International Rugby

[paul_e]

Was that the Semi?  if so who do we meet (Arg or Ireland right?).

Ireland in the other semi and they looked good as well but I don't think there is much between the packs and Englands biggest strength is the midfield, Mallinder, Williams and Marchant at 10, 12 and 13 is far too good with all 3 being well established in the club first team squads.  Against SA we just overloaded them in midfield and the got it wide and burned them with pace in the 5 yard channel, 4 tries came from that and I can't see Ireland stopping it either becuase the quality of those midfield runners pins defenders in, all 3 will destroy you if you leave gaps.

[paul_e]

Highlights - https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/videos/10153877703954825/ - the 3rd try (especially the way the 15 passes out of the tackle to straighten them up) and the last try are superb.

[paul_e]

1 change for the last test, Harrison in for Haskell with the other 22 in the squad as they were.  I'm happy for him, he's the form back row player in europe right now so he deserved some game time on this tour, and at 7 so he can really show what he can do.  Shame for Haskell who i assume hasn't recovered from the knock that made him come off (he couldn't run when he came off but I'm not sure what he did).

[peter w]

Shame for Haskell? You'll be saying that Andy Goode deserves a spot but unlikely because of the magnificent Mike Brown, next.

[paul_e]

No my issue with Haskell has always been that he's a. not a 7 and b. makes stupid mistakes.  In the last 6 months he's improved on the latter of those to the point where his place in the squad is much harder to argue against.  I still think that him and Robshaw at 6 and 7 isn't a long term solution though and that's where my real anger lies at the selections.

Alex (not andy) Goode being the obvious replacement for Brown has actually had the opposite effect of tempering me calling for him to be dropped, Goode just doesn't have the pace to be an international fullback and no amount of good club form will make up for that. I honestly believe Brown has been the worst player on the pitch for 2 games running, I don't rate him at his best and right now he's woefully out of form and should never have been taken on the tour let alone start all 3 games.

[PaulWinch again]

Wales are getting a tanking here.

[PaulWinch again]

I hope England don't take the cricket team's approach to the last match in a series.

[PaulWinch again]

Cracking game, Harrison swapped in tactical change a la Burrell.

[cdbearsfan]

Potentially exciting finish on BBC2 Scotland of any of you feel like watching more rugby.

[paul_e]

Good game, I think the Harrison change was very harsh, yes we had some issues at the breakdown but they didn't suddenly go away and he was taken off when we'd just gone back into the lead, being taken off before half time is a real mark of dishonor, to do that to 2 players in a 3 match series when both had earned the right to be involved feels a little bit like he saying that only the people who'd trained with England during the 6N were capable of fitting into the squad, which doesn't really offer much incentive for people on the edges of the squad.

[Jon Crofts]

Just enough in the tank to get over the line today, not sure if Australia targeted Brown from restarts but the number of times they had 2 or 3 backs all over him could have cost us even dearer than it ultimately did.  The mobility of the back line swung it combined with the fact we took what was offered up, Australia didn't.

3-0 was fully deserved an amazing turn around from RWC.

[PaulWinch again]

Unbelievable stuff. Jones should be knighted!

[The Left Side]

Phenomenal stuff from England

[PaulWinch again]

I'll say another thing Farrell has come on massively as a player.

[West Derby Villan]

Fantastic result, fantastic series. I agree with previous posters Eddie Jones has transformed us into a force, which, will get better and better