much ground in the tackle to make me happy but the back row have it covered and Farrell is competent at 12 and a world class kicker.

Considering how weak we looked in the world cup our fitness levels are pretty awesome. Someone is doing something right.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Robshaw, as a player has always lifted himself when he put the white shirt on and represented his country. He plays like a man possessed. His decision making in the captains role has been taken away from him and given to a better option , so unburdened by that extra role he is focussed and destructive to opposition attacks. As a player I have always admired his contribution both at Quins and for his country.
Haskell is something of a liability in a game that picks up pace and intensity because when he can't keep up he crosses the line and gives away too many penalties. When the English forward pack can slow play down and keep the game in the tight then Haskell comes into his own.
This game was perfect for his attributes.
Aussie are being outplayed by Eddie Jones. The old master is schooling Cheika the hard way.
In his own back yard.

 

[Colombia]

Yeah. Two good games on the tail-end of 50 and 70 caps for Robshaw and Haskell respectively, and suddenly they are class world beaters and people are foolish for not backing them earlier?

Were they just biding their time in the other caps?

Word to the wise, you don't get 50 & 70 caps if you only have two good games.

It seems unfashionable players have to have great games and win motm awards to drill it home that they're worthy of their place.

 

[ratsapprentice]

You know that, um... like, people sometimes just disagree, man?!

 

[Peat]

Word to the wise, you don't get 50 & 70 caps if you only have two good games.

It seems unfashionable players have to have great games and win motm awards to drill it home that they're worthy of their place.

All players have to have great games to make clear they're worthy of their place. Those who don't tend to become unfashionable.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Word to the wise, you don't get 50 & 70 caps if you only have two good games.

It seems unfashionable players have to have great games and win motm awards to drill it home that they're worthy of their place.

Spot on. Sure neither have them have ever set the world alight, but Robshaw's always but a hell of a work horse, it's not his fault Lancaster was playing him in the wrong position. And as for Haskell, his consistency is all over the place, but he's had some great games for England in the past. Jones seems to have brought the best out of both, and I can't see the back row changing until post-Lions tour. And to be quite honest, I'm fine with that if they keep playing like they are now.

 

[ratsapprentice]

The fact that Robshaw was wearing a 7 shirt is a red herring - he never played as one, he's not doing that much different now he's wearing 6.

I'll be fine with them keeping their starting berths for the moment too, as long as the leading contenders are given a legitimate chance to push for their place from the bench.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'm very curious about what Clifford's future holds. I think it's more or less agreed that he's an 8, however, I can't see him getting in for England there over Billy. I don't think he's defensively strong enough for 6, and he doesn't have the breakdown ability or work rate for 7. Is he doomed to forever be a sub, will he get in at 8 over Billy, or will he be used as flanker? Thoughts?

 

[Peat]

I'm very curious about what Clifford's future holds. I think it's more or less agreed that he's an 8, however, I can't see him getting in for England there over Billy. I don't think he's defensively strong enough for 6, and he doesn't have the breakdown ability or work rate for 7. Is he doomed to forever be a sub, will he get in at 8 over Billy, or will he be used as flanker? Thoughts?

Depends on what he learns to do. If he doesn't keep improving, I don't think he stays in the team at all. If he does, I think he could be good enough to play all 3 positions to an international level. His choice.

 

[slowprop]

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I'm very curious about what Clifford's future holds. I think it's more or less agreed that he's an 8, however, I can't see him getting in for England there over Billy. I don't think he's defensively strong enough for 6, and he doesn't have the breakdown ability or work rate for 7. Is he doomed to forever be a sub, will he get in at 8 over Billy, or will he be used as flanker? Thoughts?

Agree he has a lot of competition at 8. Especially with Nathan Hughes potentially coming into the mix. A good player to have on the bench though.

 

[Aotearoa_]

Awesome game! We were poor and England's defence was immense. Well done England

I think England are good enough to beat this current ABS side.

Australia lack the player depth to adequately replace guys like Giteau, Adam Ashley Cooper, Pocock, Beale etc. I think with those 4 players they are a better side and probably would have beaten England in at least the 2nd test and possibly the 1st.

People seem to forget this fact, also I believe the All Blacks would beat this current England side. England impressed me but not that much, they had no territory or ball in the 2nd test and just relied on Australia dropping it every time on attack.

Good defense, but lack of clinical play and creativity in the Australia's back line was evident and why didn't they take 3 points? Or do some pick and goes off the ruck near the line?

Australia were bad more than England were good in my opinion, so I highly disagree with the "current England team would beat the All Blacks" comments.

 

[Mike Rolls]

Just watched the game courtesy of YouTube - just as well I already knew the result, or I think that I would have had a heart attack in the second half! I have never seen a defensive display like it - and the England players looked absolutely out on their feet by the end - hardly surprising. I never saw Martin Johnson's side keep out the All Blacks when down to 13 men (2002? 2003? Can't remember) but I would love to see it for comparison - but I don't that the MJ side had to keep the ABs out effectively for an entire half.
Mike

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Australia lack the player depth to adequately replace guys like Giteau, Adam Ashley Cooper, Pocock, Beale etc. I think with those 4 players they are a better side and probably would have beaten England in at least the 2nd test and possibly the 1st.

People seem to forget this fact, also I believe the All Blacks would beat this current England side. England impressed me but not that much, they had no territory or ball in the 2nd test and just relied on Australia dropping it every time on attack.

Good defense, but lack of clinical play and creativity in the Australia's back line was evident and why didn't they take 3 points? Or do some pick and goes off the ruck near the line?

Australia were bad more than England were good in my opinion, so I highly disagree with the "current England team would beat the All Blacks" comments.

International rugby is all about strength in depth. When has any team had their first choice 23 players playing in every test?

But agree on the ABs comment as it stands. Thankfully, England don't play them until 2017 at the earliest. Still, ABs are beginning to lose players to Europe and Japan and even their depth will be tested by that. E.g. Faumuina is rumoured to have signed for Toulouse in 2017. After Franks, who else have ABs really got at tight head? Laulala may not return the same player after his serious knee injury. It only takes one or two injuries to key players like Read, Rettalick, the two Smiths and suddenly the ABs team don't seem so invincible.

 

[NickBD]

Australia lack the player depth to adequately replace guys like Giteau, Adam Ashley Cooper, Pocock, Beale etc. I think with those 4 players they are a better side and probably would have beaten England in at least the 2nd test and possibly the 1st.

People seem to forget this fact, also I believe the All Blacks would beat this current England side. England impressed me but not that much, they had no territory or ball in the 2nd test and just relied on Australia dropping it every time on attack.

Good defense, but lack of clinical play and creativity in the Australia's back line was evident and why didn't they take 3 points? Or do some pick and goes off the ruck near the line?

Australia were bad more than England were good in my opinion, so I highly disagree with the "current England team would beat the All Blacks" comments.

I strongly disagree with most of this. I know it's England everybody hates us and all that nonsense but it's interesting that so many people struggle to give England any credit. England knew before the game how Australia would play as they stated in many interviews, England set up the team for that and it worked. To say Australia were bad more than England were good in my opinion is frankly not true. I know New Zealand have higher standards to rest of us but If winning a grand slam and tour down in Australia doesn't impress anyone that much with this young England side then nothing will. For what it's worth NZ would beat this England team but It'd be close and it's a shame there isn't a test between the 2 in the Autumn.