Rowntree coaches England to win, but Farrell ****!

[WhitecapTiger]

but i can't remember a match from MJ's era where i thought 'yeah that was good'

Personally I remember thinking 'yeah that was good' and much more after we'd beaten Wales in Cardiff last year, the first match of the 6N. And also the 2 occasions when we beat Australia, particularly the match at Twickenham.

look at how the players acted towards him at the end.

You're always going to get a reaction like that, similar to the media quotes of recent days/weeks - all from the players who have been selected and are currently in the squad, of course they're going to praise lancaster, much the way many of them did for MJ after RWC 2011, he was the future of England, the man to take things forward, it wasn't Johnno's fault etc etc

Ask the players who have been dropped or overlooked by Lancaster and again similarly the ones MJ didn't select during his tenure, they would have the opposing view of those currently in the starting shirt, but many wouldn't say so for fear of destroying any slim chance they may have of getting there.

[daktari]

Manu, and anyone else past the inside centre, might as well not have been there. Great kicker Farrell maybe but until he learns to actually play rugby he is not an international fly-half. I'm not saying he can't be but he seriously needs some proper coaching.

[tig1]

IMHO the shame is that due to Englands dominance at the set piece their difficiencies elsewhere will be overlooked - both in terms of selection and coaching.

So where does that leave Declan Kidney ? ... double HC winner, Grand slam and triple crown coach, who turns out a team packed with British Lions and goodness how many Irish caps, and they get smashed by England.
And apparantly its England who have the coaching and selection problem !

What a great irony that when Ulster smashed Tigers in the same way, Ulster were lauded as genius and Tigers players and RC rubbished as not fit to represent the club.

[jgriffin]

IMHO the shame is that due to Englands dominance at the set piece their difficiencies elsewhere will be overlooked - both in terms of selection and coaching.

Quite so, but we are merely churls. We used to call it 'emperor's new clothes'. No side getting mullered that badly at setpiece usually stands out against a thorough shellacking - so Ireland got beaten, but it could've been a deluge of points.

[Bill W (2)]

So where does that leave Declan Kidney ?

It leaves him in the same position as Andy Robinson. A loser.

This is sport. You are only as good as your last game(s).

[fentiger]

With a decent stand-off England would have had a hatful of tries against that defence in the second half. Ireland were out on their feet.

[Bill W (2)]

With a decent stand-off England would have had a hatful of tries against that defence in the second half. Ireland were out on their feet.

You might think that fentiger. And I and others might agree with you. But tomorrows papers will appluad a match winning performance by Farrell (Jnr).

[tigerburnie]

On a day when players were spilling the ball all over the park(both sides),you can't see why the ball wasn't spun wide a lot? Do you know anything about the game?
That was a good performance given the circumstances,thrashing a decent Irish side,who were totally demoralised by the England performance.
I did not think we would win four matches this season,I don't believe any one else did either.
Credit to the team,if we were playing Wales next week we would have probably beaten them,this England team has a chance of growing.
I don't think it's just a change of coach,there seems to be a will to try things and select players who can do a job. I don't rate Ashton at the minute,but he put in a good shift today,he was tackling and getting involved instead of hiding on the wing.Thought Brown had a good contribution too when he came on for Foden.

[fentiger]

I don't think getting the ball wide was necessary, just as far as the centres on a few occasions would have done!

[Bill W (2)]

Quite so, but we are merely churls. .

Churls we may be but surely not merely chrurls??

[Nailsworthstiger]

In my opinion for what it's worth, I think SL has done enough to get the job full time. But I also think he needs to change a few personnel. I dont rate Hartley as hooker, and never have done... he may as well go for Chutes but Chutes is too old. Not sure who else to go for. Dickson is not international class and BY should be an automatic choice. All the discussion about Farrell... I don't thick TF will dislodge him at present. Farrell's kicks at goal are pretty much faultless but kicking from hand needs a few amendments as does his vision. But he is still young and time is on his side. Morgan had a good game but IMO TTTE is a better all round No 8. One other player who seems to ooze class is Palmer.
On a positive note I think Robshaw is showing real leadership skills and could be an MJ in the making.

Any views??? I bet there are!

[tigerburnie]

I don't think getting the ball wide was necessary, just as far as the centres on a few occasions would have done!

Trouble was when they did it either went to a player standing still or they knocked it on,up the jumper on a day like that is why we won,force the opposition to try and catch up without the ball.

[parkerd68]

These things happen, I can recall (although I'd rather forget it) a certain Knight of the Realm going nearly the length of the field to win a cup match at Coventry and then tripping over his own feet with no one very near him and Tigers losing!

Stu don't. I too was there. That moment is etched quite painfully in my memory even now! If I remember rightly, conditions were horrendous and I believe he tried to turn to go under the posts and slipped.

[Bill W (2)]

These things happen, I can recall (although I'd rather forget it) a certain Knight of the Realm going nearly the length of the field to win a cup match at Coventry and then tripping over his own feet with no one very near him and Tigers losing!

Stu don't. I too was there. That moment is etched quite painfully in my memory even now! If I remember rightly, conditions were horrendous and I believe he tried to turn to go under the posts and slipped.

And thus was born TCUP and 2003 in Sydney???

[tig1]

With a decent stand-off England would have had a hatful of tries against that defence in the second half. Ireland were out on their feet.

You might think that fentiger. And I and others might agree with you. But tomorrows papers will appluad a match winning performance by Farrell (Jnr).

Within the expection of one defeat against the All Blacks, i think its more than 2 years since Ireland conceeded 30 points. Wales, SA, France, Austrlia, Scotland. They have all had a go.