NPR

inactionman wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:55 am I'll comment when I see the team announced - probably something along the lines of 'oh FFS'.

Big D wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09, 2023 12:01 pm Fiji looked like a side scared to lose the last two games having done the hard work. They now have a free shot and doing something really special.

Lobby wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09, 2023 10:09 am

inactionman wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:55 am I'll comment when I see the team announced - probably something along the lines of 'oh FFS'.

As its Borthwick picking the team, he'll probably stick with Ford and Farrell, drop Marchant and bring Daly back on the wing and bring back Youngs as the starting 9.

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:06 am Interesting to have Fiji as the stoppable object when their Yak Yards says they're about as unstoppable as a rugby side gets

Raggs wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:25 am

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:06 am Interesting to have Fiji as the stoppable object when their Yak Yards says they're about as unstoppable as a rugby side gets

England have scored quite a few more tries than they have though. So they're definitely stoppable before it's too late.

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:58 am Here's a fun rumour. Andy Goode on his podcast today said he'd heard on good authority that Arundell is out of the picture at the moment as he'd had a bust up with Faz at training.

May be complete rubbish, but that's tickled me. Would have paid to see it.

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:58 am Here's a fun rumour. Andy Goode on his podcast today said he'd heard on good authority that Arundell is out of the picture at the moment as he'd had a bust up with Faz at training.

May be complete rubbish, but that's tickled me. Would have paid to see it.

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:40 am

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:58 am Here's a fun rumour. Andy Goode on his podcast today said he'd heard on good authority that Arundell is out of the picture at the moment as he'd had a bust up with Faz at training.

May be complete rubbish, but that's tickled me. Would have paid to see it.

Wouldn’t totally shock me, but there’s no source for this where the story is anything but ‘Goode said’. Tbh I’d love someone to write a very candid insider book of England rugby 2019-23

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:41 am

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:40 am

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:58 am Here's a fun rumour. Andy Goode on his podcast today said he'd heard on good authority that Arundell is out of the picture at the moment as he'd had a bust up with Faz at training.

May be complete rubbish, but that's tickled me. Would have paid to see it.

Wouldn’t totally shock me, but there’s no source for this where the story is anything but ‘Goode said’. Tbh I’d love someone to write a very candid insider book of England rugby 2019-23

I wouldn't put it past Eddie Jones for the pre-2022 part, but then I'm not sure I'd trust it.

Brazil wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:00 am Mercifully we've been invited to a barbecue whilst it's on, though there is still a risk that the host might show it.

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:27 am For those who haven't suffered enough - plenty of tickets left for the match

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... s-sell-out

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:27 am For those who haven't suffered enough - plenty of tickets left for the match

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... s-sell-out

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:34 am

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:27 am For those who haven't suffered enough - plenty of tickets left for the match

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... s-sell-out

This is half the problem really.

The national team is the RFU's golden egg. Something that in the past has captured the public's imagination.

I've never seen the run up to the knockouts be so low key. The interest just isn't there and no one is talking about it. That may change if they get past Fiji and pull an unexpected Borthball win out of the hat in the semi final, but if I'd be bloody worried if I were in a senior position at the RFU. This is such hard team to get excited about as a fan.

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:34 am

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:27 am For those who haven't suffered enough - plenty of tickets left for the match

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... s-sell-out

This is half the problem really.

The national team is the RFU's golden egg. Something that in the past has captured the public's imagination.

I've never seen the run up to the knockouts be so low key. The interest just isn't there and no one is talking about it. That may change if they get past Fiji and pull an unexpected Borthball win out of the hat in the semi final, but if I'd be bloody worried if I were in a senior position at the RFU. This is such hard team to get excited about as a fan.

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:40 am
I remember the ‘07 quarter, I’d tagged along with my Dad to a game he was reffing. Both sides had agreed not to move kickoff because there was no point in watching the game, I ended up being tasked by the club’s chairman with running onto the pitch at full time to get everyone into the clubhouse for the last 10 minutes. Fast forward two weeks and you could barely breathe in our clubhouse for the final.

People are very fickle and even a scraped 12-10 semi win would get people hyped. But yes, given it’s unlikely and the general shitness the RFU have to start worrying about their model. You can’t get hyped for this team and you can’t justify Twickenham prices. Which makes it more of a corporate day out, which becomes more soulless and becomes self fulfilling.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:55 am

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:34 am

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:27 am For those who haven't suffered enough - plenty of tickets left for the match

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... s-sell-out

This is half the problem really.

The national team is the RFU's golden egg. Something that in the past has captured the public's imagination.

I've never seen the run up to the knockouts be so low key. The interest just isn't there and no one is talking about it. That may change if they get past Fiji and pull an unexpected Borthball win out of the hat in the semi final, but if I'd be bloody worried if I were in a senior position at the RFU. This is such hard team to get excited about as a fan.

We basically get a choice between miserable loss or ugly, ugly win at the moment against opposition of any quality. This team doesn't have enough track record or good will to get away with playing eye-bleeding rugby.

Obviously Borthwick will view his remit as purely getting the team as far as he can in this tournament however he can, but beyond that the RFU's business model relies on filling up Twickenham and is playing super negative rugby going to make that happen?

inactionman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:23 pm

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:58 am Here's a fun rumour. Andy Goode on his podcast today said he'd heard on good authority that Arundell is out of the picture at the moment as he'd had a bust up with Faz at training.

May be complete rubbish, but that's tickled me. Would have paid to see it.

I'd hope Borthwick would be well above that sort of crap.

Besides, having as bit of 'creative tension' is a good thing, isn't it?

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 9:11 am Goode's a notorious shit-stirrer, but he usually saves the unsubstantiated stuff for his social media accounts, so there's probably something to it.

Although probably more like Arundell going "You know you're allowed to pass it?" in training than fisticuffs.

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:09 am It’s 90% about winning. The 6N has produced far more turgid rugby than it ever has attractive, and it’s by far the most popular rugby in the world

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:51 am

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 9:11 am Goode's a notorious shit-stirrer, but he usually saves the unsubstantiated stuff for his social media accounts, so there's probably something to it.

Although probably more like Arundell going "You know you're allowed to pass it?" in training than fisticuffs.

Or you don't have to pass the ball at the floor..

Probably is true, very likely our principal goal misser was sore after the Samoa game and as often happens was given a pass from contact, also very probably Arundell is more than little bored knowing he's surplus to requirements and got stuck in in whatever fashion for shits and giggles, and the protected player and management would't love that.

But really that's a norm in trying to keep 30+ players happy in training, still more so when some of them know they're not wanted and yet have ambitions well beyond also rans, and still more so again if they're looking at who is starting and thinking christ I'm better than them.

If there's a squad at the WC that hasn't had niggle in training I'd be very surprised, it's getting reported on because the views around England and how they're playing are so negative

tc27 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 12:55 pm Apparently Scabby is going to drop Ford so he can start Farrel at 10 with Manu at 12.

I wish I was joking.

tc27 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 12:55 pm Apparently Scabby is going to drop Ford so he can start Farrel at 10 with Manu at 12.

I wish I was joking.

Hal Jordan wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 1:18 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:09 am It’s 90% about winning. The 6N has produced far more turgid rugby than it ever has attractive, and it’s by far the most popular rugby in the world

That's more about everyone hating the E glish and wanting a weekend in Rome, though.