Rugby Union 2013-14

[PaulWinch again]

Diabolical from 1 to 15, shameful.

[paul_e]

The centre pairing has failed completely here. Add to that Brown's worst game at full back, a harsh yellow and a poor start from Burns and it's a bit of a perfect storm.

I'd make all the backs changes now 9, 10 and 12 all off.

[PaulWinch again]

Brown has been atrocious. The only player I don't blame funnily is Ashton he has been completely hung out to dry. I'd get Cipriani on.

[PaulWinch again]

One thing that has frustrated on me this tour is that all the refs have given us yellow cards and never come close to sin binning an All Black.

[PaulWinch again]

Good start to second half.

[PaulWinch again]

Come out very well in the second half.

[lovejoy]

Midfield is all over the place, time for those calling for Twelvetrees to be dropped to hold their hands up.

[PaulWinch again]

Billy twelvetrees would have made no difference to that.

[lovejoy]

Possibly not but he was slated last week and the defence was infinitely worse without him.

[paul_e]

Twelvetrees was fine in defence, it was what he did with the ball that was the problem, last week we didn't get Yarde, Burrell or Manu into the game at all because Farrell and Twelvetrees just weren't able to find them in space.

I agree with a change to the centres, what I thought was wrong was changing both, Burrell and Twelvetrees are the organisers, Manu and Eastmond aren't and it showed today. Once Burrell came on our defensive shape was much better. The 2nd half was ok but we need to finish the chances, if Yarde had got the ball away to Burrell rather than going on his own we'd have got 14 points in the first 5minutes and it'd have been a really interesting game.

[lovejoy]

Ultimately though, there is still a gulf between us and them and I doubt we can bridge that in a year.

[paul_e]

I'm not so sure, Today we got it wrong, our midfield defence was appalling.  In the other 2 games there was nothing between the sides besides a couple of key ref decisions in the first and a 10 minute spell each where they took their chances and we didn't.  I genuinely think we can make it up before the world cup, we just need Lancaster to be willing to be a bit ruthless.

[PaulWinch again]

Our second half was much improved and it was pretty level, but we have to become much more clinical. We have to learn the lessons from today.

[paul_e]

Our second half was much improved and it was pretty level, but we have to become much more clinical. We have to learn the lessons from today.

Exactly, if we can find a way to kill teams off we'll be a top side.

[taylorsworkrate]

Ultimately though, there is still a gulf between us and them and I doubt we can bridge that in a year.

I'm sure we can. I think the NZ side is currently at their absolute peak, whereas I think we are probably playing to about 65-70% of this groups future potential. Missing Cole and Corbisiero was crucial at times. I think we'd have been dominant in the scrum with those two there.

Being as ruthless as them is going to be the challenge. But as the players, particularly the backs mature then that will come. Add to that it's a home world cup, and we've beaten them convincingly and pushed them incredibly close in our last two home games against them.