Eng V Ireland Sunday 23rd Feb 2020

First topic message reminder :


3pm at Twickers.
Ref: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Assistant 1: Romain Poite (France), Assistant 2: Alexandre Ruiz (France), TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

England:: Daly; May, Tuilagi, Farrell (capt), Joseph; Ford, Youngs; Marler, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Lawes, Underhill, Curry.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Stuart, Launchbury, Ewels, Earl, Heinz, Slade.




Ireland: Ireland: Larmour; Conway, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; Healy, Herring, Furlong, Henderson, Ryan, O'Mahony, van der Flier, Stander.

Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, Porter, Toner, Doris, Cooney, Byrne, Earls.

The Great Aukster wrote:Congratulations to England, far more up for the game and deserved to win.

Sexton showed why he is captain though - despite his jittery outing he's still the best option available, so is pretty much guaranteed his place until Farrell can start to trust Byrne.

Sexton was very poor and has been for a while.

Like with Farrell and England, the outside half should not be captain, in my opinion. James Ryan looks like the natural leader in that side. Itoje will eventually be the same for England. Sexton could easily help out as vice captain but now he's captain the transition away from him to another player at 10 will be much more obvious and much harder to manage for Farrell. He has made a rod for his own back when promoting a young captain to take him through the next 4 years should have been his thinking. Sexton will not do what Hartley did for England, his position is too important as a leader to be burdened with captaincy as well.

This game was won and lost in the tight exchanges and contact. What relevance does Sexton have there? None. In a game like that there is almost nothing more he can add as captain than he couldn't without captaincy. The day an outside half lifts the rugby world cup or six nations as captain I'll change my mind but captains should be forwards or in cases like Ireland had with POC and BOD they should be co-captains in a more practical sense.

I'm afraid I predicted this one spot on. This was same old Ireland really but with a slightly greater desire to run the ball. Like watching Saracens v Leinster last season. I also said Eddie Jones would school at least one of Farrell and Pivac and I'd be surprised if it's just Farrell who is on the receiving end of a humbling but England must be kicking themselves for that loss out in Paris and also will see the missed bonus point in this game as possibly crucial.

It would be typical of Ireland to turn up against France to deny them the title now. France do look beatable up front, particularly in the second half.

Pete330v2 wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:TMO was asleep I think.

What was the ref watching as he was looking right at it, is it any wonder Farrell had enough and held on whilst Stander assaulted him.

As for Ireland either of those could have been carded, you just can't do that.

I suppose we're going to be told that England never, ever clear out rucks like that?

You'll be able to provide examples from that match then?

I didn't mention a match and as I am rubbish at adding video etc here I'll try a link to just one example. I think from the fixture in Dublin last year.

https://twitter.com/theblitzdefence/status/1091749964504535040/video/1

Now stop the whinging everyone, you'd think you'd lost ffs.

OK thats all right then. Lets all keep on trying to take people's heads off.

No it isn't alright but whines in glass houses etc.

This happened last year so it's ok this year.

Pete330v2 wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:TMO was asleep I think.

What was the ref watching as he was looking right at it, is it any wonder Farrell had enough and held on whilst Stander assaulted him.

As for Ireland either of those could have been carded, you just can't do that.

I suppose we're going to be told that England never, ever clear out rucks like that?

You'll be able to provide examples from that match then?

I didn't mention a match and as I am rubbish at adding video etc here I'll try a link to just one example. I think from the fixture in Dublin last year.

https://twitter.com/theblitzdefence/status/1091749964504535040/video/1

Now stop the whinging everyone, you'd think you'd lost ffs.

At least he comes through the gate and is a legitimate clearout.

The trouble is once the European cup comes round again Irish provinces will be doing the same at ruck time and it never gets picked up on.