[RWC2019][Semi-Final 1] England vs. New Zealand (26/10/2019)

[Bada-Bing!]

I wonder how this guy is feeling now:

View attachment 7753

Nah, serves him right.

 

[HERSH_606er]

What a game, easy to be honest.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Mad that it should really have been Italy playing and probably beating England today though.

 

[bushytop]

Mad that it should really have been Italy playing and probably beating England today though.

There's something different about you...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

There's something different about you...

Accidentally used my sister's fake tan rather than face moisturiser (#Leinster) this morning. Don't think it had anything but a visual effect though!

 

[bushytop]

Accidentally used my sister's fake tan rather than face moisturiser (#Leinster) this morning. Don't think it had anything but a visual effect though!

That's only partly it... you look significantly more hench too

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

England Rugby's highlights give 44 seconds to the haka and 15 seconds to the first try. Who edits these??

 

[87Dreamer]

As Painful as this game was, its no way as crushing as 2007.
2007 was a blessing in disguise as it gave that core leadership group the fire in the belly to go on this run world cup wins.
Thats where this team has failed in comparison to 2011 and 2015, core leadership.
The ability to sum up the situation, change and adapt has been lacking.
There has been some ugly performances the last couple of years, guess the writing was on the wall but we just didn't want to admit it, this was probably masked even further by the occasional brilliant performance.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

England Rugby's highlights give 44 seconds to the haka and 15 seconds to the first try. Who edits these??

Wait for the extended highlights released tomorrow on YouTube.

 

[Thermoman]

rewatching (with plenty of beer - not sure i win any drunkeness awards though). What a superb performance by England! I don't remember such a complete effort since the last time we won the world cup. The 2012 game was awesome, and a real shock, but this seemed to be on another level. Calm, controlled and never in any danger of being a different result.
So glad that the guys seem to have peaked at just the right time - would never have imagined it a year ago! Hold your nerve England, just one more week......

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

haha indeed. Just doesn't seem like much of a well thought-out post/rebuttal quite honestly. It's like me saying the All Blacks attack is made to look good cause everyone else's is bad? lolwut?

You are getting good at this analysis game!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

As Painful as this game was, its no way as crushing as 2007.
2007 was a blessing in disguise as it gave that core leadership group the fire in the belly to go on this run world cup wins.
Thats where this team has failed in comparison to 2011 and 2015, core leadership.
The ability to sum up the situation, change and adapt has been lacking.
There has been some ugly performances the last couple of years, guess the writing was on the wall but we just didn't want to admit it, this was probably masked even further by the occasional brilliant performance.

New Zealand's failure can and will be analysed to death but the core fact for me is that England today were a cut above anything the all blacks faced in 2011 and 2015.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[87Dreamer]

New Zealand's failure can and will be analysed to death but the core fact for me is that England today were a cut above anything the all blacks faced in 2011 and 2015.

The ABs decision making was horrible when they were under pressure.
We saw the exact same thing in the 2 losses to Ireland and even that first half in the loss to Australia this year.
And that's a leadership problem imo.

 

[Alex Anghel]

And that's a leadership problem imo.

That is true, corroborated with constantly playing people out of position, selected them on past merits/favoritism and coming to a WC without having a settled midfield/backline.

This championship was the end of an era for New Zealand and it saddens me it went this way.

 

[87Dreamer]

That is true, corroborated with constantly playing people out of position, selected them on past merits/favoritism and coming to a WC without having a settled midfield/backline.

This was the end of an era for New Zealand and it saddens me it went this way.

Agree mate, Also never replaced Kaino, Injuries to Coles and Retallick didn't help that core leadership group either.

Tbh The "Era" ended when we lost McCaw, Carter, Smith, Nonu, Kaino, Mealamu etc.
We just never rebuilt porperly

 

[ncurd]

The end of the era was 4 years ago...

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

That is true, corroborated with constantly playing people out of position, selected them on past merits/favoritism and coming to a WC without having a settled midfield/backline.

This was the end of an era for New Zealand and it saddens me it went this way.

They have been punching above their weight as a union for at least a decade. I dont see any reason why a NZ union, coach and players should ever be considered as automatic favourites in a world where far larger countries, that are also rugby mad and have a lot more money in the game, like England, France and (to a lesser extent) South Africa are playing the same sport.

I dont agree with quite a few things Hansen tried in the last couple of years, but ultimately I think he was unlucky to have his best players ageing and the next generation not being as strong - it has caught him in two minds. The next generation just didnt stick their hands up in national colours. Coaches cant choose when in the four year cycle a RWC falls and the timing was bad for NZ like it was for Ireland.

I'd be tempted to say NZ could end up spending a few years in the wilderness (e.g, outside the top 2 in the world), but they've a very capable new coach in Robertson and you cannot rule out their union from finding a way to stay at, or very close to, the pinnacle of the sport. It was a decent defence of their ***le and if they lose out to the eventual champions there is no shame in that.

 

[corny]

The ABs decision making was horrible when they were under pressure.
We saw the exact same thing in the 2 losses to Ireland and even that first half in the loss to Australia this year.
And that's a leadership problem imo.

NZ needed their forwards to win the collisions in attack and defence more than they needed leaders imo.

Playing on the back foot leads to mistakes. It doesn't matter who you are or what level you're playing at thats always gonna be the case in rugby. The way to arrest the mistakes is to win the physical battles and set a platform to play.

They needed better players not better leaders.

 

[TommiG88]

Wondering if @TommiG88 is still going?

I've just started my celebrations

Cheers all. Bring on next week

I'm going, where's the invite?