Wallabies hooker promises to 'dominate' England pack at Twickenham

Interesting,
Will the Oz pack dominate England, or did they just need to make any response after their performance against the French!
http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/8245497/Australia-hooker-Tatafu-Polota-Nau-promises-to-dominate-England-pack-at-Twickenham

That is great !
Thanks Tatafu you just wrote the motivational speech for SL to read out to England's pack.

He's pretty positive ain't he, considering. Bit of an Ozzy trait though, flush the dunny and move on.

Oh good, another BS non-story with comments probabley taken completley out of context by the fecking hacks we are fobbed off with as journalists these days.

Personally i dont think theres many teams in the world could genuinely dominate our front row now...i honestly think its right up as one of the best.
I dont know how Carl Hayman is playing...but Dan Cole is for me the best TH in the World.

Marlers been questioned on his carrying...but the other part of his game has been great and thats the part i want him to be good at!
Also Youngs...is a pocket battleship...so he's not gonna get overpowered...

But hey...they need to give the team a gee up...so i cant knock him for that.

"We are confident we can dominate the English scrum. We have got it right in previous games, we just have to revisit where we were strong and concentrate on that," he said.

Not much room for miss-interpretation there!
When Oz have gotten it right in the past they have gained parity - not sure they've ever dominated a pack like they were last weekend!

Cole is definitely up there as a scrummager and I think will get the upper hand over Woodcock in a couple of weeks as he has been slowly declining.

But in terms of getting around the park I think there are better. Of course the scrum is crucial and should always be treated as such but if it's a fast game with hardly any scrums Cole's advantage may be negated and he may well be outshone in other areas. Big fan of him though.

I think England really know how to negate the tricks Australia use to gain parity in the scrum and they are better at doing over the Aussies than anyone else.

Disney

I think Coles great around the park, and can match most TH's!!!

England have always had the Aus scrum on toast, even a welsh scrum that beat the English could be negated by the Aus forwards, this screams of desperation to me and the English tight 5 must be relishing this now!

Certainly at Club level at least, and in Cole's Internationals too, our front row is excellent around the park. Cole is exceptional to the breakdown, Marler's not shown it so far but he was initially put in the squad for his loose game whilst his scrummaging was raw and Youngs is an ex-centre. It just so happens they can scrummage too

CJ

Why is it Marler can't reproduce the roaming wild boar act on the Int stage that he produces so regularly in the Aviva???

And why does he work well in a front row unit on the int stage when he sometimes struggles in the Aviva??

Is this something Rowntree is doing,? and is it good or bad?

I've not seen Marler struggle in the scrum recently at AP level. However, Rowntree certainly has improved his scrummaging game since he joined the England squad. It may well be that being partnered with Cole is easier than Johnstone whose technique can be suspect. As for tge carrying, I don't know. I hope it's just him getting used to the change in level, but it may be that the step up prevents him taking his carrying form in fo England, only time can tell. He may be focussing on his scrums more and not taking as much on (he didn't really attempt to carry against Fiji) or he may be lacking in confidence from T1 in SA where Alberts literally smashed him every time he got the ball

CJ
First and foremost for me though is a front row that can.....scrummage like tanks!!
And they are starting to do that. Its only early days for Marler...im sure he will start to show his carrying once he becomes more comfortable at this level.

Yeh, I think Marler has improved significantly since joining the squad and this has shown up at AP level as well.

Cole is as good as I have seen at the breakdown for a front rower, he is like an extra 7 on the pitch. His carrying is improving and obviously his scrummaging is very strong. Can't think of many TH i would swap him for at the moment and the crazy thing is he is only 25.

Part of the reason he's prob the runner ahead of Jones for the lions at present.

I was looking forward to seeing Marler in an England shirt but he's been too solid and ye I don't think the SA tour helped his confidence to produce those barnstorming runs.

Just want to say though does anyone have Rowntree's number, Shaun Edwards was asking, think they need to make contact and possibly provide him with a job offer (PLEASE )

Ive heard nothing but great things about the guy, and what he does with players who are lets say limited? (no offence) is just cracking!!!

Its Marlers 3 or 4th cap (something like that)..he a total beginner at this level...surely excpecting his full game from the AP is a bit much so soon
.
I wouldnt be surprised if Rowntree told him just to concentrate on the basics in the pack...and forget about the explosions in the loose...for the moment. Just get comfortable at this level...and once he is then we'll see him trying a few more things like his carrying.

God help us if Cole gets injured though...Davy Wilson is a decent bench warmer...but woah we need to find a serious challenger to Dan.

GF

I think the better way to look at it is thank god for Dan, as the Welsh do for Jones. There are a lot of infrior TH's around that teams have to endure with!!!

The other thing about COle

Whilst many of the previous TH's have had the luxury of monstrous guys like Johnson, Simon Shaw, Grewcock packing down behind them etc guys who knew who to use every gram of their weight in the scrums etc Cole has invariable had guys likes Palmer and Botha...who have weight but im not sure if they utilize that weight to the full...which makes a difference....

Thats very true Bluesman....very true...

Also I don't think your giving Rowntree enough credit either, he doesn't half know how to organise a strong set peice!!!

Actually, i think most England fans have said all along that Rowntree has been a revelation for the England pack.
When Wells etc were being slated...we left Rowntree well alone.

Ironically...on a seperate note....we have Wells as our forwards coach at the Falcons now...and he is doing a serious job...so it makes you wonder just what the issues were between the previous regimes coaching team.....

Tatafu just WUM ing Rowntree ?
Not a good idea.

TBF tho it's not as if Newcastle are facing much this season.

No, but if we paired our pack of last season against this years...i know who id back...

I think with Corbs coming back to fitness we're in a great position to have serious competition for places at loose head, and with Youngs doing so well on debut he could become a serious challenge to Hartley at hooker.

Serious competition for places can only be a good thing, driving performances higher and higher.

Brings us back to the lack of it at tight head though...

That said, Cole is probably best in the world right now. Getting someone close to his level would be difficult!

To be honest, if the Hooker was going to say something, this is at least motivational. If he had said "yeah England are going to kill us in the scrum" do you think that wouldn't have been far worse

Tatafu has been appointed as Rowntree's motivational coach.

Have to admit, I'm very surprised that the Aussies would be dumb enough to give England that ammo.

I don't think the England scrum is quite the finished article - Cole is still young in prop years and Marler and Corbs are barely out of short trousers - but they are already competitive with the top front rows in the game and barring injury should only get better. Even better, we've got strength in depth at LH with Vunipola coming through and some good prospects emerging at TH (e.g. by 2015 I reckon Sinckler - essentially a TH version of Marler in terms of speed and physique - will be pushing hard for a place on the bench). With Hartley, Youngs (who was surprisingly good on Saturday) and potentially Gray there's similar depth emerging at hooker. There aren't many international teams who can swap out a whole front row for one that is as effective, but England could easily be in that position by 2015.

Cole has always been a very good breakdown operator - during the 6N he was noticeably effective on the ground. I suspect that Marler's open game is taking some time to get going because at International level defences are better and so he can't get away with some of the stuff he does at club level (like punching through defences from a standing start) - but sort out the timing of his runs and he'll get there.

There aren't many international teams who can swap out a whole front row for one that is as effective, but England could easily be in that position by 2015.

If we had another TH...we could do it now..

Marler, Youngs, Cole
Corbs, Hartley...??

There are a few THs emerging from the academies...Sinckler would appear the front runner...Fraser Balmain at Leicester and we have Scott Wilson who has played all the England age groups and learnt from Carl Hayman. He'll come off the bench v Tonga tonight so be interesting to see...so in the next few years there may be a few options...

Just need to persevere with Davy Wilson and PDJ for the moment...

Does Rowntree do any training camps with the younger national agre group teams...or indeed with any of the clubs?

well here's my England team for this saturday:

1. Marler 2. Corbs 3. Cole 4. Jason Leonard 5. Phil Vickery 6. Trevor Woodman 7. Fran Cotton 8. Jeff Probyn 9. Phil Blakeway 10. Stack Stevens 11. Paul Rendall 12. Gareth Chilcott 13. Dave Wilson 14. Vunipola 15. Paul Doran Jones

15 props - the Aussies won't come out of the dressing room will they?

I wonder why THs command the highest wages in rugby.

Let me think...






...





'puter says Tigers will lose Cole and Manu.

cant understand what this is based on...?

they rolled over in the same way my dog does for a tickle...

mr_stonelea wrote:well here's my England team for this saturday:

1. Marler 2. Corbs 3. Cole 4. Jason Leonard 5. Phil Vickery 6. Trevor Woodman 7. Fran Cotton 8. Jeff Probyn 9. Phil Blakeway 10. Stack Stevens 11. Paul Rendall 12. Gareth Chilcott 13. Dave Wilson 14. Vunipola 15. Paul Doran Jones

15 props - the Aussies won't come out of the dressing room will they?

It would be nice to see Phil get another cap before he retires...

This post is a little bit sensationalist, however the sentiment made me laugh a bit.

The Ozzie front row couldn't dominate a wet tissue paper at the moment.

Q for you gamblers out there,
Are there bookies odds published on scrum successes ahead of this match ?
No. scrums/ win / lose on own put it /oppo put in etc ?

Q for you gamblers out there,
Are there bookies odds published on scrum successes ahead of this match ?
No. scrums/ win / lose on own put it /oppo put in etc ?

mr_stonelea wrote:well here's my England team for this saturday:

1. Marler 2. Corbs 3. Cole 4. Jason Leonard 5. Phil Vickery 6. Trevor Woodman 7. Fran Cotton 8. Jeff Probyn 9. Phil Blakeway 10. Stack Stevens 11. Paul Rendall 12. Gareth Chilcott 13. Dave Wilson 14. Vunipola 15. Paul Doran Jones

15 props - the Aussies won't come out of the dressing room will they?

Ridiculous selection - everyone knows Chilcott doesn't have the game management to play 12 and much prefers the wing. Oh, and given this is against the Aussies, surely we should find a spot for Sheridan.

Teddie 'Demolition' Sheridan.

dummy_half wrote:

mr_stonelea wrote:well here's my England team for this saturday:

1. Marler 2. Corbs 3. Cole 4. Jason Leonard 5. Phil Vickery 6. Trevor Woodman 7. Fran Cotton 8. Jeff Probyn 9. Phil Blakeway 10. Stack Stevens 11. Paul Rendall 12. Gareth Chilcott 13. Dave Wilson 14. Vunipola 15. Paul Doran Jones

15 props - the Aussies won't come out of the dressing room will they?

Ridiculous selection - everyone knows Chilcott doesn't have the game management to play 12 and much prefers the wing. Oh, and given this is against the Aussies, surely we should find a spot for Sheridan.

Sheridan plays in France, so was therefore never in contention. I'm pretty sure Stack Stevens doesn't play in France so that makes him a shoe-in at flyhalf. And I think you'll find Chilcott has the perfect soft hands to make an effective 12. You're not sugegsting I put him on the wing in palce of Paul Rendall are you? Rendall is an out and out flier.

propdavid_london wrote:Interesting,
Will the Oz pack dominate England, or did they just need to make any response after their performance against the French!
http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/8245497/Australia-hooker-Tatafu-Polota-Nau-promises-to-dominate-England-pack-at-Twickenham

Right! You and which ref?

mr_stonelea wrote:
Sheridan plays in France, so was therefore never in contention. I'm pretty sure Stack Stevens doesn't play in France so that makes him a shoe-in at flyhalf. And I think you'll find Chilcott has the perfect soft hands to make an effective 12. You're not sugegsting I put him on the wing in palce of Paul Rendall are you? Rendall is an out and out flier.

Soft midriff maybe.

Graham Rowntree should also be in contention - has the svelte good looks of a typical nancy boy outside centre. You know, the sort that never make a tackle and whose main role in the side is to drop the ball 10 yards behind the gain line, during some fancy dan 'backs move'

The way Trev Woodman trimmed down - he would actually make quite a useful back 3 player in that squad.
Mullan has a bit of pace too.

mr_stonelea wrote:well here's my England team for this saturday:

1. Marler 2. Corbs 3. Cole 4. Jason Leonard 5. Phil Vickery 6. Trevor Woodman 7. Fran Cotton 8. Jeff Probyn 9. Phil Blakeway 10. Stack Stevens 11. Paul Rendall 12. Gareth Chilcott 13. Dave Wilson 14. Vunipola 15. Paul Doran Jones

15 props - the Aussies won't come out of the dressing room will they?

Colin Smart as water boy.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:This post is a little bit sensationalist, however the sentiment made me laugh a bit.

The Ozzie front row couldn't dominate a wet tissue paper at the moment.

I hope you chaps are being a tad over confident?

If they "dominate" us at the scrum I would be very surprised. If they can find ways to stop us dominating them as France did - well I would not be surprised.

offload wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:This post is a little bit sensationalist, however the sentiment made me laugh a bit.

The Ozzie front row couldn't dominate a wet tissue paper at the moment.

I hope you chaps are being a tad over confident?

I'm Scottish and I can't see that Australian Pack doing anything to worry the English front row. The French front row vapourised their opposit Australian numbers on Saturday night. Nothing to suggest England won't do the same.

And also keep Ione away from our wingers, who he finds a little too pretty.
(BTW what does that say about his girlfriends )

Don't want Ione fiddling with our lads while they are getting 'dominated' by the 'hooker'.

LondonTiger wrote:If they "dominate" us at the scrum I would be very surprised. If they can find ways to stop us dominating them as France did - well I would not be surprised.