Rugby World Cup
- Thread starter Spursex
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Thus a surprise. They are playing good rugby though.
Ireland hasn't played flawless rugby. Italy almost won their pool game against Ireland.
Galvin's Shinpads
Vital Football Legend
It's been far from flawless indeed but I don't think the Italians posed too much of a threat. Ireland always had the better of them.
France too.
But Argentina are a better side than the current French side. It should be a cracker. A lack of organisation in the Argentinian backs could be the key.
Then again, as meee states, when Ireland go into a game as favourites, they make heavy work of it.
I'd hope they follow the English example, set in '99, when they fell but learned from their mistakes and sorted it out, to win the trophy in '03.
Just like the Irish in the 2011 WC need to do.
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This is very relevant.
Basic errors by Stuart Lancaster cost us says Mike Friday
Posted on October 15, 2015 by admin in Featured, IRB Rugby World
Dylan HartleyCritical pre-tournament errors in selection by head coach Stuart Lancaster and a failure to deploy X-factor players during losses to Wales and Australia cost England their World Cup chance, according to former Red Rose Sevens boss Mike Friday.
Friday reckons England paid a price for excluding Dylan Hartley, Kyle Eastmond and Steffon Armitage from their 31-man squad and has criticised what he views as tactical failures and lack of a coherent Plan B as both games slipped away.
Analysing England’s campaign, Friday told The Rugby Paper: “When you’re given a job you’ve got to put your own stamp on it, but your ideals have to stack up.
“Leaving Hartley out didn’t stack up because it robbed us of one of the world’s best scrummaging hookers and the man with the edge that we needed in the front-row – all because he wasn’t available for one game against Fiji.
“Hartley’s disciplinary record is what it is but for Stuart to take the moral high ground and say ‘not on my watch’ left us in a poor position.
“Leaving Eastmond out didn’t stack up either. And when you look at the 31 he eventually picked, he left what X-factor there was out of his 23s.
“There was no Danny Care, no Henry Slade and no Jack Nowell in three vital games, so you’re looking at the blend wondering: ‘What was your Plan B?’.
“Then there was playing Sam Burgess – you can’t start him and have Brad Barritt on the pitch as well because it’s all so predictable.
“We tried to take Wales on at their own game and did okay for 50 minutes, but the Welsh came through.”
Friday also accuses England of being ‘strategically naive’ for leaving out two-time Europeanplayer-of-the- year Steffon Armitage, whom he believes would have solved the breakdown issues.
“I agree with England’s overseas policy, but they had three years to engineer a position where Armitage was playing in England,” he said.
“Michael Cheika ensured Australia had the players he wanted but we were strategically naive.”
Friday believes Premiership clubs must also shoulder a portion of blame for England’s failure.
He explained: “Is the Premiership all it’s cracked up to be? It’s a good competition but are we missing an Armitage? Yes. Are we developing an Armitage? I would argue our league probably doesn’t suit that kind of player.
“We’ve got the likes of Luke Wallace and Matt Kvesic but no one to rival a McCaw, Hooper or Pocock, and the way our league is refereed means we’re not creating back-row forwards like they do in the Southern Hemisphere.
“Where are the modern day Backs, Hills, Dallaglios, Moodys, Corrys and Worsleys?
“We’ve got young talent, you can see that through the U20s, but are those guys then getting enough rugby? Clubs should get more guys out to Championship clubs to help hone their skills.”
NEALE HARVEY
Basic errors by Stuart Lancaster cost us says Mike Friday
Posted on October 15, 2015 by admin in Featured, IRB Rugby World
Dylan HartleyCritical pre-tournament errors in selection by head coach Stuart Lancaster and a failure to deploy X-factor players during losses to Wales and Australia cost England their World Cup chance, according to former Red Rose Sevens boss Mike Friday.
Friday reckons England paid a price for excluding Dylan Hartley, Kyle Eastmond and Steffon Armitage from their 31-man squad and has criticised what he views as tactical failures and lack of a coherent Plan B as both games slipped away.
Analysing England’s campaign, Friday told The Rugby Paper: “When you’re given a job you’ve got to put your own stamp on it, but your ideals have to stack up.
“Leaving Hartley out didn’t stack up because it robbed us of one of the world’s best scrummaging hookers and the man with the edge that we needed in the front-row – all because he wasn’t available for one game against Fiji.
“Hartley’s disciplinary record is what it is but for Stuart to take the moral high ground and say ‘not on my watch’ left us in a poor position.
“Leaving Eastmond out didn’t stack up either. And when you look at the 31 he eventually picked, he left what X-factor there was out of his 23s.
“There was no Danny Care, no Henry Slade and no Jack Nowell in three vital games, so you’re looking at the blend wondering: ‘What was your Plan B?’.
“Then there was playing Sam Burgess – you can’t start him and have Brad Barritt on the pitch as well because it’s all so predictable.
“We tried to take Wales on at their own game and did okay for 50 minutes, but the Welsh came through.”
Friday also accuses England of being ‘strategically naive’ for leaving out two-time Europeanplayer-of-the- year Steffon Armitage, whom he believes would have solved the breakdown issues.
“I agree with England’s overseas policy, but they had three years to engineer a position where Armitage was playing in England,” he said.
“Michael Cheika ensured Australia had the players he wanted but we were strategically naive.”
Friday believes Premiership clubs must also shoulder a portion of blame for England’s failure.
He explained: “Is the Premiership all it’s cracked up to be? It’s a good competition but are we missing an Armitage? Yes. Are we developing an Armitage? I would argue our league probably doesn’t suit that kind of player.
“We’ve got the likes of Luke Wallace and Matt Kvesic but no one to rival a McCaw, Hooper or Pocock, and the way our league is refereed means we’re not creating back-row forwards like they do in the Southern Hemisphere.
“Where are the modern day Backs, Hills, Dallaglios, Moodys, Corrys and Worsleys?
“We’ve got young talent, you can see that through the U20s, but are those guys then getting enough rugby? Clubs should get more guys out to Championship clubs to help hone their skills.”
NEALE HARVEY
Spursex
Alert Team
Alot of hard truths in that article and it's easy to think that better decision making a game plan should have seen us through the Wales game, but it didn't and so we weren't good enough.
Excluding any professional on the basis they're playing in a 'better' league for more money should have been ruled out from the get-go, but Rugby in England is still controlled by dinosaurs.
Overall from management through to individuals we failed, I just can't believe that our director of Rugby DID get our excuses in early, or could see the mess we were in and didn't do anything to change our approach:
I couldn't quite believe the negativity that this article spread at the time..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11841487/Rugby-World-Cup-2015-England-will-peak-in-two-or-three-years-claims-Rob-Andrew.html
Excluding any professional on the basis they're playing in a 'better' league for more money should have been ruled out from the get-go, but Rugby in England is still controlled by dinosaurs.
Overall from management through to individuals we failed, I just can't believe that our director of Rugby DID get our excuses in early, or could see the mess we were in and didn't do anything to change our approach:
I couldn't quite believe the negativity that this article spread at the time..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11841487/Rugby-World-Cup-2015-England-will-peak-in-two-or-three-years-claims-Rob-Andrew.html
Taricco the yid
Vital Champions League
I can't believe they didn't change the rule to pick overseas players for this tournament. Armitage is a great player. I would have take cipriani and joseph and not taken burgess as 1 year learning the game is not enough.
Agree on hartley, banned for 1 game so he didnt take him was a pathetic decision.
Anyway, i'm looking forward to a great weekend of rugby as a neutral now.
Agree on hartley, banned for 1 game so he didnt take him was a pathetic decision.
Anyway, i'm looking forward to a great weekend of rugby as a neutral now.
Taricco the yid
Vital Champions League
Great game. Hopefully the rest are as well.
Taricco the yid
Vital Champions League
All blacks running riot. That try from julian savea was great/
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SURPRISE!!!!!! :9:
Taricco the yid
Vital Champions League
Close game until last 15 minutes. Fatigue and injuries to key players takes its toll eventually. Losing sexton was a big loss
Taricco the yid
Vital Champions League
Great game of rugby. Controversial at the end. Great QF's now more of the same for the semi's.
Galvin's Shinpads
Vital Football Legend
Not much of a surprise though. Argentina totally blew Ireland away. Bar a brief comeback, they were the better team and really showed the Irish backs how to win a game!
I now hope they win the whole thing!
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Not having Sexton was the real game changer.
IMO Australia, who have always been my top pick are getting worse, not better. Foley had a stinker yesterday. Folau and Pocock missing really hurt them as well. Hooper had a great game.
France were awful. That was a disgrace of a quarter final. I sincerely hope the SA NZ game is a very grinding and wearing affair.
IMO Australia, who have always been my top pick are getting worse, not better. Foley had a stinker yesterday. Folau and Pocock missing really hurt them as well. Hooper had a great game.
France were awful. That was a disgrace of a quarter final. I sincerely hope the SA NZ game is a very grinding and wearing affair.
Taricco the yid
Vital Champions League
How was it a disgrace. It was a masterclass. Offloads, speed and power and france could not cope.
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It is easy to put on a masterclass with completely inferior and unmotivated opposition. That is France's issue.....you never know whether or not they will turn up. They didn't on Saturday.
The ABs are very good, no argument there, but they aren't 49 points better than France when France is on their game.
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Great semi finals.
Are the All Blacks the best team in sports history?
What do you think of the review panel that Ian Ritchie appointed?
Are the All Blacks the best team in sports history?
What do you think of the review panel that Ian Ritchie appointed?
