Your International Team next Season

Hey all,

Did this in the club section yesterday and it took off well and got a lot of debate going, it's still happening at https://www.606v2.com/t33132p100-your-team-this-coming-season for those who haven't seen it. It translates to International rugby pretty easily.

Put in your team and then your ratings. Try and keep it realistic. 5 is average 10 is the best you could ever be etc.

Then discuss your choices and ratings and those of others. Keep it above the belt. Enjoy

TEAM:

Scrum: /10
Lineout: /10
Kicking game: /10
Breakdown: /10
Defence: /10
Attack: /10
Consistency: /10
Squad Depth: /10
Coaching: /10

Expectations this season:

Players to watch:

Other:



Ok so type it in and see if people think your team should be better or worse at certain things and you can do the same to other teams. Obviously be respectful.

10 - Absolute perfection
09 - Excellent
08 - Very Good
07- Good
06 - Above Average
05 - Average
04 - Below Average
03 - Bad
02 - Very Bad
01 - Apalling

TEAM: Ireland

Scrum: 7/10
Lineout: 7/10
Kicking game: 4/10
Breakdown: 8.5/10
Defence: 6.5/10
Attack: 3.5/10
Consistency: 3/10
Squad Depth: 6/10
Coaching: 3/10

Expectations this season: Don't expect us to do that well this season in the 6N maybe 3rd again if we are doing well it is the year we are in Cardiff, Rome and Edinburgh which is generally our better year though. If we get 2 out of 3 wins in the Autumn I won't be too p!ssed off.

Players to watch: Healy is playing some of the best stuff of any front rower in the world at the moment. Alround play is excellent. Best to continue on and be a rock in defence and the breakdown. Ryan to continue to lead by example and remain an aggressive, mobile, modern lock. O'Brien when he returns to take up where he left off. Sexton to kick on and maybe with a clean out of the backs or re-invention of the backs he will get to play the way he wants to play and modern rugby should be played especially with small players. Madigan, I think he will overtake ROG this year and could come in with one of he or Sexton at 12 for a bit.

Other: We need a new head coach to stand a chance in 2015.

We don't need to plan for 2015 yet, we do need a new coach though.

I wasn't saying we need to plan for 2015 but we do need a new coach to start thinking about it and laying some foundations in terms of team philosophy and such

Scrum: 4/10
Lineout: 6/10
Kicking game: 5/10
Breakdown: 7/10
Defence: 7/10
Attack: 3/10
Consistency: 1/10
Squad Depth: 5/10
Coaching: 1/10

Our consistency and our coaching seems apalling to me.
Our attack is bad.
Squad depth and our kicking game is average enough compared to international standards.
Defense and our breakdown skills are good.
Scrum is below average for international.
Although once excellent lineout is now just about the international average.

TEAM: Wales

Scrum: 7/10
Lineout: 6/10
Kicking game: 6/10
Breakdown: 8/10
Defence: 9/10
Attack: 7/10
Consistency: 7/10
Squad Depth: 8/10
Coaching: 9/10

Expectations this season: (optimistic) - 6Ns victory, Top4 in December, SH scalp.

Players to watch: Rhys Preistland and Sam Warburton to see if they can return to form.

Wales606, I don't think the Welsh kicking game is that good personally and same with the lineout.

I know others will disagree with Coaching: 9/10 but I think thats fair. Gatland is really a top coach.

I would also say you have been extremely consistent. Whether you win, lose or draw you always play very well and would push it to 9/10.

The one rating that I find most interesting is "Attack = 7/10". Its one of the lower ratings which is interesting considering the Welsh Way ethos.

Food for thought there. Good post

This might show an interesting view of where all the fans see their own teams...and i bet theres a few differences.

TEAM: England

Scrum: 8.5/10
Lineout: 6/10
Kicking game: 6.5/10
Breakdown: 7/10
Defence: 7.5/10
Attack: 2/10
Consistency: 7/10
Squad Depth: 6/10
Coaching: 6.5/10

Expectations this season: Show improvement in weak areas, and bring through more players in the areas we struggle. Several victories in the AI's are a must and top 2 in the 6n.

Players to watch: Ironically i think the players to watch are those not in the team who could make the wide open positions their own, like Lawes, Attwood, Launchbury at second row, Cristian Wade, Johnny May, Tom Youngs, Loads of fringe youngsters could really make a big play this season.

Other: Need to get continued selection problems fixed.

TEAM: ENGLAND

Scrum: 7/10- Englands scrum has shown to be debatably the best in the NH and with Corbs hopefully over injuries and plenty of big young locks coming through it'll get even better.
Lineout: 6/10- Lineout has been average so far for a top 10 team, not really sure about the current lineout forwards but if Croft gets back in to the team we should at least have secure ball.
Kicking game: 4/10- Both Flood and Farrel are hit and miss with their kicking and Foden is a poor kicking fullback, our 12 options are probably the worst kicking centres in the Prem. If Goode plays a bit more and Brown can get a run out we could again get a bit better.
Breakdown: 6/10- Dan Cole, Robshaw, Parling, Hartley, Marler, Corbs, Haskell. All these guys can compete well with the top teams on the floor and will grow as they play together more.
Defence: 6/10- With Farrel back in the fold expect an aggressive defence to be a key weapon for England.
Attack: 4/10- Pretty much non existant till the last 10 mins of most games, i'm not sure how much we'll progress with this either with the current selections in the backs.
Consistency: 2/10- A young team we're still struggling to get consistency across tournaments.
Squad Depth: 5/10- One of Englands strengths and weaknesses, lots of chaff but were are the diamonds?
Coaching: 4/10- The jury is still out on the coaches, infact do we know yet who the team will be made up of, is Catt the attack coach? (I hope not.)

Expectations this season: Win the 6N's with or without a Grandslam, get a win on the summer tour. Win 50% of the AI games. Build an attacking game to trouble the top teams, consistency, decision making under pressure.

Players to watch: Flood, Ford, 36, Marler, Goode, Attwood.

TEAM:

Scrum: 7/10 - far to relient on Cole being fit, pretty damn good though.
Lineout: 6.5/10 - far to relient on Croft being fit, desperately need a lock who can offer something alonside Parling, Lawes?
Kicking game: 6/10 - the Sarries tactics of kick long and hope have hampered us but Youngs has started to box kick well (about time) and points kicking wise they are fair to good
Breakdown: 7/10 - improving nicely, need more grunt to smash the rucks though
Defence: 8/10 - has been excellent in the 6N and not bad vs SA, need to fine tune as the midfield needs Barritt fit and someone to lead the forwards in closing off the fringes
Attack: 6/10 - no Youngs then England's attack struggles, no Flood as well then England doesn't have any attacking threat in the backline, the forwards need another ball carrier or two in there but there are many promising signs (Manu, Goode, Brown)
Consistency: 5/10 - none whatsoever shown so far
Squad Depth: 3/10 - unbelievably fragile in certain areas with very little experience in a lot of places
Coaching: 5/10 - hoping to improve this as Lancaster gets to grips with international rugby, currently the bench options aren't offering enough impact and his trait of playing players out of position to 'experiment' is a little to Andy Robinson for my liking

Expectations this season: win all home games in 6N, at least one away 6N game and at least 2 AIs

Players to watch: Tom Youngs, Joe Marler, Alex Goode and Jordan Crane

Other: We really need to find a second row enforcer!

I wouldn't put a single part of Englands game at 8 yet. Defence and scrummaging has gone well but we're still hit and miss with both and I see that continuing for this season.

Sam....we're not far off there...

I dunno Yappy, our defence nearly won us the 6N. If Barritt had been fit for the second test vs SA I think that could have possibly been a sneaked English victory as well.

Sam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNsrK6P9QvI

TEAM: Ireland

Scrum: 6/10
Lineout: 7/10
Kicking game: 4/10
Breakdown: 8/10
Defence: 7/10
Attack: 4/10
Consistency: 6/10
Squad Depth: 5/10
Coaching: 5/10

Solid set piece but the scrum can be vulnerable at times and against the better scrummaging sides.

Breakdown is probably the main strength despite not playing a natural openside. Only the ABs are better imo.

Defence generally is very good but the attacking play has become very static and predictable with a lack of cutting edge and power in the 3/4s. Too reliant on the backrow for carrying.

Squad depth is improving but there is still big problems in certain areas like prop and centre.

Consistancy is improving but from the perspective that we were inconsistantly good and now we are becoming consistantly poor.

Rodders I am really amazed at some of your ratings. Especially our consistency.

red_stag wrote:Rodders I am really amazed at some of your ratings. Especially our consistency.

Which ones?

I think we are poor/average 70-80% of the time. That's pretty consistant to me.

Scotland is a bit of a weird one at the moment but here goes :

Scrum: 6.5/10
Euan Murray seems to be back at his best and we have 2 young new looseheads to replace the aging Jacobson.

Lineout: 9/10
Scotlands greatest Forward weapon. Jim Hamilton and Richie Gray have a very solid line out and seem to be able to disrupt opposition lineout regularly.

Kicking game: 6/10
Although not got the range of Desperate Dan Parks, Laidlaw is a solid kicker and Weir who normally covers the Bench is an even better kicker with a huge range for his place kicking.


Breakdown: 9/10
Ross Rennie, Dave Denton, John Barclay and with Kelly Brown fit soon we'll have a lot of very good ball Scrappers on the deck. Our Strongest facet of play away from the set pieces.

Defence: 7/10
Never really been a problem for Scotland with big numpties like Sean Lamont and Morrison in the midfield but the Edinburgh duo of Matt Scott and NDL were up to the measure when under huge pressure from the Samoans, Fijians and in particular the Ozzies in the summer tests.

Attack: 5/10
This is where the if's and buts start. If the Edinburgh midfield can ply MacVisser with the kind of ball, space and time he gets for Edinburgh this could be an 8/10 but for the moment, I'm yet to be 100% convinced that it'll work at international level. Time will Tell but for the moment a 5 out of 10 based on last season.

Consistency: 2/10
2nd Biggest issue here. Whitewashed in the 6N but the only nation to return from the summer tour unbeaten..... something is not right.

Squad Depth: 6/10
For the 1st time ever we seem to have genuine options and competition all over the park. Encouraging signs.

Coaching: 2/10
The greatest problem IMO. Sure Robinson picked the right guys while on tour. If he resorts to the likes of Morrison or Lamont at 12 again in the Autumn it's time for him to go.

Selection has been his greatest weakness in his tenure as Scotland boss and he seems to have remedied that down south in the summer. If he has learned his lesson and picks the form players he'll go up to a 5 or 6 for coaching. Otherwise this might slip back to 1 if he resorts to his tired worn out "faves"

Ok, I a doing this as if I would be the coach and not Heyneke Meyer.

1. Beast Mtwarira
2. Bismarck
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Andries Bekker
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Willem Alberts
8. Schalk Burger
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Johan Goosen
11. Habana
12. Frans Steyn
13. JP Pietersen
14. Louis Ludick
15. Patrick Lambie

Bench
16. Coenie Oosthuizen (he can scrum both sides and good impact player)
17. Adriaan Strauss
18. Juandre Kruger
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Duane Vermeulen
21. Ruan Pienaar
22. Jaco Taute

The idea is to keep to our strengths, but allow Hougaard and Goosen freedom to attack what they see and use their natural instincts and vision to pllay the backline.

With Frans and JP in the midfield, I will have a very strong defensive midfield and yet a midfield who will look to create space and offload to those runners. With Habana, Ludick and Lambie in the back, I can either run it back, defend well and the positional play of those three are superb.

Extended squad.
23. Steven Ktishoff
24. Kolisi
25. Keegan Daniels
26. Anton Bresler
27. Jan Serfontein
28. Paul Jordaan
29. Willie le Roux
30. Piet v Zyl





Scrum: 7/10
Lineout: 8/10
Kicking game: 9/10
Breakdown: 8/10
Defence: 7/10
Attack: 7/10
Consistency: 7/10
Squad Depth: 8/10
Coaching: -/10

Expectations this season:
Win everything possible, but at least a 75% win ratio

Players to watch:
Goosen
Coetzee
Pietersen

formerly known as Sam wrote:I dunno Yappy, our defence nearly won us the 6N. If Barritt had been fit for the second test vs SA I think that could have possibly been a sneaked English victory as well.

Don't know if I agree with that, yes defence almost won the 6N's but we lost the first test with Barritt in there and the Boks were far better in the second. Barritt is very good but we are poor in other areas like the forwards guarding the ruck and getting numbers to tackles, we never managed to gang tackle the SA forwards and they always won the one on ones. Further out the Bok wings found plenty of space at key times, neither winger defends as well as Monye or the ex Wasps winger with the dreads who moved to Toulon...

Radge - pretty much on the same page, other than lineout. Yes, Gray, Hamilton and Kellock are useful jumpers and can disrupt opposition ball, but with Ford's throwing going AWOL from time to time, we can't justify more than a 7 for the lineout. We lost some crucial ball last season.

Agreed on breakdown though. We have become very good indeed at stealing ball, although I might have us at an 8 rather than a 9, because from time to time we don't commit enough number and our own ball can be scrappy and slow.

FES - True enough mate Ford does throw about 10% of lineout ball away, so I agree perhaps 9 was a tad high, but when it is working at 100% it is a very solid set piece. Stronger than our scrum by some margin I would say.

As for the breakdown, yes I would agree that at times we don't commit enough to rucks but I wouldn't describe our own ball as Scrappy and Slow, I would say our laboured backs made the ball look scrappy and slow rather than lack of effort from the forwards.

Fair comment on the breakdown. Very often we'd win good clean ball only for Cusiter or Blair to count to 100 in Gaelic before passing it.

Our lineout was definitely a 9 in the early part of the 6 Nations, but Ford got the yips in the final two games (we fell apart against Ireland) and was still inconsistent in the summer by my recollection.

Depth at 6 is probably right, but encouraging given only two seasons ago I'd have had us at 2.

red_stag wrote:Wales606, I don't think the Welsh kicking game is that good personally and same with the lineout.

I know others will disagree with Coaching: 9/10 but I think thats fair. Gatland is really a top coach.

I would also say you have been extremely consistent. Whether you win, lose or draw you always play very well and would push it to 9/10.

The one rating that I find most interesting is "Attack = 7/10". Its one of the lower ratings which is interesting considering the Welsh Way ethos.

Food for thought there. Good post

Kicking is including place kicking, Halfpenny is one of the best in the world at the moment, hence 6/10 - Tactical kicking 4 or 5/10, Place kicking 9 or 10/10

When Gatland goes to the Lions the coaching could well be 6/10 :/ - I've not been impressed with Howley.

Attack is good, but needs to improve, adapt and evolve quicker, otherwise Howley will be under scrutiny again, as he was before the WC.

Agree with that Wales606.

Wales need to develop a Plan B attack. Now that Williams has retired I think you'll find it harder to score those magic individual efforts he used to produce, which leaves you with the predictable, albeit effective at times, Gatland style power attack. A little more off the cuff needed, and I think more sophisticated patterns of play would go a long way.

The tactical kicking from Wales was dreadful in the summer. 5/10 is slightly generous in my view.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agree with that Wales606.

Wales need to develop a Plan B attack. Now that Williams has retired I think you'll find it harder to score those magic individual efforts he used to produce, which leaves you with the predictable, albeit effective at times, Gatland style power attack. A little more off the cuff needed, and I think more sophisticated patterns of play would go a long way.

The tactical kicking from Wales was dreadful in the summer. 5/10 is slightly generous in my view.

This is for next season, either Preistland will return to form, or Biggar will be given a shot under Gatland (or Hook will get the nod, or possibly Tovey)

Further out the Bok wings found plenty of space at key times, neither winger defends as well as Monye or the ex Wasps winger with the dreads who moved to Toulon...

Sackey? No they don't defend as well but Sackey is past his best these days and Monye is short of international class in my opinion. Had Barritt been fit then Manu would have been playing at 13 and that causes bigger problems for the opposition attack in the outside channels. Also note that Bismark when through Joseph for his try (though I thought he was a tad fortunate to get it), he wouldn't have done that had Manu been at 13. The Barritt/Manu partnership adds a lot of defensive strength to what is a fairly inexperienced backline.

I personally think Joseph will ultimately be England's long-term 13, but at present Manu deserves the jersey and can certainly be more effective than he was in the summer.

He's not a 12 though. Better have him on the wing in my view than at 12. If you want a one dimensional bosher at 12 pick Turner-Hall. At least it's his position.

I think Barritt/Manu is the right combo to start with next season.

lets not forget young farrell was at 10 for most of the games...recently...and whilst he can tackle, kick etc...and offensive player he is not...most teams would struggle with him guiding the attack.

wales606 wrote:

red_stag wrote:Wales606, I don't think the Welsh kicking game is that good personally and same with the lineout.

I know others will disagree with Coaching: 9/10 but I think thats fair. Gatland is really a top coach.

I would also say you have been extremely consistent. Whether you win, lose or draw you always play very well and would push it to 9/10.

The one rating that I find most interesting is "Attack = 7/10". Its one of the lower ratings which is interesting considering the Welsh Way ethos.

Food for thought there. Good post

Kicking is including place kicking, Halfpenny is one of the best in the world at the moment, hence 6/10 - Tactical kicking 4 or 5/10, Place kicking 9 or 10/10

When Gatland goes to the Lions the coaching could well be 6/10 :/ - I've not been impressed with Howley.

Attack is good, but needs to improve, adapt and evolve quicker, otherwise Howley will be under scrutiny again, as he was before the WC.

Well reasoned

GeordieFalcon wrote:lets not forget young farrell was at 10 for most of the games...recently...and whilst he can tackle, kick etc...and offensive player he is not...most teams would struggle with him guiding the attack.

Yes and we can expect to see Farrel there again this season. So that score will stay at about 4

yappysnap wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:lets not forget young farrell was at 10 for most of the games...recently...and whilst he can tackle, kick etc...and offensive player he is not...most teams would struggle with him guiding the attack.

Yes and we can expect to see Farrel there again this season. So that score will stay at about 4

I hope not , i'm Welsh but think of all the no10s, Flood is the best for England and quite possibly for the Lions next year.

There just seems to be a love of Farrell that im not seeing just yet. I think however Lancs may have seen the light and flood will be starter from now on. I genuinely hope farrell can go away with sarries and really.work on his offensive skills as then he could be real quality al round player. But till then keep him at sarries to work on them.

GeordieFalcon wrote:There just seems to be a love of Farrell that im not seeing just yet. I think however Lancs may have seen the light and flood will be starter from now on. I genuinely hope farrell can go away with sarries and really.work on his offensive skills as then he could be real quality al round player. But till then keep him at sarries to work on them.

There is no love for Farrell. All I see is him getting a ruthless kicking whereas blinkered for some players who can do no wrong prevail.

Come on now Beshocked, even Farrell has admitted he is playing second fiddle to a better 10 in Flood. In his own words he is just trying to learn as much as he can. As a 20 year old 10 new to international rugby that is the correct mindset. Flood is more developed and more experienced (50ish caps at 26). Farrell is raw standoff with potential and good attributes.

Farrell had a poor tour in SA, he got given a lesson by the Bok kickers and to be fair showed a bit more of an attacking game which is looking undernourished but certainly improved from the 6N. There's plenty of time for him yet with the only competition for the bench spot being Burns and then younger stars in the making (Ford and Heathcote).

Not sure hes getting a kicking beshocked. People are.jist being honest. He has.many attributes that we want in the team...confidence and assurnce beyond his age, he's tough...and has a good def. He kicks well from placed...can be good from hand...just needs to learn to kick less.

But the lad needs some preniership gametime at ten and needs to show the passing and running skills required of a top international 10. Flood might not be perfect BUT he is able.to create things.

This is also why so many are praying that one of ford, burns, heathcote etc makes the grade

Geordiefalcon you are saying there's a lot of love for Farrell when that's obviously not true.

Farrell Jr has his own strengths. He also has his flaws of course too.

I am still not completely convinced by Flood but as Youngs needs his safety blanket to perform.....

I don't know how anyone can say Youngs box kicks well. He's awful.

Depends on the game plan Beshocked, he kicked very well in the second test and put in the best performance from an English 9 in the last couple of years. The first test he didn't kick so well but then again the general tactics seemed to be to kick it as far as possible down field.

I did add the 'about time' bit after saying his box kicking had improved.

Sam let's be honest one of Youngs' strengths is definitely not box kicking. He might have managed one decent spell but it doesn't make up for numerous woeful kicks. I know you're one of the main members of the Ben Youngs fan club but it doesn't mean he is faultless.

If it's a territory gameplan there's no point picking Youngs. For a more attacking half back combo it's Youngs and Flood.

There is in the England set up....imo he is nowhere near ready being an international 10 or 12.....and yet he.seems to be shoe horned in to every game...so yes there obviously is alot of love in the England set up. Lancaster has picked farrell much more than flood

It is certainly one of Ben Youngs weaker aspects, right there alongside his temper. Doesn't mean it hasn't improved nicely over the season from being to long and straight to the opposition wing to a more measured pressure style kick.

Whether he has made any great strides in that regard will be seen when he comes back from injury.

Nowhere near ready.... absolute rubbish. You probably think a bunch of other players like Joseph,Parling,Dowson,Dickson,Morgan are ready.

He's won an AP title. More than most 20 year olds can say. Oh and he outplayed Flood in the final but who cares?

Numerous players had an appalling shambolic world cup but they are bullet proof in regards to criticism.

Farrell didn't have a bad 6 nations. He's only getting a brutal beating by fair weather rugby fans because he struggled in SA and has problems with his attacking game.

Fickle England fans want to see England running it from their own 22 with free flowing attacking rugby but the reality is our players aren't that good.

Always looking for the next messiah - now eyes will lock onto Ford.

Funny how Ireland's attack is rated so low despite being the top try scorers in the 6 Nations. Although most of the tries came against Scotland and Italy. When we face the better sides our lack of a real attack coach is more exposed.

But we do score tries. Which I think shows we have the players there. We're just not maximizing their potential. Some of the set plays Leinster come up with are breathtaking. I'm no rugby expert. I didn't play the game, I just enjoy watching it. But do Ireland even use any half decent set plays? They just seem to either kick the ball away or shuffle it out to the wing and get tackled into touch.

Any tries seem to come from individual skill from the likes of Bowe, rather than any cohesive planned attacks.

formerly known as Sam wrote:It is certainly one of Ben Youngs weaker aspects, right there alongside his temper. Doesn't mean it hasn't improved nicely over the season from being to long and straight to the opposition wing to a more measured pressure style kick.

Whether he has made any great strides in that regard will be seen when he comes back from injury.

Fair enough. Good of you to accept Youngs does have his flaws.

How long is Ben Youngs injured for?

Im not a fair weather fickle rugby fan...but thanks all the same.

As for your list dowson missed his chance years ago, hes not good enough now, Morgan has to prove more than just his fitness, parling could be good alongside a powerhouse, dickinson is behind care, etc and Joseph at the moment is behind tuilagi and lowe.

Sorry for having an opinion on farrell that you dont like. I havent totally criticised him ive been constructive.

To say he's nowhere near is way off the mark. Also depends how you define international 10 or 12 etc. If he can outplay his international counterparts I am pleased. I was happy to watch him outplay Priestland and Sexton in the 6 nations at 10.

Criticise by all means but it's just frustating when all the criticism falls on the shoulder of one youngster.

Just the casual - he's not international class after struggling in a 3 game series in one of the toughest places to play annoys me.

You say Joseph is behind Tuilagi and Lowe - he's not though is he? Tuilagi was shunted to 12 to accomodate him. It was an experiment that unsurprisingly failed.

Then there's the whole fabled quest for a powerhouse/enforcer in the 2nd row. I would like a 7ft, 24 stone juggernaut please. He also needs to run the 100m in under 10 seconds and be able to offload like SBW etc.

Ben Youngs should be back in October time, probably in time to go and play with England in the AIs though he won't be in great shape so might miss the first one or two to play for Tigers and get his fitness back up.

Beshocked, just because Farrell was in teams that beat the likes of Sexton etc doesn't mean he outplayed them. Take the Sexton example, a large number of the English points were created by the English scrum and forwards. The English tries were as a result of English scrumming dominance as was some of the penalties. Farrell kicked his points in his calm collected way but at no point did he do anything to slice open the Irish defence etc. He offered what he always offers a 10, a reliable and solid option that has some flaws that are magnified on the international stage.

Yes...in my opinion Joseph is behind those two on ability...tuilagi should be 13. Its like the old days of shoe horning players in to positions.

Like I said...i have praised many of his attributes....but i feel his attacking skills are an issue and need addressing....and the England ten spot should not be for learning those skills it should.be for enhancing those already developed.

Again in my opinion he didnt outplay priestland and I could.have out played sexton with that pack display.


Again parlings skills would work well with a big.guy beside him. Thats obvious is it.not.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Funny how Ireland's attack is rated so low despite being the top try scorers in the 6 Nations. Although most of the tries came against Scotland and Italy. When we face the better sides our lack of a real attack coach is more exposed.

But we do score tries. Which I think shows we have the players there. We're just not maximizing their potential. Some of the set plays Leinster come up with are breathtaking. I'm no rugby expert. I didn't play the game, I just enjoy watching it. But do Ireland even use any half decent set plays? They just seem to either kick the ball away or shuffle it out to the wing and get tackled into touch.

Any tries seem to come from individual skill from the likes of Bowe, rather than any cohesive planned attacks.

No Ireland very rarely use set plays to open up the opposition.On occasion we use the loop to Sexton but unlike Leinster there is no variation in the move and the opposition know 100% that Sexton will take the return pass once he starts the loop.We have started to use dummy runners in midfield a bit more but that's really basic stuff and it's a crime that we have only recently shown signs of bringing this into our play.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Ben Youngs should be back in October time, probably in time to go and play with England in the AIs though he won't be in great shape so might miss the first one or two to play for Tigers and get his fitness back up.

Beshocked, just because Farrell was in teams that beat the likes of Sexton etc doesn't mean he outplayed them. Take the Sexton example, a large number of the English points were created by the English scrum and forwards. The English tries were as a result of English scrumming dominance as was some of the penalties. Farrell kicked his points in his calm collected way but at no point did he do anything to slice open the Irish defence etc. He offered what he always offers a 10, a reliable and solid option that has some flaws that are magnified on the international stage.

You would think from yours and Geordiefalcon's opinion that a 10s job is to make breaks and score tries. I know being creative and getting the backline going is important but isn't the win more so.

An important part for 10s is to turn the forward's hard work into points on the score board. Farrell Jr does this well.

Geordiefalcon I am not sure how you can even think Priestland played better than Farrell in that match. Must have been a different game....

I think Parling is a bit overrated to be honest but if someone appears to compliment him I will take that back.