The Official English Rugby Thread

[petej]

4th game in 2 years! Jeez, I knew Devoto had a torrid time with injury lately, but I didn't realise it was that bad.

The England 12 position is cursed.

[petej]

super try from exeter

[sockwithaticket]

You don't often see locks on the scoring end of those long range efforts. Fair play to Tuima being there in support.

[Stranger]

Yep, that was top class

[Paddington Bear]

This game is nicely set up, both sides playing some good atuff

[Paddington Bear]

Well taken dg from Faz

[petej]

Chance blown by Exeter then good play by Sarries and Farrell with the drop goal.

[Paddington Bear]

Well worked try, good hands, good line. Sarries pulling away. Hadfield a good news story

[petej]

Game over with that try.

[Paddington Bear]

Bizarre final score. That’s a huge win for Sarries in the context of the season, and how much better was Faz now the contract drama is sorted?

Very enjoyable weekend of rugby so far, good crowds and good games

[JM2K6]

Jarrod Evans is straight back from a long injury layoff and barely had time to develop any partnerships before he got injured anyway. He did not look fit. Max Green was an emergency signing and some way off Porter's standard.

Played like twats and should have won regardless. Far too many unforced errors. Hohum.

Along with a fair few in that team who don't get the same vitriol.

Like who? Even the most maligned players under Eddie did something!

Seeing as he's the subject of the discussion, we could maybe start with Nick Iseikwe. We could add Jack Walker if we wished. We also had the majority of backs playing like they'd never met each other before.

Still not sure about Ewels doing nothing, he's won his lineouts, made his tackles, locked his scrums and hit his rucks - what he's there for. The way people are talking about him it's like he dropped the ball every time it went near him and slipped off every tackle. That's just not the case.

Are we genuinely trying to make out that bit-part players who got in because of injury are equivalent to a mainstay of the team when it comes to criticising whether they did anything? Ewels has 15 starts compared to Isiekwe's 4 and Walker's, uh, one(!).

Ewels had plenty of opportunities to show he actually belonged in the team ahead of other options and did absolutely nothing to prove it. Given our scrums were regularly shit and he often wasn't the primary lineout target, he offered practically nothing for a very long time except dumb penalties and the occasional "oh, he's on the field" tackle. Just an empty shirt. At least with Isiekwe you understood why he was there - athletic, huge engine, capable of standout moments - but Ewels usually had fewer carries than most of the pack, decent-but-not-great tackle numbers, and didn't seem to have any kind of point of difference to explain what he was doing playing for England.

I accept that it can feel a bit odd that a guy not actively stinking the place out was a magnet for criticism, but it really was baffling how he was such a regular player for England.

[petej]

Jarrod Evans is straight back from a long injury layoff and barely had time to develop any partnerships before he got injured anyway. He did not look fit. Max Green was an emergency signing and some way off Porter's standard.

Played like twats and should have won regardless. Far too many unforced errors. Hohum.



Like who? Even the most maligned players under Eddie did something!

Seeing as he's the subject of the discussion, we could maybe start with Nick Iseikwe. We could add Jack Walker if we wished. We also had the majority of backs playing like they'd never met each other before.

Still not sure about Ewels doing nothing, he's won his lineouts, made his tackles, locked his scrums and hit his rucks - what he's there for. The way people are talking about him it's like he dropped the ball every time it went near him and slipped off every tackle. That's just not the case.

Are we genuinely trying to make out that bit-part players who got in because of injury are equivalent to a mainstay of the team when it comes to criticising whether they did anything? Ewels has 15 starts compared to Isiekwe's 4 and Walker's, uh, one(!).

Ewels had plenty of opportunities to show he actually belonged in the team ahead of other options and did absolutely nothing to prove it. Given our scrums were regularly shit and he often wasn't the primary lineout target, he offered practically nothing for a very long time except dumb penalties and the occasional "oh, he's on the field" tackle. Just an empty shirt. At least with Isiekwe you understood why he was there - athletic, huge engine, capable of standout moments - but Ewels usually had fewer carries than most of the pack, decent-but-not-great tackle numbers, and didn't seem to have any kind of point of difference to explain what he was doing playing for England.

I accept that it can feel a bit odd that a guy not actively stinking the place out was a magnet for criticism, but it really was baffling how he was such a regular player for England.

Not helped by Chessum taking to international rugby really quickly.

Ewels is a bit meh. Martin is pretty similar but with better discipline.

[ASMO]

Hoping Glaws do a number on Sale today

[Paddington Bear]

Dugdale surely going to the bin?

[ASMO]

Dugdale surely going to the bin?

Ref took a bit of persuading, but correct decision.

[ASMO]

Mercer melted Dupreez, that was some hit.

[ASMO]

Sanderson sounds like a broken man

[sockwithaticket]

Good score that. Hopefully Atkinson can kick on being given more game time in his proper position than Leicester offered.

[sockwithaticket]

Thorley's lucky there. He makes very little effort when kick chasing to get low and is constantly running the risk. He's been red carded in the past for not getting it right and it seems more by luck than judgement that he's avoided one here.

[Paddington Bear]

I love Gus Warr, possibly the most punchable 9 in world rugby. If we don’t cap him I can see him being central to any number of low scoring Scottish wins in the driving rain.

Gloucester finally seem to be stringing it all together

[SaintK]

Sanderson sounds like a broken man

Yes
Very odd, not like him at all

[inactionman]

Oh good god above

England’s players have been brainstorming fresh ways to reconnect with their supporters during this year’s Six Nations championship, including modernising the Twickenham matchday experience in a bid to attract a more diverse audience. More music during breaks in play and better fan engagement are among several proposals from the squad with the aim of changing the vibe around the English team.

What fucking belllend in the squad suggested that?


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/ ... ix-nations

Maybe start with dropping the price of a ticket, and the price of a pint while you're at it.

[petej]

Oh good god above

England’s players have been brainstorming fresh ways to reconnect with their supporters during this year’s Six Nations championship, including modernising the Twickenham matchday experience in a bid to attract a more diverse audience. More music during breaks in play and better fan engagement are among several proposals from the squad with the aim of changing the vibe around the English team.

What fucking belllend in the squad suggested that?


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/ ... ix-nations

Maybe start with dropping the price of a ticket, and the price of a pint while you're at it.

Be less shit. Kick the ball away less and play more rugby.

[inactionman]

Oh good god above

England’s players have been brainstorming fresh ways to reconnect with their supporters during this year’s Six Nations championship, including modernising the Twickenham matchday experience in a bid to attract a more diverse audience. More music during breaks in play and better fan engagement are among several proposals from the squad with the aim of changing the vibe around the English team.

What fucking belllend in the squad suggested that?


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/ ... ix-nations

Maybe start with dropping the price of a ticket, and the price of a pint while you're at it.

Be less shit. Kick the ball away less and play more rugby.

To be fair I could see Ellis Genge raising that point in a team meet

[sockwithaticket]

Oh good god above

England’s players have been brainstorming fresh ways to reconnect with their supporters during this year’s Six Nations championship, including modernising the Twickenham matchday experience in a bid to attract a more diverse audience. More music during breaks in play and better fan engagement are among several proposals from the squad with the aim of changing the vibe around the English team.

What fucking belllend in the squad suggested that?


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/ ... ix-nations

Maybe start with dropping the price of a ticket, and the price of a pint while you're at it.

Be less shit. Kick the ball away less and play more rugby.

I was listening to the BBC pod and someone mentioned that Borthwick has pointed out in an interview that Northampton are kicking more this season. The implication being that's why they've had greater success, so I won't be holding my breath for us to actually start trying to put the ball through hands more.

[inactionman]

It's not the volume of kicking per se, it's the witless kicking the ball way when there are better options. This is what killed England in the last 6N in particular - any statistic on kicking is never going to capture whether the kicks were appropriate or well-executed. Maybe a crowd groan-o-meter?

Northampton may kick a reasonable amount, if Borthwick's statement is to be believed, but watching them they all know when to put it though hands - and have played some great rugby this season.

[Margin__Walker]

It's not the volume of kicking per se, it's the witless kicking the ball way when there are better options. This is what killed England in the last 6N in particular - any statistic on kicking is never going to capture whether the kicks were appropriate or well-executed. Maybe a crowd groan-o-meter?

Northampton may kick a reasonable amount, if Borthwick's statement is to be believed, but watching them they all know when to put it though hands - and have played some great rugby this season.

Yeah, decent teams do kick a lot. The stats do tell you that. But it works as part of a cohesive attack, rather than the entire game plan being high ball after high ball for the wings to chase and force the mistake. It's rugby cancer and I hope we try to play a little more now the world cup is out of the way

[Paddington Bear]

The atmosphere at Twickenham would improve if:

1) England were playing well
2) tickets weren’t priced to stop ordinary people going

Twickenham has good acoustics, can be deafening and England fans made tonnes of noise at the world cup. So we know it can be done.

I’ve said it before, but I would reserve one section of a few thousand seats together for an England ‘fan club’ of some sort. Put a bunch of people together who actually care, price these tickets at something half reasonable, and I think the atmosphere comes back very quickly.

[sockwithaticket]

It's not the volume of kicking per se, it's the witless kicking the ball way when there are better options. This is what killed England in the last 6N in particular - any statistic on kicking is never going to capture whether the kicks were appropriate or well-executed. Maybe a crowd groan-o-meter?

Northampton may kick a reasonable amount, if Borthwick's statement is to be believed, but watching them they all know when to put it though hands - and have played some great rugby this season.

Exactly, which is why hearing Jones and now Borthwick seem to fixate on the quantity of kicks, without offering additional context, is deflating.

Scabnose could well recognise that simply kicking more isn't the reason Northampton have had such an uptick in their results, it's that they're making better choices about when to run, pass kick etc, but that's not what's been communicated.

[ASMO]

The atmosphere at Twickenham would improve if:

1) England were playing well
2) tickets weren’t priced to stop ordinary people going

Twickenham has good acoustics, can be deafening and England fans made tonnes of noise at the world cup. So we know it can be done.

I’ve said it before, but I would reserve one section of a few thousand seats together for an England ‘fan club’ of some sort. Put a bunch of people together who actually care, price these tickets at something half reasonable, and I think the atmosphere comes back very quickly.

There is already an England Supporters club which is a paid membership for a first XV level membership (it is a nugatory amount), so that would be a good place to start. Give them guaranteed preferential tickets. (we get early access to some ballots to some games already)

But i agree, a team playing better rugby, getting results with a leadership team who don't come out with the same tired bullshit after every game..."we are still learning" "this is a young team" "we are planning towards the next RWC etc etc" and who select players in their club positions and on form.

[Oxbow]

Saints are kicking more this season, but that's because they've become a little more pragmatic instead of trying to run it from everywhere. Just saying they kick more out of context is meaningless.

[Hal Jordan]

England could also stop bending over to accommodate the TV kick offs and stop the late times, meaning Twickenham isn't full of completely pissed up twats on corporate jollies paying little to bo attention to the matches, and also meaning you can go for a meal post match at a decent hour.

[SaintK]

Well that's a bugger! He definitely is going.
Good luck to him

England back row Courtney Lawes is set to join Pro D2 side Brive – according to reports in France.
This news, as reported by Midi Olympique, marks a major coup for the Corrèze club. Although the contract is not yet to be made official, Lawes has reportedly agreed to join the side which currently reside in sixth on the ProD2 table.
A separate Midi Olympique story on Sunday highlighted that Brive has taken a decisive lead in acquiring Lawes. The Northampton veteran’s contract is due to expire in June and had explored options in Brive, Aix-en-Provence, and Montpellier.
Of these, he received written offers from all three, but an aggressive campaign by Brive has apparently won the Englishman’s signature.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/englan ... eport/

[Deveron Boy]

England could also stop bending over to accommodate the TV kick offs and stop the late times, meaning Twickenham isn't full of completely pissed up twats on corporate jollies paying little to bo attention to the matches, and also meaning you can go for a meal post match at a decent hour.

thats a mixed blessing as scotland getting prinicpally, 2pm's or sundays and first game on last day vs italy

[ASMO]

Well that's a bugger! He definitely is going.
Good luck to him

England back row Courtney Lawes is set to join Pro D2 side Brive – according to reports in France.
This news, as reported by Midi Olympique, marks a major coup for the Corrèze club. Although the contract is not yet to be made official, Lawes has reportedly agreed to join the side which currently reside in sixth on the ProD2 table.
A separate Midi Olympique story on Sunday highlighted that Brive has taken a decisive lead in acquiring Lawes. The Northampton veteran’s contract is due to expire in June and had explored options in Brive, Aix-en-Provence, and Montpellier.
Of these, he received written offers from all three, but an aggressive campaign by Brive has apparently won the Englishman’s signature.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/englan ... eport/

They must be offering him an absolute truckload of cash to go there.

[Paddington Bear]

I prefer the 5ish kick offs - gives you time to have a full day before the game

[sockwithaticket]

I have an irrational belief that England play better in daylight than under floodlights and thus earlier kickoffs are better.

[ASMO]

I have an irrational belief that England play better in daylight than under floodlights and thus earlier kickoffs are better.

[Hal Jordan]

The atmosphere at Twickenham would improve if:

1) England were playing well
2) tickets weren’t priced to stop ordinary people going

Twickenham has good acoustics, can be deafening and England fans made tonnes of noise at the world cup. So we know it can be done.

I’ve said it before, but I would reserve one section of a few thousand seats together for an England ‘fan club’ of some sort. Put a bunch of people together who actually care, price these tickets at something half reasonable, and I think the atmosphere comes back very quickly.

There is already an England Supporters club which is a paid membership for a first XV level membership (it is a nugatory amount), so that would be a good place to start. Give them guaranteed preferential tickets. (we get early access to some ballots to some games already)

But i agree, a team playing better rugby, getting results with a leadership team who don't come out with the same tired bullshit after every game..."we are still learning" "this is a young team" "we are planning towards the next RWC etc etc" and who select players in their club positions and on form.

I can handle some young team shenanigans if there is evidence that we are moving on and trying to improve. But I think the narrative for the near future will be, "If only the wicked press and social media hadn't driven Farrell away, he would have won that match for us!"

[Ovals]

The atmosphere at Twickenham would improve if:

1) England were playing well
2) tickets weren’t priced to stop ordinary people going

Twickenham has good acoustics, can be deafening and England fans made tonnes of noise at the world cup. So we know it can be done.

I’ve said it before, but I would reserve one section of a few thousand seats together for an England ‘fan club’ of some sort. Put a bunch of people together who actually care, price these tickets at something half reasonable, and I think the atmosphere comes back very quickly.

There is already an England Supporters club which is a paid membership for a first XV level membership (it is a nugatory amount), so that would be a good place to start. Give them guaranteed preferential tickets. (we get early access to some ballots to some games already)

But i agree, a team playing better rugby, getting results with a leadership team who don't come out with the same tired bullshit after every game..."we are still learning" "this is a young team" "we are planning towards the next RWC etc etc" and who select players in their club positions and on form.

I can handle some young team shenanigans if there is evidence that we are moving on and trying to improve. But I think the narrative for the near future will be, "If only the wicked press and social media hadn't driven Farrell away, he would have won that match for us!"

Which rather misses the point that we've played crap for years, with or without Farrell.