England A v Portugal

[ASMO]

can definately create a backline with some serious pace from those names, run rings around the main England squad.

[Raggs]

Christ, with the "right" team selection you could just play one out rugby rotating between about 10 carriers and make yards every time.

[SaintK]

Exceellent squad. Let's see what Vesty can do with those backs

[sockwithaticket]

Pearson's deaprture from the main squad makes a bit more sense now, he'll actually be getting some game time. Good to see that Bamber is on the radar, he's looked pretty handy when I've caught Sale games this season.

We are barren at tighthead if Iosefa-Scott is getting a look in.

[Ovals]

No Kelly, Mercer or Will Evans

[Ovals]

And no Radwan !!

[ASMO]

[tabascoboy]

The Portugal squad, if anyone's interested. A couple of the France based players aren't included that won against Romania so not quite at full strength

[SaintK]

Fair amount of pace in that back division, particularlyu the back three
I guess Ewels was parachuted into the A squad to captain the side, otherwise a waste of of selection
Let's see how they go with Vesty as attack coach

[Lobby]

Portugal scored some fabulous tries in their match against Romania, so hopefully we'll see some good rugby from both sides

[tabascoboy]

Portugal scored some fabulous tries in their match against Romania, so hopefully we'll see some good rugby from both sides

It's a shame that the scrummie Camacho doesn't seem to have been available but Cardoso Pinto is one to look out for. Reckon it could be a pretty open and high scoring game

[geordie_6]

This televised anywhere?

[ASMO]

youtube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmi7Ca ... pp=desktop

[sockwithaticket]

The Portuguese have been in the press over the last week making a point of how this isn't the senior Portugal team and they'll be missing a lot of players.

[geordie_6]

youtube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmi7Ca ... pp=desktop

Cheers mate.

[SaintK]

The Portuguese have been in the press over the last week making a point of how this isn't the senior Portugal team and they'll be missing a lot of players.

That's a shame. I'm assuming they realised that their players at French clubs wouldn't get released for the match?

[tabascoboy]

The Portuguese have been in the press over the last week making a point of how this isn't the senior Portugal team and they'll be missing a lot of players.

That's a shame. I'm assuming they realised that their players at French clubs wouldn't get released for the match?

It's not a much a priority as the Rugby Europe Championship for them, which they have a real chance of winning this year IMO. Naturally soon after I posted the rota they published the starting line up...which is definitely not the best they could field

[ASMO]

Already handling better than the supposed senior team yesterday.

[ASMO]

Going to be a massacre, shame really...i think the Portugal of the RWC would give this team a very competetive game.

[ASMO]

The mismatch in the scrum is so wide i think its actually dangerous. I do wonder if they should call in uncontested as i fear a Portugal player will get seriously hurt.

[sockwithaticket]

Going to be a long game for Portugal if that's all they can muster up front.

Barbeary looking like a 70s porn star with that 'stache and white man afro combo.

[ASMO]

Going to be a long game for Portugal if that's all they can muster up front.

Barbeary looking like a 70s porn star with that 'stache and white man afro combo.

A reincarnation of Ron Jeremy

[Stranger]

England should just hold the scrum. There is nothing to learn from scrum penalties

[sockwithaticket]

Opposed training run. Still, nice to see Will Muir in an England shirt and scoring.

[ASMO]

Wow that was some clearsnce

[Paddington Bear]

Is this worth watching? Just finishing a sulky walk in the Chilterns

[ASMO]

Is this worth watching? Just finishing a sulky walk in the Chilterns

Totally non competetive, 43 - 0 after 35 mins

[Paddington Bear]

Is this worth watching? Just finishing a sulky walk in the Chilterns

Totally non competetive, 43 - 0 after 35 mins

Thanks. I’m in favour of A games but this does seem to have turned out to be completely pointless. Bin off the baabaas and get them to bring over their proper team in that slot.

[sockwithaticket]

It was dumb to arrange it when we did. It's the middle of the REC for them and a fallow week, so no international release for any of their players based in France, so even if they were minded to, it wouldn't have been possible to field a strong team.

[geordie_6]

Yeah not sure what we are going to learn from this...

[ASMO]

England need to be told not to push in the scrum....that is so bloody dangerous

[sockwithaticket]

Moral victory for Portugal.

[Stranger]

Yep

[ASMO]

91 - 5 not sure anyone got anything from that

[tabascoboy]

High scoring alright but not in the way I hoped...

[geordie_6]

91 - 5 not sure anyone got anything from that

A few players looked decent (Hodge, Ojomoh, Atkinson, Pearson) but not in a way we didn't already know about...

[Margin__Walker]

Well that game was all a bit silly.

Imagine if you'd done your ACL playing in this.

I do like A fixtures usually though and used to enjoy watching the Churchill Cup every summer. Hopefully they manage to sort out a few more competitive games soon.

[sockwithaticket]

Given how few other nations seem interested in having an A team (Ireland and New Zealand are the only ones) these days, more tier 2 games definitely need to be sought out, but only if they're going to be full blooded affairs. More matches like this will simply be a waste of air fares and match fees.

Might be worth tapping up Canada and the US to see what can be done about reviving the Churchill Cup. It's not the only factor in their decline, but they definitely seemed a lot more competitive when they were regularly playing the Saxons and Wolfhounds.

[Paddington Bear]

If there aren’t Prem games in the autumn weekend, why not play three tier 2 teams in that window? They can put out their proper sides then

[Slick]

Given how few other nations seem interested in having an A team (Ireland and New Zealand are the only ones) these days, more tier 2 games definitely need to be sought out, but only if they're going to be full blooded affairs. More matches like this will simply be a waste of air fares and match fees.

Might be worth tapping up Canada and the US to see what can be done about reviving the Churchill Cup. It's not the only factor in their decline, but they definitely seemed a lot more competitive when they were regularly playing the Saxons and Wolfhounds.

Ahem, we have played more Tier 2 teams than any other Tier 1 team over the last decade