QF1 - Match Thread - England v Australia - 19/10/19 - K/O 08:15 BST

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

Thought I'd get these made nice and early for a few reasons - but one being that we're already now looking ahead to the QFs with several teams having finished their group stage, so it's all heating up for the proper knockout stuff...barring any more disruption.

England



Team: Daly; Watson, Slade, Tuilagi, May; Farrell (capt), Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler; Itoje, Lawes; Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Marler, Cole, Kruis, Ludlam, Heinz, Ford, Joseph.


Australia



Team: Beale; Hodge, Petaia, Kerevi, Koroibete; Lealiifano, Genia; Alaalatoa, Latu, Sio; Arnold, Rodda; Naisarani, Hooper (c), Pocock.

Replacements: Uelese, Slipper, Tupou, Coleman, Salakaia-Loto, White, To'omua, O'Connor.



Venue: Oita
Referee: Jerome Garces
AR1: Romain Poite
AR2: Mathieu Raynal
TMO: Ben Skeen

[Guest]

Of course it is based on how he's played in both positions RF.

[No 7&1/2]

For you rugby fan of course.

[Taylorman]

He has put in a huge number of barnstorming displays at 13 over the last decade. He has managed less than a handful of decent performances at 12.

This seems fictional considering how often he plays for England. Club level's a mostly different beast.

Miaow, this came up on the last thread where you seemed unconvinced about Manu at 13. Strongly suggest you go back and read the responses there rather than have everyone repeat what they said here. If nothing else, just look at what shirt he was wearing when England beat New Zealand in 2012, which is widely regarded as a defining match for the player.

I can vouch for that. Best performance by a NH back vs NZ in the entire pro era.

[Guest]

Game's changed since 2012. 13 now absolutely a key defensive position in many teams - as I explained before the Lions with JJ v JD2. All you're doing is reiterating my point by bringing up 2012: England/fans in general put far, far too much stake in one performance as the holy grail, and everything must imitate that. It's from the Sky Sports mantra of one a player is a B&I Lion, everything they do is through that lens. It's lazy.

Tuilagi's since played for the Lions as a 12 alongside the likes of BOD, he's played at 12 inside Slade and looked excellent etc. He's not exactly going to be poor at 13 but as clearly so much of the running game is built around him, there's too much focus on the shirt number. Where Tuilagi excels - broken field, phase plays - the # means next to nothing.

Weird you'd argue against that.

Strangely, Eddie Jones seems to agree...

[LondonTiger]

Interestingly it is this very weekend last year that Manu started to play his way back into the England lineup with this MotM display

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/45875612


It is however time to move on to something else. No-one is going to change their mind and all we will see is an ever rancourous discourse leading to bans.

[Guest]

Thank you LT.

[LondonTiger]

Loved the comments from Toomua about his ex Tiger team-mates, though he did leave himself wide open for Youngs comeback. Good humour all round.

[Taylorman]

Interestingly it is this very weekend last year that Manu started to play his way back into the England lineup with this MotM display

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/45875612


It is however time to move on to something else. No-one is going to change their mind and all we will see is an ever rancourous discourse leading to bans.

Really looking forward to seeing Manu versus oz, one of the genuine highlights of the weekend for me. Rugby has missed this bloke for too long. Oozes talent and X factor when he’s on.

[majesticimperialman]

Yeh i am looking forward to see how the Slade-Manu partner ship goes.

I still do not understand why  EJ as dropped Ford to the bench.

The Ford at 10 Farrell at 12 seems to me that England play a better type of game, more free flowing, free off loading type of game.

I certainly would not like England to revert to a bish, bosh type of game.

But then again, as long as England win, and put in a good performance i will be happy.

[Taylorman]

Yes I don’t get that either, especially when the two combined to bury Oz on tour a couple of years ago. Ford has been one of if not the form 10 of the tournament. Only think I can think of is he’s protecting Ford for later...which also doesn’t convince. Dunno, a head scratcher. You’d think he’d want to bury oz from the start and Ford Farrell offer more options to do that.

England also start big matches strongly. 6N and warmups they certainly did. After a rest this is another new start. You’d think he’d capitalise on that and get the best possible out there.

[Rugby Fan]

Jones probably has some regrets about not playing the France game. He'll know that Farrell hasn't been in great form, and he probably believes he needs his captain to be firing for England to have a chance of going all the way.

His selection of Farrell at 10 might, in part, be an effort to get him back in the groove by giving him early responsibility in a key match. In the best case, we see England exert the kind of pressure we did against Ireland in the Six Nations. If things don't click, then Ford comes on.

[kingelderfield]

In broad terms i will always prefer a 10 who creates space, or can execute creatively within limited space, to one who consumes space or needs more space and lacks the vision and instinctive ability to play what is in front of them.
Farrell is the black hole that will suck the life out of our game.
Now I'd like to report you for years of trolling and other myriad personality discrepecies:-)
Have a great day ONE and all and COME ON ENGLAND!

[No 7&1/2]

Farrell's career proves you wrong on that count though king.

[Old Man]

This is going to be a cracker of a match, good luck to both teams, please no cards.

[majesticimperialman]

Well we will soon see if dropping Ford to the bench was a good thing or not i guess.

Nerves are starting to kick in, i still think England will win, it just depends on what the score line is.

COME ON ENGLAND, YOU CAN DO IT.

[BigGee]

Good defensive set by England but great intent from Oz as well

May not be a bad game for the neutrals!

[lostinwales]

Safe to say Australia are up for this

[BigGee]

Hope it is not going to be a scrum fest!

[BamBam]

The young centre is a Folau esque runner, he'll need to be watched

[Geordie]

Wow Australia want this!!

Glad to see Sinkler keeping his head early on.

[RiscaGame]

Great cover tackle Farrell.

[kingelderfield]

Very important that we really settle.

[Geordie]

Jeez

[BigGee]

Great break by Beale leads to a penalty

3-0 Australia

They deserve that for the opening pressure

[Duty281]

As expected, it’s Aussie making a fast start and England not quite at the races yet.

[formerly known as Sam]

Well we will soon see if dropping Ford to the bench was a good thing or not i guess.
.

Slade slipping off a couple of tackles and then knocking on. Doesn't look like he's 100%.

Australia in control so far.

[Gooseberry]

The run everything philosophy from Aus has its limitations.

[BamBam]

Pitch is getting destroyed in the scrums

[Heaf]

As expected, it’s Aussie making a fast start and England not quite at the races yet.

All the talk about the week off being an advantage - I'm not so sure ....

[Geordie]

Can the Aussies keep this pace up all game?

Highly unlikely....

[lostinwales]

The tackle from Underhill on the no.8 was fun

[BigGee]

Some tackle on Mako, not easy to send him backwards

[Heaf]

hands on the ground before he scooped that back ...

[Geordie]

Aawww what a time to knock on.

[BamBam]

Yes lads!

[BigGee]

Great try

[Heaf]

That'll do nicely ...

[Gooseberry]

Well we will soon see if dropping Ford to the bench was a good thing or not i guess.
.

Slade slipping off a couple of tackles and then knocking on. Doesn't look like he's 100%.

Australia in control so far.

3 minutes later...

[Steffan]

Decent try from England but if Australia are going to try and run the ball from inside their own 22 and lose it then that is always going to happen

[BamBam]

Brilliant draw and pass by Curry, basics but so effective

[TightHEAD]

Thank god Slade wasn't out there!

[lostinwales]

And thats how you do it

[majesticimperialman]

If any one was going to score a try today it had to be Johnny May.

Great try.

[Geordie]

Johnny May!!!!!

[BigGee]

Great kick

7-3 England

[Heaf]

OF got his kicking mojo back ...

[Geordie]

Tom Curry is some player. Imagine in a few years when he gets experienced at this level...ouch!!

[BamBam]

Go on Slade!!!

[BigGee]

That might be the game already!

[Steffan]

What a stupid offload for that try

[Sponsored content]