So you call that rugby? If so you are as sad as the French

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 07:30

The new look England??? abysmal if it wasn't for Farrell they would have been well beaten.

Listening Lancaster afterwards he must have been watching a different game to me, confidence is another jargon word, what we want to see are results that are meaningful. Poor Charlie who according to some is only there because there is no one else saved the egg on England's face. At least he can hold his head up more than you can say for Foden. I have seen better defence in the under 11's.

The Welsh must be relishing the visit of England.

Now on to the debacle in Paris, the frogs cant organise a p.. up in a brewery fancying choosing a venue that has no under soil heating , then letting all the fans travel,knowing what the temperature were going to be well in advance, and then only heating the pitch not the side lines (did you look where the blowers where prior to the game. Absolutely disgraceful

I did like Johnathan Davies comment give them a point each.

Looks like the 3rd of March for the r

AnthonySmith


Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 08:57

It's a new bunch of players, given relatively little time to train and get used to a new way of playing. Foden was woeful and Youngs just doesn't seem to want to be there. Hodgson is not the answer at 10, but he has the experience that will help Farrell. I thought Farrell's kicking was good and while he is not 'exciting' he was doing the basics well, and Brad Barritt, too. They need time to grow into those roles with an eye on the World Cup, although I guess the belief is that Farrell, once he has enough experience, will move to 10. Strettle did okay, but Ashton, as exciting a player as he can be, still concerns me. There were spells of running rugby from England, backs and forwards, combining. We need to get the consistency of that, and then sit down and watch the All Blacks and Wallabies and how they do it with desire and aggression.

Not a great England team, but it's rebuilding. Confidence, experience and testing times will help. A good win and a difficult loss will pay dividends.

Jefferson


Joined: 17/05/2010
Posts: 360

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 09:39

Message 1.

The Welsh may be relishing the visit of England but I'm not sure in which sport! When they play the match will be at Twickenham.

cinders


Joined: 08/10/2011
Posts: 61

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 09:43

There's no pleasing some anglo-welsh/irish/scot , if Lancaster had stuck to the tried and tested he would be critizized for not giving youth a chance, he goes with a completly new team and he's critzized for that too !!! Not a good performance by a country mile but give them a chance the next world cup is a long way away.

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 10:01

Kieth they were c..p These are experienced premiership/Heineken cup professional players not some ex public schoolboys who are only picked on what school they went to.



They make their living by playing rugby I expect a better performance than that.



World cup is 4 years off are we saying the 6 nations stands for nothing because on our Lapta's friends analysis that is all we are doing.

I suggest you read today's papers comments it looks like I am not alone on my criticism.



I think Youngs has seen the last of his white shirt and Foden I predict may not make the bench.



thank you for picking me up on the venue I meant to say visiting HQ.



I am looking forward to the Scotland/Wales game I think it will be closer than you think, but I wouldn't put my pension on Scotland.

See you this afternoon.

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 227

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 10:18

Hippo, very harsh, and only partly true. England did some of the basic very well (and so they should as they are all professional players, as you said). They lost concentration just before half time (cardinal sin) and the Italians punished them for it, but they showed a completely different attitude after 50 mins with the introduction of Dickson who showed Youngs what quick purposeful ball is all about. The conditions were atrocious and yet England showed that they are capable of fast hands and good running. I think Tuilagi will make a big difference once he is fit, two new centres is a big ask for any team. Foden showed some immaturity, stupid offloads included but I think will settle in to a regular place in the side. Hodgeson seems to being a fair job at number 10 although I am sure that he is only holding the reins for Farrell to come of age. Overall not good enough to beat the French, Welsh or Irish but not a bad start and there is another two weeks to train hard and come together

islandgirl


Joined: 12/09/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 11:22

Never quite worked out why the Irish, the Scots and the Welsh have to be so vocal about English rugby. I am just glad we are not wheeling them out in their zimmer frames still and we have not called back Delaglio and Guscott from their commentating duties! Worries me that Johnson does not have a job!

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 11:39

Come on come on read what I said, 'did some of the basic very well' they should do all the basic very well this is England's elite!!??

They were awful and I predict will get a rude awakening from Wales France and Ireland.

England are paying the penalty as are the rest of the Northern hemisphere for too many over the hill southern journeymen in our premiership.

they now want to introduce new blood but suddenly they aren't there with sufficient experience.

Farrell was on loan to Bedford and only brought in because Johnny foreigner was injured.

RFU needs to look closely at how they manage their house and take not only a leaf but the whole book from NZ.

I am not anti English rugby ,but the way England are both playing and managing their national side.

Get off soap box

Some good things agreed but vastly overshadowed by ineptitude. I like the way Lancaster is doing things but you cant make a silk purse from a sows ear.

islandgirl


Joined: 12/09/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 11:44

I actually think we will lose the next three games, however I expect a better show.



As for soap box, Hippo there is not room for both of us, it is always your position as soon as there is rugby and it is always anti-English.

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 227

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 12:21

Oh my goodness, I am actually going to support Hippo! well here goes......



Islandgirl Hippo might seem to be anti-english but it is very hard to argue against the points he is making, I sometimes wish he wasn't soooo harsh but fundamentally he is right. (ouch that hurt)



The expectation is that England are one of the great rugby nations and past glories do back that up, but the trouble is they are past! the showing in the world cup was horrible. So MJ steps down, and SL steps up, makes wholesale changes and introduces a young side. This team, with a few tweaks, will be a very good rugby side, the signs are there. And it's not such a bad start to the 6Nations, beating Scotland at Murreyfield and then Italy in Rome is OK. Conditions in Rome made the result palatable and Scotland are always a problem to the English at Murreyfield. Ok so they are not winning with any sort of style and much sterner tests are ahead but we (rugby fans) have to accept that there are some cont.....

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 227

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 12:26

cont.... very talanted players in the England line up and when they gel, and they will, they will win a lot of matches. I'm not giving up on England for this 6 Nations, Wales look like they could implode at any moment (why not at Twickers) Ireland look powerful but have already lost a game and France play like world champs (oops sorry runners up) one minute and like fools the next (the French players must be so proud of their governing body!).



Lets see where we are in a few weeks time! in the emantime Hippo et al keep it up, good, friendly debate is what this board should be about!!

cyprusairsoft



Joined: 22/06/2009
Posts: 2066

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 12:33

win ugly stop whining hippo

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 14:10

I supose trying to have a meaningfull retohric is difficult for some people. If you do not agree with my opinion then argue in a structured manner against it.



As I said before you should read the reports in the papers this morning I am not alone in my thoughts.

islandgirl


Joined: 12/09/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 18:21

Hippo if you want meaningful rhetoric I suggest:-



1. You don't accuse someone of being on a soap being on a soap box because they have an opinion, the person on the soap box is invariably the one doing the sermon!



2. You give balanced criticism across all teams instead of your years of attacks against England, I remember this from MSN! I actually agree with much of what you have said.



3. You learn to use a spell checker for " meaningfull retohric" and not to belittle others.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
12/02/2012 22:08

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2012/02/narrow_win_brings_plenty_of_po.html

Not all commentators are so negative about the England performance....

cinders


Joined: 08/10/2011
Posts: 61

Message Posted:
13/02/2012 20:00

Two games, two wins not bad for a "bad " side. Lets see how we do in remainder of games, I predict somebody eating humble pie !!!!!

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
14/02/2012 06:16

Especially for Island girl, Italy played extremely well, Wales were wonderful, Scotland were unlucky and England turned up. That balanced enough for you.



I don't have to give a balanced view this is my opinion I am not a sports writer.

Yes you are correct I am anti The English Football Union not English players or clubs I follow both Sale and London Irish. the fault lies firmly at their door as I have explained many times.



I suggest instead of criticising spelling you add some RUGBY critic as you are obviously an expert.



As far as I am concerned you are only adding to the well known saying in rugby clubs.





'Rugby is a game played by men watched by men coached by men and the only place for women is in the kitchen making the teas'



And further to that= Woman playing rugby is as natural as men playing badminton'



Oh and as far as the soap box I was referring to me getting off it.



I await your gentle reply with some trepidation.

Kieth nothing would please me more to