Springboks v England - Test #2
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I've never understood Malherbe (I've never seen him dominate a scrum and he isn't any more likely to after a second serious neck injury. Plus now he's lazy.)
Or Kriel (defensive liability, attacking black hole.)
Or Gelant (defensive liability, weak positional play, poor kicker - he's like a worse version of '97 era Percy.)
I feel like I must be watching different players than the coaches, journos and public.
And I don't understand this bench.
How I hope they all prove me wrong tomorrow.
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@sidbarret said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
No flyhalf/goalkicking cover on the bench - So Pollard is slated to play the entire game on Saturday with no injury cover. Should Pollard go down injured, Le Roux will move to flyhalf (he's never done that at pro level to my knowledge) and De Klerk will take over the kicking (he's never done that at pro level to my knowledge).
De Klerk kicked for Sale. Few games I watched he kicked well.
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@kruse said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@catogrande said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@antipodean said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@catogrande from what I've read, there are four people happy with the selection. Shields, Jones and Shield's parents.
One thing England is not short of is players with Shield's skill set.
You sort of get the feeling that he's been selected because he's a Kiwi that qualifies for England rather than yeah, we need him 'cos the alternatives are dogshit.
Perhaps trying to import some of that "no dickheads" culture?
If Eddie knows that he can't keep Robshaw around too much longer, he might be trying to fill that gap (decent guy who gives his all, and can be a role model), rather than any on-field gap?
I don't really believe that... it seems like too much of an "anti-conspiracy theory", but it sounds nice.Either that or Jones is a shit coach.
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@sidbarret question about your locks: where are Estebeth and de Jager?
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@booboo said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@sidbarret question about your locks: where are Estebeth and de Jager?
Injured.
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@billy-tell thanks. Not following SA closely enough/at all.
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@antipodean said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@catogrande from what I've read, there are four people happy with the selection. Shields, Jones and Shield's parents.
One thing England is not short of is players with Shield's skill set.
Do they drop the ball a lot too?
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@mikethesnow Wyatt Crockett - 71 test caps 25 starts, 46 off the bench.
DMac is going to struggle to get future test starts when Beauden and Jordie are around and fit (and while Ben Smith remains around). I think Richie Mo'unga is a better first five starting option than DMac, as well.
If he recovers from his head knocks, I reckon Will Jordan will eventually push DMac down the fullback queue as well, but DMac's utility value will likely see him get a lot of test appearances from the bench.
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@mn5 said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@antipodean said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
@catogrande from what I've read, there are four people happy with the selection. Shields, Jones and Shield's parents.
One thing England is not short of is players with Shield's skill set.
Do they drop the ball a lot too?
That is not a position specific skill set in England.
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@tim said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
If rugby still had fights, I don't think that anyone would mind a forward smacking Owen Farrell.
I'd written something similar, but too lazy to post.
He's going for the ”Most Unlikeable Character” in the England team... and while you'd think it's hard to pip Mike Brown, shit he's giving it a red hot go. Ask the ref just now, I'd say he'd vote Farrell. -
@sapetyvi said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
Talk about refs not carding a team, how the fark did Mako escape without a yellow there?
The amount of niggle in this game, they just don't know where to draw the line.
I'd have liked to seen Itoje's lashed boot out at der Klerk (sp?) again on replay... just nasty niggly shit all over the field. -
@kruse the line should definetily be around there where someone smacks another player trapped in a ruck. Maybe not overly dangerous, but that belongs shit belongs to a cage, not a rugby field.
On another forum someone suggested Itoje kicked de Klerk on the testicles in the same phase, didn't see it myself tho.
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@tim said in Springboks v England - Test #2:
An entire generation of English outside backs have been cursed to repeat the Jason Robinson skip-step at contact.
Yes, but generally Robinson had the ball when performing said side-step
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Faf de Klerk having another great game. England struggling when SA up the pace and aggression.
Shields largely anonymous - can't figure out if he anonymous or doing tons of unseen work
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Boks in one week from 7th to 3rd in World Rankings. Quite Hilarious.
