RugbyRebels

Danno wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:02 pm That was a proper trousers and pants down in front of your home crowd and we're at 14 men for a good chunk of it spanking. The final try was just a massive fuck you.

Gatland and all of the WRU need to be gone

FKAS wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 9:03 pm

Danno wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:02 pm That was a proper trousers and pants down in front of your home crowd and we're at 14 men for a good chunk of it spanking. The final try was just a massive fuck you.

Gatland and all of the WRU need to be gone

From Gatland's interview I'm guessing he's only going to stay around for the South Africa game.

Puja wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 9:21 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 9:03 pm

Danno wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:02 pm That was a proper trousers and pants down in front of your home crowd and we're at 14 men for a good chunk of it spanking. The final try was just a massive fuck you.

Gatland and all of the WRU need to be gone

From Gatland's interview I'm guessing he's only going to stay around for the South Africa game.

Mind, he offered his resignation after the Italy game in the 6N as well and they kept him. It could be that he is in fact building something for the future with his picks of youngsters, but I still find it baffling that Archie Griffin is their first choice tighthead with 5 caps, while having only 9 Prem games (and those off the bench - not a single start) for Bath, where he is a very distant third choice.

Puja

Banquo wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2024 6:11 pm

Skalyba wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2024 8:42 am

FKAS wrote: ↑Tue Nov 12, 2024 6:28 pm The amount of buy in from the players does appear to be wanting. We've seen how Borthwick wants to play from the 6N through the summer. The blitz defence the direct attack with options and set plays. There's been a massive regression in performance whilst we are still trying to play the same way. I don't think the game plan has really changed bar the usual tactical tweaks based on the opposition. The execution has been poor.

I'll cop some heat for this but I think it's Marcus. We want (apparently) to play the open attacking play that seemed to be coming toward the end of the 6 nations and in NZ. We even started that way, the problem is that that isn't how he plays. His playmaking comes from a totally different place and relies on him seeing and exploiting space in a reactive way rather than creating and manipulating space in the the way a Ford does - it's very similar to the problem NZ have had with McKenzie over the years (great player, not the right 10). He (Marcus) can win a game on his own, and nearly did against Australia, but sometimes that's not enough.

We also need to recognise that this is an absolutely stacked era for our opposition - of the top 12 teams, SA, Scotland, Ireland, Argentina, Italy, Fiji can all be said to have their best ever teams (arguably) and NZ and France aren't exactly in a bad spot. Oz are developing, with probably their best individuals for a generation, just not a team yet. Only Wales are poor really so it's hard to get the run of results to build confidence.

That said we were poor on Saturday and that needs to be looked at. I feel its more process than personnel though

all agreed. I think Smith is a 'problem'- not of his own making, he plays in his way- that needs solving or more positively, a talent that presents an opportunity we haven't figured out how to exploit. Quick ball, good centres would help

Skalyba wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 9:16 am

Banquo wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2024 6:11 pm

Skalyba wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2024 8:42 am

I'll cop some heat for this but I think it's Marcus. We want (apparently) to play the open attacking play that seemed to be coming toward the end of the 6 nations and in NZ. We even started that way, the problem is that that isn't how he plays. His playmaking comes from a totally different place and relies on him seeing and exploiting space in a reactive way rather than creating and manipulating space in the the way a Ford does - it's very similar to the problem NZ have had with McKenzie over the years (great player, not the right 10). He (Marcus) can win a game on his own, and nearly did against Australia, but sometimes that's not enough.

We also need to recognise that this is an absolutely stacked era for our opposition - of the top 12 teams, SA, Scotland, Ireland, Argentina, Italy, Fiji can all be said to have their best ever teams (arguably) and NZ and France aren't exactly in a bad spot. Oz are developing, with probably their best individuals for a generation, just not a team yet. Only Wales are poor really so it's hard to get the run of results to build confidence.

That said we were poor on Saturday and that needs to be looked at. I feel its more process than personnel though

all agreed. I think Smith is a 'problem'- not of his own making, he plays in his way- that needs solving or more positively, a talent that presents an opportunity we haven't figured out how to exploit. Quick ball, good centres would help

Absolutely agree and the SA was just another example. If he's our guy, and I think he is, then we need to create the players and platform around him to make it work. Otherwise shift him to be an impact player from the bench like NZ do with DMac