International Rugby

[paul_e]

Ended with a narrow defeat and I think the last 15 mins showed Borthwicks limitations up a little. With England a point down we needed to be a bit cleverer with possession but we just kept kicking ball away from our own half.

[AV84]

Seems a decent result for England considering how they've played the last few years.

Fully expecting Ireland to get battered later on.

[PaulWinch again]

Ended with a narrow defeat and I think the last 15 mins showed Borthwicks limitations up a little. With England a point down we needed to be a bit cleverer with possession but we just kept kicking ball away from our own half.

I’m reasonably happy, they’re clearly progressing.

[paul_e]

Ended with a narrow defeat and I think the last 15 mins showed Borthwicks limitations up a little. With England a point down we needed to be a bit cleverer with possession but we just kept kicking ball away from our own half.

I’m reasonably happy, they’re clearly progressing.

It's certainly a good result but I just think it was there for us to push for the win and we didn't know how to.

[AV84]

French tour to Argentina is going well, I see.

[Exeter 77]

I still can't help but think the RFU's policy of refusing to select overseas-based players will come back to bite them.

[cdbearsfan]

Hopefully. Jingoistic nonsense.

[PaulWinch again]

I don’t agree with it, but I’m not sure it’s jingoistic. It’s an attempt to keep the domestic game strong, which in theory makes it appealing, as a result brings in revenue, and ultimately improves the pipeline of players. As I say I don’t think it really stands up to scrutiny, but there’s logic.

[paul_e]

I don’t agree with it, but I’m not sure it’s jingoistic. It’s an attempt to keep the domestic game strong, which in theory makes it appealing, as a result brings in revenue, and ultimately improves the pipeline of players. As I say I don’t think it really stands up to scrutiny, but there’s logic.

It's also linked to central contracts. The RFU has an agreement with the clubs that players attend various gathering outside the international windows but these will be far more difficult to arrange with clubs outside England.

From the season gone Arundell and Willis are a huge loss to England and Marchant, Ribbans and Sam Simmonds would all be in the conversation so it is a decent amount of players we're overlooking but it's going to get much worse next season, with a lot of quality heading to France this summer.

My bigger problem with it though is how individuals have been treated by the system. Zach Mercer was probably the best 8 in France and kept being ignored by England so he agreed to move back and joined Gloucester, had a good season, and has been ignored by England. The conversations around players like that need to be handled much better.

[PaulWinch again]

Furbank being out is a huge blow.

[paul_e]

Furbank being out is a huge blow.

I'm gutted, he gives us an extra dimension in our attack that Steward just doesn't have the skill or vision to replicate.

[taylorsworkrate]

Infuriating from England in the second half. Kicking the ball away so many times in attack. Deserve to lose doing that

[paul_e]

Infuriating from England in the second half. Kicking the ball away so many times in attack. Deserve to lose doing that

Agreed, we have a bad habit of running out of ideas. I think losing Theo Dan almost immediately after he came on didn't help us because we really needed the extra energy he'd have offered.

[Brazilian Villain]

Thrilling win for Ireland in Durban to tie the series.

[dave shelley]

It was brilliant.