Le Winner Tales It All - England vs France

First topic message reminder :

The Guardian throws up some interesting points of discussion that have been touched upon already elsewhere. The positives first are that there will be 2000 fans in the stadium at the weekend:plenty of room to spread out but an important step back to normality. It also allows england the chance on some revenge for the 6 nations defeat and to lift some silverware. Despite overall feeling we've missed the chance to create depth in some key areas I think Jones has used these games pretty well. Genge has had some good performances, itoje and Launchbury have to me shown they can work effectively together, Willis and Earl have mins on the pitch, Lawrence looks set for a good career. Hell even if I dont think it's worked Joseph has proved he can cover wing (played there previously for england I know) though hopefully only for emergencies and we know conclusively Furbank isnt good enough.

That leads onto the negative. The balance between club and country has led France to agree to only play players 3 times over the course of these matches. It leave the final now a bit of an imbalance as France for some reason prioritised games over england meaning guys like Dupont and Vakatawa are unavailable. Perhaps they figured may as well let the media hype of 'France are back' reign on rather than risk a massacre at Twickenham. Its shame for the fans (and Amazon the poor multi billion company) but I'm looking forward to it anyway. There will still be fireworks from them I'm sure and in guys like Woki they certainly have quality. That guy could be box office, loads of potential with a slight question on his fitness to perform for 80 mins for me.

I suspect that Jones will go for a very strong team again but while his favourite phrase will be we've picked the strongest 23 it clearly leaves room for tinkering. I have a slight feeling that this may be the match he throws Malins a start.

Expecting a great game tbh. England have stuttered so far but easily been on top throughout their matches. Surely this is the game targeted from the off? Allez les rosbifs.

A lot of confidence put in Earl to make an impact if that's a tactical sub.

Bet hes wishing he had willis to bring on like.

After a penalty at the last scrum surely England would prefer the 5m scrum due to Dulin's knock on?

Why did Daly pass so quickly to watson...??!!!

Eliot daly that was useless.

Because daly is devoid of confidence having only got a touch on the ball to knock on or kick it 50 m?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Bet hes wishing he had willis to bring on like.

Nah Earl's doing alright 

Dulin has had a very good game so far.

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Bet hes wishing he had willis to bring on like.

Nah Earl's doing alright 

I'd still prefer to have Willis on in this type of game. And anyone else than daly.

I like earl alot but I like the niggly have to put 2 more people into a ruck that willis brings.

Awful to watch like the wc all over again. Can't Ford kick? And what's happened to our line out?

Won't be long before the 2,000 start booing.

Yoda wrote:Awful to watch like the wc all over again. Can't Ford kick? And what's happened to our line out?

Woki. Itoje is no longer a safe throw.

This is awful by England

Awful by farrell. We should be winning.

Farrells kicking game is way off.

This is awful

England are a real one trick pony in this game, kick everything. Do they have a plan b?

I cannot see England winning this the way they are plaing.

Daly butchering again. With what's supposed to be the reason hes in the team for.

They must be under strict instructions..

Get Marchant on for Slade to offer something different when we go wide.

Decent kick to make up for it.

It's not even as if France are playing particularly well; they've done nothing in this half so far. Their kicking out of hand is garbage, but England just return the favour with an equally terrible boot. And they've shown the French far too much respect by continually taking the '3' option, rather than going to the corner.

England might still win, but it would be barely deserved.

If Farrell had his kicking boots on England would be winning

Duty281 wrote:It's not even as if France are playing particularly well; they've done nothing in this half so far. Their kicking out of hand is garbage, but England just return the favour with an equally terrible boot. And they've shown the French far too much respect by continually taking the '3' option, rather than going to the corner.

England might still win, but it would be barely deserved.

3 option is fine when you score. And every kick for an international kicker should have been scored tbf. Will be interesting to see who takes the next 1.

Terrible decision. No where near the ball. Looks to be one of those days.

Converted try for extra-time?

Posts is an interesting call here...

Just throw the ball to someone else farrell.

Christ, it's almost like England-South Africa 2012.

England going for kick at goal again, why not go for the corner?

I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

Still better than England though.

Looks like England have been beaten in a final again.

Game over

Well played France poor from England. France are deserved champions, played by far the best rugby fully deserved.

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

Still better than England though.

Not sure they have tbh

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

Still better than England though.

Not sure they have tbh

Jaliberts break for the try. Carbonel and Jalibert goal kicking. Woki and latterly Macalou. The limited positive play has been theirs.

Could this be a try though for extra time?

I'll say it now... I think Billy and Farrell both knocked on in the build up to that penalty. Haven't seen a replay of either but if it were the other way round I'd be screaming at the TV!

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

Still better than England though.

Not sure they have tbh

Jaliberts break for the try. Carbonel and Jalibert goal kicking. Woki and latterly Macalou. The limited positive play has been theirs.

Could this be a try though for extra time?

Overall kicking has been the issue. Make or break

England absolutely deserve to lose this. They've been frightened to play attacking rugby against a French reserve team, completely devoid of experience, at home. It's been embarrassing.

But they may have rescued a hardly-earned tie.

Fantastic. For England there fantastic.

Yoda wrote:Well played France poor from England. France are deserved champions, played by far the best rugby fully deserved.

Bit early there.

Brilliant. Deserved to win overall but great come back. Well done. Go on and win it.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

Still better than England though.

Not sure they have tbh

Jaliberts break for the try. Carbonel and Jalibert goal kicking. Woki and latterly Macalou. The limited positive play has been theirs.

Could this be a try though for extra time?

Overall kicking has been the issue. Make or break

Kicking but also kick chase which is so unusual for England. The chase has been absent too often.

Malins has had a positive impact.

Kudos to Hill for marshaling that final lineout as well. He has been busy since coming on. More like the form he consistently shows with Exeter.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Brilliant. Deserved to win overall but great come back. Well done. Go on and win it.

Really? England have been average enough too.

Well never saw that coming.

Extra time sudden death.

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd normally say england deserve to lose this bit they really dont. France have been rubbish.

Still better than England though.

Not sure they have tbh

Jaliberts break for the try. Carbonel and Jalibert goal kicking. Woki and latterly Macalou. The limited positive play has been theirs.

Could this be a try though for extra time?

Overall kicking has been the issue. Make or break

Kicking but also kick chase which is so unusual for England. The chase has been absent too often.

Malins has had a positive impact.

Kudos to Hill for marshaling that final lineout as well. He has been busy since coming on. More like the form he consistently shows with Exeter.

Bar the intro of Robson and Malins slightly late I'd say jones has used his subs far better than his has recently.

We did not deserve that draw we knocked on twice in the build up. France really have strength in depth.

France have looked more dangerous but England have been stronger in the 2nd half, just crap at finding ways to score. Also too much kicking without purpose and without challenge.

Would not surprise me if we win now, and it would be deserved, but France have really turned up.