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Pool D - England, Argentina, Japan, Samoa, Chile

Who will qualify from the group?


  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .

Chin Music

State Vice-Captain
Lots of silly mistakes, far too much kicking and no real threat with ball in hand (barely any breaks through the gain line). It did improve after 50, helped by Japan beginning to tire.
There was a lot of poor decision making, especially from the likes of Ford and Daly when they had the chance to keep the ball in hand a little more. That said, it looked sharper and brighter, especially with a few of the subs on. That said, it is still difficult to see England really threatening the likes of France/SA/Ireland/NZ.
 

Molehill

International Captain
Lots of silly mistakes, far too much kicking and no real threat with ball in hand (barely any breaks through the gain line). It did improve after 50, helped by Japan beginning to tire.
The players said afterwards it was really difficult to hold the ball, it was so greasy. I think that may have semi explained the incessant kicking (although we're always going to do a lot of that anyway). But in the end, a half decent performance.

There was a lot of poor decision making, especially from the likes of Ford and Daly when they had the chance to keep the ball in hand a little more. That said, it looked sharper and brighter, especially with a few of the subs on. That said, it is still difficult to see England really threatening the likes of France/SA/Ireland/NZ.
England should comfortably win the group now. They have the two lowest ranked teams in the group still to play. I've seen nothing from Group C which suggests England shouldn't win a QF. The draw (like 2007) would then see them play France in a semi. I've just got a feeling that by that stage of the tournament, England's pretty horrific style of play might cause the French some problems. Don't see us winning, but think it could be tight. Long way to go before then mind....
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
I've seen nothing from Group C which suggests England shouldn't win a QF.

The draw (like 2007) would then see them play France in a semi.
1. If Fiji keeps 15 on the field and wins 40% of the ball, there is no reason why they shouldn't beat England in the quarters.

2. There is a very good chance that either Ireland or South Africa beat France in the quarters.
 

Molehill

International Captain
1. If Fiji keeps 15 on the field and wins 40% of the ball, there is no reason why they shouldn't beat England in the quarters.

2. There is a very good chance that either Ireland or South Africa beat France in the quarters.
If Australia beat Wales, then I suspect Fiji will top the group. The one area where Fiji seem to struggle is the lineout, if they don't sort that out then securing 40% ball could be an issue.

It'll be interesting, but I fancy SA to beat Ireland. History has proven that Ireland struggle to win in Paris.
 

Chin Music

State Vice-Captain
If Australia beat Wales, then I suspect Fiji will top the group. The one area where Fiji seem to struggle is the lineout, if they don't sort that out then securing 40% ball could be an issue.

It'll be interesting, but I fancy SA to beat Ireland. History has proven that Ireland struggle to win in Paris.
I also think that Ireland's knockout record is something that might also be a psychological issue.
 

Molehill

International Captain
If Australia beat Wales by more than 7 they'll probably win the group, with Fiji second.
I think they'll need to score 4 tries in the process. Fiji should take 10 points from their remaining two games, which would then leave it as a points difference between the two. I don't see Aus scoring 4 tries against Wales to be honest.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think they'll need to score 4 tries in the process. Fiji should take 10 points from their remaining two games, which would then leave it as a points difference between the two. I don't see Aus scoring 4 tries against Wales to be honest.
Not if we continue to kick everything away and then get monstered at the breakdown
 

Molehill

International Captain
Not if we continue to kick everything away and then get monstered at the breakdown
Yep, I think the best chance Aus have is to make a it an open, free flowing game with lots of tries. If they keep it tight, I think the Welsh pack will be too good. I also don't see Eddie Jones playing a free flowing game either, so the more I think about it, the more ****ed Aus seem to be.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yep, I think the best chance Aus have is to make a it an open, free flowing game with lots of tries. If they keep it tight, I think the Welsh pack will be too good. I also don't see Eddie Jones playing a free flowing game either, so the more I think about it, the more ****ed Aus seem to be.
Campese (yeah, I know) reckons that he’s been told that Eddie has coached all the spontaneity out of the team to the point where nobody trusts themselves so they just hoof it

It’s a shame because they actually have some talented backs
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Wobblies are measurably worse since Eddie took over. They weren't any great shakes under Rennie, but at least one could see what he was trying to do. With Eddie, not so much.

Ironically though England are worse since he left, faintly impressive performance against Los Pumas notwithstanding.

Borthers's game plan might've worked for Leicester, but it's really nullifying our backs. I read somewhere we kicked possession away 78 times against Japan which, in an 80 minute game where possession was pretty even, is criminal, really.
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Borthers's game plan might've worked for Leicester, but it's really nullifying our backs. I read somewhere we kicked possession away 78 times against Japan which, in an 80 minute game where possession was pretty even, is criminal, really.
For Leicester he had probably the best back row in the league the season we won and it was also the most balanced with Liebenberg (lineout), Reffel (fetcher) and Weise (tank). It almost didn't matter that we were playing kick and chase because we were so good at the breakdown that year. For England our back row rarely makes it through 80 minutes without a spell on the pine so there's a crying demand for flexibility that Leicester just didn't need. This is also why even when we were in the midst of our best season for years we were stuffed by a Leinster team with a fully international pack.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah, both teams are hard to watch atm but at least you’re winning

We got involved in a game of forcing back when we needed a converted try

WT actual F was that?
 

Uppercut

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Wobblies are measurably worse since Eddie took over. They weren't any great shakes under Rennie, but at least one could see what he was trying to do. With Eddie, not so much.

Ironically though England are worse since he left, faintly impressive performance against Los Pumas notwithstanding.

Borthers's game plan might've worked for Leicester, but it's really nullifying our backs. I read somewhere we kicked possession away 78 times against Japan which, in an 80 minute game where possession was pretty even, is criminal, really.
In one sense it's impressive that you've found a gameplan that works equally well with 14 men as it does with 15, but it also suggests that it's not exactly maximising your resources.
 

Molehill

International Captain
Campese (yeah, I know) reckons that he’s been told that Eddie has coached all the spontaneity out of the team to the point where nobody trusts themselves so they just hoof it
Wobblies are measurably worse since Eddie took over. They weren't any great shakes under Rennie, but at least one could see what he was trying to do. With Eddie, not so much.

Ironically though England are worse since he left, faintly impressive performance against Los Pumas notwithstanding.
The last 2 years of England under Jones saw the spontaneity gradually coached out of them. To go with that, you had to put up with an arrogant coach talking some embarrassing rubbish that made the team impossible to like.

I don't agree with England being worse since he left. It's just been the natural progression of what Jones started. The last 2 games have at least shown some of the forwards in particular begin to show their previous form. They're certainly the best 2 games I've seen Itoje have in a long time. They're obviously a team with huge limitations, but they at least now seem to be playing a bit more to their optimum ability.
 

ripper868

International Coach
Yeah he got 2 seconds ahead of himself expecting the catch to be made, I'll take one bad nil consequence decision after full time every day of the week though.

Samoa just seemed devoid of energy once they finally got their try, Argentina do just enough.
 

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