Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:40 pm
Very relevant,historically proven too. We look terribly flat at present and you could see this coming. Player welfare is a huge issue with our players playing in some cases more than double the games the Irish team play!
Agreed. I think also EJ's high intensity training regime is having the opposite effect to its intended outcome because the players look leggy. They don't seem to be able to find another level when required. The players often talk about how brutal training is but they don't often talk about it as being beneficial.
They burned out early vs Wales and almost lost out and then couldn't cope with Scotland's pace and intensity at the breakdown. I think it's training as Ireland obviously had plenty of Lions too but they look fit and strong.
Still, 2 defeats in 26 or whatever shouldn't mean panic stations.
Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:40 pm
Very relevant,historically proven too. We look terribly flat at present and you could see this coming. Player welfare is a huge issue with our players playing in some cases more than double the games the Irish team play!
Agreed. I think also EJ's high intensity training regime is having the opposite effect to its intended outcome because the players look leggy. They don't seem to be able to find another level when required. The players often talk about how brutal training is but they don't often talk about it as being beneficial.
They burned out early vs Wales and almost lost out and then couldn't cope with Scotland's pace and intensity at the breakdown. I think it's training as Ireland obviously had plenty of Lions too but they look fit and strong.
Still, 2 defeats in 26 or whatever shouldn't mean panic stations.
The forwards I could understand, but what is the backs excuse, Ford has been inconsistent all season and he didn't go with the Lions, Farrell has had time out, What is Joseph's excuse!
It's a lame excuse in my opinion!
They were outplayed, accept it, in particular at the breakdown, it's happened before!
We were beaten hands down,outfought and outplayed. See Fords getting a lot of grief on other forums but when has a FH ever excelled with a well beaten pack? Very rarely happens! Farrell was well worse as was JJ,especially defensively. The spacing between 12 and 13 was awful,quite possibly the worse I've ever seen,Scotland had a field day there. Who is defensive captain? Its usually your 7 and 13 but is it Owen? Like I said 1-15 poor on the day bar Robshaw and Launchbury,roll on France!
Rugbyflanker wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:46 am
We were beaten hands down,outfought and outplayed. See Fords getting a lot of grief on other forums but when has a FH ever excelled with a well beaten pack? Very rarely happens! Farrell was well worse as was JJ,especially defensively. The spacing between 12 and 13 was awful,quite possibly the worse I've ever seen,Scotland had a field day there. Who is defensive captain? Its usually your 7 and 13 but is it Owen? Like I said 1-15 poor on the day bar Robshaw and Launchbury,roll on France!
England were not beaten that badly!
If I recall correctly I think Roly predicted that Scotland might pose England problems, likewise I think he predicted that Wales might turn over the Irish, it was all very close!
There were questions before the game, was Scotland's victory over Australia a fluke and were England the 2nd best team in the world by default!
Scotland are not the first team that England have struggled against!
Scotland were better on the day, they have shown the potential to be so, and England aren't the only good team to lose to Scotland recently!
It's arrogant in my opinion to not give credit where it's due, the best team on the day won!
Well, I enjoyed that. Dominant breakdown work from Scotland for most of the game (except the first 20 minutes of the second half where England won pretty much all of the contact area) with Watson, Barclay and Wilson being exceptional - and McInally demonstrating that he used to be a back row as well. Russell at his best, as a Scotland fan you've got to have a little patience with him sometimes! That pass though, you heard the entire stadium gasp, never heard anything like that before!
I think the main problem with EJ is that his schtick wears off after a couple of years - he hasn't spent a long time in any job, brings a team on for a couple of years but then they peak and he relies on people for too long. But he's too bloodyminded to admit he was wrong, so you'll se Hartley, Brown, Cole, a lock at 6 and Farrell at 12 for quite some time to come.
Yes Eddie is very stubborn and always falls apart in year 3. Limited player OE not this game was made for Haskell,I expect to see him,Robshaw and Hughes v France.
EJ should bring into the squad, Don Armond, Dan Robson and Greg Bateman IMO but he won't unfortunately.
I still back Eddie and England to bounce back and beat France and Ireland, but Ireland will win the 6Ns with their bonus points. That last second Jonny Sexton DG in Paris was absolutely crucial.
biffer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2018 12:31 pm
Re the tunnel incident. Some new footage which appears to show that it was indeed a result of Owen Farrell being a wee t***.
As said, perhaps nature was calling and it's as simple as that!
A perfect excuse for the loss, maybe someone was selling dodgy kebabs on George Street!
mightymouse wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:44 pm
Watson and Barclay had a field day against a ponderous English back row. Berghan has been a revelation (dare I mention under the tutelage of one Richard Cockerill).
Great to see Finn Russell back to brilliant best, sadly missing in first 2 games. Reminds me of his coach ..mercurial but prone to the odd mare.
Huw Jones was superb all game.. thank god he has managed to stay fit this year.
All the Scottish foward were excellent but other special mentions to Mcinally ..forced to play 80 minutes virtually every game due to injury crisis, Bhatti 5th choice loosehead at start of tournament and yet shoving England pack at the end, another good game from Reid, Gray and Gilchrist.
I suspect an English backlash against the frogs
I think you're spot on! I've been quietly impressed with Cockerill at Edinburgh. McInally, Berghan and Gilchrist have all improved brilliantly this season, and that been seen in their Scotland performances. I thought Gilchrist outshone Johnny Gray vs France. He's building a pretty hard-nosed pack that's doing the job, and that's only going to benefit Scotland too (much to my delight!).
Time to enforce the Captain Only and 'speak only when you are spoken to'.......Nigel Owens used to be good at enforcing that, but for me all modern refs need a Clive Norling injection - you got one warning only.
Leicester Tigers 1995-
Nottingham 1995-2000
Swansea (Whites) 1988-95
A game played on grass in the open air by teams of XV.
Flash wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:05 am
Didn't one of his appeals result in an Irish try? You'd have thought his team mates might sort him out before their next game.
Yeah, he was flailing his arms about and didn't secure the ball properly. I'd imagine most of the old timers on here would've given him a bit of a cuff for that.
