Rugby World Cup 2011
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The French game plan of persistently running at the Allblacks is madness. When they are being bullied so much at the breakdown they really need to kick the ball more. It is a phenomenally stupid game plan.
This ref is being very harsh on Scotland IMHO.
I dutifully set the alarm and watched it. We got a bit careless at the beginning of the second period but were mostly playing well- it was a fun game and I was actually pleased to see the Ruskies get a couple of tries. Trimble and Earls were the standout backs, with Kearney also continuing his progression back to top form. O'Brien was monstrously good again, whilst Heaslip still isn't his old self. That's about that.
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1404830#msg1404830 date=1316957667]
If your lads lose to Italy are you out?
[/quote]
I think they'd need to give us a doing.
If your lads lose to Italy are you out?
[/quote]
I think they'd need to give us a doing.
[quote author=StevieM link=topic=45879.msg1404880#msg1404880 date=1316963548]
Ah the Scots.... no-one grabs defeat from the jaws of victory quite like the Scots.
We all know what happens next - they beat England, but still go out on bonus points or such like.
Tense game though
[/quote]
Really tense!
My favourite game so far.
Ah the Scots.... no-one grabs defeat from the jaws of victory quite like the Scots.
We all know what happens next - they beat England, but still go out on bonus points or such like.
Tense game though
[/quote]
Really tense!
My favourite game so far.
Your wishful thinking in this thread is almost as bad as the stuff you come out with in the 6CM thread. Almost. 😉
I can see it now JJ! Scotland will be leading by 3 points with 1 min to go, and then England turn over the ball in the jocks 22 and Lamont runs the length of the field to score with the final play of the game.
The England players all break down and cry and world rugby rejoices!
The England players all break down and cry and world rugby rejoices!
Mate, if that happens and we ever meet up I promise to buy your drinks for the entire evening. 8)
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=45879.msg1404955#msg1404955 date=1316975890]
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1404830#msg1404830 date=1316957667]
If your lads lose to Italy are you out?
[/quote]
I think they'd need to give us a doing.
[/quote]
Italy need to win by 8 or more. It will be typical of the Irish to make it hard work for themselves.
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1404830#msg1404830 date=1316957667]
If your lads lose to Italy are you out?
[/quote]
I think they'd need to give us a doing.
[/quote]
Italy need to win by 8 or more. It will be typical of the Irish to make it hard work for themselves.
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406107#msg1406107 date=1317194744]
You do stand a chance, but Ireland are going to win it.
[/quote]
Yeah! Dumble-Paddy's army.
You do stand a chance, but Ireland are going to win it.
[/quote]
Yeah! Dumble-Paddy's army.
Last. England are the reigning Six Nations champs.
Two key members of Martin Johnson's senior management team were suspended by the Rugby Football Union today after England found themselves embroiled in another World Cup cheat storm.
Jonny Wilkinson's mentor Dave Alred and fitness specialist Paul Stridgeon were found to have illegally switched balls during England's 67-3 victory over Romania last Saturday.
Both Alred, the kicking coach, and Stridgeon have been banned from entering Eden Park for Saturday's decisive Pool B showdown with Scotland.
The RFU were forced to act on 'ballgate' after England became the subject of a misconduct investigation by Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL).
Alred and Stridgeon were found to have switched the ball Wilkinson was due to kick with on a number of occasions, without requesting permission from referee Romain Poite.
An RFU statement read: "Those team management members took it upon themselves to substitute balls during the match in contravention of both the laws of the game and the spirit of the game.
"The RFU fully accepts that the action of those team management members was incorrect and detrimental to the image of the tournament, the game and to English rugby.
"The RFU has therefore decided to reprimand those team management members, to warn them as to their future conduct and to suspend them from participation in England's next game, the match between England and Scotland."
RWCL confirmed England will face no further sanctions, having been satisfied with the RFU's response - even though it meant no official questions were asked about how much Wilkinson or Johnson knew.
Immediately after the match, Johnson said he had not been aware of the issue at the time England were warned by Poite to "desist". Wilkinson left the stadium without commenting.
Johnson said today: "If we feel a ball is not 100% we'll ask for it to be changed. You have to ask the referee. If he says 'yes', you can. If he says 'no', you can't.
"We didn't ask him. It's unfortunate we have had to take this action but ultimately there was a breach of the laws of the game.
"But it's happened, some action has been taken, and we have to move on."
Eight years ago, England's triumphant World Cup campaign could have been derailed after they briefly fielded 16 men in the pool victory over Samoa.
England were hauled before a disciplinary hearing in Sydney and narrowly escaped a points deduction.
But they were fined and had fitness coach Dave Reddin banned for two matches for a verbal altercation with fourth official Steve Walsh.
This latest brush with authority comes after an eventful World Cup campaign for England, which has seen Johnson face down criticism over his players' conduct on a drunken night out in Queenstown.
England also became the first team to have a player suspended, after Courtney Lawes was found guilty of striking Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma with his knee.
Wilkinson refused to comment on the ball-switch issue today - but he believes England are stronger for all the challenges they have faced.
England must beat Scotland on Saturday to be sure of qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals.
Speaking before the RFU had publicly announced the suspensions, Wilkinson said: "I'm not going to comment on that (the ball-switch issue). It's not a place I want to put my foot right now.
"Whatever we have been through has brought us as close as we can possibly be and we know the direction we want to go.
"I look at the guys in the squad now and when they are training and when they are around the hotel, you can tell just by looking at them that they are desperate to be there, they are desperate to do well, desperate to do anything that can help the other guys around them to get through.
"It's now time to try and walk the walk as opposed to talk about it."
Wilkinson missed five consecutive kicks against Argentina and his strike rate is still less than 50%, which has brought the quality of the World Cup balls into question.
Although England have been using the current Gilbert ball since the autumn of 2010, World Cup regulations state the match balls are to be used for the first time in the captain's run on the eve of the game.
As a result, some balls are not as 'kicked-in' as players would like, meaning they can be too hard and therefore difficult to control.
Johnson said that Wilkinson found some of the balls in the Romania game to be "less than perfect". Wilkinson insisted the RFU's investigation has not been a distraction to him ahead of the Scotland game.
"It doesn't impact on that side of things," he said.
"In terms of preparations this week we have had a good first three and half days. I was out there this morning smashing them around and feeling very happy about where we are," he said.
"That's the way we've wanted it to be all World Cup. We feel very good about it."
Jonny Wilkinson's mentor Dave Alred and fitness specialist Paul Stridgeon were found to have illegally switched balls during England's 67-3 victory over Romania last Saturday.
Both Alred, the kicking coach, and Stridgeon have been banned from entering Eden Park for Saturday's decisive Pool B showdown with Scotland.
The RFU were forced to act on 'ballgate' after England became the subject of a misconduct investigation by Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL).
Alred and Stridgeon were found to have switched the ball Wilkinson was due to kick with on a number of occasions, without requesting permission from referee Romain Poite.
An RFU statement read: "Those team management members took it upon themselves to substitute balls during the match in contravention of both the laws of the game and the spirit of the game.
"The RFU fully accepts that the action of those team management members was incorrect and detrimental to the image of the tournament, the game and to English rugby.
"The RFU has therefore decided to reprimand those team management members, to warn them as to their future conduct and to suspend them from participation in England's next game, the match between England and Scotland."
RWCL confirmed England will face no further sanctions, having been satisfied with the RFU's response - even though it meant no official questions were asked about how much Wilkinson or Johnson knew.
Immediately after the match, Johnson said he had not been aware of the issue at the time England were warned by Poite to "desist". Wilkinson left the stadium without commenting.
Johnson said today: "If we feel a ball is not 100% we'll ask for it to be changed. You have to ask the referee. If he says 'yes', you can. If he says 'no', you can't.
"We didn't ask him. It's unfortunate we have had to take this action but ultimately there was a breach of the laws of the game.
"But it's happened, some action has been taken, and we have to move on."
Eight years ago, England's triumphant World Cup campaign could have been derailed after they briefly fielded 16 men in the pool victory over Samoa.
England were hauled before a disciplinary hearing in Sydney and narrowly escaped a points deduction.
But they were fined and had fitness coach Dave Reddin banned for two matches for a verbal altercation with fourth official Steve Walsh.
This latest brush with authority comes after an eventful World Cup campaign for England, which has seen Johnson face down criticism over his players' conduct on a drunken night out in Queenstown.
England also became the first team to have a player suspended, after Courtney Lawes was found guilty of striking Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma with his knee.
Wilkinson refused to comment on the ball-switch issue today - but he believes England are stronger for all the challenges they have faced.
England must beat Scotland on Saturday to be sure of qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals.
Speaking before the RFU had publicly announced the suspensions, Wilkinson said: "I'm not going to comment on that (the ball-switch issue). It's not a place I want to put my foot right now.
"Whatever we have been through has brought us as close as we can possibly be and we know the direction we want to go.
"I look at the guys in the squad now and when they are training and when they are around the hotel, you can tell just by looking at them that they are desperate to be there, they are desperate to do well, desperate to do anything that can help the other guys around them to get through.
"It's now time to try and walk the walk as opposed to talk about it."
Wilkinson missed five consecutive kicks against Argentina and his strike rate is still less than 50%, which has brought the quality of the World Cup balls into question.
Although England have been using the current Gilbert ball since the autumn of 2010, World Cup regulations state the match balls are to be used for the first time in the captain's run on the eve of the game.
As a result, some balls are not as 'kicked-in' as players would like, meaning they can be too hard and therefore difficult to control.
Johnson said that Wilkinson found some of the balls in the Romania game to be "less than perfect". Wilkinson insisted the RFU's investigation has not been a distraction to him ahead of the Scotland game.
"It doesn't impact on that side of things," he said.
"In terms of preparations this week we have had a good first three and half days. I was out there this morning smashing them around and feeling very happy about where we are," he said.
"That's the way we've wanted it to be all World Cup. We feel very good about it."
Surely if they cheated, the result should be overturned.
He's a weird one with his number 9s is Kidney. I don't know why he can't give Boss a chance. I think this is a very big game to go with a stripling like Murray. But I'd rather Murray than Reddan. I'd go with O'Gara because he'll settle the team down by capitalising on Italian infringements. Sexton's goal kicking is so unreliable. And yet O'Gara's kicking from the hand has been grim at times so it is a poser.
This could go brilliantly, or be a complete disaster.
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406110#msg1406110 date=1317195218]
The Irish media are reporting that Kidney is likely to go with Murray and O'Gara at 9 and 10 this week Doc.
Any thoughts?
[/quote]
This could go brilliantly, or be a complete disaster.
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406110#msg1406110 date=1317195218]
The Irish media are reporting that Kidney is likely to go with Murray and O'Gara at 9 and 10 this week Doc.
Any thoughts?
[/quote]
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (captain), 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Donnacha Ryan, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Andrew Trimble
Trimble unlucky again.
I think given the expectation is that Italy will give away penalties we need ROG out there to ensure we build a lead. Once you get ahead of them and make them play rugby to catch up they can be picked off. Murray is arguably the most physical of the 9's we have, but that's never really a good reason to pick a 9 - it seems to be a Kidney thing though.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Donnacha Ryan, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Andrew Trimble
Trimble unlucky again.
I think given the expectation is that Italy will give away penalties we need ROG out there to ensure we build a lead. Once you get ahead of them and make them play rugby to catch up they can be picked off. Murray is arguably the most physical of the 9's we have, but that's never really a good reason to pick a 9 - it seems to be a Kidney thing though.
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