Team against Italy

[UKHamlet]

Put it this way, I'd rather see us playing and developing on form Moriartys than persisting with off-form warblers and lydiates and topics, great though they may be, they can't be irreplaceable.

No-one is bulletproof, but that applies to Moriarty too. He had a great game today, but he's like his old man, a penalty machine. If he can get that under control, he'll be hell of a player. I wish he was playing for Welsh region though, preferably Newport or the filthy Scarlets.

[Sandydragon]

Well there was much more intent today and at las we saw some offloads and better attacking play. I hope Tips is ok, but Moriarty had a very good game. I thought our back row in general was good today, Lydiate made some effective carries as well as doing the defensive and supporting stuff.

We still failed to play what was in front of us at times, and there were still a few too many times when attackers got the ball standing still. But at last our attack showed some promise.

Now all we need to do is try a more attacking approach against a better team, not leave it to a game where there is nothing to play for.

[morepork]

First try.

That kind of supports the point though. Excellent finisher when he's on top of game. Not much more than that though.

It doesn't support the point at all. He's not just a finisher, he consistently beats people, hands off, completely out paces Mike Brown, who is no slouch. He even has a step. He's no Shane for sure, but he's far from just a finisher. Take a look at the try he scores for the Lions against Oz, he beats three men, one with sheer pace, another with a hand off and another admittedly blocked by BOD. Edit: make that four men.

Mike Brown is a slouch.

[Tre]

Well there was much more intent today and at las we saw some offloads and better attacking play. I hope Tips is ok, but Moriarty had a very good game. I thought our back row in general was good today, Lydiate made some effective carries as well as doing the defensive and supporting stuff.

We still failed to play what was in front of us at times, and there were still a few too many times when attackers got the ball standing still. But at last our attack showed some promise.

Now all we need to do is try a more attacking approach against a better team, not leave it to a game where there is nothing to play for.

Easy to have intent when the oppo are so appallingly bad. Italy are diabolical.

[Sandydragon]

Well there was much more intent today and at las we saw some offloads and better attacking play. I hope Tips is ok, but Moriarty had a very good game. I thought our back row in general was good today, Lydiate made some effective carries as well as doing the defensive and supporting stuff.

We still failed to play what was in front of us at times, and there were still a few too many times when attackers got the ball standing still. But at last our attack showed some promise.

Now all we need to do is try a more attacking approach against a better team, not leave it to a game where there is nothing to play for.

Easy to have intent when the oppo are so appallingly bad. Italy are diabolical.

Agreed, they are very poor.

[Spiffy]

Well there was much more intent today and at las we saw some offloads and better attacking play. I hope Tips is ok, but Moriarty had a very good game. I thought our back row in general was good today, Lydiate made some effective carries as well as doing the defensive and supporting stuff.

We still failed to play what was in front of us at times, and there were still a few too many times when attackers got the ball standing still. But at last our attack showed some promise.

Now all we need to do is try a more attacking approach against a better team, not leave it to a game where there is nothing to play for.

Easy to have intent when the oppo are so appallingly bad. Italy are diabolical.

Poor old Italy have been hard hit with injuries this 6N and really have no strength in depth. Fair play to them for coming back in the second half and scoring a couple of tries. They have a few good players but their second/third/fourth stringers are just not able to make a game of it. If O'Shea gets the coach's job, as predicted, they may improve in the next couple of years if they can keep key players fit. I'd love to see them become more competitive but the structute of the Pro 12 and overall interest in rugby in Italy makes it pretty difficult for them.