The Official English Rugby Thread

[Kawazaki]

Furbank used to catch high balls with his eyes closed.

He couldn't catch coronavirus in a Florida care home.

[sockwithaticket]

It would be very Exeter to just about grind this one out.

Tbh, even if they do this has been a ridiculously massive improvement from Saints

True, certainly clawing back control and keeping it for a good chunk of the game seemed unlikely after that first 15.

[Saint]

It would be very Exeter to just about grind this one out.

Tbh, even if they do this has been a ridiculously massive improvement from Saints

True, certainly clawing back control and keeping it for a good chunk of the game seemed unlikely after that first 15.

Yeah. Lots to build on from here with the right mindset

[sockwithaticket]

Christ, but he's a useless lump.

[ASMO]

Furbank used to catch high balls with his eyes closed.

He couldn't catch coronavirus in a Florida care home.

How the hell he ever got 2 England caps i will never know, he is utter gash

[Oxbow]

Furbank used to catch high balls with his eyes closed.

He couldn't catch coronavirus in a Florida care home.

How the hell he ever got 2 England caps i will never know, he is utter gash

He's not, he's a good player in terrible form. He was called up for England way too soon though.

[Niegs]

I come in peace.

25 phases, 10m made.... How long can rugby keep up the facade of growing the game and chasing new audiences when the top level is boring the shit out of folk that love rugby

I did some statistical breakdowns of metres gained from each breakdown last year. The trend I found was that multiple passes mostly resulted in positive metres. One out runners had little gain, often none, and sometimes negative. Some multi pass moves resulted in being tackled well back from the gain line, but they mostly always win the break down and can go again or kick away. It's not so low risk as they think.

But with the continued sealing off at the breakdown and heavy scrutiny on defenders, attack can creep forward and wait for a lapse in defence or win a penalty.

[Slick]

He couldn't catch coronavirus in a Florida care home.

How the hell he ever got 2 England caps i will never know, he is utter gash

He's not, he's a good player in terrible form. He was called up for England way too soon though.

Yup, another hung out to dry by Eddie. Felt for him after that drop near the end, his eyes looked dead

[Raggs]

I come in peace.

25 phases, 10m made.... How long can rugby keep up the facade of growing the game and chasing new audiences when the top level is boring the shit out of folk that love rugby

I did some statistical breakdowns of metres gained from each breakdown last year. The trend I found was that multiple passes mostly resulted in positive metres. One out runners had little gain, often none, and sometimes negative. Some multi pass moves resulted in being tackled well back from the gain line, but they mostly always win the break down and can go again or kick away. It's not so low risk as they think.

But with the continued sealing off at the breakdown and heavy scrutiny on defenders, attack can creep forward and wait for a lapse in defence or win a penalty.

Can you check the previous phase in that? Like was the phase before a successful multi-pass phase, a successful one out? Or could can successful multi-pass phases come after negative one-outs?

[Niegs]

I come in peace.

25 phases, 10m made.... How long can rugby keep up the facade of growing the game and chasing new audiences when the top level is boring the shit out of folk that love rugby

I did some statistical breakdowns of metres gained from each breakdown last year. The trend I found was that multiple passes mostly resulted in positive metres. One out runners had little gain, often none, and sometimes negative. Some multi pass moves resulted in being tackled well back from the gain line, but they mostly always win the break down and can go again or kick away. It's not so low risk as they think.

But with the continued sealing off at the breakdown and heavy scrutiny on defenders, attack can creep forward and wait for a lapse in defence or win a penalty.

Can you check the previous phase in that? Like was the phase before a successful multi-pass phase, a successful one out? Or could can successful multi-pass phases come after negative one-outs?

Good question! I don't think I kept the notes I made, but I think it happens a fair bit. I understand that some of the 'getting the rucks in the right place' is about occupying defenders and beating them on the next phase, especially if some defenders have to fold around the ruck. Lots of linebreaks in the current style of play, I think, come from exploiting poor folds (overlap wide or catching them before they've set up). There's a good CPD video on youtube with Gustard talking about the importance of getting that fold / re-establishing width aspect of defence right.

I even think a few times, in the EC matches I watched, a big loss resulted in a positive 'next phase'. From memory, in each incident there were enough players already back to use the ball quickly, the defence hadn't chased forward quickly/coordinated themselves and attackers were able to use a few passes to get to the outside.

The thing that irks me most about some teams is not the monotonous phases - it works for a lot, so why not? - but that the guys outside the action area aren't great about exploiting what that phase just did. They're in their pods, waiting their turn in the planned phases, and sometimes too far away to even do anything about it because of that. A little more 'organic' or with speedsters floating in behind (see this from lurking off-side wings / full backs the odd time), and they can exploit the poor reorganization or mismatches more often. The best teams do this more than the rest, I think, even if for a significant linebreak that destablises the defence for the next phase. If your pattern is predictable, however, defence is easy.

[sockwithaticket]

Not feeling great about Wasps seconds going up against a near full strength Sarries team gearing up for a tilt at Europe...

[sockwithaticket]

Sarries are hilariously illegal at the ruck epitomised by Billy scrabbling for the ball while literally lying down on Vailanu under the posts.

Both sides a bit error strewn at the moment.

[sockwithaticket]

Nice to see that being reversed for dickishness.

[ASMO]

Wasps looking the better side at the moment, Barrett is so pedestrian.

[ASMO]

Wasps great calue for the lead

[Raggs]

Annoying our scrum can't hold up, lost possession to a penalty, despite being the team with possession for the stoppage.

Wish Ridley had allowed the quick one there, surely we get to choose to play with our people on the floor or not.

[sockwithaticket]

I'm really pleasantly surprised how well this team are holding up and enjoying Sarries actually getting called on their offsides for a change.

Billy's having a poor game, with the form of so many of our other back rowers there's no way he deserves an England spot on current form.

[sockwithaticket]

Grabbing players round the head is fine apparently...

[ASMO]

Wasps scrum getting absolutely monstered

[sockwithaticket]

That's an outstanding rescue job from Tom Willis.

[sockwithaticket]

Huge let off there.

[Slick]

Ref being very, errrr, generous to Wasps here

[Raggs]

Ref being very, errrr, generous to Wasps here

Yeah, think so too. Think he felt guilty about the injury stoppage earlier.

[Raggs]

Think perhaps too that Sarries have got on his wrong side, could well be helping us. (By helping I mean feeling less generous to sarries, not deliberately cheating).

[Kawazaki]

Sarries getting ridden hard by the ref here.

I expect a proper manshaming in the second-half.

[ASMO]

saracens play like this against Leinster they will ship 50+ points

[sockwithaticket]

Glad that one got called, thought it was pretty obvious and that he'd missed it.

Certainly didn't expect to be leading at the half!

[Slick]

Think perhaps too that Sarries have got on his wrong side, could well be helping us. (By helping I mean feeling less generous to sarries, not deliberately cheating).

Yes, I just switched on as he pinged Billy for offside and over he next few minutes thought Sarries must have done something to piss him off here

[ASMO]

Glad that one got called, thought it was pretty obvious and that he'd missed it.

Certainly didn't expect to be leading at the half!

Certainly a deserved lead, apart from the first 5 mins Saracens have been junk

[Kawazaki]

saracens play like this against Leinster they will ship 50+ points

Not sure, Leinster didn't look much against Munster.

[SaintK]

saracens play like this against Leinster they will ship 50+ points

Not sure, Leinster didn't look much against Munster.

You'll be putting a few bob on Saracens then?

[Kawazaki]

saracens play like this against Leinster they will ship 50+ points

Not sure, Leinster didn't look much against Munster.

You'll be putting a few bob on Saracens then?

Depends on the odds. No crowds. Leinster might be a bit underdone.

It wouldn't be a huge shock if Saracens won.

[sockwithaticket]

Glad that one got called, thought it was pretty obvious and that he'd missed it.

Certainly didn't expect to be leading at the half!

Certainly a deserved lead, apart from the first 5 mins Saracens have been junk

My concern is we don't have more points on the board given the pressure exerted.

[ASMO]

Ref got that totally wrong there

[SaintK]

Not sure, Leinster didn't look much against Munster.

You'll be putting a few bob on Saracens then?

Depends on the odds. No crowds. Leinster might be a bit underdone.

It wouldn't be a huge shock if Saracens won.

You checked out Leinster's home record in Europe?

[sockwithaticket]

Ref got that totally wrong there

I'll take it. Looked like Sarries kicked it through anyway(is that still penalisable? I lose track of the various directives).

[ASMO]

Ref didnt want to blow held up there, he really doesnt like Sarries, one of them must have shagged his mummy

[Raggs]

That didn't look too unplayable to me, he got to ground before the whistle went. Basically awarding a pen to saracens due to the fact it goes to scrum.

We've had the rub of the green before though.

[ASMO]

that was a very nicely worked try

[sockwithaticket]

Ah, being the better team was nice while it lasted. Expected service has arrived, I'll be pleased if we can get a losing BP.