Rugby World Cup warm up games

[wigworth]

Scotland to sneak it again?

[kpj tiger]

France must be getting concerned about how they've faded in the 2nd half of the last two games

[Scott1]

South Africa and Ireland should be worried

[Robespierre]

That was a cracking Test match and both sides can take away positives. It was France’s first match since the 6N with a more or less first choice side but being outscored 4 tries to 3 is concerning. I was very impressed how Scotland stuck at it and I really hope they’ll be able to put in a performance like that against Ireland and the Boks and maybe spring a surprise or two.

[Tykger]

1, World cups are won by teams with strong defense. No one wins by just having best attack.
2, God is an Englishman and has stepped in to pull Farrell out so Ford (the second coming) can bring the Holy Grail home.

[TigerFeetSteve]

France must be getting concerned about how they've faded in the 2nd half of the last two games

To me it depends where they are in training.

They are building up to a World Cup, to do that rhey may be doing some brutal training which is sapping legs out of the team atm come a weekend, that won't be the case going forwards

[KiwiTig]

I might not come back to the UK next week after just watching that performance.
I do have to though really as my family and business are over there
However, I’m now seen as a empathiser to the coloniser over here ! It’s not a good place to be
The Kiwi’s are laughing at me and your/our Dads Army, old school, one dimensional approach and as an outsider looking in, it does feel like the UK’s we will do it our way approach is contagious …anyway I sincerely hope JVP is well but ironically believe that this could allow Borthwick a lifeline and allow Mitchell in and a new way forward

[Darc Tiger]

Elsewhere...

A mixed Georgia team absolutely hammered Romania 56-6! Romania look in poor shape, having lost to USA last week.

Portugal took a while to get rolling, but eventually cruised past USA 46-20.

Finally, Chile let slip a 26-7 lead to go down 26-28 to Namibia.

[trendylfj]

GF is our best chance of doing well in the WC but I am not very hopeful of us doing that - IMHO OF will not get less than 4 weeks and should/could get the entry point of 6 weeks with no mitigation at the very least. He has too many previous similar incidents and has done the intervention/we'll make you a good boy course and simply hasn't learned from this. Can you imagine the outcry from us if that had happened in a game against us - public flogging/getting out of the ducking chair/sending him back to rugby league would have all come out on this forum. Any fair-minded person would say 6 weeks plus is the correct decision and if that means SB drops him from the squad - so be it. Who would replace him is a much harder question to answer so I don't think he will be dropped but he really has to learn or he will spend a long time on the naughty boy's step

[Robespierre]

There are clearly no mitigating circumstances and he should cop the maximum penalty. He’s become a liability to the team and if that had happened in a World Cup game, the consequences could mean elimination. I don’t accept all this nonsense that he’s “so highly competitive” and is a captain who leads by example. The team captain should be one with an astute rugby brain and cool-headed - exactly what George Ford showed to close out the game. But will Borthers have the balls to make that decision? I doubt it.

[trendylfj]

SB's difficulty is that he wants 3 fly halves and I am struggling to see further than Charlie Atkinson as a replacement possibility for Farrell so I can't see him dropping him. What he does with him if we have a great start with Ford and Smith at the helm is a much more difficult question but that is why he gets paid his money. Farrell has tackled like this at times whatever position he is in and I can't see him changing anytime soon. Let's hope that JVP's injury does not mean the end of his world cup but I fear that is a real possibility.

[Goshengareth]

A very poor quality game played with minimal intensity. One can only hope things improve when it gets serious.

Hope JVP is fit enough to travel. I did think he was poor whilst on the pitch.

Itoje showing some green shoots and Earl improved throughout the game. With Ford at 10, it all seemed to change. Outside of corruption, I don’t see how Farrell gets less than 6 weeks. However, he would only miss the first 2 pool games so he’d still travel. 8 weeks and he misses all pool games so then it would become an issue.

[loretta]

SB's difficulty is that he wants 3 fly halves and I am struggling to see further than Charlie Atkinson as a replacement possibility for Farrell so I can't see him dropping him. What he does with him if we have a great start with Ford and Smith at the helm is a much more difficult question but that is why he gets paid his money. Farrell has tackled like this at times whatever position he is in and I can't see him changing anytime soon. Let's hope that JVP's injury does not mean the end of his world cup but I fear that is a real possibility.

After having watched the final of the other code yesterday, Farrell’s tackle technique was very familiar. Something ingrained from an early age, and he just seems unable to drop it. I fear JVP’s World Cup is over before it started.

[Scott1]

Ireland game (fitness/injury permitting)
Genge
George
Cole
Chessum
Itoje
Lawes
Willis
Earl
Youngs
Ford
Daly
Manu
Marchant
Watson
Steward

Marler,Dan,Stewart,Martin,Curry,Care,Smith,Malins

[RunTigerRun]

Ireland game (fitness/injury permitting)
Genge
George
Cole
Chessum
Itoje
Lawes
Willis
Earl
Youngs
Ford
Daly
Manu
Marchant
Watson
Steward

Marler,Dan,Stewart,Martin,Curry,Care,Smith,Malins

Agree with all except perhaps giving Marchant a game from the bench and starting either Lawrence at 13 to test the Manu Lawrence pairing (which outside Ford could be fun!) or starting Daly at 13 and giving Malins, Watson Steward a go in the back 3 (though I’d rather it was Murley but that’s another convo!)

Give Lawes or Genge the captaincy and hope they can surprise Ireland enough to get a decent performance in.