England to whitewash Australia
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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> </p>
<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>
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<p>Losses to Argentina or South Africa are probably unacceptable. </p>
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<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> </p>
<p>The poms lost the moral high ground about selecting islanders year ago (and to be fair, most f them acknowledged it too).</p>
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<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>
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<p>It's the current laws that need looking at, but what the hell, we've all been over this many times before.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="602561" data-time="1470146333">
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<p>Didn't he play for Fiji A when he was Auckland? I thought the national team, the 7s team and one side of their choosing (for us it is Maori I believe) all bind you to that union. Did that change?</p>
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<p>He was selected for the Fiji Warriors (basically Fiji A) in 2012. Fiji Warriors first played in 2006 in the PRC but alongside Fiji Barbarians so was not considered the actual A side. This went on for the first five years. Wiki tells us that after 2011 Fiji Warriors were considered the proper Fiji A side which would make Hughes ineligible for any other international side. However, Wiki also tells us that he is qualified to play for Fiji, Tonga and England.</p>
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<p>I think all we can glean from this with any certainty is that Wiki cannot be trusted.</p> -
<p>This also from Wiki in regard to Hughes:-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"In 2009, Hughes was scouted by <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelston_Boys'_High_School' title="Kelston Boys' High School">Kelston Boys' High School</a>'s Athens Henare, the head of department for P.E for Kelston, when they toured Fiji in 2008."</p>
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<p>Hmmm.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="602572" data-time="1470151688">
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<p>This also from Wiki in regard to Hughes:-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"In 2009, Hughes was scouted by <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelston_Boys'_High_School' title="Kelston Boys' High School">Kelston Boys' High School</a>'s Athens Henare, the head of department for P.E for Kelston, when they toured Fiji in 2008."</p>
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<p>Hmmm.</p>
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<p>So we poached him, didn't use him, he went to UK & now they have him.</p>
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<p>I'm OK with him playing for England so long as he stays there for 10 years. Those poaches are a bit shitty, but they don't annoy me anywhere near as much as ones like Rikey Flutey who go to England, qualify, play, get dumped, move offshore immediately. Those one's where the player clearly has zero long term (or even short term) tie to the country are shithouse. </p>
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<p>If a guy goes to a new country, likes it, commits to the country & decides "yup, this is where I want to live & raise my kids etc" then he should totally be allowed to represent that country without people screaming poach. If he goes somewhere, qualifies, plays 1 year, gets dropped & moves to France we should be allowed to throw dogshit at him in the street. Which, handily, French streets are full of. </p> -
<p>Suggested revision to thread title: "England to limewash Australia"</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="602562" data-time="1470146614"><p>
It's not the Maori.</p></blockquote>
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Can be and has been before, and might actually be now. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="602572" data-time="1470151688"><p>
This also from Wiki in regard to Hughes:-<br><br>
"In 2009, Hughes was scouted by <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelston_Boys'_High_School">Kelston Boys' High School</a>'s Athens Henare, the head of department for P.E for Kelston, when they toured Fiji in 2008."<br><br>
Hmmm.</p></blockquote>
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Your point Cato?<br><br>
Being scouted for a school does not disqualify him for his country. Sure it COULD have led to a international level poaching but didn't. <br><br>
However him being scouted by an English club did ....<br><br>
Hmmmm
