The Official English Rugby Thread

[Kawazaki]

Mike Brown

[JM2K6]

Monye wanking off over the kick chase as Smith let the ball bounce three fucking times.

He didn't have a choice - we're lacking a winger and he's having to cover a huge amount of space. No excuse for the chargedown, Brown had loads of time.

[sockwithaticket]

And that's the game. Shit kick ahead by Morris, followed by a really shit kick by Brown.

Jack Willis - he's been beaten at the breakdown today for the first time I can remember in ages, but he's still been huge with his carrying, and thats an excellent game-winning try.

I did just punch the sofa, but you cannot fucking win games with no set piece and a red card makes it impossible regardless. Quins had their chances though. Sigh.

Evans has been class tonight, a thorough nuisance and Robshaw seemed as streetwise as you'd expect a veteran blindside to be.

Edit - and he knocks it on as I type. Sorry, Will.

[RodneyRegis]

Yes, virtually doing the splits but on his feet

[JM2K6]

Well done Wasps. Far stronger than your fans think you are. Well played.

Quins - well, fought well enough, but the prematch prediction of a dicking up front came true. Some truly epic breakdown work and some ballsy individual plays can't cover up the sins of having no second row and no front row.

[JM2K6]

Yes, virtually doing the splits but on his feet

Supporting his own bodyweight with his testicles.

[Punter15]

Willis is simply awesome. Lions bolter.

[JM2K6]

Getting tired of watching these matches. Would be nice to a) stop getting our fucking players injured so we can actually put out decent sides, and b) get a fucking set piece that works.

[Kawazaki]

Pinch the Quins BP as well.

Death by a thousand cuts being a Quins fan.

[JM2K6]

Willis is simply awesome. Lions bolter.

Yup he's brilliant. The fact that he's a good heavy carrier means there's absolutely no reason not to look at him for England and the Lions. Evans edged it at the breakdown today but that's not going to happen very often and Willis offers so much.

[sockwithaticket]

Willis is simply awesome. Lions bolter.

You'd like to think that even Eddie can't ignore him at this point.

[Hal Jordan]

Pinch the Quins BP as well.

Death by a thousand cuts being a Quins fan.

You're obsessed.

[Ali Cadoo]

I’ve laughed at Robshaw over the years but you have to applaud his career: what a workhorse, what a great one-club man. Fair do’s, a great Quin.

[Punter15]

Willis is simply awesome. Lions bolter.

You'd like to think that even Eddie can't ignore him at this point.

He’s probably the only coach that would though

[Kawazaki]

Willis is simply awesome. Lions bolter.

You'd like to think that even Eddie can't ignore him at this point.

If he can ignore every scrumhalf in England for the last 5 years then I'm afraid your optimism is misplaced.

[sockwithaticket]

Willis is simply awesome. Lions bolter.

You'd like to think that even Eddie can't ignore him at this point.

If he can ignore every scrumhalf in England for the last 5 years then I'm afraid your optimism is misplaced.

I'm chalking that up to Youngs having compromising photos. There's no other explanation.

[JM2K6]

Because I'm bitter ( and gutted that Robshaw has to end his career in front of empty stands) I went back and timed that non-call on the choke tackle. A full seven seconds before the player got his knee down. Mad stuff.

Grumble.

[Kawazaki]

Because I'm bitter ( and gutted that Robshaw has to end his career in front of empty stands) I went back and timed that non-call on the choke tackle. A full seven seconds before the player got his knee down. Mad stuff.

Grumble.

Still about 10 seconds quicker than it takes Brown to kick the ball.

[JM2K6]

[Sandstorm]

Because I'm bitter ( and gutted that Robshaw has to end his career in front of empty stands) I went back and timed that non-call on the choke tackle. A full seven seconds before the player got his knee down. Mad stuff.

Grumble.

Two matches in SA this weekend , tonnes of players grabbed, held up in the air - yet only a single turnover called by one ref. The defending team gets yelled to “Release! Tackle” by the ref almost immediately and attacking team takes the ball down and recycles easily.

Going into a tackle upright doesn’t get punished any more.

[SaintK]

Because I'm bitter ( and gutted that Robshaw has to end his career in front of empty stands) I went back and timed that non-call on the choke tackle. A full seven seconds before the player got his knee down. Mad stuff.

Grumble.

Shame for Robshaw, deserved an ovation. Nice interview with Monye afterwards which choked Robshaw up a little
Willis had an extraordinary match

[Raggs]

Just checked stats, Jack apparently carried 21 times!

[notfatcat]

Makes sense. I lost count of the times I screamed "just tackle the cunt!".

[Raggs]

Makes sense. I lost count of the times I screamed "just tackle the cunt!".

He's one of those players that runs with serious determination. There's lots of big players that tend to just go down, but those that really fight for every yard are nearly always great. Sure they sometimes get held up, but generally they benefit the team. Genge is another with the determination to power through. Dombrandt too.

[notfatcat]

Agreed. Big players going down and not fighting to stay on their feet or power through has been annoying me for donkey's years.

[Raggs]

Agreed. Big players going down and not fighting to stay on their feet or power through has been annoying me for donkey's years.

Gorgodze is probably one of the best examples of someone who refused to be stopped and fought, wriggled, twisted and wrestled to keep going.

[JM2K6]

Agreed. Big players going down and not fighting to stay on their feet or power through has been annoying me for donkey's years.

You can mention Charlie Matthews by name

[SaintK]

Damian Hopley telling us what we know already

he Oxford dictionary definition of a crisis is a time of danger. Alternatively just listen to the words of Damian Hopley, chief executive of the Rugby Players’ Association, as he seeks to protect his members’ livelihoods. “Can clubs survive until Christmas or into next year? Can some unions survive? It’s a very stark situation. The foundations of sport have been completely rocked and we’re now in a position where we’re starting to understand the real impact.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020 ... ugh-sport

[Margin__Walker]

Bob Casey.

Massive bloke. Leader of men. Solid set piece lock.

Worst carrier of the ball ever and used to crumple at first point of contact every time.

In all seriousness, a lot of it must be attitude (in addition to general athleticism) and must be one of the first things looked at in the various development pathways. Some players, no matter what position/size, fight so hard to stay on their feet in contact. That extra yard or two makes all the difference to the front foot ball you get.

[Margin__Walker]

Yeah, read that earlier Saintk. Lots of dire warnings this week.

Certainly overshadows the fixture announcement today.

[sockwithaticket]

Polledri's another one of those who runs and carries like he bears the guy in his way a personal grudge.

He's obviously not a small guy, but there are bigger back rows who achieve less in contact.

I swear Borthwick's England career finished with negative yardage per carry...

[Margin__Walker]

To be fair on locks, having such a high centre of gravity doesn't help at all.

That said, some are clearly worse that others. Borthwick is a good shout

[Kawazaki]

Bob Casey.

Massive bloke. Leader of men. Solid set piece lock.

Worst carrier of the ball ever and used to crumple at first point of contact every time.

In all seriousness, a lot of it must be attitude (in addition to general athleticism) and must be one of the first things looked at in the various development pathways. Some players, no matter what position/size, fight so hard to stay on their feet in contact. That extra yard or two makes all the difference to the front foot ball you get.

Yes and no!

It's obviously different coaching with elite professional players so this might not be valid but at more junior levels when I to used to coach the phrase "a safe 4 yards is quicker than a risky 5" was often repeated! It's very easy to fight your way into an area where it becomes very easy for the opposition to turn you over. Bend the line then try to keep the ball off the floor and offload to space etc.

Your wider point that some players love to accelerate hard onto the ball into contact and some tend to shrink and lamely turn into it is true. Can be coached of course but it is mostly a mental thing.

[Margin__Walker]

Bob Casey.

Massive bloke. Leader of men. Solid set piece lock.

Worst carrier of the ball ever and used to crumple at first point of contact every time.

In all seriousness, a lot of it must be attitude (in addition to general athleticism) and must be one of the first things looked at in the various development pathways. Some players, no matter what position/size, fight so hard to stay on their feet in contact. That extra yard or two makes all the difference to the front foot ball you get.

Yes and no!

It's obviously different coaching with elite professional players so this might not be valid at more junior levels when I to used to coach but the phrase "a safe 4 yards is quicker than a risky 5" was often repeated! It's very easy to fight your way into an area where it becomes very easy for the opposition to turn you over. Bend the line then try to keep the ball off the floor and offload to space etc.

Your wider point that some players love to accelerate hard onto the ball into contact and some tend to shrink and lamely turn into it is true. Can be coached of course but it is mostly a mental thing.

Fair points and a lot of it is situational. If you're setting up for an exit play or box kick, there's definitely an interest in accepting contact where your support are

[sockwithaticket]

To be fair on locks, having such a high centre of gravity doesn't help at all.

That said, some are clearly worse that others. Borthwick is a good shout

Oh definitely and sometimes when you see one of the ganglier ones going backwards in a tangle of limbs you can't help but wonder at the wisdom of asking them to make the carry unless there were literally no other options. Not everyone in the team can contribute in the same way.

[Raggs]

Mike Brown is a good example of a "smaller" guy who fights for every yard, broke tackles and made yards really well.

I understand getting to ground and playing it safe, but first instinct has got to be to carry hard an aggressive, then judge as to whether or not you need to go down. Too many players just try and hit the ground instantly, which isn't a case of a safe 4 yards, it's a safe -1 yard, which doesn't help.

[ASMO]

To be fair on locks, having such a high centre of gravity doesn't help at all.

That said, some are clearly worse that others. Borthwick is a good shout

Oh definitely and sometimes when you see one of the ganglier ones going backwards in a tangle of limbs you can't help but wonder at the wisdom of asking them to make the carry unless there were literally no other options. Not everyone in the team can contribute in the same way.

I don't think "scab" ever made any positive yards from a carry into contact in his career

[Oxbow]

Teimana Harrison isn't huge for a back row, but he scraps for every inch and makes more yards in contact than he rightly should.

[SaintK]

Mike Brown is a good example of a "smaller" guy who fights for every yard, broke tackles and made yards really well.

I understand getting to ground and playing it safe, but first instinct has got to be to carry hard an aggressive, then judge as to whether or not you need to go down. Too many players just try and hit the ground instantly, which isn't a case of a safe 4 yards, it's a safe -1 yard, which doesn't help.

As does Jack Nowell

[Kawazaki]

Mike Brown is a good example of a "smaller" guy who fights for every yard, broke tackles and made yards really well.

I understand getting to ground and playing it safe, but first instinct has got to be to carry hard an aggressive, then judge as to whether or not you need to go down. Too many players just try and hit the ground instantly, which isn't a case of a safe 4 yards, it's a safe -1 yard, which doesn't help.

It's fairly well-known that I've never been a Mike Brown fan - even when he was in form years ago but I would never accuse the guy of lacking heart and optimism when he runs into contact. The question though,for any fullback who plays like Brown, would be - why do you run into so much contact in the first place and who on earth told you to run with the ball tucked under your armpit? He runs into contact like a prop runs into contact. Similar speed too.