England to whitewash Australia
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<p>Not sure I can criticise the halves too badly when we scored 5 tries. Toomua helped significantly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Phipps looks good when he just gets there and flings it. The difference in speed for the attack is noticeable when he takes a step on the pass.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He's also about the best defender - particularly cover defender - that we've got.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Is Genia better? Dunno. The theory about people coming back from the NH and having issues isn't a bad one, but it depends on the ethics of the club they're at.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If the Reds and ARU admin hadn't made so many fuck headed decisions I think we'd still see Genia and Quade here, and probably both qualifying for the Giteau Rule right now. C'est la vie.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="592173" data-time="1466988332">
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<p>Stop being so precious, I don't think Hoopers the superman you make him out to be</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not making that tackle on the side of the scrum was a schoolboy error. </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Yes. But I was being sarcastic. And really, I have no idea why we were trying to push 8 mean in that scrum - who the fuck does that defending their own line?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="592176" data-time="1466988528">
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<p>Just a point arising from your post Barb, are you at all worried by more overseas players coming in? I think Kepu's effectiveness was down on his previous levels, do you think they'll be able to 1. slot back in to the unit, and 2. provide the increase in performance required?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Genia especially, who had a long lay off. </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>I think they will help, yes. Kepu will hopefully be fitter and a bit sharper by the TRC - he got better as the series went on and our scrum was at parity with the Poms in the third game.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I remember it was Nathan Grey who said during the tight matches of the World Cup, the two blokes who were taking charge and marshalling our defensive line were Giteau and AAC. They add a stability and a confidence we didn't have this series.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm not too sure on Genia, his form dropped off a bit in the late stages of the RWC (he was very average in the final) and he's been injured since. But Cheika clearly rates him.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="592165" data-time="1466987527">
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/81150196/Wallabies-v-England-Numbers-show-Australia-doesn-t-cope-without-David-Pocock'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/81150196/Wallabies-v-England-Numbers-show-Australia-doesn-t-cope-without-David-Pocock</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fardy may have hit more rucks, but I didn't think he was that effective.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And is hoopers form irresistable? First thing a Blind side flanker should know, if the 8 runs blind off the scrum, it's his man.</p>
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<p>Fardy was struggling from a hit and wasn't quite right when that scrum was setting up. Him and Hooper switched sides. Hooper forgot to do what he normally does at scrum time and keep his head up watching the play. This time he decided to push. It wouldn't have been so bad if he was on the openside. Try time England.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="592201" data-time="1466991267">
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<p>Fardy was struggling from a hit and wasn't quite right when that scrum was setting up. Him and Hoopah switched sides. Hoopah forgot to do what he normally does at scrum time and keep his head up watching the play. This time he decided to push. It wouldn't have been so bad if he was on the openside. Try time England.</p>
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<p>cheers, I wondered why they swapped sides for such an important scrum</p> -
<p>Phipps is just too slow off base of ruch. Had to laugh one time when he put hands on ball, thought about it for a second, and by the time he passed the Pommy backs had run up so far the crowd all thought they were offside. Genia seems to have lost quite a lot in last couple of years. Was Nick White really so bad?</p>
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<p>so, so bad</p>
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Yeah, Nic White is not the answer, and fair enough re: Genia. I'm marking Phipps pretty harsh I guess, I've been backing the Wallabies vs England so it's been a bit frustrating when I watch the ABs with A Smith making it look easy, then find myself cursing Phipps for either taking an age to get the ball out, taking the wrong option, or firing the pass above the head/at the ankles/to nobody at all.<br><br>
HB is not an easy position to play, and there aren't many quality halves going around in world rugby let alone Australia. If the ABs lose Smith then we have a massive step down in quality. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cookie" data-cid="592348" data-time="1467020407">
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<p>Meanwhile Eddie is off the the Tour de France to find out how elite riders cope with intense stress.<br><br>
Let's hope he doesn't find the answer in a syringe.</p>
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<p>Not sure how motors would be used in Rugby though</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="575180" data-time="1461730366"><p>
Calling it now: Poms are unbackable faves for the whitewash<br><br>
:whistle:</p></blockquote>
I hope you had money on it :-)<br><br>
Funny reading the early part of this thread after the Noddy article. <br><br>
It really was a fantastic effort from England to win away 3-0. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="585059" data-time="1465013239">
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<p>I think most Aussies have set the bar at: Beat England 3-zip, but 2-1 at least.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beat the ABs at least once.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Losses to Argentina or South Africa are probably unacceptable. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But really, its about seeing more consistency and a style of rugby that makes people sit up and take notice.</p>
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<p>ouch</p> -
<p>Expectation is a bitch.</p>
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Nathan Hughes has made the English training squad. <br><br>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/82715418/england-name-uncapped-former-auckland-no-8-nathan-hughes-in-training-squad'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/82715418/england-name-uncapped-former-auckland-no-8-nathan-hughes-in-training-squad</a> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="602380" data-time="1470114537">
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<p>Nathan Hughes has made the English training squad.<br><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/82715418/england-name-uncapped-former-auckland-no-8-nathan-hughes-in-training-squad'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/82715418/england-name-uncapped-former-auckland-no-8-nathan-hughes-in-training-squad</a></p>
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<p>The poms lost the moral high ground about selecting islanders year ago (and to be fair, most f them acknowledged it too).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is pretty blatant.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="602385" data-time="1470114879"><p>
The poms lost the moral high ground about selecting islanders year ago (and to be fair, most f them acknowledged it too).<br><br>
This is pretty blatant.</p></blockquote>
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Rumours that the squad were seen wearing light blue berets and Jones was referred to as "Secretary General" are unfounded. -
<p>Yeah, I'm not ecstatic about this one. Sure, Hughes is eligible but I also ask <em><strong>should</strong></em> he be eligible? And for me - and many others - the answer is no. The thing is I don't blame Percentage Eddie for this, he is coach and his job is to get the best team on the field within his parameters. I also don't blame Hughes. He has become eligible to play international rugby for one of the top sides in the world, why would he say no (unless of course he really wants to play for the land of his birth).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's the current laws that need looking at, but what the hell, we've all been over this many times before.</p>
