[November Tests 2016 EOYT] England vs. Australia (3/12/2016)

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think SCW had a single focus and that was winning the RWC.
Afterward, he and then Robinson refused to put some of the old guys out to pasture when they probably should have - at the time it looked like a good way to transition but they weren't brave enough at crucial times and that really screwed up the succession planning.

Also wasn't helped by JW spending pretty much the entire time between the 2 world cups broken. During the time he lost he would have become a key focal point for the side imho and when 2007 came, they expected him to be a senior player when in actual fact he'd played barely any rugby for 4 years.

As much as I enjoyed the 2007 WC, I still can't really understand how we made the final.

I try and forget that World Cup for the embarrassing pool game against South Africa. Oh the memories

 

[Mike Rolls]

Nor me!
Mike (comment on the can't understand bit - and as for that pool game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[McTallshort]

As mad as it sounds didn't we have some level of succession planning after 2003? SCW continued until the end of that season and then his no. 2 in Andy Robinson began his reign of terror. Even the loss of players was more gradual than remembered. The talent was still there though otherwise we'd have never of got to the 2007 final. Reality is whilst we had a plan it turns out that plan was utter rubbish.

There were players coming through in 2003 but given the number of players retiring (some of who made themselves available again in 2007) there was always going to be a couple of seasons of readjustment but given how badly that readjustment was handled by mainly Andy Robinson it ended up being 13 years of pain.


In 2004 we still had: Lewsey, Shaw, Vickery, White, Regan, Sheriden (just started), Kay, Moody, Worsely, Corry, Bracken, Cohen. So we still had a very handy pack and Flood was a very underrated Fly half. The only thing we really had missing (and possibly still do) was a proper Centre partnership but Im sure with the right vision we could have made one out of the players available. It was just unfortunate we had Andy Robinson who thought Henry Paul and an 18 year old were the solution.

 

[ALJ]

Strikes me that we're only getting near a good centre partnership now.

I am struggling to think of a really good partnership that played together for any period of time in the last 13 years.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

I am struggling to think of a really good partnership that played together for any period of time in the last 13 years.

You must be joking? Mike Tindall and Shontayne Hape were a potential world beating partnership.

 

[ALJ]

You must be joking? Mike Tindall and Shontayne Hape were a potential world beating partnership.

Leaving aside personal opinions on the two players and that Tindall was 32 when Hape debuted.

The very most they can have played together was 13 times (Hape's number of caps).

Do you think that represent a 'period of time' in context?

 

[Which Tyler]

It's a fair point, Ford n Faz haven't just had this year playing alongside each other, they did it through age-grade too didn't they?

As for centre combinations since Greenwood retired - oh for a fit Abbott, I also felt that Barkley and Noon looked reasonable and balanced, for the 4 matches or so they played together. Not top quality, but as close as we got in over a decade!

 

[McTallshort]

It's a fair point, Ford n Faz haven't just had this year playing alongside each other, they did it through age-grade too didn't they?

As for centre combinations since Greenwood retired - oh for a fit Abbott, I also felt that Barkley and Noon looked reasonable and balanced, for the 4 matches or so they played together. Not top quality, but as close as we got in over a decade!

Noon! Oh god suppressed memories coming back! Borthwicks nose! Perry Freshwater! Chris Jones! Losing to Ireland all the time. Help need a safe space and a therapist

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Leaving aside personal opinions on the two players and that Tindall was 32 when Hape debuted.

The very most they can have played together was 13 times (Hape's number of caps).

Do you think that represent a 'period of time' in context?

I may possibly have been joking.

 

[ncurd]

OC 13 Brad Barritt
IC 12 Sam Burgess

 

[McTallshort]

OC13Brad Barritt
IC12Sam Burgess

Stop it ncurd I know we don't agree on political matters but stop triggering me!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

It's a fair point, Ford n Faz haven't just had this year playing alongside each other, they did it through age-grade too didn't they?

As for centre combinations since Greenwood retired - oh for a fit Abbott, I also felt that Barkley and Noon looked reasonable and balanced, for the 4 matches or so they played together. Not top quality, but as close as we got in over a decade!

Completely forgot about Barkley and Noon, two players would could have been so much better than they were.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

OC13Brad Barritt
IC12Sam Burgess

Amazing to think that in the Autumn we had the same back row as in that game (Wood and Robshaw swapped sides of the scrum). Shows how much EJ has done.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Jesus do we have to torture ourselves like this?! English rugby fans talking about centre partnerships, it's like Australians talking about Gallipolli!

Edit: But if this is what we're doing, I give you .... Noon and Tindall!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

10) Farrell
12) T'eo
13) Manu

2019 world cup winners.

 

[ALJ]

10) Farrell
12) T'eo
13) Manu

2019 world cup winners.

I do like what I've seen of T'eo.
Don't see the two playing together though - Wouldnt complain with one of them at 12 with Daly, JJ or Slade outside.

Assuming Manu can ever stay fit and adapt to the i/c spot.

- - - Updated - - -

I may possibly have been joking.

I spent a fair time considering if you were (and thought you must have been), but decided to duck it

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I don't like Manu as a 12. Doesn't have the distribution or defence for it. He should play in the position in which he is most destructive and if he isn't good enough there, then don't show horn him in.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I don't like Manu as a 12. Doesn't have the distribution or defence for it. He should play in the position in which he is most destructive and if he isn't good enough there, then don't show horn him in.

He's most destructive in the Physio' room!

 

[j'nuh]

Noon! Oh god suppressed memories coming back! Borthwicks nose! Perry Freshwater! Chris Jones! Losing to Ireland all the time. Help need a safe space and a therapist

Ellis. Goode. Vainikolo. Ugo Monye at fullback.

 

[McTallshort]

Ellis. Goode. Vainikolo. Ugo Monye at fullback.

Damn you this is just payback for Brexit!