Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[Havak]

Actually it is priceless isn't it?

I'd dare suggest we have made him a better player than when he came to us - but my old sparring partner will love the fact that another AB reject might end up playing for England.

That said he is a better number 8 than Easter pure and simple.

[sanabas]

I wonder if I could score a game for the dutch rugby team?

[finbar]

Good one Sale!

[Havak]

Good one Tigers!

[finbar]

Bath are rubbish.

[Havak]

Strange game in actual fact. Tigers spent the first ten minutes defending their own try line, turned over the ball and scored. And every time Bath applied pressure we did the same.

An armchair ride for Youngs behind a dominant pack made him look the business again.

Away at Quins next game which will be a big test. But looking forward to seeing Easter versus the Tank.

[finbar]

Youngs would do well to watch Will Genia once in a while. Genia is learning his trade behind a pack usually going backwards. Doesn't get frustrated, doesn't try to overplay his hand, just reads what's in front of him in a flash and responds. He's only a couple of years older than Youngs but vastly more mature as a person.

Full-strength Saints are a very different proposition. The England players all contributed hugely. I stick by my earlier statement: Leicester and Saints (at full strength) are a class above the rest. Wasps? Injuries, certainly, but they really are dreadful.

[Havak]

And that is such a shame. I simply can't tell you how bad I feel that they are struggling.

I was in fact thinking the other day that Ben could learn from the Australians (though I was thinking coaching from Gregan more than Genia whom I consider to be of very variable quality in comparison to George).

[finbar]

Bear in mind that Genia has just turned 23, so barely a year older than Youngs, has 12 months of Test rugby behind him, missed some of last season with a knee injury and was brought back too soon. What he has in common with George is an old head on young shoulders, excellent natural instincts and learning under adversity. Youngs has the opposite problem. Too many armchair rides. I'm not sure how you coach playing under adversity. Still, it's not Youngs' fault - nor Toby Flood's, who was equally exposed - that there seem to be no team strategy alternatives to getting quick ball.

[Havak]

Quite. Richie McCaw thinks we will bounce back - I'm not so sure.

You can't coach playing under adversity - and very few sides will create those conditions for him at club level. He will need to learn that in European games and at test level mainly. Or they could stick him in the A league side (developmental XV) but even there the pack seldom struggles.

One of the truisms in our sport is that sides 30 points to the good do not indulge in cheap shots. It is therefore quite an interesting defence by Nick Abendanon that (having been substituted) he raced off the bench and clocked a player from behind because he saw one of his players 'receive a cheap shot'. The disciplinary panels have historically taken a very dim view of players not on the field of play entering (let alone causing) a fracas so I suspect he may be in trouble for causing a 31 man brawl (there had been handbags but it escalated to include all the players when he clocked our player from behind).

I did rather enjoy seeing McGeechan claim all our scores were turnovers and racing 50 metres to score, Isn't that the idea geecs? To take your chances.

[Havak]

From the BBC fluff piece about Meehan's departure from Bath:

"As well as making Bath one of the most attractive and successful teams in the Premiership"



Attractive is subjective (they are as attractive as the junior code to me) but success is an objective measure. The most successful teams in the Premiership are Wasps and Leicester. Period. So how far down does "one of" qualify. A few fourth placed finishes in Baths case!

And I include Wasps on sufferance. The most successful second placed side in the Premiership ever.

[kittenOFchaos]

Quite. Richie McCaw thinks we will bounce back - I'm not so sure.

England missed having Lawes and Croft (fully fit) and putting on their tougher players sooner. Thompson is wonderfully combative, Simon Shaw is massive and Wilkinson won't get phased and packs a punch in defense.

Where England are as screwed remains the center pairing - as before the 6 Nations. Tindall and Hape aren't much of a threat and defensively Hape can be a liability. Sort these two positions out and England can take on anyone.

[Havak]

Not unless they learn to adapt to prevailing cirumstances on the field. What in my day they called "Heads up rugby".

They also need a new number 8 in my view.

Agree entirely about Hape. Like Farrell and Henry before him he will quietly disappear from the scene.

[kittenOFchaos]

Melbourne Rebels looking good. Another great clip of them in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sqLIdcznwY&feature=player_embedded

[kittenOFchaos]

Another really good clip - Nick Abendanon doing well despite a number of hospital passes and various South Sea Islanders out to get him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflocS43Ml4&feature=player_embedded