[RWC2019][Pool C] Round 1 - England vs. Tonga (22/09/2019)

[Goodey]

I’m not sure you can qualify that statement based upon on the last couple of years. May has been consistently excellent, Watson has been consistently injured.

Either way, I agree that there’s not much to choose between them and May is marginally better at the moment.

Watson is probably the more natural athlete, but a lot of articles I have read say that May is the player most dedicated to improving himself, making trips to athletics facilities in the off-season to improve his pace etc.

Watson (starting Lion) is the better rugby player for 90% of teams but May has been the better specialist wing for England, who get more out of him and use him more effectively.

 

[Stuey89]

Is Farrell the likely kicker?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I’m not sure you can qualify that statement based upon on the last couple of years. May has been consistently excellent, Watson has been consistently injured.

Either way, I agree that there’s not much to choose between them and May is marginally better at the moment.

Watson is probably the more natural athlete, but a lot of articles I have read say that May is the player most dedicated to improving himself, making trips to athletics facilities in the off-season to improve his pace etc.

Aye, that's fair - May is probably my fave winger in the game atm, but I still have bad memories of him crabbing across the field and making no impact at all in his early England games. Definitely improved immeasurably since then, but the vietnam flashbacks are still there

Is Farrell the likely kicker?

Aye, he kicks when he starts

 

[ncurd]

Well........I can imagine the faces in Tonga camp after seeing that announcement. Suspect they were hoping to put on a brave loss or something. Reality is this probably not the game they are targetting for an upset.

Full English arrogrance mode engaged, we should be looking at a pasting but honestly I'll be happy with a 20+ win if we nil them and keep the penalty count low.

 

[Goodey]

We need to aim for a bonus point win and not pick up injuries

Everything else is dressing.

 

[Scotty]

If we get a good lead early then id like to see slade comr on at 13 at half time with manu for faz. And id like to see JJ come on on the wing for daly with watson going to FB. Not that i want JJ to be a winger but i want him tested there so if the situation comes out where he has to move there mid game then he has had some experience there this tournement.

 

[Which Tyler]

playing Tony Underwood, who was 5 foot 9 and 12 stone opposite Jonah, 6 foot 5, 19 stone and could run the 100 in less than 11 seconds, well that was just a disaster waiting to happen. Catt getting run over by Jonah will forever be burned in my memory.

That's burned into everyone's memory - and Mike's face.
It was an absolute text-book tackle attempt for going head-on against a bigger man - he was just... too good (with a really high knee lift) and with too much pace.

I remember thinking at the time - at least play Hunter on that wing against Jonah - yes, he'll be done for pace once or twice - but he wouldn't just get ignored in the tackle 6-7 times.
I'd also suggest that that semi led to SA's "swamp Jonah" tactic that won them the final - everyone was all very impressed by Jonah, but thought that a welld drilled defensive team like England would contain him. We didn't; so SA put 3 tacklers on his, often offside, and didn't allow him to do anything - and NZ took too long to adapt.

 

[Stuey89]

Do you think Jonny May plays the full 80?

 

[Which Tyler]

Do you think Jonny May plays the full 80?

Injury aside, I don't see why he wouldn't

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Do you remember in 2015 where everyone was saying the All Blacks looked a bit average in the Pool stages?

Massive difference though, that squad was stuffed with mentally hard, highly experienced, world class players who’d been there seen it, done and won it. There was never any doubt that they would rise to the occasion when it mattered. McCaw etc were never going to panic or naval gaze.

This Eng team isn’t remotely at that stage of development and, deservedly, has a flaky reputation. If we aren’t great in the pool stages, doubt is bound to creep in. Beating Tonga well is no guarantee of anything, but for this squad I think momentum will be important, especially from games where we start at full strength.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Massive difference though, that squad was stuffed with mentally hard, highly experienced, world class players who’d been there seen it, done and won it. There was never any doubt that they would rise to the occasion when it mattered. McCaw etc were never going to panic or naval gaze.

This Eng team isn’t remotely at that stage of development and, deservedly, has a flaky reputation. If we aren’t great in the pool stages, doubt is bound to creep in. Beating Tonga well is no guarantee of anything, but for this squad I think momentum will be important, especially from games where we start at full strength.

Yep fair point. Still wouldn’t read tooooooo muchninto it though. Performances against Arg and France will be a more important barometer

 

[Nudger]

Yep France v Argentina 8 45 tomorrow
Followed NZ V SA

 

[jaknappatil]

Thanks for sharing.....

 

[Nudger]

Without trying sound arrogant it's hard because I'm English does France winning mean win the next 3 games and we are in the next round?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Without trying sound arrogant it's hard because I'm English does France winning mean win the next 3 games and we are in the next round?

Yeah. And I wouldn't worry about arrogance, there's a conversation going on on the site right now about how getting their arse handed to them makes it more likely SA are going to the final!

 

[barkinghooker]

I loved that 95 England team, Guscott and the Underwoods were so exciting, and Richards was immense. The 95 RWC was my first RWC I really got. So many legends we have lost too Chester, Jonah, Joost But what a tournament it was.

The '95 world cup was my first and I felt England struggled and only had one good game against Australia (which was realistically just the first half )

Italy and Argentina could of beaten England and we wasn't that much better than Samoa. The semi final was a reality check and my first major sporting pain.

It was a great world cup still!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Having watched all the games so far it’s almost like there are different rules for different games, the refs have been all over the shop, we are probably going to suffer as we never seem to ‘play to the ref’

 

[NickBD]

Having watched all the games so far it’s almost like there are different rules for different games, the refs have been all over the shop, we are probably going to suffer as we never seem to ‘play to the ref’

This does worry me too. As good as Farrell is as a player, he never seems to be able to play the ref like a AWJ or Read. Why I think England will miss Hartley, say what you want about his skill on the field he was a great captain.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Referees refusing to give out cards could work in our favour though

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Referees refusing to give out cards could work in our favour though

Tackles don't even need arms do they?