Wales v France was just the most bizarre game ever. France were bafflingly awful in everything they did. I think my womens team could have beaten them. They were just crazy. However, uniquely for France they were consistent as they were as awful in the second half as they were in the first. I don't want to take to much away from Wales as you can only beat what is in front of you but it honestly looked like France didn't want to be there, didn't have any desire to win anything. When your tighthead prop makes the most meters in a game then you know something is wrong.
Glad Scotland got the win but think it papers over some big cracks and Scot Johnson is not the man for Scotland. His treatment of some players has been a disgrace.
England v Ireland was a great game was lucky enough to be there and loved it. Irelands try was perfect execution of running lines and decoys. Beautiful. I thought England looked really strong and had some great moments but they failed to score and take advantage of overlaps countless times and that's is why they are a risky team to back. I would worry about England in tight games as they cant seem to build a score.
I love how open this competition is this year. I would obviously have loved an England grand slam but now it is all to play for. I really want some revenge on Wales I want England to smash them to pieces. Can they do it? not sure.
So its all gonna be an exciting end to the tournament
You're right, but I wasn't saying Andy was Brattish... just that he never took a backwards step and if people took a cheap shot he came back twice as hard... much the same way Edwards did. I see Owen the same but maybe I'm looking through tinted glasses. At the end of the day it appears human (or at least very British) nature to not like successful players who know they are good.
You don't have to look too hard to find examples of his petulance, ask any club rugby supporter.
Don't get me wrong about the wingers, I think Wade is terrible, May isn't International class and neither is 36 for that matter but Manu is one of the best when fit and he can play there... as I said with Nowell, I like how fearless he is at such a young age.
Everyone seems to hail Manu Tuilagi as the saviour in English rugby but he has rarely, if ever, replicated his club form for England. There has been many occasions when he's had the ball with the wing in space and he's gone looking for contact and the momentum is lost.
When Twelvetrees plays England look far more balanced and he is always near the top of the tackles made stats, as for May, he has only played a couple of full games for England and has seen nothing of the ball in space but, unlike say Chris Ashton he goes looking for the ball and against both Ireland and Scotland he made ground every time he got hold of the ball.
Yes, I am biased as a Gloucester season ticket holder for the last 30 years but your comments make little sense to me.
You don't have to look too hard to find examples of his petulance, ask any club rugby supporter.
Everyone seems to hail Manu Tuilagi as the saviour in English rugby but he has rarely, if ever, replicated his club form for England. There has been many occasions when he's had the ball with the wing in space and he's gone looking for contact and the momentum is lost.
When Twelvetrees plays England look far more balanced and he is always near the top of the tackles made stats, as for May, he has only played a couple of full games for England and has seen nothing of the ball in space but, unlike say Chris Ashton he goes looking for the ball and against both Ireland and Scotland he made ground every time he got hold of the ball.
Yes, I am biased as a Gloucester season ticket holder for the last 30 years but your comments make little sense to me.
I would be surprised if Ashton wears an England shirt again in a meaningful game. Injuries might see him drafted in but May, Nowel, Wade, Yarde are all ahead of him now. With even more talent than that on the fringe with Watson and the like.
You don't have to look too hard to find examples of his petulance, ask any club rugby supporter.
Everyone seems to hail Manu Tuilagi as the saviour in English rugby but he has rarely, if ever, replicated his club form for England. There has been many occasions when he's had the ball with the wing in space and he's gone looking for contact and the momentum is lost.
When Twelvetrees plays England look far more balanced and he is always near the top of the tackles made stats, as for May, he has only played a couple of full games for England and has seen nothing of the ball in space but, unlike say Chris Ashton he goes looking for the ball and against both Ireland and Scotland he made ground every time he got hold of the ball.
Yes, I am biased as a Gloucester season ticket holder for the last 30 years but your comments make little sense to me.
As a Gloucester fan I doubt any of what most intelligent rugby fans say to you makes sense... (I'm kidding, relax).
I watched 36 develop and I think the same thing about him now that I did 4 years ago... he's a great balanced rugby player and reminds me of a lower level Conrad Smith... not particularly fast, not amazing hands but a smart brain... I just don't think he's on an international level.
If you didn't see Manu against the 6Ns teams the last 3 years or against Australia, NZ or SA then I can't help you... if people like BOD are saying he's pure class then perhaps us fans should take note of what one of the best centres of all time says.
If you didn't see Manu against the 6Ns teams the last 3 years or against Australia, NZ or SA then I can't help you... if people like BOD are saying he's pure class then perhaps us fans should take note of what one of the best centres of all time says.
I've watched him in international games and I've also watched him play for Leicester on many occasions and what I see him do regularly for Leicester he rarely replicates for England, that is my point.
Whereas with Leicester he is looking to make space, commit defenders to off-load to the wings, more often than not in an England shirt he goes staight in to contact and by the time the ball is re-cycled momentum and, more importantly, space is lost.
People are already picking Burgess for England's RWC squad but there is no guarantee at all he will make it in Union, he hasn't even played a game yet. People forget that for every Jason Robinson there is a Karl Pryce, Henry Paul, Iestyn Harris, etc. It does not follow that being a great League player means he will automatically become a great Union player.
People are already picking Burgess for England's RWC squad but there is no guarantee at all he will make it in Union, he hasn't even played a game yet. People forget that for every Jason Robinson there is a Karl Pryce, Henry Paul, Iestyn Harris, etc. It does not follow that being a great League player means he will automatically become a great Union player.
In that we agree... but I think Sam Burgess is just that next level above where Pryce, Paul and Harris was... in fact Robinson was good but never "unreal" for Wigan and GB... Burgess really is world class and is a huge loss to the international game of Rugby League not just England/Australia.
In that we agree... but I think Sam Burgess is just that next level above where Pryce, Paul and Harris was... in fact Robinson was good but never "unreal" for Wigan and GB... Burgess really is world class and is a huge loss to the international game of Rugby League not just England/Australia.
Adapting to backrow forward/inside centre in union will be far more difficult than winger/full back. No doubting he is a world-class league player but he will have to change his tackling method. Watching his great hits on youtube, virtually all of them would be illegal in union.
Good to see PIcamoles dropped for his showing disrespect to a referee. Perhaps it may encourage a certain young England player to show a bit more respect to the rules and opponents.
You don't have to look too hard to find examples of his petulance, ask any club rugby supporter.
Everyone seems to hail Manu Tuilagi as the saviour in English rugby but he has rarely, if ever, replicated his club form for England. There has been many occasions when he's had the ball with the wing in space and he's gone looking for contact and the momentum is lost.
When Twelvetrees plays England look far more balanced and he is always near the top of the tackles made stats, as for May, he has only played a couple of full games for England and has seen nothing of the ball in space but, unlike say Chris Ashton he goes looking for the ball and against both Ireland and Scotland he made ground every time he got hold of the ball.
Yes, I am biased as a Gloucester season ticket holder for the last 30 years but your comments make little sense to me.
There are rumours that Tuilagi is wanted by Salford.
Good to see PIcamoles dropped for his showing disrespect to a referee. Perhaps it may encourage a certain young England player to show a bit more respect to the rules and opponents.
I bet he wouldn't have been dropped had France been playing Ireland this weekend.........
I bet he wouldn't have been dropped had France been playing Ireland this weekend.........
Reminds me of the Australians dropped for the Scotland game in the Autumn
Great game between ourselves and England it must be said.
When you bear in mind England are missing a number of big names (Tuilagi, Croft, Foden, Corbs, Dan Cole, Vunipola for rest of tournament) it really shows what a great position they're in with a World Cup only a year and a half away
All things going well as it stands they're my second favourites to win the thing
As for their strongest team, it really will be interesting to see when everyone comes back and if Burgess adapts to Union.
Talk of the wingers above, I think Nowell looks a great prospect, can't understand why Watson isn't at least on the bench- covers full back and Goode is a defensive liability at international level
I'd have Foden in the team on the wing any day of the week though when he's back. He might not be a natural winger but is too good to leave out IMO
I bet he wouldn't have been dropped had France been playing Ireland this weekend.........
Remember it is France we are talking about & Picomoles has been dropped before for playing x10 better than he did against Wales. With their other world-class players Fofana, Nyanga & Dusautoir out injured, it's all Scotland's to lose.
I watched 36 develop and I think the same thing about him now that I did 4 years ago... he's a great balanced rugby player and reminds me of a lower level Conrad Smith... not particularly fast, not amazing hands but a smart brain... I just don't think he's on an international level.
I remember seeing him play for Bedford and he was nothing special then.
Wouldn't surprise me if twelvetrees wasn't involved much longer with the squad really as things stand.
Burrell and (likely) Burgess will be huge contenders for the 12 shirt you'd imagine when Tuilagi gets back, while it wouldn't surprise me if Farrell came into the reckoning for 12 either- if Ford keeps going like he is he'll be out half
The only thing is Burrell and Tuilagi are very similar but Farrell will be a huge contender for it IMO
Obviously a long way off but when England do get everyone fit and firing I can't see Twelvetrees starting at all
Tait could well become a dark horse for the 13 shirt too if he could ever stay fit for more than 5 minutes ( ) with Tuilagi maybe playing 12
Wouldn't surprise me if twelvetrees wasn't involved much longer with the squad really as things stand.
Burrell and (likely) Burgess will be huge contenders for the 12 shirt you'd imagine when Tuilagi gets back, while it wouldn't surprise me if Farrell came into the reckoning for 12 either- if Ford keeps going like he is he'll be out half
The only thing is Burrell and Tuilagi are very similar but Farrell will be a huge contender for it IMO
Obviously a long way off but when England do get everyone fit and firing I can't see Twelvetrees starting at all
Tait could well become a dark horse for the 13 shirt too if he could ever stay fit for more than 5 minutes ( ) with Tuilagi maybe playing 12
You certainly don't want to see England scoring any tries, do you?
If I were a wing I wouldn't want to be in an England team selected by you, I'd never see the ball.
Billy Twlevetrees isn't going anywhere at the moment as he is one of the few true 12s we have, or are you one of these who think players are inter-changable and positions mean nothing?
A 12 doesn't do the same job as a 13 in exactly the same way a 6 doesn't do the same job as a 7.
You certainly don't want to see England scoring any tries, do you?
If I were a wing I wouldn't want to be in an England team selected by you, I'd never see the ball.
Billy Twlevetrees isn't going anywhere at the moment as he is one of the few true 12s we have, or are you one of these who think players are inter-changable and positions mean nothing?
A 12 doesn't do the same job as a 13 in exactly the same way a 6 doesn't do the same job as a 7.
Ha, good luck they barely see the ball as it is at the best of times! Only for Sexton was feeling generous the last day constantly kicking ball to the back 3, the two wingers wouldn't have got near as much possession. As it was both constantly came infield to get ball anyway. England are best going through their pack, it mightn't be pretty to watch at time but it sure is effective. How many times did they have men outside when 5 meters out and they went for a pushover. Cost them 2 tries tbh
I'm not English anyway so I couldn't care less what team is picked just giving an objective opinion. You slate Tuilagi in a previous post and go on about twelvetrees as if he's something incredible, he really isn't. Clearly, club bias swaying your opinion tbh
There's light years between both, granted they have different styles and different positions but I'd much rather face Twelvetrees in a team than Tuilagi as an Irish fan
Tuilagi is fairly one-dimensional in fairness but he's damn effective
France team: B Dulin (Castres); Y Huget (Toulouse), M Bastareaud (Toulon), M Mermoz (Toulon), M Medard (Toulouse); J Plisson (Stade Francais), M Machenaud (Racing Metro); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), B Mach (Castres), N Mas (Montpellier), Y Maestri (Toulouse), P Pape (Stade Francais, capt), S Vahaamahina (Perpignan), A Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), D Chouly (Clermont Auvergne).
Replacements: G Guirado (Perpignan), V Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), R Slimani (Stade Francais), A Flanquart (Stade Francais), A Claassen (Castres), J-M Doussain (Toulouse), R Tales (Castres), G Fickou (Toulouse).
Ireland: R Kearney; A Trimble, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, D Kearney; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D Toner, P O'Connell; I Henderson, C Henry, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, M Moore, R Ruddock, J Murphy, E Reddan, P Jackson, F McFadden.
Parisse rested in hope that he'll be fit for England game
Italy: L McLean; A Esposito, M Campagnaro, G Garcia, L Sarto; L Orquera, T Tebaldi; A De Marchi, L Ghiraldini, M Castrogiovanni, Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami, J Furno, P Derbyshire, R Barbieri.
Replacements: D Giazzon, M Rizzo, L Cittadini, A Pavanello, M Vosawai, E Gori, T Allan, A Masi.
Who will the kicker be for France ? Pilsson i presume
I think France make it up as they go along England: M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), L Burrell (Northampton), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Gloucester).
Replacements: T Youngs (Leicester), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Thomas (Sale), D Attwood (Bath), T Johnson (Exeter), L Dickson (Northampton), G Ford (Bath), A Goode (Saracens).
Comments
Wales v France was just the most bizarre game ever. France were bafflingly awful in everything they did. I think my womens team could have beaten them. They were just crazy. However, uniquely for France they were consistent as they were as awful in the second half as they were in the first. I don't want to take to much away from Wales as you can only beat what is in front of you but it honestly looked like France didn't want to be there, didn't have any desire to win anything. When your tighthead prop makes the most meters in a game then you know something is wrong.
Glad Scotland got the win but think it papers over some big cracks and Scot Johnson is not the man for Scotland. His treatment of some players has been a disgrace.
England v Ireland was a great game was lucky enough to be there and loved it. Irelands try was perfect execution of running lines and decoys. Beautiful. I thought England looked really strong and had some great moments but they failed to score and take advantage of overlaps countless times and that's is why they are a risky team to back. I would worry about England in tight games as they cant seem to build a score.
I love how open this competition is this year. I would obviously have loved an England grand slam but now it is all to play for. I really want some revenge on Wales I want England to smash them to pieces. Can they do it? not sure.
So its all gonna be an exciting end to the tournament
He'll find some way to be involved which will allow him to have some "self reflection time" on the big screen admiring himself.
You don't have to look too hard to find examples of his petulance, ask any club rugby supporter.
Everyone seems to hail Manu Tuilagi as the saviour in English rugby but he has rarely, if ever, replicated his club form for England. There has been many occasions when he's had the ball with the wing in space and he's gone looking for contact and the momentum is lost.
When Twelvetrees plays England look far more balanced and he is always near the top of the tackles made stats, as for May, he has only played a couple of full games for England and has seen nothing of the ball in space but, unlike say Chris Ashton he goes looking for the ball and against both Ireland and Scotland he made ground every time he got hold of the ball.
Yes, I am biased as a Gloucester season ticket holder for the last 30 years but your comments make little sense to me.
I would be surprised if Ashton wears an England shirt again in a meaningful game. Injuries might see him drafted in but May, Nowel, Wade, Yarde are all ahead of him now. With even more talent than that on the fringe with Watson and the like.
As a Gloucester fan I doubt any of what most intelligent rugby fans say to you makes sense... (I'm kidding, relax).
I watched 36 develop and I think the same thing about him now that I did 4 years ago... he's a great balanced rugby player and reminds me of a lower level Conrad Smith... not particularly fast, not amazing hands but a smart brain... I just don't think he's on an international level.
If you didn't see Manu against the 6Ns teams the last 3 years or against Australia, NZ or SA then I can't help you... if people like BOD are saying he's pure class then perhaps us fans should take note of what one of the best centres of all time says.
I've watched him in international games and I've also watched him play for Leicester on many occasions and what I see him do regularly for Leicester he rarely replicates for England, that is my point.
Whereas with Leicester he is looking to make space, commit defenders to off-load to the wings, more often than not in an England shirt he goes staight in to contact and by the time the ball is re-cycled momentum and, more importantly, space is lost.
People are already picking Burgess for England's RWC squad but there is no guarantee at all he will make it in Union, he hasn't even played a game yet. People forget that for every Jason Robinson there is a Karl Pryce, Henry Paul, Iestyn Harris, etc. It does not follow that being a great League player means he will automatically become a great Union player.
In that we agree... but I think Sam Burgess is just that next level above where Pryce, Paul and Harris was... in fact Robinson was good but never "unreal" for Wigan and GB... Burgess really is world class and is a huge loss to the international game of Rugby League not just England/Australia.
Adapting to backrow forward/inside centre in union will be far more difficult than winger/full back. No doubting he is a world-class league player but he will have to change his tackling method. Watching his great hits on youtube, virtually all of them would be illegal in union.
There are rumours that Tuilagi is wanted by Salford.
I bet he wouldn't have been dropped had France been playing Ireland this weekend.........
Reminds me of the Australians dropped for the Scotland game in the Autumn
Great game between ourselves and England it must be said.
When you bear in mind England are missing a number of big names (Tuilagi, Croft, Foden, Corbs, Dan Cole, Vunipola for rest of tournament) it really shows what a great position they're in with a World Cup only a year and a half away
All things going well as it stands they're my second favourites to win the thing
As for their strongest team, it really will be interesting to see when everyone comes back and if Burgess adapts to Union.
Talk of the wingers above, I think Nowell looks a great prospect, can't understand why Watson isn't at least on the bench- covers full back and Goode is a defensive liability at international level
I'd have Foden in the team on the wing any day of the week though when he's back. He might not be a natural winger but is too good to leave out IMO
Remember it is France we are talking about & Picomoles has been dropped before for playing x10 better than he did against Wales. With their other world-class players Fofana, Nyanga & Dusautoir out injured, it's all Scotland's to lose.
I remember seeing him play for Bedford and he was nothing special then.
Burrell and (likely) Burgess will be huge contenders for the 12 shirt you'd imagine when Tuilagi gets back, while it wouldn't surprise me if Farrell came into the reckoning for 12 either- if Ford keeps going like he is he'll be out half
The only thing is Burrell and Tuilagi are very similar but Farrell will be a huge contender for it IMO
Obviously a long way off but when England do get everyone fit and firing I can't see Twelvetrees starting at all
Tait could well become a dark horse for the 13 shirt too if he could ever stay fit for more than 5 minutes (
You certainly don't want to see England scoring any tries, do you?
If I were a wing I wouldn't want to be in an England team selected by you, I'd never see the ball.
Billy Twlevetrees isn't going anywhere at the moment as he is one of the few true 12s we have, or are you one of these who think players are inter-changable and positions mean nothing?
A 12 doesn't do the same job as a 13 in exactly the same way a 6 doesn't do the same job as a 7.
Ha, good luck they barely see the ball as it is at the best of times! Only for Sexton was feeling generous the last day constantly kicking ball to the back 3, the two wingers wouldn't have got near as much possession. As it was both constantly came infield to get ball anyway. England are best going through their pack, it mightn't be pretty to watch at time but it sure is effective. How many times did they have men outside when 5 meters out and they went for a pushover. Cost them 2 tries tbh
I'm not English anyway so I couldn't care less what team is picked just giving an objective opinion. You slate Tuilagi in a previous post and go on about twelvetrees as if he's something incredible, he really isn't. Clearly, club bias swaying your opinion tbh
There's light years between both, granted they have different styles and different positions but I'd much rather face Twelvetrees in a team than Tuilagi as an Irish fan
Tuilagi is fairly one-dimensional in fairness but he's damn effective
France team: B Dulin (Castres); Y Huget (Toulouse), M Bastareaud (Toulon), M Mermoz (Toulon), M Medard (Toulouse); J Plisson (Stade Francais), M Machenaud (Racing Metro); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), B Mach (Castres), N Mas (Montpellier), Y Maestri (Toulouse), P Pape (Stade Francais, capt), S Vahaamahina (Perpignan), A Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), D Chouly (Clermont Auvergne).
Replacements: G Guirado (Perpignan), V Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), R Slimani (Stade Francais), A Flanquart (Stade Francais), A Claassen (Castres), J-M Doussain (Toulouse), R Tales (Castres), G Fickou (Toulouse).
Ireland: R Kearney; A Trimble, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, D Kearney; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D Toner, P O'Connell; I Henderson, C Henry, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, M Moore, R Ruddock, J Murphy, E Reddan, P Jackson, F McFadden.
Italy: L McLean; A Esposito, M Campagnaro, G Garcia, L Sarto; L Orquera, T Tebaldi; A De Marchi, L Ghiraldini, M Castrogiovanni, Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami, J Furno, P Derbyshire, R Barbieri.
Replacements: D Giazzon, M Rizzo, L Cittadini, A Pavanello, M Vosawai, E Gori, T Allan, A Masi.
Replacements: 16-Ross Ford, 17-Alasdair Dickinson, 18-Euan Murray, 19-Tim Swinson, 20-Ryan Wilson, 21-Chris Cusiter, 22-Duncan Taylor, 23-Max Evans
I think France make it up as they go along
England: M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), L Burrell (Northampton), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Gloucester).
Replacements: T Youngs (Leicester), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Thomas (Sale), D Attwood (Bath), T Johnson (Exeter), L Dickson (Northampton), G Ford (Bath), A Goode (Saracens).
Oh dear:D
I am distraught.....plus they probably wont win.