Comments on: New Zealand v England first test preview: Head to head ratings

By: b

Sat, 07 Jun 2014 19:45:47 +0000

was Puff the (pathetic dragon)welsh ref being paid for English Knockons, what a diabolical display of refereeing. should be sacked and never be allowed to ref such an important game.

By: Alanscar

Alanscar — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 19:15:37 +0000

Oh…and this isn’t being played at Twickenham either.More realistic points against England.I can’t wait for this match however,we will learn a lot.

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 16:58:57 +0000

Henry – I was referring to everything about their roles – as captains, flankers and part of a team. Not just one particular aspect of play.

I agree with you about turnovers.

But considered in totality, Robshaw beat McCaw in 2012 and was only a shade off him in 2013

By: Henry

Henry — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:51:28 +0000

To be fair, I think it was a combo of Wood, Launchbury and Robshaw that outplayed McCaw, not just Robshaw on his own- if we are talking about breakdown work, which I am guessing we are? Robshaw offers a lot of different things to McCaw as a link-man. I don’t particularly subscribe to the view we need a jackling 7- the important thing is we have a balance- carrying, tackling, and breakdown. As long as we get turnovers, whether they come from a lock, a 6 or a prop I don’t care (same as the tries don’t have to come from wings, as long as we are scoring).

BUT without Wood and Dan Cole, we may be a little lacking? Haskell is going to have to really step up.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:06:24 +0000

Yeah fair point Benjit, but the player ratings bit is literally just for head-to-heads on an individual basis. You’ll notice that there’s an 8 point gap in the scoring, but I’ve gone for an 18 point win overall – that’s the team factor!

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:01:24 +0000

Not really comparing like with like though. The Kiwis have their power man at 12 and England at 13.

Who knows though, perhaps Eastmond will turn out to be England’s answer to Smith (many fingers crossed…)

Would also settle for Smith defending against Tuilagi like he did in 2012…

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:57:42 +0000

Shouldn’t be too surprised Brighty – Robshaw outplayed McCaw in 2012 (although if you listen to our regular Kiwi poster Don P, this would be because McCaw was suffering from severe illness) and was probably just a point behind him in the 2013 loss.

Nothing to say he can’t do it again tomorrow (well, apart from having to defend a defensively-weak 10/12 combo – that could take it out of him a bit)

By: Benjit

Benjit — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:43:26 +0000

I also wonder whether you need to a team weighting to these head to heads. Individual scores aside, the ABs are a settled team with established partnerships, whereas England yet again have a group of backs who have hardly or even never played together. I think that could be more of a determining factor than individual skills.

By: Benjit

Benjit — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:40:06 +0000

I think the scores are a little generous to England, especially in the backs. May a 7 on his 6 n form – yet to score a try? Eastmond’s score also seems a bit of a punt. I hope he does excel, but none of us know and his club form hardly warrants such optimism

By: Benjit

Benjit — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:38:06 +0000

I hope underestimate him as you clearly have.

By: Chuckles

Chuckles — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:23:09 +0000

Tuilagi: “the one player the All Blacks will fear…”

Brown: “one of the best players in the world right now…”

If the All Blacks don’t fear Mike Brown then they’re idiots. I don’t think they’re idiots.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:09:07 +0000

Score sounds about about. Anything around the 15 point mark I’d be happy with.

I’d have Conrad Smith at an 8.5 as well. He certainly isn’t a worse player than Tuilagi.

I would say that Eastmond is not 7.5 though! That’s generous. May is probably a point too high as well.

I still honestly think that with England at full strength, we have a very good chance of winning one of the final two tests.