Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:31 am  

Ireland, Scotland and France for me this weekend. The future's dull. The future's an awful shade of brown.

Ireland, Scotland and France for me this weekend. The future's dull. The future's an awful shade of brown.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:09 pm  

Not that anyone will give them credit for it but that was a good defensive display from a quite inexperienced England side today.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:27 pm  

I think Jeremy Guscott got it spot on.
"Scotland lost it. How many chances did they have in the second half? This should have been a new beginning for Scotland - Edinburgh have scored tries in European rugby but at international level Scotland just cannot score tries."

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:56 pm  

I thought that England definitely defended well and didn't give many penalties away in the process.
They still haven't got much of an idea about attacking formations and are woeful in the action and timing of the pass, unlike their RL counterparts, who have mastered it.

A sloppy error-strewn game that either side could have won, but the luck went England's way.
A tremendous effort from England, but fairly rudderless.

There were a couple of beautiful flowing attacking moves from England midway in the second half, a style I would like to see more off.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:29 pm  

Some pretty poor stats from the game:

Official match stats (delivered by Accenture)

35 Minutes in possession 23

7 (0) Scrums won (lost) 4 (0)

16 (0) Line-outs won (lost) 10 (1)

9 Pens conceded 9

4 Turnovers won 3

238 Passes made 72

25 Possession kicked 27

62 (2) Tackles made (missed) 142 (16)

16 Errors made 11

3 Line breaks 1

Just 58 minutes of play from 80+. 4 line breaks. 27 errors (maybe due to the conditions) and only 72 passes from England?????

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:20 pm  

English sides seem hamstrung by the style adopted in their domestic competition, which tends to be pretty forward dominated and orientated around keeping possession, playing low risk stuff and grinding down the opposition.

It's creating a generation of players who lack the basic skills to execute even the simplest of plays. Early on Saturday (so fatigue was no excuse) Chris Robshaw had a perfect opportunity to put Ashton away down the sideline, only to throw the pass four feet above his head. Most of the England forwards lacked the abililty to retain the ball in contact and recycle it properly, leading to plenty of knock ons around the ruck.

Much of England's ball was slow coming back from the breakdown, meaning the Scottish defence were well set and the "safe" option was to hoist a high kick.

I genuinely fear for this England side when the French, Welsh and Irish get hold of it. There could be some record scores on the cards.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:42 pm  

Agree with almost everything you say there Andy. Personally I think Robshaw is massively overrated and I was surprised to say the least when he was named captian. England look void of ideas and seem to panic when the opportunity to break out of a set move presents itself. I tipped Scotland to spring an upset but they were beyond woeful. How on earth can anyone justify such negative rugby union?

I thought Ireland were the masters of their own downfall against Wales. They should have had it tied up but Wales were too organised and too strong when it mattered most.

Wales, France and England at the weekend.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:35 pm  

I actually think Italy, at home, have enough about them to beat this one-dimensional England side.

With an even split of possession, I'd take a narrow home win.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:32 pm  

One of the Warriors' rising stars is one of a raft of players converting from union to league - and he wouldn't have it any other way. Newport Gwent Dragons have received a £10,000 suspended fine and forfeited last Friday’s LV Cup game with Saracens. Aironi admit financial difficulties. Bottom of the PRO12 and and are said to be struggling to pay their playing budget of €6.5million.

One of the Warriors' rising stars is one of a raft of players converting from union to league - and he wouldn't have it any other way. Newport Gwent Dragons have received a £10,000 suspended fine and forfeited last Friday’s LV Cup game with Saracens. Aironi admit financial difficulties. Bottom of the PRO12 and and are said to be struggling to pay their playing budget of €6.5million.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:21 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

Agree with almost everything you say there Andy. Personally I think Robshaw is massively overrated and I was surprised to say the least when he was named captian. England look void of ideas and seem to panic when the opportunity to break out of a set move presents itself. I tipped Scotland to spring an upset but they were beyond woeful. How on earth can anyone justify such negative rugby union?

I thought Ireland were the masters of their own downfall against Wales. They should have had it tied up but Wales were too organised and too strong when it mattered most.

Wales, France and England at the weekend.

As a person who has only recently found an appreciation for rugby union (when they actually play rugby and not turn the game into a glorified kicking tennis international) I was watching England v Scotland at the weekend. Now, England/Scotland games should be highly passionate, highly fierce and highly aggressive - purely and simply because of the intense centuries old rivalry.

How disappointed and bored senseless I was. As you said Catalancs, it was negative rugby throughout. Kicking for penalties when the team should (in more than a few cases) should of increased the pressure on Scotland and gone for the try. I know that kicking in RU is primarily for position, both defensively and offensively but come on - constant kicking? I'm sure there were players stood in the middle of the field just watching the ball being kicked back and forth like a ping pong. I actually got so bored I went and completed a university assignment - 14days before its hand in date (Note. I'm normally one to leave it until the last second).

I recently read Stuart Barnes' article about the SoO II 2011 game, in which he states that league is predictable - albeit more highly skilled and faster than all Union games BUT that a boring game of league much better than a boring game of Union. I actually agree with him in that RL sometimes can be predictable but that I'd sooner have a boring RL game than a boring RU game. Having said that, after watching SuperBowl on Sunday I'd of took any form of Rugby!

I hope this weekends 6N's fixtures conjure up better games and better spectacles. I dread to think that I will complete another university assignment early!