A month to go and England look a complete shambles at the moment.
But nailed on for New Zealand anyway. France at home maybe an outside chance.
Big game for Eng this weekend, try and save some face against the Welsh, who looked very united last weekend under Gat.
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This is the worst England team since 2015. Unfortunately I predict out at the group stage.
France had a bit of a wobble but I fancy them over NZ.
SA looking ok but it will be 10 man rugby but they can grind it out.
The only team that look worse than England are the Aussies.
I think the Pumas might stand a chance of a final place if the cards fall their way.
I agree and based on yesterday's squad selection I really don't see how England with get further than the group stagesOriginally Posted by xxnick1975
Borthwick seems devoid of any new ideas and I thought that the players looked tired and unfit by the end of the first half on Saturday
There are so many inform players that haven't had a chance to show what they can do especially the likes of Caden Murley, Zach Mercer, Alex Mitchell Harry Tandall Oh, and please
don't get me started on why he's selected the 'Human Turnstile' that is Elliot Daly! His defence is appauling, a big boot is all he has to offer
I desperately want them to step it up this Saturday as I'm going to the match. Happy to spend hard earned cash but only if I get to watch a properly imaginative competitive team
Oh well, at least there will be Guinness a plenty and we'll have some banter with the Welsh fans
Fingers crossed for September
Indeed. Apart from full back, no clue how the backs are going to line up.
Manu and Billy likely to get injured and no obvious back up.
I hope they prove me wrong but feels more like a lads holiday at the moment
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Wait till you've picked a 1st strength team before writing them off.
True. Although difficult to know who that is currently!
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That's a good thing surely.
Under eddie, fans and media complained that the same people got picked time and again.
Switching it up in the warm up games seems sensible.
Naming the squad early seems a bit unusual, but settles the 33.
Not really sure why you think New Zealand are nailed on.
France,Ireland and SA could all win it.
Will England ever score a try again?
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I went to France in 2007 and got to see a few games. Not going this year for very obvious reasons. Sadly, I also managed to get to some of the 2015 matches. They do not live on in my memory.
Farrell doing a Farrell
How can an England captain still not tackle?
Last edited by acg; 12th August 2023 at 19:46.
England a bit of a joke now. 3 yellows, Farrell probably a red coming, pathetic
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How was that not a red for Farrell?
England are so boring. How on earth has this team regressed so far?
Probably will be upgraded
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????
When he's in the bin? Ah must be the new rules.
In that case that's a ban and out of the RWC
A try at last!
First one in 2.5 hours
Faz gone
Ben Earl is playing them single handedly
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Last edited by xxnick1975; 12th August 2023 at 19:25.
Crazy 2nd half!
Roller-coaster doesn't cover that 2nd half! England dug in deep for the win at the end fair play.
The man-child will likely miss the first World Cup game at least. Well overdue.
Last edited by Ruggertech; 12th August 2023 at 19:44.
poor match between England and Wales.
Poor quality from both sides. Handling errors aplenty from both, poor discipline obviously, and Wales really need to sort the lineout. It's been a weakness for some time but glaringly so today.
Don't think Argentina and Australia are quaking in their boots, and Fiji will be salivating.
The thing I can't get is handling errors, there have been so many in the last 2 games.
I know fine well that a big bloke running at you makes you take your eye off the ball, but both teams are playing well below their individual skill levels.
It's like when the England football team were rubbish despite having top players.
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Earl had the bit between his teeth, played himself in to the starting team I think. He was the only bright spark in a dire England performance,
I notice tickets were super cheap for this game and the Fiji game (£10). I think RFU are struggling to sell seats due to the poor showing of recent times. I usual go to every home game (HQ is a short bus ride away / longer stagger home) and I can’t justify paying the ticket price at the moment. It’s just not an enjoyable experience there currently, I don’t mind losing to a stronger better team but at least put in some effort.
I was at the game yesterday having booked the tickets in January and paid a premium (£105 each) to get good seats (middle tier front row between 22 and half way) and prior to the game happy to do so I only go once a year as a treat
However the whole Twickenham experience -in my view- is getting poorer and poorer on each visit. Massively overpriced food & drink, a pathetic 'school disco' by a DJ pre-game and the number of unecessary musical interludes was ridiculous We bought reflink radios to hear what the referee was saying, but most of the audio was the players shouting and swearing
The crowd were almost silent for the majority of the game as England were so dissapointing. Predictable plays, poor discipline and lack of imagination led to a struggle to lead at half time followed by Wales taking control in the 2nd half. Only when England went down to 12 men, did they start to play with any impact or urgency
Lastly post game I completely understand the players wanting to enoy the experience with their friends and family but how about showing some gratitute to the fee paying fans in the stadium with a walk around??
I fear that we have created a group of prima donna's who have lost touch with the fans of the sport, its a great shame
I also think that France, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia will not be feeling worried about facing this team in France
I would welcome any other supporters views that were at the game
John
Farrell has had his red card overturned. Hmm......
Beyond shocking. Some horseshit given about change of dynamics within the tackle area. If it had been the first time for him I may have grudgingly accepted the explanation, but it's pretty much the norm for the manchild.
Can't quite believe it really given the number of offences and the clear cut nature of the offence (including review by every pundit going, no one pushed back on the red card).....and it looks dodgy to any fan of any country (I am an England fan).... ironically I did think banning Owen for most of the world cup could've done us a favour and perhaps this is the Aussie panel saying they would prefer to play England with Owen available haha !!!
Rugby's credibility just vanished
Indeed, he's even been sent on a course to try and remedy the problem which reduced his last ban by one match.
I think a lengthy ban would definitely have done England a favour, look how they played Saturday when rid of him. Not pretty but pretty unstoppable, as England tend to be when firing on all cylinders.
If I were and England supporter I'd now be hiding my eyes every time he tackles in the World Cup, especially if they reach the knock out stages (which I think they will despite the naysayers).
With great sadness I agree.
That is a really poor review by the disciplinary committee.
I just re-watched it (in real time as well as slo-mo).
Farrell was readying himself for a tackle all the time Basham and George were approaching, in his usual upright manner.
George's attempt at a tackle barely diverts Basham (slightly to Farrell's left, but he still hits him with the right shoulder), and his height drops a tiny amount, no more than any player might do heading into contact.
George's tackle attempt could only slow Basham, so he effectively arrived late to Farrell, giving him more time than he might have thought for contact preparation. But he didn't drop.
And once again, it is not only the head contact from Farrell, but also the complete lack of a wrap that turns it into a shoulder charge.
Red all day. And night.
If he does it again now, he will be out for months.
The stupid thing is that if he readied himself like someone like Underhill does, he could have folded Basham completely into touch, a much more effective tackle. I have no idea why he carries on as he does.
Lauren James gets a three match ban for a little friendly butt massage, but nothing for Owen!
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Even football fans with no interest in rugby can’t believe this, comments about brown envelopes of Aussie dollars being his defence, credibility over discipline panels and refs decisions through the floor, rugby the laughing stock of the sports world.
Donald Trump to hire Farrell’s lawyers I hear, mission impossible, even Tom Cruise would have been shocked.
Aha, just had the Lauren James comment explained to me, wrong shaped ball sport for me.
I thought the press release was a hoax when I read it.
Unbelievable
I said the exact same thing in our club chat today, (with a few more F word thrown in.)
Last edited by Sinnlover; 15th August 2023 at 21:09.
The over turning of Farrell’s red has been appealed by world rugby
This makes a mockery of the laws
The independent review board cannot be independent if the the governing body won’t accept what they say.
I think it was a red but the back and forth is a joke
Last edited by Sinnlover; 17th August 2023 at 19:49.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is interesting.
World Rugby are appealing on the grounds that the panel considered mitigating factors (George's contact with Basham) whilst examining Farrell's actions & thus did not apply a ban.
However, World Rugby seem to be saying that Farrell's actions were always going to result in an illegal hit (his upright stance, leading with his shoulder, no attempt to wrap the arms & then contact with the head) & that there is no mitigation possible in those circumstances & that it shouldn't have been used as a defence or reason for the high shot.
We shall see...
______
Jim.
The independent board should be only be to decide the level of punishment, they should not be overruling referees decisions, what’s the point of them* issuing cards if someone else can say “your wrong”.
* Refs, touch judges and TMO often collaborate to reach a decision, will a panel be convened to over rule them if they don’t show a card when they maybe should, doubt it.
But the new "bunker" card is not a true yellow, his card was not "overruled".
The yellow was shown by the ref in order to send the player to the bunker, quickly, and not interrupt the game with interminable repeats of video footage.
This yellow was shown in the full knowledge that a review over the next 8 minutes would establish whether it was truly a red, and not a yellow.
The terminology used by the ref in showing the yellow (and using the bunker crossed arms) clearly indicated that he believed it to be a red, but that the bunker review should establish it beyond doubt.
So there is no "it was a yellow, then a red, then a yellow" (and now an appeal). The first yellow was a bunker card, not a yellow
Almost 70 mins in and Wales are being ripped a new one by the Bokke.
And to make it worse the Prime commentators aren't Bill McLaren like.
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Prime commentators need a red card.
Another terrible 40 mins from England. Very difficult to understand. I'm sure the players have pride and care, but it's not coming across
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Billy showing solidarity with Owenmorons
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Red for big Billy so that will be his World Cup under threat as well.
And SB only picked one 8 in the squad. Rubbish
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Last edited by xxnick1975; 21st August 2023 at 07:38.
My only hope is that I remember England setting off to SA with the instruction "try not to be too humiliated lads", yet made the final.
Written more in hope than expectation.
Last edited by unclealec; 25th August 2023 at 21:28.
Judging by this evening's game, you may well have a point!
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England struggling again.
Feel a bit for Lawes on his 100th
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Think England will still squeek by.
Now even more worried than I was for our opening game against Fiji, hope EJ has buggared up Australia!
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