Looking towards Samoa and QFs

[Danno]

Really poor performances compared to what I expected, from Samoa. They really don't look up for it as a team. Defence is very soft.

Japan should have put that game to bed a lot sooner

[Lizard]

From what I saw, they were physical but not much else. Mostly just trying to power through the middle with brute force.

Anything more ambitious ended in a knock on.

[Mellsblue]

Should we face them, let’s hope we get this version of Fiji.

[FKAS]

I think Georgia are doing a good job here. Frustrating Fiji by keeping the scoreboard ticking over, not giving them mistakes or turnover ball to launch attacks from and then really standing up in defence around the ruck forcing Fiji to go wide with little momentum.

[p/d]

Should we face them, let’s hope we get this version of Fiji.

Has Eddie been moonlighting coaching the Fiji lineout!!!

[morepork]

Fiji have got the yips. Shockingly aimless.

[Mellsblue]

Botia is the most ridiculous player.

[Danno]

An absolute masterclass.







In how not to lineout.

Not terribly concerned about the QF now if Fiji perform like that.

[Mellsblue]

Not terribly concerned about the QF now if Fiji perform like that.

Me neither. All we have to do is frustrate Fiji by keeping the scoreboard ticking over, not giving them mistakes or turnover ball to launch attacks from and then really standing up in defence around the ruck forcing Fiji to go wide with little momentum.

[morepork]

Do you mean, "kick it and rely on their shyte lineout?

[Danno]

Do you mean, "kick it and rely on their shyte lineout?

Pretty valid tactic to be fair

[morepork]

Do you mean, "kick it and rely on their shyte lineout?

Pretty valid tactic to be fair

Plan B if they sort their lineout? And they will.

[Danno]

Do you mean, "kick it and rely on their shyte lineout?

Pretty valid tactic to be fair

Plan B if they sort their lineout? And they will.

Kick of course

[Mikey Brown]

Pretty valid tactic to be fair

Plan B if they sort their lineout? And they will.

Kick of course

It’s the last thing they’ll expect.

[morepork]

It's all gone a bit Blackadder.

[Scrumhead]

Do you mean, "kick it and rely on their shyte lineout?

Pretty valid tactic to be fair

Plan B if they sort their lineout? And they will.

Probably easier for Fiji to sort out their lineout than England to sort out our (lack of) attack.

Then again, set piece woes are often worse in pressure situations and they only have the Portugal game to test it in between, which isn’t likely to be the most severe examination.

For England, I’m hoping we see a confidence building performance vs. Samoa from an attacking POV. With suspensions over and (as it stands) a clean bill of health, it’s likely to be the first time we get to see Borthwick’s preferred 23. Hopefully that isn’t Billy at 8 and Farrell at 12, but I’ll take it if the performance is good.

[Mellsblue]

Botia is the most ridiculous player.

https://x.com/ek_rugby/status/170840857 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

[p/d]

Just build on the forwards. Batter the Samoan pack and not take the foot off the throat. Repeat v Fiji.

Pick ‘his’ best XV and don’t flood the pitch with substitutes unless absolutely necessary
I am no longer interested in watching the backs butcher overlaps from forced pre planned training pitch moves. Want see heads up rugby

We need to make a clear statement and stick to it. Do not want to mirror Italy come France/SA

[Peej]

Fiji without Muntz are a very different team. Still scary, but maybe not as much as they could have been.

[p/d]

If Botia walks out of the tunnel I pass a small bit of wee

[FKAS]

Botia is the most ridiculous player.

https://x.com/ek_rugby/status/170840857 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

Great player. He could probably do a job in nearly every position on the pitch.

[Mikey Brown]

If Botia walks out of the tunnel I pass a small bit of wee

I stopped myself responding to the above post about Muntz because I got hit with a real sense of deja vu, but weren’t Fiji without both Botia and Tuisova when we played them before? Or they were just returning from injury perhaps.

I’d have thought that more than makes up for it, especially as they seem to have found another half decent goal kicker.

[p/d]

If Botia walks out of the tunnel I pass a small bit of wee

I stopped myself responding to the above post about Muntz because I got hit with a real sense of deja vu, but weren’t Fiji without both Botia and Tuisova when we played them before? Or they were just returning from injury perhaps.

I’d have thought that more than makes up for it, especially as they seem to have found another half decent goal kicker.

You would be correct.........

[Mellsblue]

If Botia walks out of the tunnel I pass a small bit of wee

At least I now know who the incontinence pants advert during the rugby on Amazon was aimed at.

[Puja]

If Botia walks out of the tunnel I pass a small bit of wee

I stopped myself responding to the above post about Muntz because I got hit with a real sense of deja vu, but weren’t Fiji without both Botia and Tuisova when we played them before? Or they were just returning from injury perhaps.

I’d have thought that more than makes up for it, especially as they seem to have found another half decent goal kicker.

We were without a few players as well - probably 5 of the starting XV from that game will be unlikely to make a quarter final lineup, some of them not even making the bench. More pertinently, we were probably playing with an air of complacency about it "only being Fiji", no matter how much lip service was paid in the pre-game press. Fiji might not have the same fear now that they've beaten us, but I doubt we'll have the same complacency. It's a game that we should, as fans, be expecting to win.

Puja