Home nations team of the tournament so far

First topic message reminder :

15-9 Foden, North, BOD, Tuilagi, Earles, ROG, Phillips
1-8 Healy, Best, Ross, POC, AWJ, Ferris, Warburton, O'Brien
16-22 Jenkins, Thompson, Gray, Faletau, L Williams, Jones, Scott Williams.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Croft was pretty useful against Scotland, easily the pick of England's backrow - he might be worth a place?

On front of whom exactly?

whoever the bench cover for the back row is. Not convinced myself like...

maestegmafia wrote:but Foden isnt really playing that well, certainly not as well as Patterson, Byrne, Halfpenny or Kearney in the same position.

He's not playing as well as he can, but he compares more than favourably with the others on the performances he has put in. I've included Halfpenny's stats, but given he only played half a match at FB he shouldn't really be considered for that position. Worth noting also that Byrne only played the two lowest ranked teams, Namibia & Fiji.


Foden/Patterson/Byrne/Halfpenny/Kearney

Matches 4/4/2/3/3
Tries 1/0/1/1/1
Try Assists 2/0/1/2/0
Metres With Ball 316/170/190/191/158
Clean Breaks 2/0/1/2/0
Defenders Beaten 8/4/2/7/2
Offloads 4/4/1/3/2
Turnovers Conceded 2/3/2/1/4
Penalties Conceded 1/2/2/0/1
Tackles 6/3/3/5/5
Missed Tackles 0/2/1/2/1

hawalsh wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:but Foden isnt really playing that well, certainly not as well as Patterson, Byrne, Halfpenny or Kearney in the same position.

He's not playing as well as he can, but he compares more than favourably with the others on the performances he has put in. I've included Halfpenny's stats, but given he only played half a match at FB he shouldn't really be considered for that position. Worth noting also that Byrne only played the two lowest ranked teams, Namibia & Fiji.


Foden/Patterson/Byrne/Halfpenny/Kearney

Matches 4/4/2/3/3
Tries 1/0/1/1/1
Try Assists 2/0/1/2/0
Metres With Ball 316/170/190/191/158
Clean Breaks 2/0/1/2/0
Defenders Beaten 8/4/2/7/2
Offloads 4/4/1/3/2
Turnovers Conceded 2/3/2/1/4
Penalties Conceded 1/2/2/0/1
Tackles 6/3/3/5/5
Missed Tackles 0/2/1/2/1

you missed points scored...!

Healy, Best, Jones - although Jones is a tough call Murray and Ross coming close
POC, AWJ - Didnt really work for the Lions but both are showing great form
Ferris, Warburton, SOB - If SOB can play well at 8
Redden, Priestland - Quick service and Priestland Roberts combo making big impact
Roberts, BOD - Form players in the position, Tuilagi could be a good risk
North, Bowe, Kearney - Best performances in my book so far

Jenkins, Ford, Grey, The Brand, Phillips, Sexton, Ashton

I must confess I was too tired to watch the last 3 Welsh matches, has North really played that well? If so, sounds like he's been a revelation since joining the squad.

Scoi, on your logic I would go with Lloyd Williams. His service is outstanding.

Glas a du wrote:Scoi, on your logic I would go with Lloyd Williams. His service is outstanding.

Give him a season or two and I think he will top everyones lists... Looks great

Things are looking up for the Lions tour

maestegmafia wrote:you missed points scored...!

I presume that is alluding to Patterson's kicking? Fair enough if you would hand him the kicking duties, but he has a worse kicking success rate in the WC than the FHs proposed, and it didn't seem particularly relevent in evaluating his abilities in fulfilling the FB role, where he ranks last in a number of areas in comparison to his peers.

In 2005 he was the only non Welsh player to get into the team of the 6N tournament based purely on stats.

He is a fine player and always has been.

Just not as good as the other options at present

I disagree. I think he is the best.

If he's in, he's in as kicker if you want a Sexton or Priestland at 10.

Was it the no tries, no try assists, no clean breaks, least number of metres per game or highest tackle failure rate that swayed you?

The least attacking, worst tackling FB option for the team of the tournamnet would certainly be an innovative way to go.

Glas a du wrote:If he's in, he's in as kicker if you want a Sexton or Priestland at 10.

Apart from Priestland has a better kicking rate than Paterson this tournament (who kicked 8, missed 5, 62%).

hawalsh wrote:

Glas a du wrote:If he's in, he's in as kicker if you want a Sexton or Priestland at 10.

Apart from Priestland has a better kicking rate than Paterson this tournament (who kicked 8, missed 5, 62%).

Hawalsh there is a lot more to rugby than comparing one players stats in a team that isn't doing well to players stats in teams that are doing well.

maestegmafia wrote:

hawalsh wrote:

Glas a du wrote:If he's in, he's in as kicker if you want a Sexton or Priestland at 10.

Apart from Priestland has a better kicking rate than Paterson this tournament (who kicked 8, missed 5, 62%).

Hawalsh there is a lot more to rugby than comparing one players stats in a team that isn't doing well to players stats in teams that are doing well.

kicking success % doesnt really reflect how the team is playing anyway?

And, looking at those stat, perhaps 1/2p should be at FB in the best team. He has been on fire this tournement to be fair.

maestegmafia wrote:

hawalsh wrote:

Glas a du wrote:If he's in, he's in as kicker if you want a Sexton or Priestland at 10.

Apart from Priestland has a better kicking rate than Paterson this tournament (who kicked 8, missed 5, 62%).

Hawalsh there is a lot more to rugby than comparing one players stats in a team that isn't doing well to players stats in teams that are doing well.

So what aspects are you selecting Paterson on?

Your seemed to be suggesting it was for his kicking, an area not affected by the team performance and that he hasn't excelled at in the tournament compared to other players most people have identified as clear favourites in the FH role.

wales606 wrote:And, looking at those stat, perhaps 1/2p should be at FB in the best team. He has been on fire this tournement to be fair.

He's certainly done well on the wing, but whether he could replicate that at FB is speculation (he's only had 40mins there this tournament, I included his stats purely because his name was raised and thought it could be used as a comparison). Surely the point of the article is to judge players on the positions they've predominantly played in, otherwise you might as well select Priestland at FB and ROG at FH.

wales606 wrote:And, looking at those stat, perhaps 1/2p should be at FB in the best team. He has been on fire this tournement to be fair.

Yeah but hes playing for a better team so it makes it easier for him

As a Scot, I'm afraid that I have to agree with hawalsh - Mossy's best days are behind him, and altho he has been a magnificent servant to the game in Scotland, let's be honest that he had a poor RWC, missing two key tackes (Amorosino and Ashton), two tries that (arguably) turned matches.

Updated for today:

15-9 Kearney, Fitzgerald, Bowe, Tuilagi, Ashton, ROG, Care
1-8 Jenkins, Cronin, Jones, Gray, POC, Ferris, Warburton, Heaslip
16-22 Healy, Hibbard, Deacon, Wood, Lloyd Williams, Sexton, Liam Williams.

Is this the team of the tournament overall? Or updated for after this weekend? If it is the latter, Grant should get the 7 berth, Warburton really struggled against him on Friday night.

Likewise Jenkins was poor against Cross on Friday too. Picking on reputation, are you Andy Robinson?

It's the team of the season so far Radge. You have a point on grant. Barclay seems anonymous currently and as we all know SOB is a 6.5

Don't get me wrong I think Warbs is one of the best opensides in the world. Dunno if it was a rough day at the office or his heart wasn't in it but he did not look like one of the best on Friday.

To be honest though the entire Cardiff pack struggled on Friday night. A complete reversal of fortunes front the Cardiff leg of the double header

I saw him get demolished by Turnbull in the CCS last year, they can have off days. Rush used to snap them out of it, but he seems as bad as anyone currently.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Don't get me wrong I think Warbs is one of the best opensides in the world. Dunno if it was a rough day at the office or his heart wasn't in it but he did not look like one of the best on Friday.

To be honest though the entire Cardiff pack struggled on Friday night. A complete reversal of fortunes front the Cardiff leg of the double header

It was because the Blues forwards were not contesting the breakdown (even so, he won a couple of penalties) - It was the strategy the Blues were playing by, not Warburtons fault.