RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1)

@Catogrande said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@MajorRage said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Looking forward to a week of media here.

Haka-gate, refs in pocket gate, poaching gate, arrogant gate, cheat gate.

Bring it on!

I think you’ll find, arrogant-gate is one of ours. You’re welcome to the others though.

Get outta town! Fella at the club asked me a question about next week's game...I laughed nervously and went to say I'll be watching from a basement somewhere or something. Only thing is he jumped straight in after my laugh with "See it's arrogance like that!!"...

@Catogrande said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@MajorRage said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Looking forward to a week of media here.

Haka-gate, refs in pocket gate, poaching gate, arrogant gate, cheat gate.

Bring it on!

I think you’ll find, arrogant-gate is one of ours. You’re welcome to the others though.

Let's agree to share that one.

@Mokey said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@MajorRage How could you forget Aura?

Good call. But I suspect it will be about missing / diminished Aura.
Mainly from the Sun, who tend to dust off their rugby scribes just in time every 4 years or so and then equally quickly stuff them back into hibernation for another few years.

@Billy-Webb said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

quickly stuff them

I can make some other suggestions where they should "stuff them".

Hope they play tuilagi at 13 , I know he is a handful carrying the ball, but I reckon we can expose him in defence, slow to move laterally

Attack the strengths is usually the way to go when you work out what the other team will be planning for.

We know that linespeed is still a big part of the England defence and that we have been putting together ways to combat that.
With Ireland we know they would hope to put up a wall to stop our attack so gave them the ball and asked them to be creative. It was our defence that then caused their errors which we attacked off.
With England I think we will hold on to the ball a bit more, suck their back three up to fill holes in the line then plug the corners. Play them at their own game and take away their strength

@Billy-Webb said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@MajorRage said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Looking forward to a week of media here.

Haka-gate, refs in pocket gate, poaching gate, arrogant gate, cheat gate.

Bring it on!

Going to be fun reading the expert opinion columns.

I get sick of seeing these bloody columns....

Joe Bloggs thinks England will beat All Blacks and here's how they'll do it... Whipdee blimmin do!

@booboo said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

So refs ...

Let's assume the top four refs got the QFs. That's the model they've used post 2007 when they tried to develop a couple of younger refs.

Backfired slightly.

On that subject we can't get Barnes for this match which, nowadays, is a bit of shame.

Leaves Faeces, Nige and Peyper.

Distinct preference not to get Faeces.

I'll allow Nige his few indiscretions yesterday but either of Nige or Jaco would be ok.

I wrote a bit on the other thread about this.

I reckon they won't give either us or England Owens and Garces twice in a row and Barnes can't do it - so that means Peyper.

On the same principle, Owens can't do Wales-SA and they won't give SA Barnes again - so Garces to get that one.

Leaving Owens and Barnes to fight out the final unless both Wales and England get there.

Attack at Farrell - he is bound to make a shoulder tackle eventually

@Nevorian said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Attack at Farrell - he is bound to make a shoulder tackle eventually

Here's an idea. Start with Crotty as you know he won't last long before breaking anyway, then instruct him to run head first at Farrell's shoulder.
The ultimate sacrifice.

@Crucial Nasty mind. mmm could be something to it..

its feeling like a long week

@Crucial Agreed. Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness.

@Chris-B I thought Peyper for our semi as well. Don't want to think about the Final yet.

@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Crucial Agreed. Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness.

Sounds very Sun Tzu, but don't think it is?

@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Chris-B I thought Peyper for our semi as well. Don't want to think about the Final yet.

Nobody should be thinking about the final yet. Particularly Kiwis.

@Snowy said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Chris-B I thought Peyper for our semi as well. Don't want to think about the Final yet.

Nobody should be thinking about the final yet. Particularly Kiwis.

Nah! I'm taking a positive approach. I can't even countenance a loss to the poms, so it simply won't happen.

As long as the players and coaches don't look too far ahead, of course.

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Attack the strengths is usually the way to go when you work out what the other team will be planning for.

We know that linespeed is still a big part of the England defence and that we have been putting together ways to combat that.
With Ireland we know they would hope to put up a wall to stop our attack so gave them the ball and asked them to be creative. It was our defence that then caused their errors which we attacked off.
With England I think we will hold on to the ball a bit more, suck their back three up to fill holes in the line then plug the corners. Play them at their own game and take away their strength

Yea, winning the territorial battle will be key - England simply do not play any rugby inside their own half, so we need to keep them there and ask them to kick the ball back to us. The Aussies did half of England's job for them on the weekend with their inability / refusal to exit their own 22m after kick offs.

@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Chris-B I thought Peyper for our semi as well. Don't want to think about the Final yet.

I'm not sure how happy I'd be with him, TBH. He reffed well in the first Lions test in 2017, but he's also the nonce that didn't card Farrell for one of his blatant shoulder charges (I believe it was on Rodda).

@junior Yeah that's a good point - if you plug it deep, it's not exactly a scary prospect to have their back 3 and/or 10 run it back - which they most likely wouldn't anyway. Watson is the scariest there and while he's great going forward I don't see him as dangerous when well behind the line.

There really is something about the English, isn't there? Absolutely no chance of us getting ambushed when this kind of tosh is being written...

New Zealand will be less profligate; they will also be less tactically gung-ho and possess a far better kicking game. But England, unlike Ireland, are a team on the up, having started to marry physical dynamism with surer judgment and calmer decision-making. Do the All Blacks have prop forwards who offer a greater carrying threat than Sinckler and Mako Vunipola? Do they have a hooker in better form than Jamie George? Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje? If, on the day, the answer to even some of those questions is “no” then England will feel they can, at worst, rattle the All Blacks’ cage.

Kick the ball to the stratosphere for Daly to have loads of pressure on him when he's attempting to catch it.

He'll shit the bed. Tries will come.

And Smith to make sniping runs from the back of the scrum and ruck.

Youngs is fast going forward. Not so much going backwards.

Or just tell them that although they might have decided to win the game, the way they will do it will need to be agreed on in the House of Commons.

@MiketheSnow said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Kick the ball to the stratosphere for Daly to have loads of pressure on him when he's attempting to catch it.

He'll shit the bed. Tries will come.

Daly got badly exposed on defence vs Aust with poor positional play and a lack of pace.

@Billy-Tell said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Frizzel or PT for the bench??

I’d probably go Frizell

Even before the news of Todd's injury I would have been tempted to play Frizell. While Patty T would provide impact off the bench and some size, at least one of BBBR or Whitelock will play the full 80 mins so having 2 reserve locks is redundant. Barrett could be used at 6 and then lock again.

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

There really is something about the English, isn't there? Absolutely no chance of us getting ambushed when this kind of tosh is being written...

New Zealand will be less profligate; they will also be less tactically gung-ho and possess a far better kicking game. But England, unlike Ireland, are a team on the up, having started to marry physical dynamism with surer judgment and calmer decision-making. Do the All Blacks have prop forwards who offer a greater carrying threat than Sinckler and Mako Vunipola? Do they have a hooker in better form than Jamie George? Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje? If, on the day, the answer to even some of those questions is “no” then England will feel they can, at worst, rattle the All Blacks’ cage.

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And people wonder why the English are the team we love to hate, and beat

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Or just tell them that although they might have decided to win the game, the way they will do it will need to be agreed on in the House of Commons.

That, for me, is the one-line post of the year!

@canefan said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

There really is something about the English, isn't there? Absolutely no chance of us getting ambushed when this kind of tosh is being written...

New Zealand will be less profligate; they will also be less tactically gung-ho and possess a far better kicking game. But England, unlike Ireland, are a team on the up, having started to marry physical dynamism with surer judgment and calmer decision-making. Do the All Blacks have prop forwards who offer a greater carrying threat than Sinckler and Mako Vunipola? Do they have a hooker in better form than Jamie George? Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje? If, on the day, the answer to even some of those questions is “no” then England will feel they can, at worst, rattle the All Blacks’ cage.

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And people wonder why the English are the team we love to hate, and beat

Yes and I suppose it's fortunate that in general we do not tend to judge New Zealanders on Stuff.co.nz etc articles.

Sheesh!

@Catogrande dont worry mate you're ok. Exceptional, but ok

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

At 6 I'd play Barrett in the first half and Savea in the second

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

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I think that's worth upvoting ...

Sam Cane injury free?

The Boks must be stoked that they lost to NZ in the pools stage...Japan then Wales V Ireland and England?

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

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I wouldn't pick any English players in a combined ABs/England 15.

@mofitzy_ said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Sam Cane injury free?

Yes.

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

View image

I wouldn't pick any English players in a combined ABs/England 15.

These combined team things are rubbish. Two teams with entirely different playing styles and the players selected to go with them. Ben Smith is a case in point. Playing England's way you would jump to have Bender at 15. Playing NZs style he gets left out.
England want their props to be ball carriers, we want ours to get to rucks quickly.

etc etc

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

View image

I wouldn't pick any English players in a combined ABs/England 15.

These combined team things are rubbish. Two teams with entirely different playing styles and the players selected to go with them. Ben Smith is a case in point. Playing England's way you would jump to have Bender at 15. Playing NZs style he gets left out.
England want their props to be ball carriers, we want ours to get to rucks quickly.

etc etc

Easy there fella it was a joke

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

View image

I wouldn't pick any English players in a combined ABs/England 15.

These combined team things are rubbish. Two teams with entirely different playing styles and the players selected to go with them. Ben Smith is a case in point. Playing England's way you would jump to have Bender at 15. Playing NZs style he gets left out.
England want their props to be ball carriers, we want ours to get to rucks quickly.

etc etc

Easy there fella it was a joke

Just leveraging off your post to comment on the likes of this...

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

View image

I wouldn't pick any English players in a combined ABs/England 15.

These combined team things are rubbish. Two teams with entirely different playing styles and the players selected to go with them. Ben Smith is a case in point. Playing England's way you would jump to have Bender at 15. Playing NZs style he gets left out.
England want their props to be ball carriers, we want ours to get to rucks quickly.

etc etc

Easy there fella it was a joke

Just leveraging off your post to comment on the likes of this...

View embedded content

It’s a long week to fill with non-sensical irrational content.

Perfect for the Fern.

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Crucial said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@No-Quarter said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@NTA said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@junior said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

Are Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock superior locks to Maro Itoje?

View image

I wouldn't pick any English players in a combined ABs/England 15.

These combined team things are rubbish. Two teams with entirely different playing styles and the players selected to go with them. Ben Smith is a case in point. Playing England's way you would jump to have Bender at 15. Playing NZs style he gets left out.
England want their props to be ball carriers, we want ours to get to rucks quickly.

etc etc

Easy there fella it was a joke

Just leveraging off your post to comment on the likes of this...

View embedded content

Stuart Barnes.

Trolling trolling trolling ...

Taken from Reddit:

England had just 10 minutes and 34 seconds of possession in their #RWC2019 quarter-final against Australia, their lowest amount in a game since Opta have recorded this data (2010)

I admit, sometimes modern rugby just confuses the f*%k out of me.

The way possession and territory stats can flip flop from week to week and not often have any bearing on the result.

I don't know how to begin to analyse the upcoming semifinal when you have a team defying their national sterotype and yet winning so convincingly.
From ESPN stats: