6 Nations 2019
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@Disgusted-of-TW said in 6 Nations 2019:
@ShadowTrooper Not sure I'd agree that England are playing "crash-bash" rugby. And certainly haven't heard anyone of note suggest that the RWC is in the bag. But keep going, please. I've nearly got a winning line on my "lazy stereotypes" bingo card...
Crash bash is the basis of the game for them though. Once that creates an opportunity they change to take it. Nothing wrong in that it is their style and they currently have the uninjured cattle to make it work. Take any 2of the crash bash merchants of the Vunipolas and Tuilagi out of the side and that game plan looks far less effective. Even if they aren’t carting the ball they run very disruptive lines that verge on illegal as they put bulk between the ball and the defence. Something looked very wrong about that first try to May. Seemed to me like players in front of the ball started running forward into blocking positions to stop any possible covering defence.
If the three mentioned stay fit then NZ is probably the only side with the ammo to out gun them but we have to unlock the defence first -
@Crucial said in 6 Nations 2019:
Seemed to me like players in front of the ball started running forward into blocking positions to stop any possible covering defence.
That, right there, is modern rugby. It's been a headache for a while- but what the hell do you do. Players get up, then run fast or slow to modify defenders lines, unsight them and interfere with play. Everyone does it, at all professional (and I presume amateur) levels. It's just annoying when you see it going unchecked.
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@Crucial said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Disgusted-of-TW said in 6 Nations 2019:
@ShadowTrooper Not sure I'd agree that England are playing "crash-bash" rugby. And certainly haven't heard anyone of note suggest that the RWC is in the bag. But keep going, please. I've nearly got a winning line on my "lazy stereotypes" bingo card...
Crash bash is the basis of the game for them though. Once that creates an opportunity they change to take it. Nothing wrong in that it is their style and they currently have the uninjured cattle to make it work. Take any 2of the crash bash merchants of the Vunipolas and Tuilagi out of the side and that game plan looks far less effective. Even if they aren’t carting the ball they run very disruptive lines that verge on illegal as they put bulk between the ball and the defence. Something looked very wrong about that first try to May. Seemed to me like players in front of the ball started running forward into blocking positions to stop any possible covering defence.
If the three mentioned stay fit then NZ is probably the only side with the ammo to out gun them but we have to unlock the defence firstSo, verging on illegal. Do you mean legal?
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@Catogrande playing to the edge of the law and the ref, like all good teams do.
RWC 2019 is Englands to lose!
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@taniwharugby said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Catogrande playing to the edge of the law and the ref, like all good teams do.
RWC 2019 is Englands to lose!
Let the english media makr them wear the mantle of favourites going into the RWC, see how that fits
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@sparky said in 6 Nations 2019:
Can't see Scotland or Italy coming to Twickenham and stopping this England juggernaut. Only Wales in Cardiff realistically stand between them now and a Grand Slam in World Cup year.
Not even then I'd suggest. Wales haven't been particularly brilliant thus far. They required the French to hoist a white flag and then uninspiring against Italy.
I haven't watched the game yet, but the score line is telling. Hard not to see them topping their pool in Japan at this rate.
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Not sure the exact stats but it is obvious the NH sides have perfected the box kick in their own half and once in the opposition half, move wide and grubber behind the winger and hope they make a mistake. It has worked numerous times so far and is showing the importance of a working back 3. It highlights to me that a strong power winger we traditionally have may be a weakness. The modern winger needs to be excellent under high ball, chases like a greyhound, can read the game like a clairvoyant and tackle like Richie.
Clean turnovers also seem to be few and far between and only a few holding on penalties against the top sides. Teams have become very good at recycling the ball so you really need to make the most of your opportunities and limit your mistakes.
This is the first year I have really got into the six nations and it is interesting viewing.
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Eddie sums up what successful teams are doing to unlock modern defences such as those espoused by ex-league players; namely having more men in the front line. Solution; kick behind them.
He also highlighted the successful kicking strategy in behind the defence which exposed the French badly.
"We just think that's the way the game is going. If teams defend as they do now, there's space in the backfield," Jones told media at Twickenham.
"We have to get defenders back there and the only way we do that is to put the ball in that space.
"If they don't fill it we've got an opportunity with our pace to convert that into points and we've been able to do that."
I'm not convinced the All Blacks have the pace across the backline for that to work as well as we'd like.
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England have shown,once again, that our kick from hand (apart from Beaudies kick pass) is very poor, both 9, 10 and the other backs. They have turned around, albeit helped by both Ireland and France selecting centres in their back 3, both teams they've played. An area we need a fuck load of work in. I don't think we are as vulnerable to it, as our nine doesn't defend in the line and we have a wing and FB back - and one of those will be Ben Smith!
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@Crucial My point exactly! Unsteady Eddie has been filling up the team with as many PI's as he can, @Disgusted-of-TW Oh that is good for early Monday morning fodder at least - The team minus Vunipolas/Tuilagi/Hughes/Te'o leaves you scratching your head about any kind of viable game plan. Sure, Slade , Daly and Nowell are very good rugby players, but they need big guys to get stuck in and do the work up front first. @Billy-Tell I'd suggest a lot of that was down to the time elapsed since we last played Ireland, scores to settle at home and all that, plus down to some wonky selections and less than perfect game plan on our part.
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@ShadowTrooper Eddie even said ' we did some good shopping' when talking about his Pommie Pacifikas!
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12202683
Andy Farrell is the dad, Phil. It’s Owen. I suppose the chip on the shoulder is so big it’s also blocking the vision.
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If England kick as badly in two weeks time then Wales has a chance.
If England tightens up the kicking from hand it's going to be a massacre.
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@Billy-Tell I haven't read the article but looks like his clock was right at least once... France were pretty shit. A lot of the defence made Scotland look like a brick wall...
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@Bones the correlation with the importation of foreign talent into the country can't be denied.
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@antipodean said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Bones the correlation with the importation of foreign talent into the country can't be denied.
I dunno, without them England are a bit naff.
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@Bones said in 6 Nations 2019:
@antipodean said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Bones the correlation with the importation of foreign talent into the country can't be denied.
I dunno, without them England are a bit naff.
I'm waiting for the walrus' expose on their pillaging of the lesser lights of the rugby world
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@canefan said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Bones said in 6 Nations 2019:
@antipodean said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Bones the correlation with the importation of foreign talent into the country can't be denied.
I dunno, without them England are a bit naff.
I'm waiting for the walrus' expose on their pillaging of the lesser lights of the rugby world
I never, ever want to think about the Walrus exposing anything. You should be banned.
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@Catogrande said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Crucial said in 6 Nations 2019:
@Disgusted-of-TW said in 6 Nations 2019:
@ShadowTrooper Not sure I'd agree that England are playing "crash-bash" rugby. And certainly haven't heard anyone of note suggest that the RWC is in the bag. But keep going, please. I've nearly got a winning line on my "lazy stereotypes" bingo card...
Crash bash is the basis of the game for them though. Once that creates an opportunity they change to take it. Nothing wrong in that it is their style and they currently have the uninjured cattle to make it work. Take any 2of the crash bash merchants of the Vunipolas and Tuilagi out of the side and that game plan looks far less effective. Even if they aren’t carting the ball they run very disruptive lines that verge on illegal as they put bulk between the ball and the defence. Something looked very wrong about that first try to May. Seemed to me like players in front of the ball started running forward into blocking positions to stop any possible covering defence.
If the three mentioned stay fit then NZ is probably the only side with the ammo to out gun them but we have to unlock the defence firstSo, verging on illegal. Do you mean legal?
Nah, I would actually argue an interpretation of illegal but as it doesn't get called by refs then I can't refer to it as such.
It does come down to an objective opinion but...*A player is offside in open play if that player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball or who last played it. An offside player must not interfere with play. This includes:
Preventing the opposition from playing as they wish.*
Refs tend to interpret this as 'pushing/shoving/checking/tackling' an opposition player, but to me running forward/sideways while still offside and blocking lines and view of defenders should also be stamped out
The other tactic I was referring to was running alongside the ball carrier during one off carries to make it more difficult for tacklers to get near the ball. It 'verges' on illegal as the 'blocker' is often offside then onside in alternate steps making it very hard to conclusively call a penalty.
BTW, I'm having a crack at the laws/interpretation/refs here not England as such. IMO this and the creeping on the offside lines is ruining the skill and spectacle.
