I feel this was England's best chance to win a game against us, don't see them winning any now (except against the awful baa baa teams)
This. It grates on me that we had the chance to ambush the Bok and threw it away in trying to arm-wrestle them. We won't win barring a Bok injury crisis, sudden development of a passing game, or a big slice of luck.
10-12-13 is hard to call on - It's worked well enough to us to win most of our games with it and it gave the South Africans a good game. Can we really change it just because we didn't beat a fantastic team away from home? Don't get me wrong, there's lots we need to add to our midfield game, but we're not going to find better defenders than Barritt. Allen is a more creative ballplaying 12 but against the boks we need Barritt really. It would seem to be a bit reactionary to change what has generally been effective. What we need to change in my opinion is the way our wingers work off 13 - for the moment, Tuilagi.
On Wade, you have a point Peat, but so far every player we've thrown into the deepend with debuts has done well, and having an experienced back 3 coping well under the highball didn't help us win the game. Surely we need to try something different somewhere, and Wade is good infield as well as on his wing
Yeah, but those players we chucked in without an obvious weakness. Wade's different. I want to see him go well in the midweeks first. Also, there's no use to a winger who's good in-field when only the scrum-half and forwards might give him the ball there.
Right.
*deep calming breath*
It is my considered opinion that all of Lancaster's good work so far has been achieved in spite of the midfield axis' attacking game, not because of it. Most of our wins have been rather narrow and mildly lucky, mildly lucky and entirely down to the scrum, or rather good but sod all to do with the midfield's attack (France). It has not been effective. It is a huge problem area and it needs addressing as a matter of urgency. I understand they are excellent in defence and that is not something to throw away lightly, but we will never defend our way to victory against the top sides. We must find a balance. And it is absolutely the place to start trying something different. Not the back-three.
That does not mean chucking away all of the unit, but it means at least some changes. Which, incidentally, includes either Tuilagi passing so there's a point in the back three working off him, or Tuilagi being dropped/moved. And, while I feel guilty about being so hard on a young lad, it has to start with Farrell being dropped until he learns his trade. Right now all we have is a mildly upgraded version of Johnson's midfield. It is not good enough. Not by a long shot.
*and breathe*
There. Not one swear word. Right now I feel optimistic about Lancaster, but if he continues using that midfield unit it will disappear like snow in hell. It is the single biggest problem in the England team by some distance in my opinion.
Oh, and South Africa were not excellent. Good, ruthless - NZ were excellent.
