Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[Havak]

You hope they serve as a reality check - or you hope I won't post much?

Whlst my gut instinct is that player and club are well suited - and indeed deserve each other - a part of me does feel sorry for Saracens and the inevitable hassle that will follow the signing of the petulant Orange media tart.

[finbar]

Well, you'll post to the effect that England are a pile of ****e so your posts will be most welcome.

I've never known what all the fuss was about G. Henson in terms of his rugby ability. But then I'm sure I'm not alone.

[kittenOFchaos]

Charlie Hodgson on the bench to Toby Flood for England Vs NZ next week.

Abit strange as CH hasn't really been playing much and kicking even less. That said, I do hope he has a chance to shine.

Over on BBC 606, some are saying Ryan Lamb should be used as backup...which unless he has morphed into a man, shouldn't be contemplated given Nonu will be playing.

[finbar]

So a bit of a dearth in the #10 ranks in English rugby? I don't think Toby's a bona fide #10 either. Ryan Lamb? Talented on his day but mentally and physically fragile. Frankly, I'd pair Youngs and Geraghty and let them get on with it around the gain line. Trouble is, no one around them would have the speed of hand or brain to keep up. The only times Geraghty has been given an England opportunity he's played - under orders - deeper than the Atlantic Ocean and kicked all day. Reverting to Charlie H is just sad.

[finbar]

Very good Wallaby win. They didn't buckle as they've done before, and, in scoreboard terms, it should have been a comfortable win. They left 14 points out there with appalling goal kicking. Persisting with Giteau, whose kicking has already cost at least two Tests this year, is ludicrous, and it might have cost them again. Worrying defensive lapses, yet again, for the Wallabies. Quade Cooper, for all his dazzle, is a walking turnstile. Makes Charlie Hodgson look like Lewis Moody. He's been offered the earth to switch to L*****. With his defence, he wouldn't last a half. The ABs were rusty early, made the most of most of their opportunities, but will be vastly better for the outing. A couple of defensive glitches aside, they were undone mainly by the sheer speed and skills of the Wallaby backs.

The Wallaby scrum struggled but not in terms of being particuarly out-techniqued or out-muscled. Roland's timing of his calls was ridiculous - you could have read a novel between his crouch, touch, engage calls - and the Wallabies constantly went early and were punished. Silly them for not adapting to the ref's calls. Still, he started to ping the ABs later in the game.

McCaw was more effective than Pocock in broken play, Pocock outdid him at the breakdown.

[finbar]

What a heartwarming Saturday it turned out to be. Wallabies ... Exeter ... *cough* ... Gloucester ...

[LDiCesare]

you could have read a novel between his crouch, touch, engage calls

This year's policies about going in scrum are extraordinarily tedious. It looks like they want to have the calls spaced by at least 3 seconds each, which is really frustrating for all front-rowers I believe.

[finbar]

Not only that, the timings are inconsistent between refs. In a couple of recent HC matches, the refs took half the time Rolland did yesterday.

[Havak]

You were doing so well until the *cough*.

[finbar]

No one could ever accuse me of - in racing parlance - pulling up short of the line.

I notice that J**** thinks Andrew Sheridan's return will be "a key". No it won't be. He's massively strong with dodgy technique. Not that it's one of the great AB front rows. The keys are elsewhere for England - the moribund centre pairing, the equally moribund back row (Easter, in particular) and, unless something miraculous has happened in the last six months, their inability to react and play instinctively.

[Havak]

I tend to agree. Although I don't think the entire AB tight five is anything special at all in all honesty. And Sheridan for Payne is not a bad move despite the limitations you observe for the former (his route to prop was after all from the flank via the second row!)

It does however - and yes this may bite me - feel like some kind of progress. Palmer and Lawes is not a bad combo - an enforcer and a more versatile and athletic lock. And Croft and Youngs means I believe that we actually have the world class players in those positions rather than the ABs (for once). And Ashton and Foden are threatening runners, even if the former is still green.

The centres are a huge concern, as is the presence of Thompson. Cueto works hard but he lacks pace now and is he really the best foil to Ashton? The presence of Turnstile Hodgson on the bench is inexplicable. And for all his qualities having Moody - who remains a natural blindside - up against McCaw is a concern. But then anyone against McCaw is a rough ride I suppose. I think Sarries have a young English open side showing promise but his name escapes me (is it Saul?). Then again Wasps Rees was the next big thing prior to a series of injuries.

What I expect - and I am being honest here - is some flashes of real class from England but not consistent enough to really worry the ABs. I expect their ruthless execution to inflict another heavy defeat on us - though I do hope to be wrong.

I do hope the AB fans are surprised by what some of our players can do though. Though I recall my old kiwi sparring partner once opining he didn't see anthing particuarly special about Croft which did for me kind of undermine any other observation he makes about the game. Ever.

Yes I am trying to entice him back to comment...I am sure he will visit us if the ABs put on fifty points?

[Andydog]

Well, that was one of your better baiting attempts, but you still need lots of coaching from finbar before you succeed in anything other than a curious nibble.

If England want to get within 20 of the All Blacks, they need to be able to stem our flowing game. Unfortunately - given England's fitness levels – the reality is that they may be able to achieve this in the first 20 at best before all the beer guts get tired. England will once again fail to commit players to the ruck - they'll send in one beer gut and the rest will stand in a line gasping for air. England's ability to seal the ball off and slow the breakdown is a distant memory. The beer guts need to use the ball and tire us out. Anything less and we'll simply shift into 5th gear for the final 20 when England have tackled themselves ragged, and it will be good night nurse.

I still don't see anything special about Croft. Wasn't he demoted to the bench for last year's autumn test against NZ?

I enjoyed last week's game against the Aussies, hats off to them. Henry's fatal mistake was to bring Donald on. Once again Donald made all the wrong decisions, missed that a sitter of a goal that would have made the game safe for the ABs, and demonstrated once again that he is not a test quality first five eighth. Perhaps it's a hangover from the Chiefs, where he has to do everything as the players around him are not always the sharpest. His silly little grubbers stabbed through are needed. But when you're surrounded by class players you don't need to do everything yourself. You need to make the right decisions and get the back line functioning. Donald has proved time and time again that he can't do this. Henry must be blind if he doesn't see that by now.

[finbar]

Donald shouldn't be anywhere near the ABs. He's had his chances and he keeps being found wanting in the same areas - judgement and skills. I don't think his misjudgements are anything to do with the Chiefs. He just lacks judgement. Why he's even on the tour is beyond me. Slade should have been there.

Tom Croft is very talented in terms of lineouts and has great speed and skills for a big chap. And he has an excellent work rate. My problem these days is that he's more effective in broken play than in pure flanker terms.

[Andydog]

I'd've also taken Slade over Donald. I presume that the Cartel took Donald on tour because he was the form horse in the NPC, he has improved and he has showed hints of potential in terms of both judgement and skills. His big problem is that he buckles under pressure. When he panics, any skill and judgement he may have goes out the window. For that reason alone he should not be anywhere near the All Blacks.

In other news, it must be November!
Stephen Jones predictably stirs the poo pot

[finbar]

Donald has always been a decent - sometimes excellent - player at the lower levels. That's where he belongs.

Goodness me. Stephen Jones. I used to check him out online until Murdoch erected his pay wall around the Times online. Never been back. Wouldn't p*ss on Murdoch if he were on fire let alone put money in his pocket. And I gather the visitor numbers have slumped since the pay wall arrived. Is anyone surprised?

And the man-mountain super recruit S. B. Williams will debut against England. First time I'll have seen him playing real rugby. I gather he's menacing in attack, still dodgy in defence in terms of real rugby's different requirements. I'm looking forward to it. Jimmy Cowan is stiff. I assume they're rotating.