England vs Samoa - Sat 4.45pm

[jngf]

Is it significant that SB waited till after this game to call up a replacement for Willis?

That’ll be either Callum Chick or Lewis Ludlow I expect

On a more serious point given Willis is no longer available a perm two from 3 of Curry, Ludlam and Earl on the flanks looks competitive - if coupled with a genuine ball carrying no.8 with some explosiveness + ballast and height. Lawes blows too hot and cold for me at 6 and tonight he was largely anonymous but not as much as Itoje imo

[Beasties]

I can honestly say that I enjoyed that more than any Eng game since the last WC semi v NZ.

The clucking sound of all those chickens coming home to roost was deafening. I got fully behind Samoa from about 10 mins in. The Farrell show was top flight comedy from start to finish. Ugo’s moment wasn’t even the highlight.

We were awful. As pretty much everyone predicted. On here that is.

[Banquo]

Unbelievably bad- except it was entirely believable as its all been seen before with this mob. Basics just awful in every facet; stupidity, lack of rugby sense, poor skill levels, awful backs selection, woeful defence....and the breakdown wtaf.

Dont start me on faz.

[16th man]

Feel properly sorry for Scotland. That first 20 minutes would have had them out of sight against us today, but Ireland just took them to pieces.

[Mellsblue]

Feel properly sorry for Scotland. That first 20 minutes would have had them out of sight against us today, but Ireland just took them to pieces.

Part of me hopes we lose to Fiji in a close match. A semifinal could be brutal.

[p/d]

Woodward demanding 10.Ford/Farrell 12 Manu 13 Marchant and pace. I take back everything I posted yesterday.

After Japan the daft twat said that Farrell is only competing for the 12.

[Puja]

Feel properly sorry for Scotland. That first 20 minutes would have had them out of sight against us today, but Ireland just took them to pieces.

Part of me hopes we lose to Fiji in a close match. A semifinal could be brutal.

Oof, yeah. Playing France will result in an actual murdering. Records could be broken.

Puja

[p/d]

I expected us to be poor, but Christ alive that was an absolute shambles. Some of our defending was as bad as our discipline, which was on a par with our white line fever. And yet our inspirational leader still somehow managed to outdo it all.

Dross SB, complete dross. Let me give you something to work on

12. Lawrence
13. Marchant

Now have a go at the others…….

[Sourdust]

Oof, yeah. Playing France will result in an actual murdering. Records could be broken.

Puja

You think that's bad? If Wales beat Argentina, we get to play NZ or Ireland...

We should absolutely refuse to do so.

Literally just nope out of the whole shebang. We're done, boys, cheers!

Not a bad idea for you chaps too, I'd say. We can even share a plane home.

[Beasties]

Woodward demanding 10.Ford/Farrell 12 Manu 13 Marchant and pace. I take back everything I posted yesterday.

After Japan the daft twat said that Farrell is only competing for the 12.

Tbf there’s quite a bit of previous evidence of his status as aluded.

[Beasties]

Oof, yeah. Playing France will result in an actual murdering. Records could be broken.

Puja

You think that's bad? If Wales beat Argentina, we get to play NZ or Ireland...

We should absolutely refuse to do so.

Literally just nope out of the whole shebang. We're done, boys, cheers!

Not a bad idea for you chaps too, I'd say. We can even share a plane home.

Now I’m interested as it would sit nicely alongside the last WC game I saw live, the game v SA in 2007. Great weekend. A Farrell wasn’t much good in that game either. And they say history resonates, pfft.

I’m actually wishing for us to utterly be handed our arse on a plate as it might force some sort of actual rethink rather than what SB’s served up so far.

[Mellsblue]

Oof, yeah. Playing France will result in an actual murdering. Records could be broken.

Puja

You think that's bad? If Wales beat Argentina, we get to play NZ or Ireland...

We should absolutely refuse to do so.

Literally just nope out of the whole shebang. We're done, boys, cheers!

Not a bad idea for you chaps too, I'd say. We can even share a plane home.

Now I’m interested as it would sit nicely alongside the last WC game I saw live, the game v SA in 2007. Great weekend. A Farrell wasn’t much good in that game either. And they say history resonates, pfft.

I’m actually wishing for us to utterly be handed our arse on a plate as it might force some sort of actual rethink rather than what SB’s served up so far.

I’m confused. From where I’m sat, SB has already served arse on a plate.

[Mikey Brown]

Feel properly sorry for Scotland. That first 20 minutes would have had them out of sight against us today, but Ireland just took them to pieces.

It was kind of surreal watching those games back to back as a “supporter” of both. It was like a different sport.

[Oakboy]

I expected us to be poor, but Christ alive that was an absolute shambles. Some of our defending was as bad as our discipline, which was on a par with our white line fever. And yet our inspirational leader still somehow managed to outdo it all.

Dross SB, complete dross. Let me give you something to work on

12. Lawrence
13. Marchant

Now have a go at the others…….

I've been advocating that since the 33 was announced. Had it been picked and stuck with from the start of the warm-ups it could have been a really useful pairing by now. Tuilagi has about 20 minutes of effectiveness in his body and should not have made the squad.

[Stom]

Feel properly sorry for Scotland. That first 20 minutes would have had them out of sight against us today, but Ireland just took them to pieces.

Part of me hopes we lose to Fiji in a close match. A semifinal could be brutal.

Oof, yeah. Playing France will result in an actual murdering. Records could be broken.

Puja

That would be the best thing that could happen to this England team.

If Farrell is playing.

If he gets sent off against Fiji yet we still win...I will cry. We'll have been murdered because Farrell wasn't there, despite the fact our performance took a nosedive when Farrell was back available.

I damn hope he bloody retires after the WC, as I can't see Soggy Bottom having the balls to drop him from the squad.

[p/d]

I expected us to be poor, but Christ alive that was an absolute shambles. Some of our defending was as bad as our discipline, which was on a par with our white line fever. And yet our inspirational leader still somehow managed to outdo it all.

Dross SB, complete dross. Let me give you something to work on

12. Lawrence
13. Marchant

Now have a go at the others…….

I've been advocating that since the 33 was announced. Had it been picked and stuck with from the start of the warm-ups it could have been a really useful pairing by now. Tuilagi has about 20 minutes of effectiveness in his body and should not have made the squad.

I have always rated Lawrence, yes he is a bit green, but that pairing offered us a good solution to the midfield. And yet somehow we arrive at the WC QF without either player cementing down their position let alone a working combination.

To compound our shortfalls the back row now looks all at sea and we will continue to debate who plays 10
Not good, not good at all

[Banquo]

I expected us to be poor, but Christ alive that was an absolute shambles. Some of our defending was as bad as our discipline, which was on a par with our white line fever. And yet our inspirational leader still somehow managed to outdo it all.

Dross SB, complete dross. Let me give you something to work on

12. Lawrence
13. Marchant

Now have a go at the others…….

I've been advocating that since the 33 was announced. Had it been picked and stuck with from the start of the warm-ups it could have been a really useful pairing by now. Tuilagi has about 20 minutes of effectiveness in his body and should not have made the squad.

I have always rated Lawrence, yes he is a bit green, but that pairing offered us a good solution to the midfield. And yet somehow we arrive at the WC QF without either player cementing down their position let alone a working combination.

To compound our shortfalls the back row now looks all at sea and we will continue to debate who plays 10
Not good, not good at all

and have no back 3 with cohesion. Freddie caught well, and actually hit the line well for Chessum's try.

[p/d]

I've been advocating that since the 33 was announced. Had it been picked and stuck with from the start of the warm-ups it could have been a really useful pairing by now. Tuilagi has about 20 minutes of effectiveness in his body and should not have made the squad.

I have always rated Lawrence, yes he is a bit green, but that pairing offered us a good solution to the midfield. And yet somehow we arrive at the WC QF without either player cementing down their position let alone a working combination.

To compound our shortfalls the back row now looks all at sea and we will continue to debate who plays 10
Not good, not good at all

and have no back 3 with cohesion. Freddie caught well, and actually hit the line well for Chessum's try.

Indeed. Throw in 9’s with jitters and still not prepared to risk replacing George

[Scrumhead]

I've been advocating that since the 33 was announced. Had it been picked and stuck with from the start of the warm-ups it could have been a really useful pairing by now. Tuilagi has about 20 minutes of effectiveness in his body and should not have made the squad.

I have always rated Lawrence, yes he is a bit green, but that pairing offered us a good solution to the midfield. And yet somehow we arrive at the WC QF without either player cementing down their position let alone a working combination.

To compound our shortfalls the back row now looks all at sea and we will continue to debate who plays 10
Not good, not good at all

and have no back 3 with cohesion. Freddie caught well, and actually hit the line well for Chessum's try.

He ran good lines that could have got another couple of tries too. Firstly when Tuilagi made a decent break but delayed an obvious pass for too long and then when George threw an intercept which (indirectly) led to a Samoa try.

I actually think Steward improved on his recent performances (admittedly from a low bar).

[Banquo]

I have always rated Lawrence, yes he is a bit green, but that pairing offered us a good solution to the midfield. And yet somehow we arrive at the WC QF without either player cementing down their position let alone a working combination.

To compound our shortfalls the back row now looks all at sea and we will continue to debate who plays 10
Not good, not good at all

and have no back 3 with cohesion. Freddie caught well, and actually hit the line well for Chessum's try.

He ran good lines that could have got another couple of tries too. Firstly when Tuilagi made a decent break but delayed an obvious pass for too long and then when George threw an intercept which (indirectly) led to a Samoa try.

I actually think Steward improved on his recent performances (admittedly from a low bar).

On the first one I actually thought the Samoan's blocked the passing line well. On the second looked a standard line....but yes, he was a bit more visible coming forward.

[Galfon]

After that, now it's do or die SB will give clear thought on performances to date against reputations.
Ford, Manu/Lawrence, Marchant yielded 1 try in nearly 3 hrs v Arg & Jap. It could easily have been 4 in 40 min. yesterday.
Ludlam's energy also much needed it seems.
Not starting Fazlet, Lawes, Itoje, Curry would have been out of the question a year or so back but let's see.
.

[p/d]

Care try saving tackle, Lawes getting back to pounce on the resulting loose ball and McFarland’s mocking Earl with a ‘Earl-esque’ celebration on Samoa securing the ball we’re my highlights.

[canta_brian]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... -two-sides

Anyone disagree?

Or is it just that the TMOs are ruining the game for
everyone consistently. Some of the frame by frame stuff is just painful.

[twitchy]

The only sport that I watch where there is really obvious bias/corruption from the officials is boxing. I've never seen it in rugby honestly.

[p/d]

TMO’s Ruining the game. The frame by frame stuff is a nonsense