Autumn International Squad

[Mikey Brown]

Cokanisiga has an absurd amount of potential in my mind, but he’s been on/off injured for such a long time I just doubt whether he is still the same player. He’s been in better, more deserving, form than I’ve seen him for quite a while recently. It just doesn’t happen to be anywhere near being the form wing in the country.

Could probably say most of that about Nowell too.

Every time Jones reinforces how little domestic form matters, in comparison to knowing his particular way of doing things, it just leaves me a little less interested in following the whole thing.

[Oakboy]

Cokanisiga has an absurd amount of potential in my mind, but he’s been on/off injured for such a long time I just doubt whether he is still the same player. He’s been in better, more deserving, form than I’ve seen him for quite a while recently. It just doesn’t happen to be anywhere near being the form wing in the country.

Could probably say most of that about Nowell too.

Every time Jones reinforces how little domestic form matters, in comparison to knowing his particular way of doing things, it just leaves me a little less interested in following the whole thing.

MB, I suggest that a huge number of England fans share the sentiment of your last sentence. Too many are seeing too little to get the juices flowing. Results and performances in the coming AIs need to change the perception.

[Banquo]

We just beat Australia away #justsaying

[Scrumhead]

Cokanisiga has an absurd amount of potential in my mind, but he’s been on/off injured for such a long time I just doubt whether he is still the same player. He’s been in better, more deserving, form than I’ve seen him for quite a while recently. It just doesn’t happen to be anywhere near being the form wing in the country.

Could probably say most of that about Nowell too.

Every time Jones reinforces how little domestic form matters, in comparison to knowing his particular way of doing things, it just leaves me a little less interested in following the whole thing.

MB, I suggest that a huge number of England fans share the sentiment of your last sentence. Too many are seeing too little to get the juices flowing. Results and performances in the coming AIs need to change the perception.

While I personally fall in to the category of being increasingly disillusioned, I actually don’t think ‘a huge number’ of England fans do.

As people who are heavily invested in rugby, we are at the more extreme end of the spectrum and so we are much more likely to be frustrated by erratic selections and how annoying it is when deserving players are overlooked or poorly treated.

The vast majority of England fans probably don’t know which clubs the players come from and are unlikely to have any idea on domestic form. They simply tune in for internationals and the perceptions are mostly based upon whether we win or lose and however the media is portraying it at the time. Obviously there is much more of a feel good factor if we’re winning and playing exciting rugby, but I don’t know if the average England fan reads much more in to it.

[Mikey Brown]

Cokanisiga has an absurd amount of potential in my mind, but he’s been on/off injured for such a long time I just doubt whether he is still the same player. He’s been in better, more deserving, form than I’ve seen him for quite a while recently. It just doesn’t happen to be anywhere near being the form wing in the country.

Could probably say most of that about Nowell too.

Every time Jones reinforces how little domestic form matters, in comparison to knowing his particular way of doing things, it just leaves me a little less interested in following the whole thing.

MB, I suggest that a huge number of England fans share the sentiment of your last sentence. Too many are seeing too little to get the juices flowing. Results and performances in the coming AIs need to change the perception.

While I personally fall in to the category of being increasingly disillusioned, I actually don’t think ‘a huge number’ of England fans do.

As people who are heavily invested in rugby, we are at the more extreme end of the spectrum and so we are much more likely to be frustrated by erratic selections and how annoying it is when deserving players are overlooked or poorly treated.

The vast majority of England fans probably don’t know which clubs the players come from and are unlikely to have any idea on domestic form. They simply tune in for internationals and the perceptions are mostly based upon whether we win or lose and however the media is portraying it at the time. Obviously there is much more of a feel good factor if we’re winning and playing exciting rugby, but I don’t know if the average England fan reads much more in to it.

Probably fair, and I certainly didn't mean to speak for everybody with what I said, but you'd also think explaining to a casual fan "oh don't worry, we weren't really trying in this game because there's a more important one coming up in 18 months time" won't really cut it.

[Scrumhead]

Maybe, but there’s also a significant chunk of those who probably don’t realise there’s a RWC next year anyway …

[Mr Mwenda]

We just beat Australia away #justsaying

This.

[Banquo]

we all know Itoje will be at 6......

It won't be - all footage out of England camp shows Itoje leading the 2nd row unit in training

cough

[Mellsblue]

New Zealand are looking ominous. Papalii >>>>>> Cane

[FKAS]

New Zealand are looking ominous. Papalii >>>>>> Cane

Savea at 8 was ridiculous as well. They could still move him back to 8 and bring in another big ball carrier at 8 which is frightening thought. The AB defence not the best though.

[Epaminondas Pules]

They’re still a mess in the backs. Ioane and Barrett in the centres is far from ideal!


BTW Quirke out with what looks like wrist break

[morepork]

They’re still a mess in the backs. Ioane and Barrett in the centres is far from ideal!


BTW Quirke out with what looks like wrist break

No shit. We just hang around waiting for an individual to do something.

[Banquo]

New Zealand are looking ominous. Papalii >>>>>> Cane

Savea at 8 was ridiculous as well. They could still move him back to 8 and bring in another big ball carrier at 8 which is frightening thought. The AB defence not the best though.

Back to 7 and yes. Their play in defence at the breakdown was just dumb

[16th man]

New Zealand are looking ominous. Papalii >>>>>> Cane

Some really pathetic Welsh defence helped them out though.

[Scrumhead]

Yeah. It’s always really hard to read in to other results.

NZ were definitely the pick of the sides who played yesterday. Even when the Welsh made a bit of a comeback it was more a case of the, keeping the scoreline respectable rather than any genuine suggestion of them winning.

[Puja]

Yeah. It’s always really hard to read in to other results.

NZ were definitely the pick of the sides who played yesterday. Even when the Welsh made a bit of a comeback it was more a case of the, keeping the scoreline respectable rather than any genuine suggestion of them winning.

Really? I thought NZ were on the pedestrian side and heavily aided by a tired-looking Wales who put absolutely no pressure on their possession whatsoever (incredible when they'd picked Tipuric and Reffell!). They put them away in the end, but the final scoreline doesn't tell the tale of the bulk of the match.

I'd've said Ireland were the pick of the sides yesterday - absolutely controlling the game against South Africa and executing all of their plans and countermeasures excellently. I'd also say Australia were hugely impressive in coming so close to beating a great French side.

Puja

[twitchy]

I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's games. Bit of everything. Quite glad england didn't play actually.

[16th man]

Yeah. It’s always really hard to read in to other results.

NZ were definitely the pick of the sides who played yesterday. Even when the Welsh made a bit of a comeback it was more a case of the, keeping the scoreline respectable rather than any genuine suggestion of them winning.

Really? I thought NZ were on the pedestrian side and heavily aided by a tired-looking Wales who put absolutely no pressure on their possession whatsoever (incredible when they'd picked Tipuric and Reffell!). They put them away in the end, but the final scoreline doesn't tell the tale of the bulk of the match.

I'd've said Ireland were the pick of the sides yesterday - absolutely controlling the game against South Africa and executing all of their plans and countermeasures excellently. I'd also say Australia were hugely impressive in coming so close to beating a great French side.

Puja

If SA had a goalkicker that would probably have gone the other way though.

Definitely apparent that the RC teams are grooved in, whilst Ireland in particular looked a bit short of clicking in attack.

[Scrumhead]

I agree. I thought Ireland looked very slow out of the blocks and TBH they were pretty lucky to make it through the first 30 without conceding more points. SA dominated that period IMO.

Two tries in quick succession changed the game and SA just seemed incapable of scoring points.

I felt NZ dominated Wales in second gear, hence why I thought they were the best side on the day.

[fivepointer]

Australia will be gutted to lose but pleased with their performance. France not at their best but the Aussies scored a brilliant length of the field try and topped that with their THP lifting Baille out of the first scrum.

[Puja]

Yeah. It’s always really hard to read in to other results.

NZ were definitely the pick of the sides who played yesterday. Even when the Welsh made a bit of a comeback it was more a case of the, keeping the scoreline respectable rather than any genuine suggestion of them winning.

Really? I thought NZ were on the pedestrian side and heavily aided by a tired-looking Wales who put absolutely no pressure on their possession whatsoever (incredible when they'd picked Tipuric and Reffell!). They put them away in the end, but the final scoreline doesn't tell the tale of the bulk of the match.

I'd've said Ireland were the pick of the sides yesterday - absolutely controlling the game against South Africa and executing all of their plans and countermeasures excellently. I'd also say Australia were hugely impressive in coming so close to beating a great French side.

Puja

If SA had a goalkicker that would probably have gone the other way though.

Definitely apparent that the RC teams are grooved in, whilst Ireland in particular looked a bit short of clicking in attack.

I mean, Sexton missed three as well, so I don't know you can exactly say that.

Puja

[twitchy]

Aussies scored a brilliant length of the field try

That was fantastic.

[Puja]

I agree. I thought Ireland looked very slow out of the blocks and TBH they were pretty lucky to make it through the first 30 without conceding more points. SA dominated that period IMO.

Two tries in quick succession changed the game and SA just seemed incapable of scoring points.

I felt NZ dominated Wales in second gear, hence why I thought they were the best side on the day.

In fairness, I only started watching the Ireland game about 20 minutes in, so that's probably where our disconnect comes in!

Puja

[Banquo]

Yeah. It’s always really hard to read in to other results.

NZ were definitely the pick of the sides who played yesterday. Even when the Welsh made a bit of a comeback it was more a case of the, keeping the scoreline respectable rather than any genuine suggestion of them winning.

Really? I thought NZ were on the pedestrian side and heavily aided by a tired-looking Wales who put absolutely no pressure on their possession whatsoever (incredible when they'd picked Tipuric and Reffell!). They put them away in the end, but the final scoreline doesn't tell the tale of the bulk of the match.

I'd've said Ireland were the pick of the sides yesterday - absolutely controlling the game against South Africa and executing all of their plans and countermeasures excellently. I'd also say Australia were hugely impressive in coming so close to beating a great French side.

Puja

NZ were very good with the ball, poor without it.

[Mellsblue]

Yeah. It’s always really hard to read in to other results.

NZ were definitely the pick of the sides who played yesterday. Even when the Welsh made a bit of a comeback it was more a case of the, keeping the scoreline respectable rather than any genuine suggestion of them winning.

Really? I thought NZ were on the pedestrian side and heavily aided by a tired-looking Wales who put absolutely no pressure on their possession whatsoever (incredible when they'd picked Tipuric and Reffell!). They put them away in the end, but the final scoreline doesn't tell the tale of the bulk of the match.

I'd've said Ireland were the pick of the sides yesterday - absolutely controlling the game against South Africa and executing all of their plans and countermeasures excellently. I'd also say Australia were hugely impressive in coming so close to beating a great French side.

Puja

NZ were very good with the ball, poor without it.

Seconded