RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1)
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@Richie8-7 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
We get Nigel Owens. Great news...I can live with him not being card happy, even though it saved Ireland several times.
On balance, this is good news. The English are familar with Nigel Owens but so are the All Blacks. We gave away too many penalties on Saturday, the ABs will have to look at the tape and see how they can manage Owens' interpretations better.
Two gains though. With Owens you get more patrolling of the offisde line than some refs, England were in front of the back foot at almost every ruck with Garces before the Aussie had the ball out last week. Also, Nigel is as experienced as they come, so no chance of him freezing on the big occasion.
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@sparky said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
@Richie8-7 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
We get Nigel Owens. Great news...I can live with him not being card happy, even though it saved Ireland several times.
On balance, this is good news. The English are familar with Nigel Owens but so are the All Blacks. We gave away too many penalties on Saturday, the ABs will have to look at the tape and see how they can manage Owens' interpretations better.
Two gains though. With Owens you get more patrolling of the offisde line than some refs, England were in front of the back foot at almost every ruck with Garces before the Aussie had the ball out last week. Also, Nigel is as experienced as they come, so no chance of him freezing on the big occasion.
The other positive of having Nige as our ref is that he's less likely to let the English chirping affect his decision-making, at least in their favour (see his telling off of Murray on the weekend).
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@Bones said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
Was the combined "dream team" posted? Manu Vunipola was a surprise.
I almost clicked on the link until I saw
"highly respected British rugby writer Stuart Barnes"
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@Bones it remains to be seen if he is correct. I suspect the ABs have quietly undergone a revolution in terms of how they play the game, and these so called experts like Barnes and O'Sullivan have not yet fully cottoned on. Our boys are the only ones who can get in the way of an AB win. A lack of physicality or handling will allow England to feed off our mistakes. But I'm quietly confident that we will win comfortably and that we will run England off the park
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@Catogrande only the arrogant English could select someone who's never even featured in international rugby in a combined team.
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@Bones said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
Was the combined "dream team" posted? Manu Vunipola was a surprise.
Hmmm... so the AB front-row,midfield and wings suck compared to England.
And Hansen is playing B.Barrett out of position.This can't end well.
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@Billy-Webb to be fair only half the wings, for some reason I can't stand May but his form is pretty irresistible and he's fairly similar to Bridge.
Plus, someone's got to be responsible for letting such an average Irish team score so many points.
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@Bones said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
@Catogrande only the arrogant English could select someone who's never even featured in international rugby in a combined team.
Look. I'm not going to click on it so you will just have to tell me who that is.
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@Catogrande said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
@Bones said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
@Catogrande only the arrogant English could select someone who's never even featured in international rugby in a combined team.
Look. I'm not going to click on it so you will just have to tell me who that is.
Sigh. Manu Vunipola...
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@Bones See, now I thought you were being serious and that Barnes had sprung a REAL left field one.
Edit: Which would not altogether surprise me.
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@Catogrande said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
@Bones See, now I thought you were being serious and that Barnes had sprung a REAL left field one.
Edit: Which would not altogether surprise me.
Well I've never heard of him. But if he's from England then he's probably a supreme tight forward.
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@canefan said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
@Bones it remains to be seen if he is correct. I suspect the ABs have quietly undergone a revolution in terms of how they play the game, and these so called experts like Barnes and O'Sullivan have not yet fully cottoned on. Our boys are the only ones who can get in the way of an AB win. A lack of physicality or handling will allow England to feed off our mistakes. But I'm quietly confident that we will win comfortably and that we will run England off the park
Yes I am with. It’s interesting that someone like Barnes who has a secret Hard on for the ABs still does not get that Barrett was struggling at 10 despite the World Player of the year awards. It’s been clear as day to us that Mounga is better in that role and Barrett relishes the space at the back. The Irish pundits did not get it at all but hilarious to see their post mortems now. It is a hard road that the ABs have to take to win this but like last game I feel good. The ABs having this much time together is more meaningful than any other team. They have form, fitness and chemistry on their side, they know exactly what’s coming , ABs by at least 10.
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@DMX Interesting your view on the Barret v Mo'unga discussion. I've never felt that Barrett was a fantastic fly half - and I realise that this may lead to me being virtual lynched on here, but to me he does not seem to fit too well for some of the key duties of a 10. His kicking game is a bit off, his game management is not up there with the likes of say Carter, BUT he is without doubt a fantastic, almost freakish, rugby player and has to play. I can see the argument for having him at 10 as he is so good that you want to get the ball to him as often and as quickly as possible, but I think I agree with you that the extra space he gets at 15 is perhaps more suited and allied to that, you have a bloody good 10 in Mo'unga to bring a little more control to the game.
A very nice problem to have.
Off to dig a trench and search for my tin hat...
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@Catogrande think you're safe with Rancid no longer lurking.
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@gt12 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
I was fascinated to see Owens and Schmidt having a long talk before the game last week (with Schmidt clearly trying to get something across, including gestures about tackling or clean outs). I wondered whether, in any way, that then influenced what he looked for at penalty time.
Hansen didn't bother approaching Owens, although might have said hi.
Hansen and Schmidt had a massive talk too. They look like they are pretty friendly.
Owens has a reputation in Ireland for spectating rather than reffing.
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@chimoaus said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):
I have to take my hat off to Shag and his team, this time last year I never thought, Franks, Bender and Ioane would not be in the 23 come semi final time. I would also not have thought Ardie would be at 6, Mounga at 10 and Bridge and Reece on the wings.
It shows that Shag and co realised they needed to change it up to be successful at RWC, unlike Ireland who stuck with the same aging players and game plan.
I don't think they were always this way, J Savea, NMS, Franks and a few others were kept past their prime based on experience and past achievements.
Perhaps they had the game plan to beat the rush defence and just set about getting the best players to match.
Maybe the losses to the Irish and some other poor performances were the catalyst to change.
Even if we don't win the WC, I take my hat off to Shag and co for evolving and trusting their process.
Interesting that in June Joe Schmidt told me he thought ABs might go with Ardie at 6 and Beau'unga, not that he used that name for it.
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