Congratulations England

First topic message reminder :

Congratulations to England, the best team won today. And to be perfectly honest, the Welsh comeback felt very tainted by the fact Francus was still on the pitch.

As unpopular as I know this will be, and painful for me to say, I wish you the best next week and hope you win the grand slam as Lord knows you deserve it.

mikey_dragon wrote:I think teams will improve next year, and I certainly hope that Wales do. That said I think it will be tougher to beat a confident England team on a winning streak.

mikey. Gatland seems to be blaming the Welsh players for the way they played in the first half. surely they was just playing to the game plan that was set out by the coaches.

In your opinion was the players to blame? Or was it down to the coaches and the game plan set out by them?

majesticimperialman wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:I think teams will improve next year, and I certainly hope that Wales do. That said I think it will be tougher to beat a confident England team on a winning streak.

mikey. Gatland seems to be blaming the Welsh players for the way they played in the first half. surely they was just playing to the game plan that was set out by the coaches.

In your opinion was the players to blame? Or was it down to the coaches and the game plan set out by them?

The players missed loads of first up tackles in the first half. Surely that wasn't in Gatlands game plan? Players must take some blame. Cuthbert was out of position on his wing a few times and literally gave his opposite number the ball on the wing and said 'have a run with that, old chap'. Again, obviously not in the game plan. Roberts and Biggar getting all in a muddle and running into each other for an accidental offside. Not one of Gatland's set moves, surely? So yes, players must take some of the blame for the c*ck ups and missed tackles. England must be praised too for exploiting the Welsh weaknesses.

Certainly a bit of both madge, in addition to England being better than us. Adding to what Griff said perhaps Gatland can be criticised for a game plan that seems a bit stale, and his selection policy IE Cuthbert getting selected for playing well in training over form wingers like Amos. I hope Gatland is true to his word and for once actually drops poor performing players, so I'm going to agree with him on this occasion.

I agree re Cuthbert. England exposed his poor form by attacking his wing time after time and he was posted MIA on several occasions. There seemed to be a general malaise about most aspects of Wales's work in the first half. Some of that must be down to excellent English pressure but surely the players must take some of the blame?
regarding tactics, wles don't change: Pack wins ball, Biggar hoists and recovers ball. If quick ball is won then it gets moved either forward through Roberts or wider if space allows. Petty simple but pretty difficult to defend if it is executed well. Onaturday the execution was poor for the first 60 whereas England's performance was top notch during that time, hence the large lead that they built up. Jones will be slightly worried about the ease with which wales clawed their way back into the game.

Yeah well don't to England too. I am a fan. However, I hope England draw with France and miss out on the slam. It will make next year more interesting.

This year Wales and England are the top two teams, followed by France, Ireland and Scotland with Italy by far the worst.

Respect to the Welsh for coming on here post match - it is appreciated of course.

People keep saying this is the worst French team ever.... you know what, it isn't. Okay, the results haven't been coming, but that set of backs is terrifying. They've shown in brief cameos what they're capable of this 6N - absolutely sublime, but for the most part, they've been disjointed.

It would of course, be just England's luck that next week in Paris, the French discover a way to play together as a team for 80 minutes. Because if they do, they'll beat England.

We won't know until next week if Scotland did us more of favour than beating the French and handing England the title. France now have nothing to play for and might cut loose with that flair we know deep down they have. Or they may capitulate with nothing left to play for.

That's the thing with the French, you just don't know.

No its definitely the worst ever France team. They aren't a good side.

GunsGerms wrote:No its definitely the worst ever France team. They aren't a good side.

No, there's a difference between being the worst ever French team (which they aren't) and being a potentially good side playing badly (which they are).

Several pundits this weekend, and over the 6N in fact, have stated that this is a good French team playing badly - or at least struggling to play how their new management want them to play.

They've had some very good players for the past 5 years, yet they've played terrible for the last 5 years.

No, this is not a good French side (can't remember the last one tbh), although it does include some good players - just not enough.

However, it's their last game, in France, with nothing to lose, against an England that struggle to convert despite all their pressure - so they'll give England a game I'm sure.

France, away. That is NEVER a gimme. Ask the All Blacks!

Barney McGrew did it wrote:No, this is not a good French side (can't remember the last one tbh), although it does include some good players - just not enough.

However, it's their last game, in France, with nothing to lose, against an England that struggle to convert despite all their pressure - so they'll give England a game I'm sure.

Its not a vintage French side, nobody is disputing that - but what it is, is a potentially very good side if they click. A truly bad side (or the worst ever!)wouldn't have that potential.

The very fact that its been said by others that they have the potential to upset England in Paris suggests to me at least, that if they truly were a bad side, England supporters wouldn't be slightly nervous about the outcome.

As was said on the other thread, I think:

1. GS needed to make it a real achievement;
2. Even GS isn't that important if England fail to build on this;
3. Feels like this is the title for least poor NH sides - beaten a good Wales side, an injury & retirement decimated Ireland, 2 perennial wooden spooners and, hopefully, a mediocre French side.

screamingaddabs wrote:France, away.  That is NEVER a gimme. Ask the All Blacks!

No but Wales beat them so they can't be that tough can they?

englandglory4ever wrote:

screamingaddabs wrote:France, away.  That is NEVER a gimme. Ask the All Blacks!

No but Wales beat them so they can't be that tough can they?

Well we beat the France that knocked out NZ in 2007 and we were Poopie that year. Never know which France is going to turn up.