Rugby Union (was 2014-15, now an ongoing thread)

[paul_e]

Good result in the end and some good performances but a few worries as well.  Im more convinced than ever that Brown needs a break, twelvetrees is slow and predictable, which is a bad combination at this level in a 12.  I'd bring Nowell in for Brown and push Watson back then have brown on the bench and drop twelvetrees from the 23.  Cipriani needs more chances, his work for his own try to spot the chance and then make the support run was superb, that's what you want from an impact 10, if we can get him 20-25minutes again in the next few games I think he can become firmly established as the alternative.

[PaulWinch again]

I agree with putting Watson at full back. May really needs to work on his defence. I really hope Ford and Cipriani are our fly halves at the World Cup, but I doubt it.

[Monty]

That's got to be obstruction. Has to be.

[Monty]

The Welsh have been dirty as hell today, and they've got away with it.

[paul_e]

The Welsh have been dirty as hell today, and they've got away with it.

They always are, the common one is the amount of times they manage to roll away from the tackle right into the path of the other teams support players, or they hold on to the tacklee just a bit longer than is legal.

[peter w]

Or they put hands into the scrum and get away with it...that one was truly baffling and that no-one has really highlighted it in the media.

[paul_e]

Or they put hands into the scrum and get away with it...that one was truly baffling and that no-one has really highlighted it in the media.

Didn't affect the result so I guess it's been swept under the carpet.  The most frustrating thing about that was, as I was shouting at the TV for hands in the scrum the commentator was praising falatau for 'excellent play', my wife said chimes in that I'd clearly got it wrong until the other commentator mentions that it could maybe be hands in the scrum about 30seconds later before they move on and continue to praise the determination of the welsh.

[peter w]

I think other than that and that was quickly glossed over by Moore saying, "well the referee didn't give it" I think maybe only one match report in the nationals mentioned it too, but only in a, 'you could argue that hands in the scrum but...' type way.

[cheltenhamlion]

I know. And he climbed into the middle of the fucking scrum to pluck the ball out.

[paul_e]

now I've generally got a lot of time for Jerry Guscott but can anyone explain to me how his team of the week - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/31482164 - contains more Italians than Englishmen?

Ireland beating France and only having 1 player in there is a bit ridiculous as well, and filling it with Welsh players despite the fact that with a bit more composure Scotland had the chances to win that game shows just how pro-welsh the rugby press are.

[PaulWinch again]

At the moment I'm hoping Ford and Joseph are nailed on to start in the World Cup now and that Cipriani will be the number 10 to come off the bench.

[paul_e]

At the moment I'm hoping Ford and Joseph are nailed on to start in the World Cup now and that Cipriani will be the number 10 to come off the bench.

They should be, and Watson should be nailed on in the back 3.  They're the backs that, in my opinion, can't be dropped.  I think Burrell should join them but was scuppered a bit this week by being outside twelvetrees who just wasn't picking the right passes to release him and it means we still haven't seen cips and burrell at 10 and 12 which is the combination that will nail their places in the 23.  As said I think I'd drop Brown and try Watson at 15 and Nowell which I think will work and would balance things out better, leaving May as the only wildcard, I'm not sure he's got the consistency to ever be entirely sure of his spot but the flashes of utter brilliance probably outweigh the small errors and inconsistency, dropping a guy who ripped the all blacks a new one is a brave call.

The pack is pretty settled, the only real question marks are around whether we try to get Corbs back in and waiting on the fitness of Morgan.

[Dante Lavelli]

Is Watson good enough under the high ball?  Haven't seen too much of him in club rugby but one of the southern hemisphere teams certainly seemed to target him during the autumn internationals.  No idea whether that was because he spilled an early one, or a deliberate tactic as they thought it was a weakness.

[paul_e]

Is Watson good enough under the high ball?  Haven't seen too much of him in club rugby but one of the southern hemisphere teams certainly seemed to target him during the autumn internationals.  No idea whether that was because he spilled an early one, or a deliberate tactic as they thought it was a weakness.

Yes, he's generally very strong under the high ball, and, like Robinson, he's so dangerous that teams don't often kick the ball too close to him.

[Dante Lavelli]

Is Watson good enough under the high ball?  Haven't seen too much of him in club rugby but one of the southern hemisphere teams certainly seemed to target him during the autumn internationals.  No idea whether that was because he spilled an early one, or a deliberate tactic as they thought it was a weakness.

Yes, he's generally very strong under the high ball, and, like Robinson, he's so dangerous that teams don't often kick the ball too close to him.

Adds another dimension to the Ireland v England game as Sexton's kicking game is up there with the best of them and you'd expect any team to test a rookie 15 regardless of how good they could become.