Rugby Union

[Super_horns]

Well Italy still well in it now.

EDIT: Try chalked off - phew

Need to pick up our game in the last 20 minutes.

Nice finish by Simmomds x 2.

Really pulled away at the end.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Italy 17 England 46. Sounds like a romp but in truth, Italy were very much in the game until the later stages, and after all the replacements had taken place.

England clearly had the stronger bench and our fresh legs were better than theirs. But there's a lot that Italy can take from this game. Boni at Outside Centre will be a threat to everybody in this tournament.

But for a forward pass, Italy would have made the score 17 - 23 halfway through the second half, but some poor discipline at the resultant scrum, and the next lineout gave England the chance to score at the other end. Potential 17-23 became 10-30 within a minute. Cruel on Italy, but they come out of this match with a lot of credit.

England's defence out wide looked exposed to kicks over the top. I'm sure that won't have been lost on Warren Gatland and with the pace the Welsh have out wide, Eddie will need to address this area of fragility.

Still... bonus point in the bag, top of the table and England looking like they have strength in depth. A good start.

 

[RavenBish]

Italy's backs were really impressive considering they were missing Campagnaro and Sarto. They have enough attacking talent and ballcarriers to trouble anyone if they get front foot ball. Negri in particular was superb.

As always though, terrible discipline and England's scrum embarrassed them - comfortable win overall. England will be better next weekend. I'd drop May because he was defensively found wanting yet again but I wouldn't fancy Nowell against Evans/Adams pace either even though he's a much better player overall.

 

[Destruction]

Always a bit of rust first game, did what needed to be done and fancy a better performance next game.

 

[RavenBish]

Wigglesworth called up ahead of Robson. Robson is undoubtedly the better player but this is clearly a tactical move, hope the Welsh back 3 are ready to field a ton of box kicks.

 

[kieran_vale]

Englands kicking game has been really impressive so far. Ridiculous offload from Launchbury for the second Try.

 

[RavenBish]

Another inept display from Garces here.

 

[Super_horns]

Wales unlucky to have that try ruled out - they have really come into the game well.

 

[kieran_vale]

These penalties England keep giving away are getting really frustrating now. Almost expected everytime at the breakdown at the moment.

 

[RavenBish]

Deserved win for England. Better team - Wales only came into it once Anscombe moved to 10. Forget the TMO decision as Wales were fortunate they only shipped 12 points themselves. Difference for me was how England responded to every mini Wales resurgence - used the bench superbly. Wigglesworth gave some composure just as Care seemed to lose the plot a little, Kruis/Williams/Hepburn/Te'o all put in big shifts/cameos defensively. Underhill was more of a forced sub.

Ford and Farrell were magnificent. Hopefully the Simmonds and Watson injuries aren't bad as we're short on wingers and Hughes probably won't be back until the France game.

 

[RavenBish]

Kyle Eastmond just made 2 red card tackles in a minute - never seen anything like it.

 

[kieran_vale]

Been terrific entertainment this game but the French ability to shit the bed at the most inopportune time is really uncanny.

 

[RavenBish]

French have zero bottle.

 

[Super_horns]

Good win for Scotland coming from behind late on.

 

[RavenBish]

Can we call up Jack Willis and start him over Robshaw already? My word he's GOOD. The talent in England right now is utterly ridiculous.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Can we call up Jack Willis and start him over Robshaw already? My word he's GOOD. The talent in England right now is utterly ridiculous.

This is the generation of little kids who watched England win the world cup in 2003 and said to themselves "I want some of that.". They hassled their mum and dad to let them join their local rugby club and started in the Minis learning, little by little over the last 15 years how the big kids play.... and they probably learned a few of the dark arts too..!!

Those little kids of 2003 are all growed up now but I'm sure they still remember the rush of seeing Jonny kick THAT goal. And they want some of that.

England are going to have to face New Zealand at some point before they can win another world cup and that will be the biggest test of them all. But you have to beat the best to be the best and I think this generation of players is up for it.

The Scots are next up at Murrayfield. That won't be easy. Bring it on.

 

[Super_horns]

That disallowed try debate seems to be rumbling on.

Maybe Wales feel hard done by but they also missed out on a try in the 2nd half through an early dive/great tackle and who knows how the game would have panned out if it had been given.

England would have gone on the attack more for example rather than being fairly defensive had the scores been closer.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

For what it's worth I think the Welsh were hard done to. I would have been most disappointed if it had been England who'd had a try disallowed in such circumstances. As for the try saving tackle, that was brilliant. I remember Ugo Monye making a similar tackle on a Scottish winger at HQ three or four years ago.

But I think you're right, SH. If the try had been allowed and Wales had taken the lead, England would have attacked rather than sit back as they did in the later part of the second half. To say the try - had it been allowed - would have won the game for Wales is stretching it a tad.

I can understand them wanting to make their point and that's OK, but for the issue to rumble on and on becomes tiresome. Come on, Wales. It was hard luck, but the try wasn't given. You've had you say, you've made your point. Complaining isn't going to change the result. Get over it and move on.

I love Welsh rugby. A small nation that punches well above its weight on the global stage. They love the game and hey.... we all know what great players they've produced in the past. But you know something.... sometimes. Just sometimes.... they get too carried away with this "We-don't-care-if-we-lose-every-other-game-as-long-as-we-beat-England" thing.

There is a fine line between caring very much about a match, and having a chip on your shoulder about a certain opponent. You can overdo the national rivalry thing, you know.

Like luck, good and bad decisions even themselves out and to keep rattling on about one can look like sour grapes in the end.

I'm sure Warren Gatland (if he's still in post a year from now) will use this "injustice" to fire his boys up next year at the Principality. They don't need much to wind them up for the England game, let's face it. He's a sly old dog who uses such psychology well. We'll see what comes of it then but that will be a new day. For now, they should just let this one drop.

 

[kieran_vale]

Seeing the French constantly find new ways to complete butcher real Try scoring opportunities has been incredible to watch. They should be winning this by 30 by now if they had even a slight element of composure about their play.

 

[RavenBish]

Some of the stuff Ireland get away with is criminal. I mean, they get away with it so you file it under clever rather than stupid ala Richie McCaw but seriously every couple of phases they could get called for obstruction or bridging in the ruck to prevent fair contests and win penalties or illegal mauls - they seem to just play the averages like a Seattle Seahawks secondary and assume the ref won't penalise it all or it will make him look a wally and then it just becomes the norm.

that being said, Sexton's pass for Stockdale's try was utter filth

 

[RavenBish]

What's Glen Jackson got against Wales? Ireland are constantly blocking and going off feet and getting nothing, yet Wales are being penalised for literally everything. It's bizarre.

 

[kieran_vale]

This is going to end up being a rout. Can't concede this sort of territory and possession against a quality team like Ireland and hope to have a chance of winning.

Dan Biggar should have a long hard look at himself on that third try, was more interested in appealing to the referee than securing the high ball.

 

[kieran_vale]

Englands kicking game is nowhere near the standard it was against Wales so far. Also losing out at the breakdown. Scotland definitely good value for the lead so far.

 

[RavenBish]

Robshaw, Launchbury, May and Brown should all be hooked off immediately. Picked a pack that are just too big and slow for this kind of game.

 

[RavenBish]

Mike Brown should never play for England again. Launchbury needs to lose a stone.

 

[kieran_vale]

Getting embarrassing now.

Englands backrow has been a shambles.

And agree RB about Brown. That pass he threw earlier that ended up in touch was shocking for an international level player.

 

[spireite]

Bloody hell got some work to do here...

 

[Gassy]

Our back row has been absolutely pathetic. Possible the worst I’ve seen us.

What’s the point in playing rugby if you can’t tackle?

 

[Cornish Piskie]

It has to be said, the Scots have been superb in the first half. They're better organised, first to every breakdown, they're playing open rugby which is paying off and to be honest, England haven't been in the game.

Agree all previous comments about Mike Brown. He's lost all his pace and if it wasn't for Anthony Watson covering across, the Scots would have had two more tries..!! The one time England had an overlap on the wing, it was Brown who threw a hopeless pass to Watson who didn't have a chance of taking it. I hope Eddie replaces him at half time. Put Watson at full back and bring on Nowell on the wing.

Frankly, it will take a miracle to get England back into this game and then it will only happen if the Scots let them, which I can't see happening. They're up for it.

 

[kieran_vale]

Definitely huge credit to Scotland for that half, they were very good. Barclay has dominated it almost himself. Huw Jones has been a threat every time with ball in hand too. Scotland should go on to get the BP win now (not exactly the most difficult call to make there).