Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals 2016

PlacidCasual · 7 Nov 2016 at 14:01

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.

PlacidCasual · 8 Nov 2016 at 21:52

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.

PlacidCasual · 18 Nov 2016 at 09:31

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?

PlacidCasual · 21 Nov 2016 at 11:34

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.

PlacidCasual · 23 Nov 2016 at 09:23

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.