Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals 2016

PlacidCasual

PlacidCasual

PlacidCasual

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13 May 2003
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Hi

I couldn't see a thread on this so started one.

Well this should be quite interesting. Wales got tonked by Australia who looked pretty good, so much more fluid at the breakdown and in the offload than Wales who looked frankly timid.

South Africa drew with Barbarians and their defence looked very ropey. The Barbarians looked really good for a scratch team and their offloading game was in another class to SA's. I guess it only worked because SA were so poor.

Both Wales and South Africa looked badly shaped in defence and missed a lot of first up tackles which is uncharacteristic.

Big surprise Ireland winning I haven't seen this match as I don't have BT sport. A few players missing for the All Blacks but it was first team choice in 2/3rds of the positions at least I reckon. The bench may have been a fraction weaker than usual in the forwards but not much. So good result for the Irish.

Next week

Italy 14:00 New Zealand
England 14:30 South Africa
Scotland 14:30 Australia
France 15:00 Samoa
Wales 17:30 Argentina
Ireland 19:15 Canada

I think England - South Africa and Wales - Argentina should be the most compelling of that lot.
 
Caught a bit of the Wales Aus match on Saturday and it really was poor.

It looks like they've spread the matches around all the channels which is a bit irritating as I've not got Sky/BT sports.
Might split the cost of a Sky sports day pass with my house mate on Saturday for the England match though.
 
Wales were awful, it looked like Aus were just running training ground moves...all too easy.

Italy 14:00 New Zealand
England 14:30 South Africa
Scotland 14:30 Australia
France 15:00 Samoa
Wales 17:30 Argentina
Ireland 19:15 Canada

Pretty sure on all of them, except France, they've been terrible lately but the 'good' France might show up.
 
Watched both Wales Aus and Ireland NZ on Saturday, agreed with Wales being crap. Their defence was static and narrow, Aus were running all over them. However Aus should have scored so many times, they had so many opportunities and didn't take them.

Ireland NZ was good, although Ireland nearly threw it away at the end (33-8 to 33-29 was a bit too close for comfort), made for an incredibly tense 10 mins from 65 mins in... But ultimately a great result for them - first time they've beaten the All blacks in 111 years, and ended their 18 test streak.

I'm going to Twickenham to watch England South Africa next weekend and cannot contain my excitement. Should be good! :D :D :D :D
 
Forwards: Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Tommy Taylor (Wasps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).

Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

England squad for Saturday. It seems about as good a team as they can manage at the moment. I'd have Cipriani but that's an opinion call. Yarde on the otherhand has never been international standard and I would have gone with Rokunguni everytime.
 
It's an alright squad, think we're definitely going to miss Itoje but hopefully the guys that have stepped in will take this chance with both hands. Will be good to finally watch some decent rugby, can only hope we don't pick up more injuries in what promises to be a very physical game.
 
England Starting team now up:

Team: Mike Brown (Harlequins); Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); George Ford (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers); Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints); Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).

Replacements: Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Danny Care (Harlequins), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby).


Chuffed Daly finally gets his chance he's a quality act with a superb skill set and very good temperament. Terrible that we can only get our second string second row out.... :D (Launchbury and Lawes could walk into virtually any starting fifteen in the world :p). Wood needs to grab this chance with open arms otherwise I think that will be it.
 
Scotland 22 Australia 23

What a brilliant game espically for Scotland but the lack of discipline in the last few moments. Hopefully that is Scotland on the way back if they keep playing as they did to-day and what a pleasure to watch right up to the last minute. Unlucky Scotland.
 
A little off topic, I was amazed to hear how little the Fiji players were being payed and it reminded me of New Zealands recent complaint about not getting any income from the Autumn internationals.

Now I presume the broadcasting rights may have some value to visiting teams and certainly their sponsors want visibility. It is however a little off that countries like England and France that can fill 80k stadiums and attract highly profitable TV deals give nothing to their opponents. After all the Autumn internationals are profitable because the Northern Hemisphere play the big 3 from the South.

The issue is even bigger for small nations where few big teams ever tour (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa) and even if they did the locals are hardly going to be playing the £80 a ticket Twickenham attracts.

I think World Rugby should discuss some mechanism where a fixed proportion of the gate goes to the visiting team. That way at least the minnows get something for turning up to play the big nations. But even Australia and New Zealand struggle for money yet bring so much value to Northern hemisphere rugby that they should be rewarded too.

Thoughts?
 
Yes it's disappointing how little Fiji are getting from the game tomorrow.

On a brighter note, I've managed to wrangle my travel plans while I'm back in the UK over Christmas to fit in some rugby. Going to see the mighty Quins stuff Glaws at twickers on the 27th. Haven't been for years, used to have a quins season ticket before I emigrated, looking forward to it.

Is Nadolo in the Fiji squad for tomorrow? If I thought it was going to be a difficult game I'd be terrified, but as Fiji are looking dreadful I would really love to see Alex Goode trying to tackle Nadolo. Get the popcorn.
 
Well I watched England vs Fiji and Ireland vs New Zealand.

England played pretty well against a tricky opposition but one that was never going to win. The back play is looking good, it's amazing now Andy Farrell is gone these international class players look like international class payers. Roko is plainly a more rounded winger than Yarde and please let that be the end of it. I appreciate the qualities of opposition were different but Yarde is great in attack but offers nothing else. English forwards did a job but lacked the intensity of the previous week.

I enjoyed the Irish game, AB's were dogged and stunning at different times, Ardie Savea had a cracking game. Beauden Barrett is without a doubt my favourite player in World rugby. Ireland played well but like many NH teams can't convert pressure into points. Their breakdown play was good but I think elite refs allow too much jackalling where the player supposedly on their feet has his forearms or head against the ground. Whilst I don't like the neck roll I understand why it happens at rucks because the defenders illegal body position creates the situation where it happens during clear out.

My Welsh friends have all told me the Welsh match was awful apart from Japan whom any neutral they claim would think should have won it.

Oh and Italy, well done. Didn't see it but respect it.
 
I prefer Yarde over Roko...although they they are both good quick physical attackers, neither of them have a kicking game and defensively neither are great but Yarde gets caught out of position less.

Not a bad thing to have them competing though. We're pretty sorted for wings with Watson, Nowell, May, Yarde and Roko.

Ireland v AB was good but the ABs just won out with better execution.

Wales v Japan....Japan are turning into a seriously good side. From a technical and skills point of view they're on a par with the ABs, if they can get some big units coming through the ranks they will be regularly beating tier 1 teams. Wales are just poop at the moment.

Nice to see Conor O'Shea get the Italy win, good start to his time in charge.

You'd have to think that on current form a cheeky bet on Wales to take the 6N wooden spoon is worth a go!
 
Ireland v ABs was some game. Telling at final whistle neither team had the energy to do much more than stand there for a minute or two. Hope injuries don't impact on Ireland Aus game too much. Henshaw out is a big blow and doubtful Sexton will start.

Six nations should be great. Final match is Ireland England which if form is telling will be a ding dong for the title. Will see how the French get on this weekend against the ABs, their team vs Aus was a bit weak.

Wales will either Wooden spoon or Grand Slam knowing them.
 
Launchbury banned for 2 weeks for his melon welly, thankfully Kruis is drafted straight back into the squad after recovering from ankle surgery. Looks like Roko and Goode will get dropped and Brown and May brought back in, I expect Daly will carry on in the Wing slot he excelled in last Saturday.
 
Personally I'd like to see May and Roko with Daly OC and a bench of Care, Joseph and Goode. I've been so impressed with Daly's all round game he unlocks the outside backs much better than Joseph. Joseph is plainly more dangerous with ball in hand running for himself but not the all round distributor.

Sorry to se Launchbury banned but he did the crime so needs to do the time. He is back on great form and is clearly first choice Lock for me. Kruis and Itoje are great but I feel they need to unseat the incumbent and Launchbury is playing very very well.
 
Washout said:
Six nations should be great. Final match is Ireland England which if form is telling will be a ding dong for the title. Will see how the French get on this weekend against the ABs, their team vs Aus was a bit weak.
Click to expand...

Yep, Ireland v England last game on Super Saturday, could be a belter.

If I had to guess the results, I would probably go with:

Ireland
England
Scotland
France
Italy
Wales

Ireland just edging England with home advantage on the final game.

Scotland/France could go either way, France you can never predict and Scotland are improving but inconsistent.

Italy resurgent under COS? I can see them putting a very poor Wales side away...they'll be playing in Cardiff though....never easy.
 
I'm starting to get the nasty feeling that tomorrow, Argentina, will be a banana skin for England :(, can't put my finger on anything in particular just that nagging feeling in my gut :o

Still at least a loss for England will make the BBC Rugby journos happy, they do so dislike an England side doing well ;)
 
Anyone else bored of watching new Zealand play?

Its a forgone conclusion and if you know the laws of the game its frustrating.

against france they should have been down to 14 men but ref chose to ignore foul play, against ireland they got 12 citations all of them apparently mean nothing but the england player joe gets two weeks ban....

I wouldn't mind if they just came out with the protectionism but its getting pretty appalling now.
 
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