Ben Youngs, back to old self

[jamiewilkinson]

Thank you SL & RC, allowing BY back to tigers to try and get some confidence back, and boy did he get his confidence back, the last three games he has played, he has been back to the BY we know and love. Exciting and awesome vision of the field of play.

[sapajo]

Indeed, Ben showed in the single brilliant act of scoring his try why he is in a different league to dire Dixon. Ben should be restored to where he belongs the england starting bench and Dixon straight back to stains. Rant over well done Ben cannot wait to see you back in action for Tigers with the rest of our england players.

[Lis113]

So good to see Benny back to his better days!

[Stu_F]

Just 2 observations :

1) Aren't you meant to take a tap at least somewhere near the mark where the penalty was awarded?
2) Aren't you, for safety reasons, not meant to take a tap until the front rows have disengaged totally?

Did he meet either of these? Not that it affected the result and on the whole I thought Owens had a shocker, especially on the scrums.

[sapajo]

Just 2 observations :

1) Aren't you meant to take a tap at least somewhere near the mark where the penalty was awarded?
2) Aren't you, for safety reasons, not meant to take a tap until the front rows have disengaged totally?

Did he meet either of these? Not that it affected the result and on the whole I thought Owens had a shocker, especially on the scrums.

Who cares didly squat! the Ref's opinion is the only one that counts and he Ben was awarded his try!

[tigerburnie]

Stu,it was just a bit of gloss on a game that was already in the bag.You were absolutly destroyed in the scrum and the teams heads went down in the first half.England have a front row that is getting better every game,just need to get some one better than Stevens on the bench,he isn't up to the standard by some distance.

[jgriffin]

On replay all the fault was Ireland's. BY get's the ball, walks to where Owens is, gets a nod from Crofty (and Morgan in the know as well) and off he goes with Crofty and Morgan close behind. Dead obvious but not if you are still protesting and not watching.

[RWA]

Just looking forward to getting Cole, Croft & co back in a Tigers shirt....it's going to be a decent run-in to the play-offs methinks.

[Stu_F]

I wasn't trying to imply Owens favoured England in the scrums, quite the opposite I thought Ireland got away with delibrately wheeling at virtually every scrum and early disengagement by most of the back row. How Ireland saw no yellow cards was quite inexplicable.

[mol2]

I think Owens was quite canny - had he waved yellow cards it would have effectively meant uncontested scrums. Far better (and just) to give a penalty try see Ireland marched back.

Congratulations to Dan Cole for his part in demolishing the Irish front row. Also, well played to Geoff Parling who looks more and more a seasoned international.

The player who surprised me most was Hartley who outshone his opposite number.

In many ways it's a shame the Wales game came early on because this side has got more and more assertive as the 6N went on and you can't help wondering if this really should have been for the Grand slam but for 8 years in the international wilderness that England have suffered at the hands of coaches who look back rather than to the future.

[Bill W (2)]

I think Owens was quite canny - had he waved yellow cards it would have effectively meant uncontested scrums. Far better (and just) to give a penalty try see Ireland marched back.

.

IMHO it would have been harsh for Owens to have yellow carded the Irish Front Row albeit they were clearly beaten. However the back row breaking off early should or could have received greater attention.

[BHB]

AT last a referee who punished the Irish forwards, they have been getting away with scrum scrum misdeanours every game in the 6 Nations &
this offuicial rightly punished them.