Six Nations 2017

[Crucial]

England backline finally get good ball on the 22 and look like they just met before the game.
Hartley going nuts because Italy are purposely not forming rucks then making the most of having no offside line. England too used to the training ground drills and can't work out what to do...

Finally though they use brute force to pile over the line from a maul

Kick to come... Farrell misses (0/3 at the moment)

5-0

[Billy Tell]

Italy milking to the max the tackle vs ruck rule.

[Kruse]

@Crucial commentators also bemused by the "tackle only" tactics... finally got their heads around it and taking GREAT pains to explain it to the vauntedly "rugby smart" public.

[Crucial]

Italy camped in Englands corner but not able to get over.

Hartley still getting the law explained to him

'I understand your frustration, but those are the laws'
"What are we meant to do?"
"I'm the ref not your coach'

[Crucial]

Italian scrum smash the poms and win a penalty ten take a quick tap

[Crucial]

England trying the no-ruck trick now too.

Doesn't work, Italy get a DK

5-3 England 33 minutes

[Crucial]

Has Hartley ever read the Law book?

[Wairau]

Wonderful break, Italy! Cynically killed by Hughes on England's 22, in exchange for a penalty kick. Missed! Try off the posts, great following up!

[Crucial]

Italy with kick in front just on halftime that hits the post, is regathered and they score a try instead!

10-5 to Italy

Bookies will be happy. Eddie will be furious

[Kruse]

@Crucial said in Six Nations 2017:

Has Hartley ever read the Law book?

Yeah... saw the ref explaining it yet again, and thought it's a massive worry if the English captain doesn't know the rules.

[Crucial]

Eddie walking down the steps at halftime looking like someone just shat in his beer.

[Crucial]

@Kruse said in Six Nations 2017:

@Crucial said in Six Nations 2017:

Has Hartley ever read the Law book?

Yeah... saw the ref explaining it yet again, and thought it's a massive worry if the English captain doesn't know the rules.

Don't think he was at Rotorua BHS to learn how to read.

[Bones]

@Crucial it's not Hartley it's bloody Haskell! He's being a right knob and this is pretty embarrassing for England, it's fucking simple to understand and they're just whinging. The ref has even explained it clear as day.

Italy playing very well, clicking nicely and working really hard. England looking like the second stringers getting a run out, no cohesion and reverting to Lancaster ball.

[Billy Tell]

Lads if THIS England team takes NZ's record...

That was the most amusing half of rugby ever.

[Crucial]

Hartley's the captain though, it's his job.

Agree that it is horribly embarrassing and it will probably also lead to a quick WR law change

[Bones]

@Crucial yup but that's what's even worse, Haskell is babbling on being thick as fuck at every breakdown and he's not even captain.

[Crucial]

@Bones said in Six Nations 2017:

@Crucial yup but that's what's even worse, Haskell is babbling on being thick as fuck at every breakdown and he's not even captain.

Agree, for Haskell, as a loose forward to not know the laws at the breakdown is appalling.

[Crucial]

Man I wish they had the camera in the sheds at halftime.

What's the bet England just run one off behemoths at the Italian defence phase after phase for the rest of the game?

[Bones]

@Crucial that and it's tailor made for Ford to drop in the pocket and feed wide, flat ball to the outside backs, the space would be immense.

[Bones]

Anyway I'd expect England to romp it home in the second half, Gori a big loss for Italy he was playing fantastic.