Rugby World Cup 2015
- Thread starter Rosco
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I agree.
Fwiw I disagree with the commentator that thinks Cole was the one under pressure in the scrum.
The bind between loosehead and hooker is the foundation of the scrum on your put in.
Perhaps the other option plays in France.
Well, that was fun.
Australia could have been putting in performances like that at any time over the past couple of decades if they'd had a front row worthy of the name, because they've usually had great backs. Last night they had both. By contrast our prospects in the front row (hence for the tournament as a whole) have concerned me ever since it became clear that Corbisiero wouldn't be fit. We've turned the Aussies over quite often in recent years precisely because their backs haven't seen enough ball as we've been steamrollering them up front. Last night they more than held their own in there and that IMO was what made the essential difference (they outdid us at the breakdown as well, but that's always been a strength of theirs and it hasn't done much for them against us before now, though having Armitage out there to take Cooper and Pocock on would have helped).
It's scant consolation that we'd probably not have been able to achieve much even if we'd qualified from the group. Both the Blacks and the Wallabies look streets ahead. To be fair to Lancaster, he said some time ago that this World Cup had come a couple of years too soon for the squad. I wouldn't get rid of him as I do think he's mainly got England going in the right direction, ditto Robshaw, but their decisions in the Wales game will haunt them today.
Australia could have been putting in performances like that at any time over the past couple of decades if they'd had a front row worthy of the name, because they've usually had great backs. Last night they had both. By contrast our prospects in the front row (hence for the tournament as a whole) have concerned me ever since it became clear that Corbisiero wouldn't be fit. We've turned the Aussies over quite often in recent years precisely because their backs haven't seen enough ball as we've been steamrollering them up front. Last night they more than held their own in there and that IMO was what made the essential difference (they outdid us at the breakdown as well, but that's always been a strength of theirs and it hasn't done much for them against us before now, though having Armitage out there to take Cooper and Pocock on would have helped).
It's scant consolation that we'd probably not have been able to achieve much even if we'd qualified from the group. Both the Blacks and the Wallabies look streets ahead. To be fair to Lancaster, he said some time ago that this World Cup had come a couple of years too soon for the squad. I wouldn't get rid of him as I do think he's mainly got England going in the right direction, ditto Robshaw, but their decisions in the Wales game will haunt them today.
And it'll be good to see the Australians get away with collapsing the scrum just as often against you lot.
Will he go for a side capable of winning but run the risk of losing more players or leave out his better players and give them a rest?
I think he'll go for the win. Whoever qualifies second will probably have to get past both the All-Blacks and the Saffers if they're to reach the Final.
Tom Youngs is the best 2 in the group. Launchbury is a candidate for a spot in the second row. The back row wouldn't get a look in.
From the backs, Brown and Joseph have talent but you couldn't pick them on their form.
England kind of reminded me of Liverpool in the games against Wales and Australia. There didn't seem to be any obvious game plan and they were reliant on moments of individual brilliance for scores. There didn't seem to be anyone willing or able to get over the gainline in the middle of the pitch so England kept drifting wide too early, having a messy ruck and then trying to manufacture something off slow ball.
The amount of England players who seem to have no idea how to hit the deck properly on contact doesn't help either - the ball presentation in rucks was awful.
Burgess didn't look ready for this, kinda like how Sonny Bill started out - but he's well and truly integrated now.
But none of the the Aussies would make it in to the England team.
Google-me said so?
What's this thing about yer man Danny cipriani and Google me?
