The Silver Fern

I swear I’m blind to the Dorris thing, don’t rate him and don’t understand how he just won man of the match

Ireland get home, fair play. But Australia are back. Why can’t we have Schmidt

I think the ref has had a good game, I have one minor complaint, Ireland have to be told several times at every break down to leave it, or hands off, or roll away. It’s frustrating and should be pinged quicker

Ireland infront with 6 to play, they’re still a good side. Aus need some territory and some sustained possession, hoping for a barn storming end

Aussie number 4 (don’t know his name sorry) is having a massive game.

Australia defence has been immense, really impressive. Like the look of this side. James Lowe on the other hand, is having a shocker and moans and dives like a little girl

Oh and Bethel, at three is a joke, don’t care what he’s shown in the nets, he hasn’t played enough FC cricket to prove he deserves a spot in this team. The Key, Mac and Stokes team have basically disappeared up their own arse

The game just doesn’t seem to care about slow overrates. I’ve been complaining about this for years and it’s only got worse, England are a disgrace, the Ashes last year was a bloody joke.

Overall, not having seen any of it last night, I think we’re already in trouble here, England can’t bat on pitches where the ball does anything, expect us to be 40-4 in fairly short order if we ever manage to take the last wickets

Fell asleep in the second half, woke up to see the same back row on the pitch. Learned nothing from that game, still can’t defend, still not dynamic enough at the breakdown.. awful autumn all told, worse than I thought we might be with fundamental flaws in our game. Change the coach…

This team could be good if they got their coaching and training sorted out

Woeful defence, one guy blitzing, rest drifting. What the fuck do they do in training?

Fascinated how a two man overlap getting cut out by a guy 3 yards offside on his own fry line isn’t a try scoring opportunity. How have they not looked at that?!

Lovely hands from Smith, nice line from Lawrence. About time

Scotland, flopping, laying and rolling on the wrong side of the ruck since 1879.

Played well in the second half and deserved to win in the end but Jesus I can’t understand how the ref just ignored how often they were off feet on the wrong side and not moving, let alone walking around the side of rucks.

I was baffled by that decision, didn’t realise momentum rule applies to knock ons - seems ridiculous to me. Ball definitely went backwards, would be interesting to see what would have been given were the players reversed, I think it would have been a knock on by France - how could it be a knock on in both scenarios?!

Pretty sickened that Tom Curry is starting two weeks after being knocked out, second time in five weeks apparently. Don’t understand how that represents player welfare

never look forward to watching scotland usually but actually think this is the most interesting test of the weekend. Scotland are a good side, and we might get a proper measure of where this Aus team are - win and they may genuinely have turned a corner, lose and it may be a blip on their improvement journey or may be a sign that we got a bit carried away following wins against two teams who can't defend at the moment.

@pooler-fan said in Wales v Springboks:

The biggest concern for us in Wales at the moment should be the apathy among the supporters.
Many of my friends don't bother even watching games on TV anymore never mind buying a ticket.
It's a slippery slope. 😟
As for the game, it's a foregone conclusion.
We struggle against anyone with a degree of physicality and we're playing the most physical side in world rugby.
Again some strange selections but whatever the team it'd be like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic!!

Do you think the apathy is driven by the results, or do you think its a general lack of interest in rugby at all levels as attentions have turned elsewhere. I remember living in Cardiff in the late '90s and being amazed at how many public parks had rugby posts instead of football posts - so different to England, I get the sense that isn't as true anymore.

Results definitely have an effect on international crowds, it may not take long for those to turn around if results pick up. Worryingly, England have been pulling decent crowds and club attendances were ok last season but the RFU still managed to make a £40mn loss.

@MiketheSnow said in World Rugby confirms changes to be implemented across the global game:

The Law of Unintended Consequences

'We need to speed up the game'

'How about not straight at the line out when the defending team doesn't compete is play on?'

'Great. Implement it'

Most defending teams won't go up at a 5m line out as they wait for the attacking catcher to come back to earth so they can execute a legal counter maul

So there's no onus on the hooker to throw straight which creates a greater chance of securing possession and setting up an impregnable maul

This has increased the likelihood of the attacking team scoring and because they're in a stronger position (formation wise) more likelihood that the defending team will commit a foul resulting in a Penalty Try and/or YC.

The review by ref and TMO has actually slowed the game down and made the lineout less of a contest.

I agree but I’m even more offended by refs just ignoring the fact that the attacking team are getting into position to maul before the hooker has even released the ball, two or three men step outside of the line and circle behind the receiver, what happened to not leaving or joining the lineout until it’s moved off the plane?

@Catogrande said in England vs Springboks:

@Dodge

Re that fringe defence, there was an interesting take on the Rugby Pod. Basically that there were a few times normally good fringe defenders got found out and that was not coincidence. The system or maybe the change in defence coach is more likely the issue. Andy Foode made a good point about Joe El Abd was coach of Oyannax who were 16th out of 18 in Div2 of the French league. Is that good enough to warrant promotion to England coach?

No, it’s not. The appointment is mental and a reflection that serious coaches don’t want to work with Borthwick.