Comments on: Autumn Internationals 2014: England team to play Samoa

By: Don P

Don P — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:12:26 +0000

Mike
Agreed II. I don’t always/usually agree with pundits myself esp, e.g., Stephen Jones, who contradicts himself from from 1 fortnight to the nxt. E.g., ‘NZ are eminently beatable’, to ‘England are enveloped with a cold chill’. Self inflated & retro nonsense. Anyone IS beatable, but whether it happens can be another matter. Also how can England be so ‘enveloped’ within a couple weeks when a fortnight prev they apparently weren’t? Believed I was the only 1 who thought Brighty 1 eyed!? Son of SF definitely! The 2 incidents regarding Vainapola & Attwood are fundamental errors which should not happen @ Int’al level (or club, for that matter), but surely, that’s down to the coaching? If players can’t grasp the basics when out of their comfort zone primary roles, then these should have been addressed BEFOREHAND? Don’t mean to rub salt, but compare with Ireland. Played 2 (of SH big 3), won 2. From a selfish viewpt, it’s good for me (us in the SH) concerning England, but not for them/you. These issues count & can make the diff between winning & losing. That’s how I see it anyhow… critics regardless.

By: Don P

Don P — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:48:46 +0000

Geat
If you ref to me, I occasionally have opinions of my own too… like the ones above on November 21, 2014 at 4:56 pm, after observing the 1st 2 England Intals v the SH. Again tho, yr comments, about media this time, are too general, altho I’m sure that you don’t ‘generally spout nonsense’ yrself.

By: Benjit

Benjit — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 17:50:56 +0000

Totally agree about having Wood on the bench. Frazer could be a really good option – what if Robshaw gets injured? If not now, then when?

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 17:42:54 +0000

Agreed.

And that includes S Barnes, W Carling, W Greenwood and L Dallaglio.

Pundits are always able to pick the best team and tactics, but I don’t see them coaching a team. Additionally ex players are (quite rightly) more one-eyed than Brighty ;-).

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 17:36:53 +0000

Unusually I find myself agreeing with you Don P. Especially regarding those two incidents. Setting aside any selection policies, I have been very disappointed witht he skill level displayed this autumn. Apart from those two points there were a number of times when the forwards were mostly going in the wrong direction when the ball was taken into contact (result = turnover), and for al the complaints about Farrels distribution, he generally has incredibly few options avialable. attacking the line may free some space outside him, but where are all the options and dummy runners to keep the defence guessing?

All teams are rusty at the beginning of the season, but England seem/are? to be starting from so much lower than any of the other top teams.

By: Geat

Geat — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 16:58:53 +0000

You make it sound like it matters what the media headlines say. Who cares? From the NZ Herald to the Telegraph their “experts” generally spout nonsense.

By: Don P

Don P — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 16:58:44 +0000

simon scantlebury
I think a fella called Will Carling might share yr poinion.

By: Don P

Don P — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 16:56:16 +0000

People are concentrating on the individual selections & not the lack of coaching/playing/mindset skills. I disagree, as already mentioned with, Farrell’s selection full stop as he has little creativity @ INT’AL level, but also out of posi @ 2nd 5!? However England’s real issue is the latter, not the former. Agin Somoa, which England will likely win @ a canter (?), the skills issue won’t seem to matter. However, it did v the other 2 SH sides; e.g. Vainapola’s ‘double tackle’ on the Saffa attacker as he either, didn’t trust Brown to effect the tackle, or he got caught out by not knowing what to do. Either way, SA scored behind the sticks. Also, Attwood’s butchering of a try in the r.h. corner with a 3 on 1! These should be major concerns for England & Lancaster. Again however, with a win over Soamoa, esp if the scoreline is a bumper 1, the headlines will likely opine that England are ‘back on track’, don’tcha know.

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:15:58 +0000

Very good points on BV Dazza. I hope SL just wants him to have a bit of rest this weekend.

I’m ok with Robshaw as he’s used more as a link than as a straightforward ball carrier (same as he does for Quins) but you are right about Wood who is in danger of becoming one-dimensional

We learn nothing from having Wood on the bench. In the absence of BV, a player like Fraser or Ksevic should have been tried out from the bench with Robshaw moving across to the blindside when they come on. Or if SL really doesn’t want to move Robshaw, then stick Ewers on the bench and see what he can do.

More wasted opportunities.

By: Dazza

Dazza — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 10:58:46 +0000

Whilst I fear you may be right, I hope you’re wrong. I also hope they don’t get blamed for others failings. If Youngs insists on passing to Ford’s head, instead of his chest or hands, this will slow down any ball that Farrell and Barritt are going to get. Then they get blamed for not doing the right things with the ball.
It’s the same with Wood and Billy V. Wood doesn’t carry enough and is becoming a bit of a Lydiate, just tackling. Whereas Warburton actually carries a lot for Wales, meaning Faletau can roam out wide etc, Robshaw or Wood do not carry effectively or enough, meaning Billy V has been making all the runs, making less impact. So now SL removes Bill V altogether and puts Haskell in. So we won’t know if Billy V would be benefit from an extra ball carrier or not. Instead Morgan gets to start and with the extra ball carrier. So this will make Morgan look really good because he won’t have to do as much as Billy V. Will Haskell go to 8 when Morgan goes off, or will SL put Wood at 8, where he will make no impact whatsoever?! Sorry I’m ranting now, and I’ve gone completely off subject!!
Anyway I really hope all these combinations work. Come on England!!!!

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 10:40:24 +0000

Dazza – I am going to plant my flag in the ground and state that Farrell + Barritt will prove to be the least inspired, least creative centre partnership since Noon and Tindall

My biggest concern is that they will go ok against Samoa (because its Samoa and they never have enough time together as a team) and then be picked vs Aus where the idiocy of pairing the two of them will be harshly shown up – and we’ll be another defeat down.

I am happy to be proved wrong but I fear this is almost exactly like the Tuilagi debacle. Almost everyone else could see that was wrong with it – with the exception of the England management.

By: Dazza

Dazza — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 09:12:38 +0000

I think before we cast any judgement over this new selection of Farrell and Barritt centre partnership, let’s see what they do. After all these are two players who play together very regularly at club level, and sometimes in these positions. Said club were the highest try scorers in last years Heineken Cup, and I think second highest in the Premiership, so they know what they’re doing with the ball. And also Ford and Farrell played a lot of rugby together in these positions at U20’s level, so as far as familiarity goes this combination has had a lot of time together.
I suspect this week they will have been switching the two around quite a lot in set plays. They frequently switched places in the U20’s plays, and if memory serves me correctly, Lancaster was the U20’s coach at the time, so it’s a combination he knows well.
I think until every one is fit again, we will not be on a level playing field with the big 3.