England vs Fiji - Sat 3.15pm

[Mellsblue]

What are Sinfield's qualifications as a defensive coach.

Just discussing this with a mate…

[badback]

Why do they keep on kicking the ball away. !!!

Cos’ if we don’t we can’t resource the ruck beyond a handful of phases…

Yeah.. backrow…

[Mellsblue]

Why do they keep on kicking the ball away. !!!

Cos’ if we don’t we can’t resource the ruck beyond a handful of phases…

Yeah.. backrow…

A fitting way to end with a lost ruck.

I’d say partly but they’ve been training to kick the ball away so if they go beyond a handful of phases they’re not set up to be where they need, I reckon.

[Mellsblue]

Anyone know if we won the territory battle?

[normanski]

Anyone know if we won the territory battle?

It wouldn’t surprise me if England won 55-45%. But where England got hammered was metres made by Fiji after contact. They kept going dragging England players behind them. When published it will be a horrendous statistic.

[Banquo]

Anyone know if we won the territory battle?

59-41 on 49-51 possession

job done

(edit- I reversed the possession stats)

[Mr Mwenda]

The rot set in during Covid. There needs to be a wholesale turnover of the squad and the whole England set up. Borthwick and Sinfield can have the world cup as their work experience for the Ireland job and then a new coach should be brought in with a mandate to change everything root and branch.

[Mellsblue]

Anyone know if we won the territory battle?

59-41 on 51-49 possession

job done

Moral victory?

[Mellsblue]

Anyone know if we won the territory battle?

It wouldn’t surprise me if England won 55-45%. But where England got hammered was metres made by Fiji after contact. They kept going dragging England players behind them. When published it will be a horrendous statistic.

May favourite bit was when Jonny May dragged a Fijian 10m towards the try line. Innovative thinking.

[twitchy]

Honeymoon well and truly over for borthers.

[badback]

Well at least we’re not peaking too soon.

[Oakboy]

Where does SB go from here?

Smith must start at 10, IMO. Ford is neat and tidy but he has lost a yard of pace. He kicks too much and he is soft defensively.

I think the best SB can do is make changes in the 33.

He has to think beyond Argentina and dump everyone doubtful or unavailable for that game.

[francoisfou]

Scratchme Balls will have a sleepless night tonight!

[Banquo]

Tackle count still poor at 85%, metres gained weak, too much kicking, 10 penalties. Deja vu all over again.

We're fckd.

(Itoje is being flogged to death btw)

[FKAS]

Only managed to catch the first half as away in sunnier climbs. Backrow was woeful. Jack Willis completely anonymous, and Earl no better in defence. Only Lawes showed up when we didn't have the ball.

Way to many wasted opportunities in the opposition half again. Whilst Banquo will mock, cause he likes something to whine about, the tactics got us down there an created chances but whilst we looks so blunt and error strewn in the final third things don't look good.

Was a good finish from May though and had we got a back waiting for the crossfield instead of Earl then that could have been another try. The world cup is going to be grim viewing if we remain this wasteful.

[Banquo]

Only managed to catch the first half as away in sunnier climbs. Backrow was woeful. Jack Willis completely anonymous, and Earl no better in defence. Only Lawes showed up when we didn't have the ball.

Way to many wasted opportunities in the opposition half again. Whilst Banquo will mock, cause he likes something to whine about, the tactics got us down there an created chances but whilst we looks so blunt and error strewn in the final third things don't look good.

Was a good finish from May though and had we got a back waiting for the crossfield instead of Earl then that could have been another try. The world cup is going to be grim viewing if we remain this wasteful.

You bitch

There is plenty to 'whine' about as you so nicely put it (mildly taking the pi55 tbh)- better than trying to put some nonsensical spin on it ; unless stupid bastard wakes up and smells the coffee, we may as well not bother playing.

[Stom]

So...I watched the football instead. And...then I saw the score and lol.

[Mellsblue]

We’ve got ‘down there and wasted chances’ for long enough without looking like there’s any improvement. It’s not a positive if you’re unable to build on it.
Why shouldn’t anybody whine about this squad/team/results?!?!? It’s shit and could be historically shit if a couple of results don’t go our way over the next 24hrs.

[Stom]

What are Sinfield's qualifications as a defensive coach.

Just discussing this with a mate…

It's League.

Didn't you know that league experience counts 10 fold? We need to learn from league. More from league. It's absolutely the same sport, we need to take as much from it as possible.

Even better if you're the son of a league legend. Then you're undroppable. Unless you're also behind another son of a league legend in the pecking order and actually know how to play rugby. Then you can suck it up.

[Danno]

Fiji leapfrogged us in the rankings.

[Banquo]

Fiji leapfrogged us in the rankings.

kin ell

[16th man]

Skriking Bumnote looks like a completely spent balloon. If we did indeed have a game we're working on in training that will allow us to be better, then you'd hope he'd be able to muster a bit more energy in his interviews, but there's nothing there.

I'd have loved for him to be asked why we aren't looking any better, week on week, and what his coaching team are actually trying to achieve.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Where does SB go from here?

Smith must start at 10, IMO. Ford is neat and tidy but he has lost a yard of pace. He kicks too much and he is soft defensively.

I think the best SB can do is make changes in the 33.

He has to think beyond Argentina and dump everyone doubtful or unavailable for that game.

It doesn’t matter who starts at 10 whilst the players refuse to deviate from the plan, which is most likely for fear of being dropped / not getting paid!

[Mellsblue]

Fiji leapfrogged us in the rankings.

Wait till you see where we end up if Arg and Aus win…

[Oakboy]

I suppose we now need to ask how we will do against Japan.