Official Rugby Thread

[ripper868]

Burgess is in. Twelvetrees is out.

 

[WalkingWicket]

Burgess is in. Twelvetrees is out.

Good, Burgess had to be in. Disappointed about Cipriani, but understand why he wasn't selected.

 

[Hurricane]

England could win this cup just quietly they have selected their best squad possible. No screw ups by the selectors despite some claims to the contrary.

 

[BoyBrumby]

England could win this cup just quietly they have selected their best squad possible. No screw ups by the selectors despite some claims to the contrary.

I'd have taken Cipriani over Goode; for all the latter's distribution skills his lack of gas means I can't see him ever being a genuine threat to the best defences in tests.

Our back row looks strong on grunt and short on guile too, but the Kvesic ship had sailed as soon as we named Robshaw captain. Huge work rate and all that, but not a proper ball scaving 7.

Minor gripes though. Injuries (Corbs & Croft), dickheads (Hartley & Manu) & playing in France (Armitage, S) aside, we've probably done as well as we could've.

 

[Hurricane]

I'd have taken Cipriani over Goode; for all the latter's distribution skills his lack of gas means I can't see him ever being a genuine threat to the best defences in tests.

Our back row looks strong on grunt and short on guile too, but the Kvesic ship had sailed as soon as we named Robshaw captain. Huge work rate and all that, but not a proper ball scaving 7.

Minor gripes though. Injuries (Corbs & Croft), dickheads (Hartley & Manu) & playing in France (Armitage, S) aside, we've probably done as well as we could've.

All going swimmingly Goode won't play. He is a depth player. By making sensible selections at the centres the odds on England have shortened with this news,

 

[WalkingWicket]

I seriously doubt England's ability to win this competition. On a one-off occasion, we can pull together and beat South Africa/New Zealand (Australia is a different matter), but having to play Wales, then Australia, then Scotland in the quarters (which won't be easy), then SA in the semis and NZ in the final in order to win in the space of a month will put serious strain on this relatively inexperienced side. We just won't come up trumps every time. In order to win we'd have to be playing our best rugby every minute of every game, and even 10 poor minutes against a top side will cost us a game (as shown against France), and we can't afford that. Also, I don't think we have the quality in the pack to match up to SA, amongst others, so it's a semi-final exit for England at the hands of SA for me. That's if we get out of the group, which remains to be seen.

 

[Hurricane]

I seriously doubt England's ability to win this competition. On a one-off occasion, we can pull together and beat South Africa/New Zealand (Australia is a different matter), but having to play Wales, then Australia, then Scotland in the quarters (which won't be easy), then SA in the semis and NZ in the final in order to win in the space of a month will put serious strain on this relatively inexperienced side. We just won't come up trumps every time. In order to win we'd have to be playing our best rugby every minute of every game, and even 10 poor minutes against a top side will cost us a game (as shown against France), and we can't afford that. Also, I don't think we have the quality in the pack to match up to SA, amongst others, so it's a semi-final exit for England at the hands of SA for me. That's if we get out of the group, which remains to be seen.

Of course you could go out at any stage but so could SA and so could the All Blacks. We have lost in the quarterfinals by not taking them seriously before. Every team needs to be at its best.
England are in this like dirty shirts.

 

[WalkingWicket]

Of course you could go out at any stage but so could SA and so could the All Blacks. We have lost in the quarterfinals by not taking them seriously before. Every team needs to be at its best.
England are in this like dirty shirts.

But SA and particularly NZ win games even when they don't play their best - my mind goes back to New Zealand vs Wales last year, when Wales were leading for most of the game, and NZ were perhaps the poorer side, but they pushed through owing to superior ball players (Barrett scored a cracking try) and mental strength and that certain Kiwi belief that you can't lose, and so won. SAs immense physical power and fitness mean they are always in games. England don't have the quality of player, nor the mentality to take them to victories when they're down. SA won't face a tough game until the quarters, when they'll play Aussie or Wales (hopefully), whereas England will have had to put in two big shifts already to overturn Wales and Australia in the group. I'm probably rambling now, but these are my thoughts on why England won't win. Note that I'm a typical pessimistic British ***.

 

[Hurricane]

England have a very hard road to the final, so they are far from certainties. But they have a better team than 2007 when they made the final.

 

[hendrix]

That squad announcedment yesterday was so weird. Congratulating them before they've done anything, pats on the back, weird patriotism and very much a National Party advertising piece. I couldn't watch it.

Very disappointed that Piutau and Sopoaga have missed out. I think Piutau in particular should've been there ahead of Naholo. He's better defensively, is more sound under the high ball, is just as strong and can play 13 or 15 if need be. He also doesn't have a broken leg...kinda key point there.

Colin Slade is a good player and he adds versatility in that he can play on the wing, at fullback and halfback in a pinch but we've already got Ben Smith and Beauden Barrett who can do all that. Tawera Kerr-Barlow is also extremely lucky to be in the squad.

Messam shouldn't be there. He's been poor all year. Would rather pick another lock. Sonny Bill Williams has done nothing of note and shouldn't be picked either.

A very disappointing squad.

 

[Hurricane]

Very incisive post.

 

[Smudge]

A very disappointing squad? **** a duck - watch out for the falling skies.

Bar one or two debatable positions, it's fairly predictable. Wearing my Highlanders hat, I like the Naholo selection. He can play both wings (scored 9 tries on the left wing for the 'Naki) last year, and he fits into the mould of being a player our opposition at the RWC won't know too much about - ala Mehrtens, Lomu, Kronfeld at the 1995 RWC.

SBW was always going to get picked. They've invested too much in him (I don't mean Khoder Nasser holding Steve Tew to ransom or anything) and his upside - when it appears - is pretty good.

At the end of the day, replacements are only 48 hours away, and I think it's vital to have that cover in the spine positions - hooker, openside flanker, halfback and first five. Which we have.

 

[Hurricane]

Upon consideration, as long as we play one of our taller flankers at lock against Uruguay or one of our weaker opponents I see nothing wrong with the tactics. But will complain if Brodie and Sam aren't given spells during pool play. Even though the games are spaced out why risk them through weekly play.

 

[hendrix]

Bar one or two debatable positions, it's fairly predictable. Wearing my Highlanders hat, I like the Naholo selection. He can play both wings (scored 9 tries on the left wing for the 'Naki) last year, and he fits into the mould of being a player our opposition at the RWC won't know too much about - ala Mehrtens, Lomu, Kronfeld at the 1995 RWC.

I like Naholo too but you can't pick a guy who broke his leg 6 weeks ago. That's one hell of a gamble on both him and his career. Of course he's going to jump at the opportunity but when is he getting game time to test it properly?

Piutau played out of his skin. Moreover, he doesn't have a broken leg. Broken leg, broken leg, broken leg, broken record....

SBW...well I suppose he's the most like-for-like with Nonu. He's just not that good, and he's lost a lot of pace too. I really wish we'd experimented a bit more in the centres 2-3 years ago. Really relying on Nonu to be healthy.

Yes, replacements are only 48hrs away. And I agree that it's important to have depth at hooker, halfback and first 5. I think we need more depth at lock though. I know Vito covers but it just feels a bit thin.

 

[Smudge]

Let's not call it a broken leg. That conjures up pictures of giant casts and crutches. It was a hairline fracture.

I actually reckon one of the luckiest blokes is Ben Franks. A thug and pretty average at scrum time.

 

[hendrix]

yeah Franks is quite lucky. I liked that young bloke they brought in.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Damn. I vowed not to watch a single second of this nonsense masquarading as a sport during the World Cup but flicking through the channels stumbled across 3 seconds of RSA v Japan.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Ever since my first PE lesson at senior school when the teacher explained the offside law and I decided it was something I didn't understand and vowed never to need to, I've had complete disinterest in rugby. However on seeing the result of the England v Wales match I couldn't help a little chuckle - and feel a bit unclean.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

They had a listeners poll on talk sport yesterday about which of the home nations was likely to proceed furthest in the tournament.
Due mainly to the relative difficulty of the last eight opponents Ireland came first and Wales second. Yet England came third with 15% to Scotland's 13%. I've never understood rugby.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I don't follow Rugby League and have no idea who this man is, but it's a shocker.

BBC Sport - Chris Leatherbarrow: Rugby league match official dies, aged 26