Springboks v England - Test #2
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Still can't see England winning this. I would say playing at Bloemfontein is just as hard if not harder than playing in Joburg.
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I wish I could remember the name of the poster who called me arrogant and delusional for saying any fringe AB back row forward could walk into a test rugby team. He claimed Luke Whitelock could not replace Robshaw or play in England 2nd row and here Brad Shields has done both! Still think it is a bad decision not to wait for him to step onto English soil, it just sends a bad message.
Will be interesting to see the adjustments that both teams make, I do have the sense that the English outside backs are more settled but England really need parity upfront to have a chance. Totally underwhelmed by Itoje and have been for a while.
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There was an interesting article in one of the English newspapers (Guardian I think) making the point that England struggled with the pace of the Bokke pack, lost cohesion at the breakdown as a result and gave away penalties. Will be interesting if Shields can make a difference at 6.
Launchbury will be an improvement in the 2nd row and could keep Itoje focussed.
Still pick the Bokke to win. Have a sense they want to make a statement with a 3-0 result. I'm rooting for England - anything to keep Jones in place.....
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@victor-meldrew said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
There was an interesting article in one of the English newspapers (Guardian I think) making the point that England struggled with the pace of the Bokke pack, lost cohesion at the breakdown as a result and gave away penalties. Will be interesting if Shields can make a difference at 6.
Launchbury will be an improvement in the 2nd row and could keep Itoje focussed.
Still pick the Bokke to win. Have a sense they want to make a statement with a 3-0 result. I'm rooting for England - anything to keep Jones in place.....
Wow the English press have finally taken off the blinkers.
Robshaw has been a great servant to English rugby playing wherever and whenever he's been asked.
He's never given less than 100% and has at times been the best English forward, English player and MOTM on the field.
But, and it's a big BUT, he has been a penalty magnet his whole career. Many times it's been very calculated. Many times he's been caught between the devil and the deep blue sea due to lack of pace.
Will be interesting to see how the back row goes this weekend.
It seems that Itoje has taken on the role of team transgressor and refs are very reticent to card him. Up until now
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@victor-meldrew said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
There was an interesting article in one of the English newspapers (Guardian I think) making the point that England struggled with the pace of the Bokke pack, lost cohesion at the breakdown as a result and gave away penalties. Will be interesting if Shields can make a difference at 6.
Launchbury will be an improvement in the 2nd row and could keep Itoje focussed.
Still pick the Bokke to win. Have a sense they want to make a statement with a 3-0 result. I'm rooting for England - anything to keep Jones in place.....
Surprised they didn't take a leaf out of Lions playbook and dawdle for two minutes at very lineout!
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@mikethesnow said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
Robshaw has been a great servant to English rugby playing wherever and whenever he's been asked.
He's never given less than 100% and has at times been the best English forward, English player and MOTM on the field.I went to a sports dinner 3 years ago where Fitzy & David Duckham* were speaking.
Fitzy raved about Robshaw, saying the AB's would love to have him in the team as his attitude was exactly what the AB's looked for - hating to lose, giving 110%, always respecting the opposition and never a dickhead.
*Mr Duckham (one of my boyhood heroes and one of true greats) was grace personified when I told him I'd seen him play at Athletic Park in '71 as a teenager. Rated Batty as one of the best he ever faced: "Only player I've seen who make JPR look silly". Absolutely top bloke.
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@victor-meldrew said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@mikethesnow said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
Robshaw has been a great servant to English rugby playing wherever and whenever he's been asked.
He's never given less than 100% and has at times been the best English forward, English player and MOTM on the field.I went to a sports dinner 3 years ago where Fitzy & David Duckham* were speaking.
Fitzy raved about Robshaw, saying the AB's would love to have him in the team as his attitude was exactly what the AB's looked for - hating to lose, giving 110%, always respecting the opposition and never a dickhead.
Yes but you also have to be a top class player...
(I find Robshaw a bit of a journeyman, at least as a 7 anyway)
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Interesting post on BBC website forum
EJ is stubborn and erratic:
- why pick Johnny Hill to tour if you don’t back him
- why no lock cover on bench
- why play Isiekwe at lock in last game when he has been blindsiding all year
- why pick Robshaw when he was clearly in need of a rest
- why play Brown out of position just to see whether Daly can slot in for him
- why not start Solomona against two debutant wingers
- why oh why
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It's actually starting to dawn on people that while EJ may have been able to fix the problems he inherited from Lancaster, he doesn't have a clue about team building or any idea about a Plan B.
Just over a year out from RWC2019, there's a growing fear that that RFU picked the wrong man 3 years ago and the 2019 England campaign will be another fiasco
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@victor-meldrew said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
It's actually starting to dawn on people that while EJ may have been able to fix the problems he inherited from Lancaster, he doesn't have a clue about team building or any idea about a Plan B.
Just over a year out from RWC2019, there's a growing fear that that RFU picked the wrong man 3 years ago and the 2019 England campaign will be another fiasco
Fingers crossed 😁
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I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. As long as Eddie keeps reassuring England Rugby supporters that losing 7 in a row is "part of the process of becoming a better side" everything will be fine
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@mikethesnow said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
Interesting post on BBC website forum
EJ is stubborn and erratic:
- why pick Johnny Hill to tour if you don’t back him
- why no lock cover on bench
- why play Isiekwe at lock in last game when he has been blindsiding all year
- why pick Robshaw when he was clearly in need of a rest
- why play Brown out of position just to see whether Daly can slot in for him
- why not start Solomona against two debutant wingers
- why oh why
Why indeed to all of that.
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@victor-meldrew well if he breaks his duck by upsetting the AB's later this year no one will care
Then he will be able to say he was right, he found a way to beat the ABs, now to find a way to beat all the other teams!
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I don't know why, but the terms "starters" and "finishers" really annoys me for some reason
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@mariner4life said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
I don't know why, but the terms "starters" and "finishers" really annoys me for some reason
Starters not so much. But finishers us a bit wanky
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@mariner4life mate you should see what was on TV this morning, not supposed to call old people Elderly...oh shit, if I cant call them elderly, can I call them old people too?
People that are not young...starters and finishers is the least of your worry bro!
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@booboo said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@mariner4life said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
I don't know why, but the terms "starters" and "finishers" really annoys me for some reason
Starters not so much. But finishers us a bit wanky
But not as wanky as "Happy Enders".
