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Six Nations 2008
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FB - I can see your point but I enjoyed it enormously but only because I had a vested interest.
The team were at least trying on this occasion, but perhaps too much. Trying too hard not to make mistakes. However, after the shocking performances against France and Wales all I asked for was an improvement. And that I got.
Hiya Nemo - hard cheese for your lads too. Didn't think the Englanders had it in them!
Things didn't quite go our way but all is not lost. We can end competiton on a high. Whether we will or not is up to debate and the knives are out for old Frank but we must give him these two games to pull it round. I like him, although he is perhaps a tad laid back.
The Irish look dangerous and the Welsh rampant. However the French are stuttering and if they actually fire on all cylinders it's going to be awesome.
Wales - France could be an absolute broken play ball fest
CLOWNWATCH:
Ian Balshaw strikes again...and again...and again. I particularly liked the way that one of his cock-ups under the high ball was somebody else's fault. He must be hoping that Coco Ashton sees it the same way. Unfortunately, he probably will. Still, I suppose that Balshaw is the best English-qualified fullback in the country, what with Lewsey, Morgan, Armitage, Abendanon, Tait and Cipriani being injured 'n' all
Coco seems to have been reading the Janet and John book of Coaching a little more thoroughly this week. He resisted the temptation to throw on all his replacements with 15 minutes to go, just because 'it's a 22 man game nowadays', and whaddya know? Noone did anything silly, England closed out the game.
Of course, despite being defensively sound, England had no spark of creativity in the backs. It's only to be expected with Noon and Wilkinson at 10 and 13. England have a crop of backs who could be (quite literally) world-beaters. There is no reason why a side can't play with both forward power and running backs...except for lack of vision in the coaching staff.
I've said it before and I'll say it again; look at the stats for Newcastle in the Premiership. Look at the stats for the top teams. Which teams have the better back lines? Why is the Newcastle back line playing for England?
The good news is that we seem to keep finding good back-rowers. The bad news is thaqt this means that Coco will have to make a choice...and we know he's not very good at that, don't we, boys and girls?
The bad news is thaqt this means that Coco will have to make a choice.
Poaching in league then!
Wouldn't be at all surprised if he selected a couple of flankers from RL
England aren't short of decent back row players:
Moody, Worsley, Rees, Ward-Smith, Lipman, Croft, Haskell, Lund, Easter, Crane, Narraway, just off the top of my head. The problems are
a) getting them fit
b) working out who playes where and with whom
a) getting them fit
Club V country problem?
b) working out who playes where and with whom
Ashton the super coach!
Also see Billy connelly "The scotland football team routine"
Agreed about Mike Brown.
I've just had a look on the Falcons' website; it seems they've had 3 or 4 GP games as 10 Wilkinson 12 Flood 13 Noon; I'm not sure that the 'crap pack' argument is anything other than a smokescreen; they don't look incisive even when behind a dominant 8
I don't think that they're bad players, just that it's not the best combination to produce attacking rugby.
Why not go:
9 Care/Wigglesworth
10 Lamb
11 Varndell or Strettle
12 Geraghty
13 Hipkiss or even better J S-D
14 Sackey
15 Cipriani or Abendanon
and see what sort of an attacking edge that gives? (I know one or two of the above are injured) I also recognise that it might leak a few tries...and that I've left out several other exciting players...
Actually Balshaw's perfomance was one of the few things I enjoyed on Saturday. Even I would have been nearer that high ball that he missed... probably.
Also when he tried to join the ruck and Brian Moore started shouting "What are you doing - you're a fullback!!!"
I bet the Scots are praying that he plays next time!
Ooh, I've just noticed I've got an icon!
Well I was never going to get the Ironman or really fast marathon one - I'm quite chuffed
Not at all. Best of the three. Ulstermen flying and Murphy at the top of his game.
Scotland, Ireland, France.
Balshaw's not playing so I think Scotland are out of luck.
I predict victories for Wales (ooh - controversial!), England and France.
I'm going to have to run the Finchley 20 in record time to try and get back in time for France v. Italy. I'll tape it just to be on the safe side!
Balshaw's back!
I take it back - Scotland to win!!!
Oh.
My.
God.
Is it April 1st..?
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. That was a serious report, wasn't it?
Good to see that Coco has called up another fly half to the bench...you can never have too many fly halves in a side...I mean, who would fill in at 10 if Wilkinson, Flood and Hodgson all got injured? Surely there's a place for Andy Goode?
Ashton doesn't know what he's doing.
<wanders off, shaking head>
I bet Patterson's out practicing high kicks as I type...
Of course Balshaw could always play a blinder and win the game for England with a hat-trick of tries...
Can't catch.
Can't tackle.
Has no positional sense whatsoever.
He may be able to make the odd good run (in theory), but so can several other players, who bring the added minor benefits of being able to catch and tackle.
Absolutely unbelievable.
My prediction is........................
F*ck knows!
Rugby player caught out drinking and staying out late midweek
what the hell is going on in rugby????
they'll stop them drinking aftershave next.....
well - I can see the Scottsh tactics now - drop a high one in Balshaw's general direction as he probably will be miles away and chase up like buggery and snaffle the loose ball....
To be fair he did have a go at rucking the other week so he's obviously willing to learn new skills. Is Brian Moore going to be commentating on this match? He might have a fit!
<books seat behind sofa for duration of match>
Wales, France and probably Scotland if they can follow up the high ball...